Live-blogging this episode NOW over at www.newcritics.com - be there, folks!

I think it hurt that they took a week off. Anyone else feel this way?

Incredible. I love the Sopranos, but I'm afraid Tony & Co. were just a dry run for Mad Men.

this episode made at least two reference to 'the best of everything.' one 'the slush pile' and two 'shalimar' both allusions to the 1950s movie anyone catch this

This is the best written, most evocative and intelligent show on TV. My grandfather was an ad man in Chicago and may father a sales executive at his prime during the time period of this series. Now I have a glimpse into worlds that were shielded from me as a boy.

Wow! Great episode except I think Don needs to calm down a tad. Who new that these Man-Hoe's existed back in the 60's...he's really giving us regular guys a bad name.

A powerful episode. I cheered Peggy when she stood up to Pete. She is no doormat. And Joan's roomate!!! I didn't see that one coming. Not that anything about Joan would make me think she would respond positively to her friends advances, I notice that she avoids real feelings, conversations and sharing her real feelings. Joan did seem pretty upset when she learned about Roger.

And Don and Rachael, well it was only a matter of time before he fell into an affair with her. Don is growing, starting to face who he is but I can't see that affair going anyplace positive.

Was Peggy being straight with Pete? Was she giving him the brush off, or was she letting him know he would have to try harder to get her on the couch again?

Stupid Betty drove Don to Rachel when she was going on about her father onb the phone and all he wanted was someone with a brain to talk to - he's told Rachel things he's never told anyone.

Roger was a heart attack waiting to happen I knew it and that thing with Joan and her creepy roomate was just plain annoying. Joan did play that part with Cooper well - she kept it together. And then the elevator - brilliant!

They also got screwed on Nixon - they didn't anticipate Kennedy coming out with an attack ad and he did - Pete's smirk with that was gratifying.

Best line of the night - when Don tells the girl he can't even get it out of the garage - those girls were butt ugly!

Peggy was calling Pete out on his hypocrisy - he's soo married and in love but it's confusing and all that bull - she pretty much made it clear to him to never use that line with her again.

Peggy was calling Pete out on his hypocrisy - he's soo married and in love but it's confusing and all that bull - she pretty much made it clear to him to never use that line with her again.

Don comes off like a total wus with Rachael. As much as we keep hearing about men that can't show their emotions - we sure are getting a heathy dose from Don. I doubt if Rachael will tolerate this for long..I hope she doesn't become too gushy herself. This could deteriorate into soap-city

I was hoping Rachel would stick to her guns, but she fell into the Draper pool like all the rest. What a shame!

At least we got to hear more about Drapers past. Wow.

He for some unknown reason feels he can open up to her and reveal things to her - he said to her "You know me" and she was like "No I don't"

It also strikes me as Don being a man who can not handle being out of control in any way - he flips when he lost the account and he flips when his best friend has a heart attack - I don;t think he can deal with things in a healthy way

And Betty just confirmed her Dr.s diagnosis - she is obssessed with childlike petty things and she thinks it's all about her - I had respect for her for shooting at the birds but now I can't stand her again

"When God closes a door he opens a dress" Roger Sterling - Hilarious!

Weak dialog in the love scene with Rachel.

Yeah - I have to agree - I didn't feel the passion like I thought I would - it was kind of a let down.

That scene with Roger and his family was touching. He always talks about them and it's always been obvious he loves them - health crises always put things into perspective

Roger got some bad karma. Give him a couple of episodes, he'll be back to his old self.

It looked like Peggy was wearing my grandma's old curtains. Too bad they didn't give her more air time.

I agree those twins were a little plain. Where they really going to use them in the ad?

Kudos to Peggy for strait talking Pete. Too bad she had to give that sycophantic jackass the goods in the first place when she should have showerd him with roundup that night he brought his drunk ass to her door. What a deplorable @ss licker Pete is.

This show is just bursting with surprises.

Hmmm...a hooker's kid goes to live with his dad? I'm having a hard time believing that one. Unless Dad miraculously had some feelings for the mother, he would have simply denied paternity when confronted and moved on.

Joan's roomate is quite smitten. I wonder if Joan suspected anything before the moment that the roomate confessed her attraction. The roomate obviously does any and everything to make Joan happy.

Roger Sterling is a freak. Does his powerless role at the agency cause him to seek out cheap thrills or what?

I'm liking Peggy more and Betty less. Peggy has backbone (scene with Pete) while Betty just whines too much about everything.

I'm disappointed with Rachel. I had hoped that she would have turned Don down despite her attraction to him. She was thinking and speaking rationally but caved at the end.

Overall good episode with some angles that left me wondering where do they go from here.

Mmm, very good episode, but that whole lesbian roommate thing - as well as trying to get the two twin sisters to kiss was too much. What I don't get is why TV shows always need to take one theme and have everyone experience all within the same episode? Is this how all modern 1 hour TV show scripts are written? For me, doing that is too forced. I mean, what are the chances - the probability - that there would be 2 different groups of people and that both would be faced with a lesbian laced incident within the same day? I mean, come on, does that really happen? That is, that on the night of the first day of Labor Day weekend (Friday), everyone just goes lesbo all of a sudden?

Did I really hear Rachel say "Please, thank you" when Don asked her if he should continue? Never heard that response before.

"Stupid Betty drove Don to Rachel when she was going on about her father onb the phone and all he wanted was someone with a brain to talk to - he's told Rachel things he's never told anyone."

True, but Don is the one who chose her for a wife. All he wanted was a trophy, something to put on display, and then he's dissapointed when he realizes how little depth their relationship has? LOl, he cant have his cake and eat it too. Betty is not the useless airhead that she comes off to be. She just acts that way because its expected of her, shes a product of her enviroment.

All the same , i was sorely dissapointed that Racheal gave in to Don. I wish she had stood her ground and maintained her self respect.

Im not sure why peggy had an attitude with Pete. She did sort of make her own bed. I mean come on, loosing your virginity to a drunk man before his wedding night? How did she expect him to treat her?

And Joans reaction to her roomate was kinda scary. Someone confesses that they have been watching your from afar, stalking you, and becomes roomates with you just to get closer, and your answer is, "You've had a hard day, lets go out and forget about it" Huh? Definetely want to see how this plays out in later episodes.

This show is an excellent series and I was quite dissapointed with break in season last week.

What is up with the gal who expresses her love to ol' Red? This show plays an interesting take on gay relations of the sixties. Although Red is pretty sexual.

Sterling obviously loves his wife. Seeing him cry in that bed and making the statement that he did not want his daughter to see him like that is interesting. I think he realized how much his family means to him and that those gal he messed around with eairler in the night was beat!

Don is still the man.

Rachel - I cannot figure out...

Betty - If a child has a pet bird, it's name should be Betty.

what's up with this episode and its homosexual tendencies?

Who is the actor who plays Rachel's father?

I seem to remember him from soaps in the 60s. And what are we to make of

Roger telling the girl he wants to suck her blood and eat her skin?

At last , two great things showed up in this series , and Joan Holloway had both of them .

That Roger is flying his freak flag! I think we're just getting a taste at how perverted he really is.

I liked it that Don was uncomfortable with that whole freaky situation with those (UGLY) twins.

When Don was on the phone with Betty, I thought he was going to realize how important she is to him and say he loved her, but Betty screwed that up with her whining about her dad. Not uncommon when one's parent takes a new love interest, but bad timing on Betty's part to bring it up.

Thought the lezbo think with Red's roomie was interesting. Joanie didn't flat turn her down. I think she secretly was flattered by it.

This show is GREAT! Can't wait for more!!

Get over the homosexual overtones people!!!!!

There were MANY dirty girl on girl paperbacks in the 50's / 60's. And it's a classic man fantasy.

What's with those blonde twins? They were about as cute as Laura Dern's ugly cousin!

I was slightly surprised that Joan didn't go for the sexual diverse opertunity being the ho that she is, however, can the blonde pay the bills? So the "lets pretend I didn't hear that you're my stalker" thing makes more sense in the end.

Betty? She's not stupid, just has mommy dearest issues. Draper would have gone to Rachael regardless of what Betty driveled I think.

As one who lives and breathes ephemera, I must say this is my show. I love the modern Philip Johnson/Herman Miller-type sets, but I wish there were more outdoor scenes. I am a car guy, perhaps there will be a car buying or some type of real-life product placement (Chevy Impala?) worked into the script. Hey I wouldn't mind if it were integral to the usual great story line.

If I had the credentials, I would be thrilled to be a researcher for the show. Like The West Wing that I always watched on Marathon Mondays on Bravo in '05, this is a show about decisions made under stress. Happy viewing.

So when is Peggy going to realize she's preggers and what's going to happen to her??? You know that little pischer Pete won't do the right thing by her.

What does Don mean when he says to Rachel "this is it...this all there is"? Does he mean the only thing in life is sex?

This is the most amazing show on tv now. It is so much more intelligent, cinematic and sophisticated. The art direction is perfect and the acting is incredible. I am sold!

finally, something that feels authentic! it's sometimes hard to relate to the period as a woman--thank God for progress--but overall, a very good series. you hate them, you love them, you root for them...

damn don draper is a hottie in that polished cary grant kind of way!

i'm a big fan of rachal, joan and peggy. pete's a dick, and sterling--well, comic relief.

let's lose the lesbo stuff...over-played in tv these days. at least joan is voluptuous to make men and women want her...

the other good show to watch is brotherhood on showtime...

Is there a dialogue consultant in the house? Joan talking in the mirror: "1960 I am SO over you." Good God NOBODY talked like that in 1960 -- not the "SO" part, and not the "over" part, and not the cynical, hyper-self-aware "1960" part.

Great episode!

I feel that Don revealed his true identity to Rachel because, in the earlier meeting with her and her father, she strongly commented that her Grandfather started the business as an immigrant and that he "came from nothing." Don felt that only she could understand him coming from nothing.

I loved the Cartwright Doublesided Aluminum casting call. Only a drunk like Freddy could come up with that one.

Don is attracted to Betty as the mother he never had, and loves playing the field for women like dear old mom the hoe......WOW, no wonder this guy is seriously screwed up.

I agree with the comment above..if Don was taken in by his biological mothers John, why would the same man do this act of kindness, and then turn around and tell his son his mother was a prostitute?

Now that's a little too swisted!!!

On a lighter note - exapnd the scene with Salvatore and Red getting together - discover their latent homo tendancies - then stay in the closet after breaking up with secret gay affairs......all with "Twister" games at after hours parties at the firm!!!! Gay is great.

Madmen is the best show of the season.

I love it....

Can someone please shed light on the following?

Don revealed tonight that his father died when he was 10. He tells Rachel that soon afterwards, his father's wife married another man - I assume that was the mean and heartless fellow in the Hobo Code episode.

But here's the part that confuses me. Several episodes back, Don flashes back to the day his half-brother Adam was born. "He's not my brother", says the young Don/Dick. "Yes he is. You have the same father", the man in the room tells Don.

I cannot remember. Was the man who said that to Don/Dick his father? I remember people in this forum saying that man was his "uncle" -- that is, the man who married Don's real father's wife after he died. This does not make sense. Because if Adam was just born in this episode, obviously he was the child of this "uncle". And he and Don did not share a father. Can someone please clear this up for me?

Thanks.

I think sometimes the writers include modern sayings on purpose such as the "1960 I'm SO OVER you." It is so obviously a contemporary statement that there's no way they could have overlooked it. Sort of like a "wink" to us similar to Hitchcock appearing in his own films.

I've watched each of the last 10 episodes and noticed, while you've chosen to cast African Americans in "generally expected" roles for the period (elevator operator and sandwich vendor) I wonder if the fundamental rule of story development will apply; characters should advance the plot, or are these characters simply unimportant props.

It would seem story lines about these fictional characters paired with the musical soundtracks you are already using would serve to enrich Mad Men's visceral appeal. After all the 60's were both a dangerous and exciting decade for African Americans. Remember?

I hate that idiot Pete more with each episode. I've known lots of entitled trust fund punks like him. I wish Don would give him a swift kick in the junk. I can't wait for the next episode. The way that Pete snapped at the secretary in the preview will cause him problems. Anybody who's ever worked in an office knows that you don't mess around with the secretaries.

Good on Peggy for standing up to Pete. I'm positive Don called her in for ideas just to spite Pete. Don has a way of always letting everybody know he's the Alpha male.

The Joan roommate thing was really sad. Instead of listening to her Joan engages in whorish behavior to hurt her roommate's feelings. It was painful to watch.

Rachel couldn't resist Don but I think that in the next episode she's going to call it off. She's too smart to play second fiddle to Betty.

Trey, I have to agree with you. Hopefully that will happen as the second season starts up; if not, the producers have really goofed, certainly in terms of opportunities to depict some vibrant new characters. (Most of this bunch is already getting old.)

I actually think that it's bold of the producers not to fall into a PC trap. By not showing African Americans in artificial positions they illustrate the brutal discrimination faced by them in the period before the rise of the Civil Rights movement. When shows rewrite history they create more damage because it gives people an unreal sense of the past. A story arc about an African American character would be interesting, but if it's done right it'll create an illusion about opportunities that discriminatory practices closed off to non-whites. Sometimes the absence of non-white characters can better illustrate discrimination than their inclusion.

Joe Nada I think you missed the point of that post. Nobody was talking about magically promoting elevator operators to account execs for this series; the point was to delve into their lives, too.

Sterling Cooper comes across as having a "Business as Usual" type of outlook for such a vibrant a time as the transition from the Atomic Age to the cultural revolution that dominates the sixties. They may be in danger of losing their top-tier position to up-and-comers. This is evidenced when Don's men are asked if they even watch current tv and the ads. There seems to be a level of complacency and resting on one's laurels.

With a major client deserting them, I wonder if the clients they do land turn out to be duds anyway? November 30, 1960 the DeSoto division of Chrysler Motors stopped production forever. It would be very interesting to parallel the possible direction of the fictional company with the outcome of DeSoto by having them land a campaign for a company with nails in its coffin.

Chrysler would want to sell as many cars as it can, but at the same time they won't dump a lot of money into the project, so Sterling Cooper could be asked to fight a losing battle.

In this epsiode, they flashed a lot of the Kennedy ads -- some trashing Nixon. The election is heating up. Don says essentially that he identifies with Nixon. Pete clearly identifies with Kennedy (even if he is not their client). The election "should not be this close." At the same time, Don's career seems to be taking a turn for the worst: his mentor had a heart attack, he lost a big account, etc. Where is Don headed? Will he ultimately suffer the same fate as Nixon -- another man with many secrets? Will he lose everything that he worked for? Will he lose out to Pete?

Tonight's episode was disappointing, especially after waiting 2 weeks for it. Someone new must be writing. Too many misses for one episode: no chemistry between Don and Rachel although it was expected based on prior episodes; the twin scene was too long and bizarre; the lesbian scene superfluous. I love the show so I'll chalk this one up but let's get back to the world of advertising, 60's housewives, office romance, and leave the "sensational" silly stuff to the broadcast networks. Their new season is "so over" already and we're only in the first week! Congratulations on the renewal.

"Posted by: Rara Avis | September 27, 2007 at 11:33 PM

Who is the actor who plays Rachel's father?

I seem to remember him from soaps in the 60s."

He used to play Dave Siegel on One Life to Live. He was one of the original cast members, on from 1968 - 1972.

This is the most incredible episode i've seen yet. I love it and the seen with the Heart attack was awsome! Keep it coming I am so sold!

The actor who plays Rachel's father is Allan Miller. I remember him from a soap I used to watch in the 70s called "How to Survive a Marriage".

"I agree with the comment above..if Don was taken in by his biological mothers John, why would the same man do this act of kindness, and then turn around and tell his son his mother was a prostitute?"

I'm gonna speculate that being fanatically religious, his step-mother forced his father to take Dick/Don in. Also, from the way she acted in the flashbacks, she was not the type of person to let his father forget it either. I think she said something about the family not being as Christian anymore. I forget the exact quote.

Dick was probably treated badly by both parents growing up, but for different reasons. That's probably why he wanted to get away. Just a guess.

For those of us who were kids during this time, we are seeing the 1960s up front and personal...This is the best thing to hit TV since the remote.

When Don said "This is all there is," my husband and I didn't think he was talking (just) about sex. He was having a heavy existential crisis: we live our lives and then we die and everything's gone. That's it. He was reaching out to Rachel for comfort in a very primal way, and I think she sensed that, which is one reason that she consented. Another reason is that she's said before that she's highly attracted to him).

I watched the scene with Carol coming out to Joan with a certain amount of terror, not knowing how Joan would react to the knowledge that her roommate was in love with her *and* basically stalked her all the way to Manhattan. Joan let her down very gently, with more grace than I would have expected. She's worldly enough that I wonder if she had an inkling already.

The scene with Roger and the twins really did leave me with my jaw on the floor. We've seen Roger be obnoxious, we've seen him be needy, but I don't think we've ever seen him this sexually crass before. I think he was, in part, trying to get back at Joan. The whole "I want to suck your blood, like Dracula," was REALLY disturbing, and the whole thing felt like it was heading for disaster. Roger was a terrified man in the hospital. There was a lot of raw emotion, and Don was both attracted and repelled by it.

What was Joan doing back at the office with her one night stand? Was she hoping to run into Sterling so she could rub his nose in it? I would say the episode was a little disappointing. It seemed uncharacteristic of Don to open up the way he did to Rachel, without provocation.

Is Roger gonna die? Because it seems like he has only been temporary because of his "guest star" billing. And next week ep has the weasel pete talking as if Roger Sterling is already dead, in refererence to Don becoming a partner? This was such a great episode. And Cudo's to Don for not dropping his pant's for the skank twin's. At least he is smart enough to know not to shit where he eat's. And I gained alot of respect for his character when he had the balls to slap sterling and tell him "NO! YOUR WIFES NAME IS MONA!' in a hushed tone of course. That was great. I lost respect for Rachel for falling for the sympathy card with Don. But hey, what the hell, I've played that card before and it works good if u play it smooth like Don did. When he asked her if she really wanted "it" (cock), she said "yes please" , What a sexy bitch she is. She really looked good tonite. Yeah!!! Baby!! Yes please may i have another? Tonite was great, and OH what about that Bull Dagger scene with Joan? Joan is really smooth to. I couldn't tell if she was gonna freak or go for it, and she finnessed it great with an "I said maybe and that's final" response. I don't agree that pete is better equiped that Don for the ad business. I've know alot of punks like him and you can always smell them. They are the "suck asses" who talk about everyone behind they're back after they smile at you. What a big pussy. I hope Don kicks his ass (metaphorically speaking) and pulls his covers in front of everyone. Great ep, and can't wait til next week.

Ero - The cruel man from The Hobo Code WAS Don's father. The other man you're referring to in the birth scene was "Uncle Mack." Don's father obviously died while his wife was pregnant with Adam.

Amazing performances tonight by John Slattery, Christina Hendricks, and Jon Hamm. They all brought their A game and really displayed a wide range of emotion and intensity. I think Joan was as surprised as I was to learn she has feelings for Roger.

ero-re:Don/Adams father. Possible that Dons stepmother was pregnant with Adam when their father died. Don told Rachel that the stepmother "took up" with another man after his father died and that he was raised by those two. That still leaves unanswered, was the man in the Hobo epi, the real father or the step father.

(Is it possible with this convoluted plot that even the writers might get confused on a small detail)?

THOMAS: It seems that Dons father would not be the one to tell him about his infidelity.

I would think it more likely that Dons stepmother told him that his mother was a prostitute and labeled him a "whore child".

I can imigine that she would agree to take this other womens child in as the "christian thing to do" and then hold it over her husbands head. Don did not give the impresson that she was a warm and loving step mother.

Ditto re: Rachel and Don. I was hoping she would be the one woman who didn't melt for Don. Would have made her character more complex but alas he was mighty vulnerable in that scene.

About the Hobo Code episode. I only saw it once but something has bothered me. Does anyone think Adam and the Hobo shared a physical resemblance? Didn't Adam and the Hobo have red hair and similar features? I'm thinking perhaps the Hobo came back after being stiffed by Don's father--raping the stepmother and killing Don's father ("the dishonest man" symbolized on the fence).

Something even more traumatic happened to Don than a bad upbringing. Maybe he witnessed such a crime and that was why Adam seemed to repulse him. It appears Rachel is the only one he confides in--should be interesting if their affair continues.

What a weird episode! What was up with Roger? The went alittle overboard with the heart attack scene. Why did they throw that in with Joan's roomate? ANd bringing them creapy man back to there pad? Kinda strange, and one of the most boring episodes. This is just my opinion, though. Best part when Peggy put Pete is his place. Was it just the outfit, or was she bigger? Liked that Don spilled his guts to Raquel. Hmmm, that will be a cliffhanger in the end!

Poverty, neglect and what the hobo called 'death' was all around Don/Dick's childhood home. He grew up in a home of despair and lies with no primal connection to his first family -- a drunk and a prostitute for parents. That is pretty traumatic -- even before he goes to Korea and runs away to New York with nothing.

I do not think there is evidence that anyone was raped. Adam repulsed him becuase he was a ghost from the past in his office. It was a threat to undermine everything he worked for. Don's life is built on lies and he knows it.

I liked this epi. Liked the way all the characters were experiencing the same predicament in different contexts. All were faced with new and intimidating social situations and were woefully inept at handling themselves. For example, I don't think Joan was smooth at all when confronted with her roommate's feelings. Can't blame her--in 1960 that just wasn't a situation most women were accustomed to dealing with. So Joan handled it as she would any other awkward social situation: she put up a block and pretended it didn't happen. She didn't know how to be honest and forthright with her roommate, so she used the two businessmen as an in-your-face rejection of that whole conversation. Joan's message couldn't have been more clear: never bring this up again.

I've never cared for Joan, but I liked her better when I saw she was actually saddened to tears by Roger's heart attack. She looked so brave, sitting there at that teletype machine, taking direction while trying to hold it together.

The twins: how uncomfortable to watch that, not only for Don but for the viewer. When Roger came through the door riding on the girl's back....ick, full body shudder.

I don't think the twins scene was gratuitous at all. I think it was meant to repulse the viewer, meant to illustrate how depraved Roger can be, how troubled he is by the disconnect with his daughter, and lastly, to force Don to face this huge mid-life crisis he's experiencing. While a romp with twins is the stereotypical male dream, for Don it seemed to represent how meaningless this whole "success" package has become. So the scene accomplished a lot.

I agree with all of you that Betty failed Don. Don wanted to open up to her and came very close. Then Betty, like a compass pointing North, ignored the edge in his voice and brought the conversation back to herself and her own petty issues. I wish Betty would get over herself.

I too am disappointed in Rachel. At the pinnacle of his crisis, Don ran to Rachel because he has unfairly assigned her the "fix my head" role. She was honest; she didn't pretend to understand him. It would be more in keeping with her character to resist him, especially since he was so obviously in the midst of an emotional crisis. I was surprised she caved, and more surprised that the chemistry that's been so palpable between them in the past just dissipated when they finally came together. The "Yes, please" comment was odd and unappealing.

Pete continues to repulse me. Every time I watch a scene with him I want to bathe my eyes in disinfectant afterwards.

I was touched by Sterling's reaction in the hospital room. As sombody who has experienced a minor attack (escemia) I can relate it puts things into perpective in the moment. Sterling's sorrow and teror is palpable and real. Although he will probably fall back to his ways after recovery. Don's "This is all there is" with Rachel signifies his own existential crisis. It is illuminating that he calls Betty, but her response alienates him to the point that he has nowhere to go but Rachel's place (remember he broke up with his mistress/girlfriend previously). As far as his father/step father deal, I'm of the mind that his father took him in, then died while his wife was pregnant with his brother. Then his mean step father came into his life, which is why he left home. And it is probable that his mother let him know his history out of spite. Joan is so different than the women you see on teevee now. She is sensual and voluptuous compared to the Tweegys we see today. And she is a multi-layered character. I also was stopped by the "over it" comment. But maybe she was the first person to ever use it! How does new language evolve? But the timing is probably twenty years to early. This show is so much better than any of the new fall offerings, which can't compare in terms of the philosophical depth of the writing, IMO. BTW, since the show will jump two years next season, it will be interesting to see how black characters evolve. It will be 1962, at the first glimmerlings of the civil rights era, the Kennedy's asassination and Vietnam. I remember in 62 black speakers on the SF state college campus raising important issues to very mixed reviews, drugs and Hippies, the Beatles. The man in the grey flannel suit was going the way of the Edsel. Whoi will be experimenting with what? So much good stuff to mine.

How wonderful for AMC that "Mad Men" is appealing to a larger, younger, more delightfully modern demographic, judging from many of the posts here. (Hey, anybody seen "Idiocracy"?)

Let's talk about Joan's boobs and lesbo roommate and those butt-ugly twins!

This is the way of all quality now. Just think of what will happen when the ad men of AMC realize they're capturing that coveted mass-market demo. Dumb it down quick, keep their butts on the sofa long enough to sell them some more product.

Could it be happening already?

The other day I watched episode 106, where Midge and the Dude take Don to the Gaslight. That may have been the peak of the show's literacy.

I hope not.

Two last notes: Dead-on accuracy: did you catch the rail-thin twin sister wearing a girdle? Back then all women wore girdles, regardless of their shape. Makes me think of the movie "Anatomy of a Murder" with Jimmy Stuart and Lee Remick, a controversial movie that came out in 1959. Lee Remick has been raped. Her own attorney (Jimmy Stewart) questions her morals because she wasn't wearing a girdle on the night of the rape. And if you were a lady with any kind of morals, you wore a girdle every minute you were awake.

Second question: what's going to become of Joan if Roger is out of the picture? Her stature in that office is due almost entirely to his "sponsorship." Don has never warmed up to Joan; Cooper has shown no interest in her sexually. It will be interesting to see how she does on her own.

Only had time to watch the first twenty minutes of the show but...

People wondered about the writing of this episode? It had four writers as against just Matt Weiner.

In the episode 5G Don tells Adam that Adam's mom never let him forget what he was. So when told she was dead, he responded "Good." Real father (such as he was) gone, stepmom never liked him, who would want to go back into that life if he had a choice? Adam was the only one who remembered Dick Whitman as a family member and Dick was ten or more years older than him.

Don also may have given away more than he knew after watching the Kennedy/Nixon promos, saying it was easy for him to identify with Nixon - coming from nothing, a self-made man. Regarding the Nixon ad, he hated it - "Message received and forgotten."

Don also doesn't like the idea of attack ads. He's into promotions, showing the benefits, not downgrading opponents. To him it would be like putting together a campaign for GM saying how bad Fords are.

I didn't care for this episode. It was down right creepy w/the Bobbsie twins and what's w/Joan's sweaty unhealthy looking roommate? Is she ill?

The reason why Roger broke down @ the hosp. was of fear and guilt and relieved of a 2nd chance.

Don was beside himself but still his approach in Rachel's apt. was too forward and rude.

I just love this show - the only thing worth watching on TV. There is just so much going on you can't take your eyes off the TV for a second.

Last night's episode was an odd but powerful mixture. Rachel now knows more about Don than Betty does. I don't think Rachel's giving in to Don was weak - she is intensely attracted him but I don't think she'll settle for some tawdry affair (as per next week's preview).

Peggy tell Pete off - you go girl!

Joan's reaction to the news about Sterling was some mighty fine acting. It was all in her face.

And anything Don Draper does in fine with me - he's complex, sexy, smart, flawed - I'm in love!

Is Peggy pregnant? I know she is on the pill but.....The comment/ question stated by Pete " Are we holding precious cargo?"

seemed a bit suspect. (just before she stood up for herself)

I have a non plot-related question. Who is the audience for this show? It sounds like plenty of younger people are watching and it amazes me that they can relate. I was in NYC at an advertising agency around this time so I lived in this world and this era and "remember it well". I can relate but how do all of you? Or do you see it just as an interesting TV drama (and a great one at that)? The thirtysomethings I know are not the least bit interested in this world so I guess I'm asking -- who are you?

I feel strongly that the reason Rachel and Don finally hooked up last night was to show how much Don has fallen for her. We all have seen it and felt it- they have wonderful chemistry! For him to arrive there, all emotional and raw, ready to tell her everything, was all about his character development. It was a big thing for him to tell her those things. He needed to feel close to her physically to match what he was feeling emotionally. He feels like she can "see" him while she feels like she doesn't know him at all.

And for what it's worth, women have sex for pleasure too. I do not find Rachel "giving in" to Don disappointing. Just look at him! Who could resist! The woman has needs too. It is always a bummer when the chase is over so I hope the writers do something complex and interesting with their affair.

Peggy is not pregnant. Remember she went on the pill?

While I loved all the character development in this episode, I felt that the writing was at times hit-or-miss. I found Don's conversation with "his" twin completely weird and Roger's heart attack was a welcome relief.

Similarly, Joan’s roommate’s impassioned and awkward monologue, followed by the inanity of their double-date conversation, was only relieved by the totally AWESOME scene where she is taking the dictation late at night in the office with the big boss. That scene and the scene that followed in the elevator were stunning.

As much as I am not rooting for a Don-Rachel romance, I am thrilled with the side of him we see when he is around her: maybe he’s the Missing Piece to her Big-O.

And speaking of Shel Silverstein – the scenes that took place in the Village featured a more homogenous collection of New Yorkers – including a black woman among the guests of Midge’s stoner party. I don’t care for Midge’s character in the least (I find Peggy, Joan, Betty et al much more interesting) but her crowd evokes the halcyon days of Greenwich Village – when it was full of real artists and intellectuals rather than its current legions of rich Hollywood types and Eurotrash trust-funders trying to look bohemian.

Yes, I agree with the statement "I am so over 1960" being purposely included. When I first heard it, it jarred me because it is such a contemporary saying, and I couldn't understand why the writers would have let it go, as the show is so incredibly well-written and true to the details of the time. But of course it must have been done on purpose - I love this show! Absolutely the best, and how great is it that there will be a second season?

I'm 44, female, black (non-American), married. I like this show simply because it's awesomely good. The characters are interesting, not one-dimensional,and varied and the dialogue is oh so smart. I love the use of language; the pace; the look (and looks, esp. Jon Hamm).

I also agree that there is not much chemistry between Rachel and Don after all. I think there will be a lot of bitterness and drama surrounding them in the future. It's possible that the non-chemistry is there to show how the relationship eventually turns ugly.

I believe Betty's inability to show real emotion when talking to Don is just a defense mechanism. In order for the marriage to maintain its status quo inner turmoil must be kept at bay. They keep their private demons to themselves. Only external conflicts are acceptable to discuss. I do believe Betty and Don will one day discover just how much they love and need each other.

I thought Roger's scene in the hospital with Mona was overdone. He doesn't seem the type to be that emotional especially with Don observing.

Joan looked absolutely beautiful in her black dress with her hair down. Loved the elevator scene with Joan realizing how much she and Shirley McLaine's character had in common.

I think Don's "This is it!" comment to Rachel is right up there with Tony Soprano's "I get it." line in the dessert in that it can be interpreted many ways.

I took that line as well as the other one(and I am ad libbing because I have seen the episode once)"all of these feelings are slipping through my fingers..." to mean that he understands what true love feels like now.

When he and Rachel meet up in the restaurant the first time he says that there is no such thing as love. Men like him make it up to sell stockings (or something like that). Whereas Rachel was the more romantic one. Anyone remember that?

Fast forward to Don watching his boss cry and hold his family. Don gets sentimental. He misses his family. He calls Betty and realizes, while she is talking, he feels nothing. The woman he wants to talk to is Rachel.

Light bulb moment for Don.

He wakes up.

When he arrives at Rachel's door his hair is dry w/out Brill cream, he has been roaming the streets, perhaps. He looks messed up- a far cry from how he looked in the hospital.

He was telling her that he gets what these feelings mean. He can put a word behind it now even though he can't say it.

It is love.

He is gushing.

He is breathless.

He wants her.

He needs her.

It is the first time he has ever felt this.

It was a fine performance from Jon Hamm and I was impressed with his layers and his vulnerability.

And that is my interpretation of that one line: "This is it."

To: I Remember it Well

I'm thirtysomething and I absolutely love this show! I love it because even though it takes place in 1960, all these things still happen today. Maybe some of the sexist comments don't take place directly in front of the women but they STILL HAPPEN. Men will be having affairs with women in the city and then going home to their wives in Connecticut until the end of time! You can't politically correct human nature!

Oh yes! Someone finally noticed! I think Peggy is pregnant as well! She looked a little chubby in the face and the outfit she was sporting (and in the preview of the next episode)smacks of - "Yep! The waistline is the first thing to go!" Although, I do wish the full-figured gal was still in vogue. This is the only show I watch on TV. I love every minute of it - even the tid-bits attached to the commercials!

regarding Peggy pregnant or not. She had just been prescribed the pill when she had that first night with Pete. That doesn't mean she was protected and there are a lot of people walking around out there who were concieved when their mother's were on the pill. If you look at the way they have changed her figure from the beginning to last week and then this, that is not just a young woman putting on some weight.

I thought the scene in the hospital with Sterling was excellent. A man who has so sharply faced his own mortality puts in perspective what matters. He obviously loves his daugther as he talks about her with everyone, Don, Joan and homely little Mirabelle.

Joan's reaction to the roomate was very real. She is faced with a situation that she is not expecting and doesn't know how to respond so she reponds the only way she knows and that is to pretend that it didn't happen.

I loved this episode although I found the twins thing a little wierd but saw it's purpose. Pete I find creepier every scene he's in and talk about a smarmy kiss ass who will mostly agree with whatever he thinks will win him point with the big boys or the clients. I almost cheered when he almost got fired

The "1960 I'm SO over you" didn't strike me as being implausible argot for a New York sophisticate in 1960. I did not find it particularly jarring. I can't offer evidence to the contrary as I was only 8-years-old in 1960 and don't actually recall anyone saying that, but I think it's possible.

Did they say what college they attended? I was wondering if maybe they were Bennington Girls.

At first, I thought this episode was a little flat, but on reflection, I don't think so. The show just keeps on getting better. I can't remember a tv drama I have enjoyed more (not even the Sopranos).

Among the many wonderful things about this show is that the characters are multi-dimensional, and every episode seems to bring out a different aspect of their personalities. Tonight, we saw Joan and Roger, both bon vivant types, showing different sides. Joan's all about keeping cool and not letting anyone see her sweat (remember her comment to the roommate about not using the dress shields and the way Joan danced The Twist with Paul in the earlier episode with an almost imperceptible sway of the hips). Her comment to the roommate "You've had a hard a day" was so "Joan" -- brush it off, keep going, keep it light, there's nothing that night on the town can't fix (remember Don's comment in Episode 1 that advertising is all about happiness). Yet, she is far from superficial. We see Joan coming into the office in the middle of the night (on a holiday weekend no less) to help Mr. Cooper and the tears in her eyes as she types the telegram. She is devoted. Not only to Roger but to Sterling Cooper institution and all that it represents. What is also interesting to me is that we learn in the episode that she went to college. She is an educated woman with alot of street smarts. Is she frustrated by the career limitations that were faced by women at the time? And as for Roger, he has lived like there is no tomorrow, yet he cries like a baby when facing his own mortality. I would guess that for some period of time, Roger may "reform" and cut down on his drinking, smoking and womanizing, but for the sake of the show, I hope we get the "old" Roger back before too long. Besides, he gets all the best lines. Example: "We need to cut back...let's go fire someone."

And as for Don, I think him showing up looking disheveled at Rachel's apartment is indicative of the "oh sh**t" panic he probably felt at the sight of his boss/mentor/friend/older version of himself lying pasty faced in the hospital. Don wonders: if Roger kicks off, what happens to me? To Sterling Cooper? And am I going to end up like that in 10-15 years? But instead of pausing to reflect, he gives in to the panic.

For "I remember it well"

I was 8 years old in 1960 so as I watch I have a lot of "oh, yeah" moments. Some details I do remember personally, others are more like vaguely recalling the essence of something. Obviously I was not hanging around an advertising agency in Manhattan but I do recall the attitudes, mysterious to me as a child, the overheard comments and looks that I didn't understand then but do now.

It really is a kind of time travel. I can conjure up the tinkle of cocktail glasses and laughter downstairs late at night when my parents entertained friends, overflowing ashtrays and the smell of lighter fluid (and pipe tobacco for a few years), martini kits, hostess aprons, Arpege perfume, etc.

And the acting's wonderful, storylines are good too. What's not to like?

Well, I'm going to give myself a little pat on the back for bringing up Kitty Genovese and her roommate-lover just before this episode aired. LOL

And Roger -- choosing butt-ugly twins over the luscious Talia Balsam, who I have had a major crush on since seeing her in the Kent State movie (1980?)? For shame Roger!

Not the best ep IMHO. Very choppy.

I've enjoyed every eposiode and am glad to see that AMC renewed it. Growing up in the 70s (I'm 40), this was a generation we all looked back on and wished we had been born a bit earlier.

Excellent show last night with many new twists opening up new plot possibilities. I imagine some of the seemed foreshadowing of past episodes will come to light soon (ex. - Pete's creepiness w/gun; Don wanting him fired; much more). I also hope to see more flashbacks to clear up a couple of questions - like the father in the hobo episode... is it his father or stepfather. If I had to guess, it is his stepfather. We knew the mother was the stepmother because when he denied his brother, the uncle stated they had the same daddy, but made no mention of the mother. Also, in the hobo episode, he introduced himself as a whore child.

I hope the writers continue to develop Don into someone we can not only like, but respect. Due to the time development, his affairs and life will probably come to light by more and more people. I hope that he protects his children in the series...

I could write/talk all day about what I liked in each episode and speculate about what I hope happens. I'm just glad the show is running. It's the only show that I look forward to seeing regularly and this point. In some ways it reminds me of "Twin Peaks," in that it's familiar in some ways but that familiarity can shock you. I hope, though, that the writers don't go overboard in later seasons like they did on Twin Peaks.

Note to "Irememberitwell" about who we all are. I'm a 41-yo Caucasian woman, happily married, no kids, pretty good career. My mother is "Penny321." I go to her house on Thursdays to watch MM with her and I have become fascinated with this show, and with my mother's life and the world in which she carved out her career. She won't tell you this, but she is an attorney with a specialty in Constitutional Law (semi-retired now). The restrictions on women and minorities in 1960 are what led her to pursue a career in which she knew she could directly implement change. Ever since I can remember she has told my sister and me, "Don't complain about the world unless you're prepared to make it better."

OK anyway, here's my comment about Don. We kind of laugh about mid-life crisis, but it's a milestone in almost everyone's life. It usually happens at the point when you've achieved all the goals you set for yourself early on. Then you say to yourself, ok, I made it. I've got everything I wanted. Why aren't I on top of the world? And where do I go from here?

Don Draper has it all--the career, the trophy wife, the social status. But none of those things have provided him with spiritual or emotional fulfillment. I think he's drawn to Rachel because he sees her (rightly or wrongly) as the woman who's going to fill that big hole in his life.

I was so moved by the last scene with Roger and his daughter. He has mentioned in almost every episode how bothered he is by the gap between them. Her coming to him when he was in such a weak and vulnerable state may be the turning point in his life.

What Peggy said to Pete was what we call in French "remettre les pendules à l'heure" i.e. "setting all the clocks to the correct time". She just reminded him of the facts. I get the feeling just having a secretary talking back to an executive is extraordinary.

Funniest line of the episode : Don to Rachel "This is it!"

Yes, Don can relate to Nixon. It's hard for people today to fully understand the dynamic of Nixon and Kennedy. Today, everyone hears the name Nixon and thinks Watergate and Kennedy is this tragic figure who has become larger than life in his death. Kennedy was from a wealthy family and there was a lot of resentment about that in this country. Today, people hero worship the children of the wealthy. Nixon was truly a self-made person and he also had been the vice president.

My father was Don Draper's age in 1960 and had the same basic history of the Korean War, horrible childhood, etc. My dad worked for IBM and I loved the episode where the guy referred to it as International Business Machines, not IBM. Even though my dad passed seveal years ago, he told me liked Kennedy b/c he felt he got the country energized and excited. I have a feeling my dad was probably also skeptical when he first saw Kennedy and I doubt he voted for him.

I love this show!! Please forgive me for a longish post--blame it on enduring a rerun last week and Mad Men Withdrawal Syndrome...

Ep. 10 was worth waiting for...so much rich subtext for these characters:

Don--cracks in his veneer of success and confidence, his insecurities revealed

Rachel--her emotions and attraction to Don overcoming her wisdom and common sense; knowing she and Don have that bond of exile (even though I don't think Don is in any way Jewish)

Roger--finally suffering the consequences of extended "shore leave"; will the reality check for this troubled 'family man' be temporary or permanent?

Cooper--a wise old owl, very 'zen'--undertands the human complications of the office, as well as the business itself

Joan-- so sexy, as to attract both men and women ala Dietrich or Garbo...yet her vulnerabilities were beautifully revealed in this episode--she most embodies the 'zeitgeist' of 50's-early 60's, in that she wasn't quite ready to confront her feelings and 'issues'--usually, she just moves along (and will she continue to do that?)

Peggy--wanting to be like Joan in the beginning of the series and gradually moving away from that, as she asserts herself professionally and socially (and finally communicating clearly to Pete)

Pete--his Kennedy to Don's Nixon..we all know how that turned out (at least, in 1960)

Betty--a bit blind to the real Don and herself, not fully a grown-up, even with two children

It's a tribute to the writers and actors that I would loooove to know what happens to these characters (and Sal, Fred RUMson, Trudy, Mona, Margaret, etc.)about 10, 20 years later...fun to speculate.

did anyone catch the two references or allusions to THE BEST OF EVERYTHING? the 'slush pile' and 'shalimar' since they mentioned other films directly, most notably THE APARTMENT, anyone catch these references?

I don't get why most people on this messge board hate Pete so much. I mean, I understand how you would hate him if you were a character in the show, but as an audience member, I like him. I feel that he is not just your packaged "rich kid." He is smart and has good ideas for the advertsing agency. The problem is that he is also socially inept and not satisfied with how his life has become. He is probably very angry, sad, and frustrated about his inability to get people to like him. I wouldn't hate him for coming from wealth because he is trying to make a life and name for himself outside of that (or else he wouldn't be tryint to work at all). I will say that he is a weird one and has some perverse sexual fanatasies, but no, I don't hate him. I don't think he is a saint either, but he is definitely a man of no less moral character than the other men he works with (which doesn't say that much, but whatever). Also, yes he treats Peggy rudely, but that is just because he doesn't know how to act with people - even with people he loves. I believe he loves Peggy very much actually, but that he just doesn't know how to interact with people. I also believe, that, for whatever reason, Peggy loves him very much as well. They will come together some time again, but their relatiohship will be shown as one of many up, down, and sideway turns with a lot of arguments, fights, etc. But really, they both are very much into each other.

The people bashing Betty -- I gather none of you are married or at an age when you might have a parent die. She did inquire about him, seemed genuinely interested in Roger and in Don's feelings about it, but hello, Don has kept himself SECRET from her, and she has no way of knowing he's on the brink of breaking out and being honest for the first time in their marriage. Trust me, a family can have major secrets that are not understood by anyone in the home. And I don't think she was "whining" -- it was a two-minute conversation, and adult children are notoriously freaked out by a parent's return to the dating pool. I love that it seems "petty" to some people that their mother would be so easily replaced after her death ... shows how close most families are.

Peggy's pregnant, no question. Why would she be getting fat otherwise? Someone mentioned the pill. She had sex the FIRST DAY she took it. You have to wait between 1 and 4 weeks, depending on the formulation.

Pete's a tool and it's painful to feel the tension everytime he he shoots off his arrogant mouth in meetings. He had me fooled in episode 3 but ever since then it's been downhill.

Why did they not re-visit the fight between he and random jr exec over the lobster comment? That just goes away?

The "I'm so over you, 1960" is not anachronistic in the least. Watch Gidget (1958) or Shelley Fabares in the Donna Reed Show (starting 1958) ... see especially the Patty Duke Show (1963-66). Girls were talking with that kind of pattern and tone long ago. Someone else said that people weren't so meta -- they really were. The past seems so far removed that (especially if they weren't living then) no one can imagine anyone ever having felt self-consciously modern during other eras. They did.

Someone asked, why did Roger pick the homely twins? Because they'd be most easily flattered and easiest to get into bed on short notice. Pretty girls play too hard to get, would expect more courting. I thought it was bezerk when R asked them to kiss -- that's not lesbianism, that's disgusting.

And speaking of lesbianism, I was a big supporter of the Salvatore episode, didn't think it was sensational or annoying or any such thing ... but the Joan's roommate story is awful. It comes too close in the episode arc to the other so that it seems false. Like, "Well, we covered a guy being gay, better not leave out the women." In fact it is so oddly-placed that it makes me think the writers did it to annoy those who (vocally) disliked the Salvatore line.

Joan's cruel sexual game that night was brilliant -- so cutting and so passive aggressive ... so Joan.

irememberitwell, you put your finger on last night's episode. I couldnt' figure out what bothered me about this episode at first, either. At first, I thought it was the long anticipation from the week off. Then when it finally aired, there was no real chemistry between any of the characters. Re Pete and Peggy: Pete appeared like a deer in headlights when Peggy stood up to him. Clearly if a man is having a fling with you, he has to expect for you to challenge his intensions at some point. Re Joan and her roommate: If you go back a couple of episodes, you caught a glimpse of her sexuality when Joan introduced her to Roger at the office. She appeared visibly annoyed when Roger asked Joan to spend the weekend with him. At the time, I thought it was because she did not approve of their affair. Re Don and Rachel: NO CHEMISTRY AT ALL. There was more chemistry when they were playing cat and mouse. I wish they could take their encounter back. It dropped both Don's and Rachel's ratings down a notch. Re Don and Betty: They are so disconnected and if the show does progress to the 70's, I can foresee a divorce in their future. Re: Roger and twins - ugh! That was disgusting. It was obviously disgusting to Don also. That's why he wanted to get the hell away from there. The best scene of all was the old man's clever wit and extraordinary read on Joan in the elevator. That's why he's the BOSS and not Roger!!!! All-in-All, I still love this show!

Excellent comments, Julia. Good cultural reference with Shelley Fabares. I'm not sure what people found so anachronistic about the expression "so over you". I have read comments by people in other message boards that they find the accents on the show too "valley girlish" or Californian but I don't have that reaction at all, and I'm usually overly sensitive to these things.

I agree with your comments about Don's conversation with Betty. It's the sort of phone call I might have with my wife, where she's wound up in something while I'm wound up in something else. A conversation like that is not a traumatic experience, for me anyway.

Agreed. Pete does have some good ideas regarding advertising. But those ideas won't be considered seriously until the guy grows up. I watched ep. 11 sneak peak and when he reprimands his secretary, I just wanted to punch him! Yes, her humor might have been out of line, but he looks like he's going to cry everytime he gets upset.

So, that must be some great acting, because I really hate the guy.

I got the feeling of a little more soap-opera in this epi- mainly with the Don/Rachel scene at the end. But I did appreciated the additional info Don threw out for us.

Ok, so let's get this straight.

Don's mother was a prostitute who died while giving birth. Don was turned over to his father, who was married to the woman we saw on the Hobo code epi. In last night's epi, Don also said his father was a drunk and died after getting kicked in the head by a horse. His stepmother then took in 'that man' and he ended up being raised by "those people".

Got it?

What did Don mean when he told the story of carrying the coffin and "at that moment he realized he was moved up a notch"? I see some foreshadowing here.

I, too, caught the "precious cargo" statement. I am still on the fence about Peggy being pregnant. She really does seem to be putting on weight steadily, and her cheeks surely were bigger this show.

(People- even today pregnancies DO occur while on the pill. It is not 100% effective!!!! I can't believe many of you think the pill prevents ALL pregnancies- IT DOESN'T.)

Don smacking Roger saying "Your wife's name is Mona!" CLASSIC!

I predict Roger being a changed man from here on out. He is thankful to be alive and even the demeanor on Margaret's face as she ran to hug her Dad made him realize that he better turn himself around. His statement "...for the past 20 years I've been living like I was on shore leave..." This IS his wake up call. This could pose some turmoil with Joan, with Don, the whole agency practically. How will Joan assert herself after Roger denies her mistress 'benefits'?

Which reminds me, Joan certainly could have attracted better looking men to take home than those greasy looking guys...she really is a slut! But a smart, powerful slut nonetheless.

I look forward to this show weekly. The last show I watched religiously was Carnivale, and HBO pulled the plug with no appropriate ending. I really hope AMC takes the ball with this show and when it ends, give it a proper burial.

Excellent comments, Julia. Good cultural reference with Shelley Fabares. I'm not sure what people found so anachronistic about the expression "so over you". I have read comments by people in other message boards that they find the accents on the show too "valley girlish" or Californian but I don't have that reaction at all, and I'm usually overly sensitive to these things.

I agree with your comments about Don's conversation with Betty. It's the sort of phone call I might have with my wife, where she's wound up in something while I'm wound up in something else. A conversation like that is not a traumatic experience, for me anyway.

Okay, I just watched the ep 11 teaser. Peggy's face! She's getting huge! How long a time is supposed to elapse between each episode? Because she's seriously gaining a visual 15 lbs between each one. It's a little ridiculous.

Wonder if they're doing pregnant or bored and hungry ...

About Joan: (1) did anyone really get that the two businessmen she and the roomie picked up were ugly and old? Absolutely true to 1960s reality because the city has always cleared out for Labor Day and Joanie ain't all that young, (2) what was her beef with Roger and not spending time with him over the weekend? and (3) did you notice that the neckline of the dress got lower and lower that evening, to the point in the elevator with Cooper (and she towers over him!) BTW, anyone remember Cooper/Bobby Morse as the young go-getter of "How to Succeed?"

About Rachel: she's always been interested in Don, reference the conversation with the sister a few epis ago. I get her doing what she did--fascination and sheer attraction for both, runs far deeper than any superficial chemistry--and my bet is that she is no casual fling for the Draperman.

Best line (hope I remember this right): Roger's "I've been acting for the past 20 years like I've been on shore leave." (which means he enlisted in 1940 and he was Navy--no way was he USMC!--and if he were Army/Army Air Corps, it would be "on leave" or "on liberty.") IMHO, we will be seeing a different Roger if he survives the coronary.

Shannon comments were right on the money with how I felt that line "this is it" should be interperted. I like how you said his hair was out of brill cream...funny, but true!

Joan and the roommate ... great exchange, and great acting by Christina Hendricks in that moment before her response. You could see the wheels turning, trying to figure out how to deflect this clumsy situation. So her "womanly" instinct/training kicks in and turns it around. Classic deflection, and a pathetic soap opera moment in the hands of a lesser actor. Fantastic.

As for her romance with Roger ... they're truly moving apart (and Cooper's comments at the end seal the deal, in my eyes) ... he wants to go to The Colony (an old "Establishment" restaurant if there ever was one - very 50's New York), and she wants to see a screwball comedy. They're toast.

Pete/Peggy exchange was A+ as well. Peggy's not, er, laying down for anyone.

Pete continues to fascinate. He WILL run that firm one day. No question. Latest prophesy: negative advertising works.

Best line: "Client relationships are like marriages. You sometimes get into them for the wrong reasons, and you eventually get punched."

Pete is a character that I *love* to hate.

He's a very good actor, and his looks also help him portray his character well. How he raised his eye brows when telling Peggy "I'm married!" as if she didn't know.

There's great acting in this show. Jon Hamm is a certifiable "overnight success." But let's not forget Vincent Kartheiser who is so excellent as Pete Campbell. He's the perfect conniving, corporate climber. When acting, what Jon/Don has in charm and mystery, Vincent/Pete has in insecurity and ambition. I can't believe we have to wait a year to see this show again. AMC -- please give us something just as great in between.

Julia,

I think you're right that the lesbianism is a little bit copy cat of the Salvatore. However, I really like how they played it. It really does hearken back to the 1950's/60's college roommate (or post college) unrequited love. Though I do think Joan is a little more open to it than people think since she didn't say no right away and her frustration with men.

I had to laugh when someone called Joan's rommate a "bulldagger". She's hardly butch.

Re: Betty

1) I thought the phone conversation was very real. She showed true concern and understanding for what Don was going thru and his wanting to stay in the city. What she's going thru is traumatic - not over the death of her mother, very devoted to Daddy and now Daddy has a new girlfriend. That's hard stuff. She didn't whine or whimper about Don not coming down to the shore. However, I was disappointed when neither said, "I love you."

2) What was Betty's last comment to Don: "Be sure to eat something." There's that FOOD theme again!

LOVED Peggy standing up to Pete and being so tough in front of him, and in tears as he walked away.

ALSO LOVED Don slapping Roger's face, with "MONA! Your wife's name is MONA!"

Don and Rachel. Pffsstft. Did nothing for me. He with his tuft of hair out of place - so contrived and creepy. No pizazz. Hey, how did he get her home address? I would have told him to go home. Pushy men stay pushy for life, well, until properly hobbled. Whiny Don, Whiny Betty. Get over it. My favorite character - Cooper. Just because he's interesting. I like Joan too, but not in THAT way, not that there's anything wrong with that!

I thought this epi was sad -- people yearning for love everywhere & not getting it. Betty yearns for her mother, who's dead. Roommate yearns for Joan, who doesn't even give her a respectful face-to-face no thank you, but rubs her nose in it by picking up the repulsive old guy (subtext: I'd rather carry on with this repulsive old bore than with you). Joan is feeling disrespected by Roger (that's what the talk about "The Apartment" was -- all of a sudden she realizes that although she thinks she's a dashing modern woman, Roger's been treating her like a cheap oldfashioned wh*re, which is how he treats Mirabelle too). Roger yearns for his daughter, who's been pushing him away for years -- he has to nearly *die* to get a sign of love from her.

Oh, this epi was hard to watch. Lonely sad people, all busy hurting each other.

To TOM: I think what Don meant in saying he realized he had "moved up a notch" was that the people around him were dying and he realized his generation was the "next in line" to die. He "moved up a notch" in the journey toward death. Morbid but I think that had to be what he meant. On a lighter note...LOVE THIS SHOW AND THE ACTING COULD NOT BE BETTER. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

I really liked last nights episode. I am not sure I understand what people mean when they say that Rachel and Don do not have any chemistry. Is it sexual chemistry they are talking about? That I do not believe is true, but beyond that, what is between them, call it what you will ,is subtle and much more complex then just sexual chemistry. As characters, both Rachel and Don come across as emotionally restrained, somewhat wounded, and a bit controlling.

What is going on between them is not something they can articulate. Don feels close to Rachel and she feels the same way about him. In last nights episode, after they had finally come together it was a bit anti-climatic. But what do you expect, they are not the type of characters who expresss their emotions.

That Don shared what he did with Rachel, says a lot about his state of mind.

Rachel gave in to Don, but only sexually. When Don said to her that she "sees him." He was right in a way. Remember the phone call with her sister, when she described Don, or after their first kiss and her subsequent refusal of him. She said to him, "Do you expect me to just live my life right beside yours." He did, and I bet he still does.

Also the characters Pete, Don, Roger, Peggy and Joan. I think when people say that they like them one week, but despise them the next, it is what the creator of Mad Men want. These characters are not suppose to be cookie cutters images, people in real life aren't. It nice to see characters on a television show be something other than one-dimensional.

Also, what do people mean when they say they are frighten that this show might become a soap opera. I never have gotten that feeling.

Don, when compared to Roger does not seem to be sexually promiscious. He is not a womanizer. He does not come on to every woman he meets. Remember the first episode when Peggy came on to him, and he turned her down. He sleeped with only Midge and Betty, and now Rachel. But if had not broke up with Midge would he have still gone to Rachel?

First, I want to say that when I view these episodes with my On Demand, sometimes, the color goes away.

The black and white version of this show is just as 60's as the rest of it. The color lets us know it is a current show. Viewing it in black and white makes it look like a 60's show with great sound. The photography is fantastic, the lighting, great! It is beautiful.

Now for the characters:

Cooper is the Zen-like master. He has the ability to see thru people's masks.

Sterling, in this episode said he was living like he was on furlough. The other epi, Don said he lives life like today is his last. Hmm.

Sterling, riding that twin, was his attempt to steer or control women. Joan is someone he can't control. Even his wife and daughter are unresponsive to his will/needs.

By Joan letting her roommate's confession drop to the floor, was her way of not responding in a negative way, overtly. Bringing home those two icky men, and taking one into her bedroom, shoved her response into roommate's face. Joan got her lamp fixed, and poor Carol had to sleep with yet, another man.

Joan loves Manhattan. She knows this game and plays it the best.

Don: I thought he was the most open and vulnerable in this episode. He was angry at losing the Dr. Scholl's account: "Until you sign a client, you don't lose a client." (Roger said that too, in the next scene, and Don challenged him to the validity of that phrase.) He cleared his desk in anger.

When Don arrived at Rachael's apt, he was looking soft and vulnerable. He was the most sexy in this scene. He opened his life, and maybe his heart.

Rachael: She never showed she liked Don. She always showed restraint. We heard her caving in when she spoke to her sister about Don.

Rachael doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve. She is playing "heart of stone". But she has been falling for Don.

Pete? What a mess. Must be Borderline/Narcissist. Socially inept. He brings Peggy toward him then repels her. He wanted his wife to sleep with her publisher boyfriend to get a better mag for his story. "You don't want me to have what I want." WTF?

Peggy? Well, I believe she is pregnant. If she gets any bigger, she will be wearing a tent. But that seems like her antithesis of what she thinks she wants from this job.

If she wants to be a copywriter, she would get an abortion. If she is pregnant, she will be outta there. She doesn't want Pete.

So what is the deal with that? I love Peggy.

Betty? Well, she is an enigma. I was an ad whore, but then I got married and had a baby. My idenity went down the drain, and I was lost. I understand that. She is also married to a cardboard cutout. Her body and unconscious is holding her body hostage, the crippled hands.

Regarding Don's half brother, Adam. I agree with the other poster saying that Adam is blonde and fair. The Dad, and step mom were very dark haired. Black-haired. Even the "uncle" was dark-haired. Where DID Adam get the blonde hair?

My thoughts went to the Hobo.

Why did Don not show up with the cake for his daughter's birthday and end up at the train tracks?

This concept seems to start to come together. If the Hobo is Adam's dad, the mom, being a "bible-thumper", from the "god squad", would show the fanatic as incongruent.

Bible-thumping whore? It would be the "everything-isn't-what-it-seems credo" of Ad Men! And Don would be reminiscing at the train tracks.

Commenting on having more vehicles in the show? This is Manhattan. Who has a car? How about some subway scenes?

Oh yeah, production costs.

""Until you sign a client, you don't lose a client."

To the above unnamed poster who quoted that text, you are mistaken.

"The moment you sign a client is the moment you start to lose them."

WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT THE NAME OF A POSTER IS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TEXT, UNDERNEATH THE LINE BELOW THE POST, NOT BEFORE THE TEXT?

Thank you...it's getting annoying.

I LOVED this episode. It just keep getting better and better. I loved Pete and Peggy. He is such a creep! Such a horrible creep. I love the character to no end.

Hope we havent seen the end of Roger. I am glad he didn´t die. I read something about them (the writers) liked an actor so much they couldn´t kill him as intended.

I absolutely love Peggy. She was obviously trying to brush Pete off and he wouldn't have it. It may have been because of his pride or because he doesn't want to let go of what he has with her (whatever that is).

I really wanted to think that Peggy isn't pregnant but after seeing the preview for episode 11... there's no doubt in my mind. If you see her face, she gains a lot of weight. She has been putting on the weight gradually, I just don't see another answer to it.

Joan was fabulous as usual. Her roomate is so weak. The complete opposite of Joan. When red found out about roger I really felt for her for the first time ever. The elevator scene was very moving. Poor girl.

I think Don may love Rachel.

Ok here is something I noticed. I'm not one to over analyze things or read in to them way too much, but there is something that I have been catching on to. Tell me what you think.

In the sneak peek Don and the rest of the guys are talking about a new product. They can't seem to find out what to do about it and as Peggy leaves Don's office Kenny Crossgrove suggests that she may be able to come up with something.

In "Shoot" Kenny talks about how well she did with Belle Jolie.

In "Hobo Code" he supports Peggy's Copy telling them it's very fresh, just before Don takes control of the situation.

In this recent episode, "Long Weekend", we find out Belle Jolie was Kenny's account (peggy says so to pete).

I'm not trying to assume anything it's just been nagging at me. A show so creatively and carefully written doesn't throw things in for no reason. Every little thing seems to have some significance. I just don't get why it's always Kenny.

There was more than one reference to Shirley MacLaine [The Apartment]....involving Joan. The roommate segment echoed the film "The Children's Hour", where Shirley MacLaine played a teacher, Martha, who felt more than just affection for her colleague and friend Karen (Audrey Hepburn). In the film, the lesbian feelings weren't revealed until the tragic end. Before she hung herself, Martha, Shirley's character, delivered an impassioned bunch of lines including "I HAVE loved you..I have ALWAYS loved you"

Joan sidesteps intimacy and unpleasantness the way so many people do, especially those members of the Silent Generation: "We'll talk about this later"(i.e.never) But really, the very idea of homosexuality was so taboo in those days. "The Children's Hour" was released in 1961, and the only way the script could end was to have the lesbian character commit suicide, all over mere allegations of her sexual orientation.

One thing that makes no sense. Sterling's wife and daughter arrive at the hospital within hours of his heart attack. At BEST they could have arrived in Manhattan from Block Island in 5 1/2 hours. But that would be by current day standards. Current day - it takes at the very least 90 minutes to get off Block Island on the car ferry. Pushing the speed limit, another 35-45 minutes to get to I95 through RI and then CT. If you have a good fuzz buster, and really pushing pedal to metal the entire way, 3.5 hours to get to NYC. So in those days, how could Sterling's wife and daughter be there within a few hours, unless they took a plane? It's 160 to 180 miles as the crow flies.

I think when Don said to Rachel, "This is it, this is all there is," he meant that all we have in life is this very moment, the present. The past is over, we're not guaranteed a future..we have to live in the present. He was telling Rachel to seize this opportunity to be together, because that's all there really is to hold onto. Have to say that I was kind of disappointed by their scene together...maybe it was anticlimatic. There just wasn't the heat and longing that I felt in their earlier interactions.

Don is trying hard to be a nihilist, to really believe there is no past nor future, only the present. But last night we saw cracks in the facade. He is lonely and searching for meaning. Remember that he is a Korean War vet (the forgotten war, no big V-Day parades when they came back)who buried his past and pursued Eisenhower conformity. But he is drawn to counter-culture (the beatnik artist girlfriend, Jewish Rachel)Roger's bacchanalian behavior and resulting hard attack hit Don hard, and sent him reeling.

Just a question to all . . don't think this is covered above. . . maybe this is obvious to some but I'm not sure . .at the end when Cooper was talking to Joan saying you could do better, was he actually referring to her with Roger, while she thought he was referring to the old guy she was with, or am I reading into this? Comments?

This show just keeps getting more and more boring!

Who writes this crap? The characters are so bland. The sex scenes are so forced.

It is hard to believe another season of this has to be endured!

Wow, bluedogg and cleo, love to read your personal stories. Really interesting. Actually, everyone who shares a little of their personal history in this blog does so much to make this a great blog! Thanks!

Julia, lovely comments about Betty. Tom, too. I didn't find her overly selfish at all during their phone conversation. Those people are married, not having a passionate affair. Married people sometimes tend to speak to eachother that way, and she definitely did offer Don her condolences, and asked if he wanted her to come home.

She's dealing with weird stuff, too, don't forget. Seeing your dad with another woman so soon after your mom's death? And having the other woman staying there at the family's beach house? I think that would upset me, too.

Don's behavior with Betty reminds me of something I saw a long time ago in a movie, can't remember what movie, but maybe someone here knows. It was a man (almost positive he was Italian) talking about wives being looked upon as "pure" and to be respected, which is why men have affairs. With an affair, they can get what they really want sexually without "disrepecting" their wife. I think they refered to this as the "madonna-whore complex." Ring a bell with anyone?

I think this is Don's problem with Betty. Maybe it's the problem with all the men's marriages on the show.

I don't recall my father treating my mother that way, but I think he did have an office affair when he worked in New York, because I remember waking up in the night when I was 10, and hearing them fighting about something like that.

I think the cheating is just a little overdone in this show. It's upsetting to me.

I loved Rachel's very pragmatic responses to Don when he came begging (i.e. "that's no excuse for bad behavior.") Bravo Rachel! Why did you give in?

I remember Bobby Morse from How to Succeed and I'm sure (at least hope) many others do. Having him in Mad Men (as the character who has reached the uppermost ranks of business)is part of the brilliant casting of this show.

I sense lots of chemistry between Rachel & Don. He see's her as the intelligent, independent woman who really knows & understands him- that's why he's able to open up to her & reveal things about himself. He doesn't' do that with Betty--remember Betty saying no one really knows Don. For Rachel, Don's the big romance she's been waiting for (remember the 1st epi?). Also It's gratifying to see Peggy recognized & starting to be valued for her brain power. Hope that theme develops. Lived thru this era. Love the show.

RE: Not that anything about Joan would make me think she would respond positively to her friends advances, I notice that she avoids real feelings, conversations and sharing her real feelings.

I agree with the comment. I was thinking the SAME thing when I saw her struggling to type those telegrams. She doesn't "love" Roger, but she certainly has strong feelings for him. She may act like she doesn't care much for him (like the exiting scene where she takes her bird-they both acted cold towards each other. Maybe just getting into back-to-work-mode) but she digs him, A LOT. I was holding my breath through the scene with her roommate. I was really hoping that Joan wouldn't accept the roommate's advances. The whole time I was thinking that if that scene played out with the 2 of them hooking up, then the writers are just sexist and should have given Sal his moment. Girl on girl is so overplayed.

I'm a little dissapointed with Rachel caving into Don's advances. I was hoping she would stand her ground, a few more episodes at least. It was only a matter of time, I agree, but she displayed complete belief in her morals, especially when she kept rejecting him-and in the best, sarcastic ways!! It would have been nice to see her make him crave it a little longer. I also didn't like the begging and whining Don did when he asked her. He was practically desperate. I didn't like that side of him at all. I agree with the comment someone said about Don telling Rachel things he's never told anyone else, including his own wife. It's like he picks and chooses what fact of his life he is going to tell what person. I was so in awe when he told her who his mother was. I was thinking "My God, it all makes sense now".

I also was dissapointed with Betty when she kept going on and on and on about her father and her fathers' girlfriend. Ugh, I did like Betty up until that point, but her psychiatrist is right: she's VERY childish.

I need to go back and watch the episode again (might do that here in a minute) because I missed a few parts including the Pete/Peggy scene (which was what I have been waiting for the last 2 weeks!!) and the meeting where they are screening the commercials.

Shannon, I loved your post. I read something simpler into Don's statement that "this is all there is" -- but you shed some new light. Thanks for that.

I still see something closer to what pandora sees in that line. I think this is our Don, who was okay with his belief "the universe is indifferent" until something happened, between Roger's office shenanigans and his fear in the hospital bed. Don is forced to face something now, and his scenes of discomfort (with Roger, talking about the soul: "What do you want to hear?"; with Betty on the phone; with Pete in the hospital lobby) all led him right to Rachel.

I thought the scene between Don and Rachel was wonderful. I loved the way she hung on to her protective ladylike persona, even when she saw he'd fallen apart. The outfit, the posture, the distance she tried to keep from him: beautiful. And when he choked out that great "This is all there is" line, what did she do? Gave it one last, heroic shot. "That's just an excuse for bad behavior."

You'd never see a woman fight that hard against herself on network TV. Never. I love Rachel!

Don and Rachel have been on a collision course for some time -- they are soulmates, of equal intelligence, and it's what they both want. But the Betty/Don relationship is not dead at all; she is suffering real pain. Much of that seems lost on him. I think their marriage was simple in the beginning, and each of them needs something else now. (bluedogg: your post nailed this.)

My favorite shot -- I don't know if you all caught it -- was that heartbreaking moment after Joan responds to Carol's confession of love by telling her that "you've had a hard day," and suggesting they go out. I watched Carol's face crumple in the mirror; but Joan passed between the camera and that mirror, and by the time the camera focused on Carol again, she was pulling herself together and following Joan out the door. Beautifully composed scene.

That and Joan's face in the elevator as Cooper asked for the lobby floor: perfect shots. Last night's references to "The Apartment" were the final touch on a near-perfect episode.

I haven't seen anything this good since "The Sopranos". Accident? I doubt it.

Love the show--not crazy about the episode. I was hoping Don would just show up at Rachel's, and not go in.

Also glad Peggy has some backbone finally. The twins were not Butt-ugly! Their whole interaction with Don and Roger opened up hidden personality traits! Can't wait for further insights.

On the previous post of who Cooper was referring to with Joan...."You could do better" would be Roger. I always felt Cooper feels slightly above the rest, esp. Roger.

I think Rachel actually said "yes please" ..not to mention that evening wear ensemble she answered the door wearing. Rachel, Rachel. Everyone in every scene just seemed desperate and depraved. Don actually got a little bit disheveled after the heart attack..a lock of his hair fell across his forheaed as he was leaning down on Rachel. He is usually so heavy on the Brylcreem. (a little dab 'l do ya) I loved the reference to Leo Burnett and the slam at Chicago. As for those twins I was thinking that maybe that was a take on the Doublemint Twins who first appeared in the late 50's. That whole scene with them gave me the same feeling I got when I saw a porn movie, kind of sick but could not turn away. You knew when Draper was squirming at the sight of Sterling riding on the back of the one girl that he was going to Rachel's. Did not feel any chemistry when the finally got together. But there was that hot moment in the office when she told Don that there was nothing about him that her father liked and he said under his breath "how about you?" Interesting elevator scene with Cooper. He let us know that he knows what's going on with everyone. I have to rent that Apartment movie now to see what that's all about.

I thought Joan's character was amazing tonight. Her strength shined during the roomate's confession, Roger's heart attack, her composure in front of Cooper. And she looked absolutely stunning! I hope they write in some happiness for her, since she is obviously hiding some pain within her.

On the other end..Rachel looked hideous. In all of the romantic scenes with Don, I don't ever feel that hot and steamy romance with any of his women--Betty, Midge or Rachel. Maybe a little with Midge..

I've been reading the comments about Pete's actions and came up with a few observations:

Having been born into money, he would have had attended all sorts of social events, been schooled in proper manners etc. as a matter of course yet seems at sea interacting with everyone. Part of the problem is his "entitled" attitude (see the gift return segment); part is the general male take on the workd at the time.

However, I wonder if he actually has Asperger's? It's a form of high functioning autism. Aspies are very intelligent but have problems interacting with others because they have difficulty interpreting social cues. They miss the meaning of facial expressions and voice inflections, are easily frustrated, like things "just so" (don't do well with changes.) They will copy others' behavior to fit in. It would explain a lot of Pete's odd behavior.

BTW for those interested in a synopsis of The Apartment, see http://www.filmsite.org/apar.html

Pete is a jerk, and keeps his "privledged" attitude fresh while at Sterling & Cooper's. But at home, his privledged family won't give him a dime and he's had to borrow money from the in-laws for his down payment on his house. It's at the office where he feels most comfortable being a d**k.

Betty - I'm thinking her droaning on and on about the woman with her father is her thinking that relationship might be older than dad let on. Maybe dad was having an affair. How did her mom die?

Roger - He "might" change after this heart attack. Remember when he was in the bar with Don and realized the foxy ladies were not flirting with him?

Don - I think he played Rachel. He gave her just enough to reel her in. Next week's preview showed a scene where she's commenting on their being together and he says "I'm here." As in, this is all you get, don't ask me for anything more - a typical married man comment.

"This is it" made me think of the song "Is that all there is?" (might not be the title of the song, but those words are in it). Remember Don is a word-master. He'd been trying different lines on Rachel. He finally found some lines that worked.

Re Joan:

I loved what they did with her character in this episode. She's been visually stunning throughout the series -- I think she's the aesthetic center of the whole thing -- but last night's episode showed her, first, angry: a new thing for cool Joanie. She'd seen herself in "The Apartment", and didn't like what she saw.

Then we saw exactly how high up those walls around her go. She's been living for how long now, with a woman who is madly in love with her -- and that's how she responds? Like Carol needs to take an aspirin and have a nice dinner and get over it?

And the way she reacted when she heard, first of Roger's heart attack -- and then heard Cooper's light criticism of her affair with him. That instant blankness, the hint of stumble: in a woman who never has a hair out of place, these things were distinctly out of place.

We may be seeing in Joan someone like Don: an arm's-length type, who may prefer not to be truly known by anybody at all, and probably has a terribly good reason for that.

I'm happy to see all of this develop. Christina Hendricks can clearly pull it off -- and she is so watchable.

This is the only episodic TV program I watch consistently. I wait anxiously for each broadcast. Oh wait..., it will be one of two programs I watch once "Dexter" returns on Showtime this month. "Mad Men" is great. The writing is outstanding and it gives this baby boomer an opportunity to take a trip back to childhood. Thank God for the newly announced 2nd season. Yay!

Hey guys, just a thought, but maybe the actress who plays Peggy is really pregnant in real life and it is not a part of the show.

Thoughts on this????

Can the writers of Mad Men let us know if they are reading this blog? Would love to know.

Trista-

Interesting because Peggy was doing the Twist with him at the celebration party, remember?

All of these observations are amazing. I have enjoyed reading all of them and it opens my eyes to so many POV.

I believe w/ my heart,though, that Don is not "playing" Rachel. And to the one who thinks all the sex scenes w/ Don are dull- Peeshaw!

I am a blue-blooded American woman and believe me- those scenes w/ Jon Hamm are anything but dull. He is hot and those scenes are hot.

Especially the roof top kiss w/ Rachel.

And FWIW, the first time Don and Rachel have sex should look a little awkward! They are nervous, vulnerable and I am guessing she is out of practice. It shouldn't always look polished and choreographed. The realism of the scene makes it human.

I know I should be able to get past this, but those twins were so completely unattractive that it was distracting to me in their scenes with Roger and Don. I mean, there were more attractive sets of twins in that casting call! I guess Roger must have seen something in those two that told him they'd be easy marks.

I don't think it's accurate to blame Betty's selfishness for Don's inability/refusal to open up to her. How is the truth of his childhood going to fit in with what he's led her to believe about him? "Gosh honey, I have to tell you the truth, cause it's eating me up. My mother was a prostitute and I was raised in a dirt poor, hateful home."

No way.

However, I *do* think it would be possible to lead her there gently. But it would need to start with a life-changing upheaval and take more courage than the characters have exhibited so far.

They don't both need something else now (in a marriage). Don needs to summon up the fortitude to break down the facade before it tumbles apart on its own, like a house of cards.

nobleone - RE: RELATING "SHALIMAR" TO THE 1950 FILM THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.

It seems to me that the exchange between Joan and her roommate Carol more likley refers the the PERFUME that Joan had just applied.

Carol, standing very close behind Joan inquires, "Shalimar"? Joan replies, "too much"?

Shalimar by Guerlain was 1st marketed in 1925, was very popular in the 50s and 60s and is still available today. (Very pricey)

The ads of the day said"'SHALIMAR FOR THE TEMPLE OF LOVE"

NOT A REALLY IMPORTANT OBSERVATION, JUST SOMETHING FROM MY MEMORY OF FRAGRANCES I HAVE KNOWN AND LOVED.

You bloggers are so bright, just love reading all the insights, makes the episode come alive. I felt very empty while watching this episode, maybe that was part of the point. There was a "factoid" during a commercial, about how religion was the driver in olden societies, and advertising is our modern engine. It's not a spiritually fulfilling altar to worship at, unfortunately, and no one on the show seems to have values that are deep enough to sustain them...I thought it was interesting that the long weekend was for Labor Day, when you're supposed to take a rest from work and celebrate, but noone seemed to know how to do that.

Don and Roger:

I thought the whole twin scene drove home the point to Don that he doesn't want to become the next Roger. Notice, early on in the show, Don and Roger even have the same lines at least twice. The first time is when Don says "the day you sign a client is the day you start losing them". Roger mimes that when Don comes into his office. I think the scene with the twins is fascinating because on a superficial level it is the two girls who are the same, but Don is really watching Roger and seeing his OWN life play out... to his distaste... and then Roger has a heart attack, and in the hospital reveals his regrets about his life and family. This starts Don reeling.

Don also tries to get comfort from HIS family, but still can't manage to let her see his real self, so he goes to Rachel. I think the incident about being a pallbearer was Don's first realization of his mortality. The old people are around the grave... they are next. Now, Don's parents are gone, and he sees Roger's condition. Even though has always believed the universe is indifferent, it seems to have finally hit him emotionally, rather than as an abstract principle. (Perhaps the reason he doesn't tell his wife on the phone that he is upset is that he finally realizes what she is going through with the loss of her own mother, and wants to be strong for her.)

Joan:

Joan is definitely sending a message to her roommate. Her roommate had wanted to go to a movie, but Joan says no. Earlier on, she was trying to convince Roger to go to a movie. Maybe to Joan a movie represents intimacy in a way that sex does not. I liked the irony where Roger turns down her offer to see 'The Apartment', ridiculing it by saying "a white elevator operator, and a girl at that? I want to work at that place!"... and then at the end she is in the elevator with Cooper, and Cooper tells her what button to press.

Peter and Don:

Peter is in competition with Draper for a top spot at the firm. In the Nixon-Kennedy election, Pete is a proponent of mud-slinging and digging up dirt. Wonder if he will start digging up dirt on Draper.

I agree with a previous comment that Don should have gone as far as Rachel's door and then turned around. Let the viewers really get a feel for his torment and build on the sexual tension. Of course, then he would have no one to tell his tale to.

Although we always say we want a man who's vulnerable, when we see it played out on screen, we realize we really want to see passion and desire not misdirected neediness. Rachel may also feel that in the light of day. God help Don if Pete finds out he's sleeping with a client.

Don and Joan together...has that thought ever crossed anyone's mind? They hardly look at each other. Off limits for both. Hmmmmm.

When will it be confirmed that Peggy is sooooooooo pregnant?! Its quite apparent. And, how long will Joan pretend that her room mate isn't in love with her? And whoever said it first, You're right-Don and Rachael...well I doubt it will go much farther. I mean he still has Betty.

Some thoughts and interpretations:

"This is it" -- Don is saying to Rachel to grab life and experience all there is while you can and not worry about the consequences. His tragic early life, his mid-life crisis, his daily vulnerability at the office and now Roger's heart attack have left him disillusioned and looking for something to fill the void.

Don and Joan -- a male and female version of the same person. Attractive, smart, strong, sensual, emulated and still lonely and searching.

The Apartment -- Joan had already seen the movie when she asked Roger to see it with her. It was her way of telling him that she indeed saw herself in the movie and isn't interested in becoming that character. The elevator scene is straight from the movie.

Roger's hospital scene -- Let's not give him too much credit. He's scared and repentent but his behavior is disgusting and Don, who I think has standards, is obviously disgusted by him. I don't believe Don would sink that low.

Pete and Peggy -- Pete is the perfect opportunist and played so well by Vincent Kartheiser. Peggy -- I don't get her. I think that story line is a mess. From her moves on Don on their first day to her relationship with Pete to her budding success at the agency. It's all inconsistent - with absolutely no backstory to tell us anything about her. What are her motives? What does she want?

Betty and Don -- She's the typical over-educated housewife who has yet to be liberated by "The Feminine Mystique". This is pre women's movement, remember. She doesn't seem to have a lot of depth though.

Was it really like that -- All in all, I think the cheating is overdone. The smoking and drinking are real. When I worked at an agency in the 60s, the guys at my agency (where college women were relegated to the Traffic department and could never ever expect to become a copywriter, much less an account executive) had a New York Times Guide to Restaurants. It was their goal to eat at every restaurant in the book. Those were indeed the days of 3 hour lunches, the 9 to 5 work day. Nobody worked as hard as they do today. A woman who was interested in getting ahead in a "glamorous" career went into publishing at the women's magazines. Then came the 70s and overnight everything changed. Dramatically. The Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, the women's movement. By 1970 nothing was the same. And nothing was ever as glamorous.

I'm very glad Matt Weiner took a look back. For me it's nostalgic. For some of you, it's a look at your parent's lives. For others without the ability to relate historically, it's just fun. Hopefully the show will run many seasons. A lot happened during that period. It will be interesting to watch.

One more thing: the opening graphics and music. Branding at its best. Ingenious.

I love Maggie Siff. Her performances as Rachel have more depth than those of any other actor on the program, and that's high praise. Her comment when he kissed her in an early episode - "I don't know what to say..." is as unusual (on the screen) as her "Yes - please" this week when she assented. It makes the moment real. Their relationship has the depth that the others Don has lack, with Betty, with Midge. And it's all due to Rachel. I am pleased that she gave in. Here comes real romance.

First, to Tom. Until this show, Carnvale was, to me, the best thing ever on TV.

Second, WOW -- the Doublement twins and

Volare --

Third,Rachel is dressed up because she is in the clothing busines!! I think the chemistry between her and Don was palpable in the surrender scene. I was proud of her for trying to resist, but who could resist him?

Fourth, Pete disgusts me. He is mean and hateful because he hates himself. If any man talked to me like he talked to Peggy, I would ignore him forever.

Fifth, Betty is vacuous. Here meager attempts at feeling are just that -- slight and vapid. But people in that era didn't really get divorced much, did they?

The attention to 60s detail is fabulous.

I was 12 in 1960 but remember most of the details and trivia from the maternity tops to the fish sticks the kids had for dinner. Lots of details are subtle and reviewing helps -- also because its THE BEST

I think the attraction between Don & Rachel is very much an attraction of equals, which is something Don has been moving towards, as shown by his affair w/ Midge. But unlike Midge, Rachel moves as a power player in Don's world, much more so than most women of that time had an opportunity to do.

In addition, there's the connection Don feels due to the circumstances of both of them losing their mothers as a result of their own births. Rachel doesn't just 'give in' to Don; she's highly attracted to him, in spite of her misgivings. I agree w/ the poster above, who mentioned that both of them mentioned never really having been in love, right in the first episode. I don't think Don means to play Rachel- he was genuinely shaken when he sought her out after Rodger's heart attack. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll just leave Betty & the kids... or that he won't be playing both of them, trying to exert control & have it all, in the future.

It's natural that Don would be so shaken by Rodger's desperate behavior, & his near-death, & emotionally raw reveal... Rodger has been Don's friend & mentor. Don, being younger, is a bit more modern in some of his attitudes, especially towards women. However, given the times, & the world in which he moves, that isn't saying that he's exactly enlightened... Remember, he's paying off his wife's shrink to find out what she confides in her sessions, & made sure her return to modeling would stop dead in it's tracks. He's very compartmentalized in the way he runs his life- & treats all the women in it. Doubtless due to his own demons, Don is not only controlled... but very controlling.

I think he & Betty are both changing, as people do in a marriage, & especially during the turbulent times to come. She is a bit childish, but remember, this is a very pretty woman, who was strongly steered into staying within a very limited sphere... we see them both becoming restless.

I have a lot of sympathy for Betty, but it's Rachel who I most identify with. I was only a year old in 1960, but I'm Jewish, & grew up a few miles outside of NYC, in Brooklyn & on Long Island. (I even lived up the Hudson in Ossining for a couple of years, which in where Don & Betty live.)My Mother was a housewife through most of my childhood, but the relationship between my parents was more of equals.

Mom grew up poor, a beautiful woman even lovelier than Rachel. But she managed to dress like a sophisticate on a tiny budget. She had to drop out of Brooklyn City College & work as a book keeper. Her running of our home, & later fine management of our family's finances had a great deal to do w/ Dad's eventual success. And he knew it. He & his father built a business selling used trucks & construction equipment starting from a tin shack & small lot.

I remember the overflowing ash trays in those days... the smoke EVERYWHERE. That is completely accurate. My Mom threatened to leave Dad, if he didn't stop smoking in bed, after he feel asleep one night & burned a hole in their mattress!! My parents were not big drinkers for the time, but still, they had their cocktail parties in our new suburban home, everyone dressed up, jazz on the phonograph, glasses clinking.

I also remember the last of the want ads that were gender-segregated, & when we girls couldn't take shop class, or wear pants to school, didn't have much in the way of sports, were steered away from many careers. All those girdles... my Mom wasn't heavy, but she wore one.

I feel so very, very lucky to have come of age as it was all changing; things really did open up for we women in ways younger women often don't quite understand. After all, it was another Jewish woman, Betty Friedan, who wrote "The Feminine Mystique".

Mom loved being a housewife, but then my Dad (while hardly perfect) didn't treat her like a child. She NEVER would have stood for that... I'm curious to see how Rachael & Don's affair will play out, & think their chemistry is actually pretty hot. But their affair is also cerebral- these two people are very, very complicated...

I like the series a lot- agree the elevator scene w/ Joan was great, especially the reference to "The Apartment"... love the Peggy character, & the acting in general. Don's dismissal of Adam was heartbreaking... & it'll be fascinating to see yet more of his past revealed- how he came to the identity he has now.The hobo episode was brilliant.I wish we didn't have to wait almost a year for new episodes, but I'm glad to see "Mad Men" has been renewed.

BTW, I think Rodger riding on the Mirabelle twin's back while both were blind drunk, is a homage to Fellini's "La Dolce Vita"- there' a scene where that happens at a party, as a symbol of stupid, empty depravity, much like lost Rodger's.

@Anne: "My favorite shot -- I don't know if you all caught it -- was that heartbreaking moment after Joan responds to Carol's confession of love"

I caught that too! At first I thought it a bit of uneven editing, but I definitely saw the intent a second time. Even when the writing is "stagey" and the pacing uneven, this show wins for all the little details. Did anyone else notice how everyone in Joan's apartment had a slight sheen of perspiration? Definitely a heatwave with no A/C, and very evocative of Tennessee Williams for me.

The only drawback about the wonderfully subtle acting of Christina Hendricks (and Elisabeth Moss) is that it makes Don and his "secret past"/affairs seem that much more trite - shifting from the powerful scene between Cooper and Joan to Don whining "Wahh! I need sex" was jarring, to say the least.

I watched it again last night.

I picked up something interesting that the father said while leaving Sterling Cooper.

He said that Don was too dashing for his taste and that the whole place felt like a Czarist Temple (Is this right? No idea what that means??). He continues to say, "...where you have made a decision but you know it wasn't you who made it" (sorry, i didn't write it down.)

And Rachel replies, "I am happy to say I have no idea what you mean."

Is she saying to her dad that every decision she makes is her own and no one decides for her?

When I watched the seduction scene again, I see it a little bit differently than I did the first time. I do see Don using every tactic possible to break down Rachel's will. But I feel it is a desperate move caused by a great need to connect with her.

He doesn't try this hard for anyone.

It is Rachel he has to have.

But he has to pull out all the stops to get her. He has probably never had to work so hard for any woman before which makes it even more thrilling for him.

The final moment, Don stops and says, "I won't do this unless it is really want you want." This makes Rachel feel like it is her decision!

In a playful, coy way (perhaps part of their chemistry is role playing where she can submit and be controlled by him in bed- a powerful woman's fantasy!)she says, "yes, please"

She feels in control and Don manipulates it so she feels that way. He understands her needs.

SO back to her Father's quote. Was her decision made for her?

She feels like she made the decision, but did she?

I thought this was an excellent parallel.

I want to also thank all of you. I watched it the second time with my eyes so wide open and heard and saw so many things I missed the first time!

Kudos to you all!

Even though this show is set in the 60s, it has a much more 50s sensibility. The 50s were the age of conformity and women being obedient, perfect little submissive, nonthinking beings. In this period, women were seriously advised to play dumb and in all ways flatter the fragile male ego. BS then, BS now, but what a great show this is.

I first watched this episode on the 20th and decided to watch again on the 27th - mainly to watch the last part of the episode to see if Don and Rachel had anymore chemistry. Watching a 2nd time (I know I was watching the same scene I had watched previously) and I think the chemistry is even less seeing it a second time. I'm not sure why the director didn't reshoot until the scene was right after all they are actors - they should be able to depict passion even when there is none between the actors.

What does every else on this blog think? Maybe they (the shows creator) didn't want to show that much passion between Don and Rachel - but for what reason? There was/is definitely passion between Don and Midge and Don and Betty.

Don, indicated to the twins to call 911, while Roger was have the heart attack. In 1960, there was no 911, emergencies were dialed through the operator "0".

Is the above correct?

Thanks

Maggie Siff rocks! That's all to it!

I see oodles of chemistry between "Don" and "Rachel!" Always have, from the first episode, when they had drinks. Had to wait all this time to see them hit the sack! I wasn't disappointed! That sexy bastard "Don" broke her down. And "Rachel" pulled away the layers that he'd built up over the years. HOTTTT!

Lane, if you go back and re-watch that scene, Don told the twins to "Call an ambulance, and then leave". I heard it as "Call 911" the first time too, but I think that is because it's such a common phrase today.

pda, interestingly, I saw more passion between Don and Rachel last night than any scene between he and Midge or Betty. Maybe because he appeared more desperate and vulnerable towards Rachel; with Midge I got the point that it was just an "affair" ,and with Betty he's almost too reverent with her.

Someone may have mentioned this earlier. In the beginning of the episode, Don, replying to Betty's displeasure with her father dating a woman so soon after his wife's death, told her: Let him have "IT" I thought that it was strange language. But it ties in well with when he refers to "this is IT" when he speaks to Rachel. Is "IT" Love? Happiness? Honesty?

Can you imagine Don telling Betty this after making love......? Betty's response:

"Thats nice Don.....we really need to replace that ceiling fan or get an air conditioner."

Freud would have loved this episode.

Its great to see these high powered macho guys act like little boys (Betty's Dad, Don, Roger) when in times of crisis. For example, Roger crying out to his wife that he loves her hours after committing adultry with a virtual stranger.

Anyone remember Robert Morse in a very short-lived 60s TV show called "That's Life"? It was a TV musical. He starred with an actress named E.J. Peaker.

Yes, yes, they're all supposed to be so sexy. What is sso sexy about compulsively careening from one interchangeable part to the next? They all act like a bunch of mindless machines. And could the sex get any more formulaic? Twins, check. Lesbian pass, check. Bad boy gets punished with heart attack, check. Don falls into bed with yet another temporary fix for his addiction, check. The only point of the show for me is to enjoy the Unbound Edition's genius that comes mid-week.

Peggy is being straight with Pete. It's hard for some guys to believe, but women often do feel some self-respect and see creeps for what they are. Peggy is not "preggers". Having weight on her actually means that she is able to accomplish more and gain recognition for her work, not her availibility.

The scene with Joan in the elevator was straight out of "The Apartment", which is the movie that Joan told Cooper that she wanted to see. It is not a screwball comedy. The scene between Joan and Carol was indeed reminiscent of the movie "The Children's Hour" (1961) and points out the reactions that many had towards homosexuality - ignore it as if it didn't exist. To do otherwise could literally ruin someone's life. Alene, good catch on the "La Dolce Vita" reference.

Those twins were very attractive, not beautiful, but not butt ugly. They were chosen by Roger because they were so young and they could be controlled. Why is there so much woman bashing?

Don needs someone that he can share his thoughts with. This is not being a wuss - this is being human. Connecting with someone who allows him to stop playing the role that society expects of him - that is all there is for him. Rachel understands this and is not self-obsessed. Could be that Don's father had to take him in because the entire community knew that Don was his kid, not because of any charitable or paternal feelings.

she should have showerd him with roundup that night he brought his drunk ass to her door. Yess!!

suds and anriley - excellent comments.

I would like to see a "Mad Men" movies day on AMC - "The Apartment", "The Children's Hour", "The Best of Everything", "Exodus", "Gentleman's Agreement".

I think there is a strong chemistry/attraction,"they've each met their match" between Don & Rachel. It may open up a very complicated story line for them. His ideal suburban life, her father & the Jewish/goy thing. I don't think Don would want to hurt Betty & the kids, but he is really unhappy. Rachel is strong enough to really go after what she wants regardless.

I didn't look at Rachel giving in to Don - it was what SHE wanted too. And I think she would be able to walk away if it doesn't continue to be what she wants. And Don's "this is it" comment - he realizes Rachel is it for him (well, at least for now.) After losing the account, Pete's gloating, worrying he may turn into a Roger & not liking what he saw, but afraid he may lose a friend/mentor, feeling no real connection to Betty on the phone,the answer was Rachel & showing a vulnerable side for the first time. No one else knows what he just told her. He trusts her.

I also think Cooper was referring to Joan's date but she took it as Roger, obviously on her mind. Cooper knows about her & Roger & wasn't commenting on that. After all, he is a mad man of the times.

This epsiode was not one of my favorites. In fact, I found it unpleasant to watch. Roger riding around on that rather unattractive twin (no agency would really have used those two homely girls in any ads, so I have to assume Roger placed a "cattle call" just so he could find some action); Roger is way too kinky for my taste, and as for Don, he seems to solve every problem he has by having sex. He tells Rachel that it's (sex) is all there is. What a shallow and boring man Draper is. It's a good thing he's so good-looking, otherwise there would virtually be no show here. As for Pete, he's total scum and a very unappealing character. And, talk about Betty having little girl emotions and low self-esteem...how about Peggy! She seems a masochist in every sense of the word. When will she finally realize that Pete is not worth her emotions? Probably when she is in labor with his baby! I am beginning to lose interest in this show (especailly when they spend the time on all the sex). The sex between Don and Rachel was not even mildly entertaining, although again, too much of this epsiode was devoted to sex. I liked Midge as a trysting partner for Don much more than Rachel. Also, the Don/Dick thing is no longer a mystery. It's now obvious he did not steal someone else's identity in the Korean War, but merely changed his name because of his past (explained boringly to Rachel after sex). Don seems to stick it to every woman - so to speak - and if Betty is still clueless he is doing so, she really IS what her psychicatrist says, and that is to be suffering from childlike behavior and emotions. Can Betty really be so clueless that her husband is a sexual predator/addict?

A few more comments:

"I'd love to work in a building like that!" Then later in the episode Cooper doesn't punch the button but rather asks Joan to push the button for the lobby, making her the elevator operator.

Joan is not overwhelmingly loyal to S-C but she is the office manager. So when Cooper got in contact with her and told her to come to the office in the middle of the night, she knew something was up. The professor came with her to be her escort and was ready to stay with her until she told him to leave.

Cooper's the man! Probably knows about Roger and Joan and noticed the older escort Joan brought with her to the office. He's starting to like Pete's ideas but also knows that if he promotes Pete before he promotes Don to partner, he'll lose Don. That he can't afford.

The most surprising part of the entire episode was the way Don reacted to Roger's heart attack. A combat veteran would probably have seen several friends die. Then would have stopped making friends after a while. (Been watching Ken Burns' "The War".) He would have been Roger's friend but that upset? Unlikely.

The term "whore" was probably used by his stepmother, not his father. The reason Dick was handed over to his father was that it was well known that he was her regular "visitor". Not the same as being a whore in the town but it would be to his stepmother, especially when they didn't have any other children (until Adam was born - probably after Dick's father's death.). His father, dependent in many ways on Dick's stepmother, didn't dispute the characterization. This is assuming the farmer actually was his father and not the man she took up with. Uncle Mac/Max/Macks could easily have been his stepmother's brother, not that man. In any event, Don characterizes the people who brought them up as "sorry people".

Peggy may have stood up to Pete but he got in the final shot - "What do you need me for?" She may be putting on weight but did you see the preview? So has Pete.

Roger's going to be out for a while. That's why Don and Cooper were going into Roger's office in the preview. To see what needed to be finished, etc. He had a heart attack and back in 1960, you couldn't go back to work for weeks. Not in a high stress job.

Re: Don and Rachel hookup. Did everyone see the close? "No. Not until you say you want to." She responds with, "Yes. Thank you." In German a familiar phrase - "Ja. Bitte." Linguistic heritage.

Shutting down Menken's for three months? No way! Maybe the first floor while construction is ongoing but the rest of the building would remain open. Just think of having to lay off loyal employees or continue paying their salaries. Papa Menken would go ballistic.

One final conundrum - Why did Don say, "The guy probably can't even make tea!" Most Americans would have said "coffee".

One more thing:

If Peggy really is pregnant (which I doubt), Joan knows the doctor to contact. Witness when her roommate came in at 10:30 a.m. Joan immediately asks if she's "late" again.

The Real Deal - I don't believe Don is a sex addict/predator. If he were, he would have jumped on the other twin immediately. So far we've only seen him with Midge and now Rachel (besides his wife). Not defending his philandering, but he's hardly a hound for just the sex. There is something more the man is seeking and I think he has found it in Rachel.

Ritt - I don't think Don was upset about his friend having a heart attack; he was upset that he was saw his own mortality in Roger's sickly face.

JMO.

Ritt- Rachel said, "yes, please."

Perhaps tea is more insulting because it is easier to make? Coffee requires a perculator etc. Tea is in a bag...he basically is saying the man can't boil water.

About the twins: did you see other the more attractive twins were not impressed with the small talk of the other guys? They were more beautiful and obviously not desperate. It has been said many times above- the twins Cooper chose were easy and a sure thing.

To Real Deal re: The Korean War:

There was an interesting interview I saw on Jimmy Kimmel. Jon Hamm (Don) admits he broke his hand during filming of a war scene for Mad Men. Don't dismiss that Don wasn't in the war- I'll bet we see this in the final epi this season?

Also, I guess Don normally smokes his cigs with his right hand but that while his hand was in a cast they had to film him smoking with his left hand, all the while hiding his broken hand. Let's see if we can catch it in the next two episodes.

Here's an article about John Slattery (Roger). They hint we will be seeing more of him next season, so I'm thinking he's going to survive.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNxoirZEl3fh55ClICX66Ymr3urA

~Jack

I thought Episode 10 was well worth waiting for and the best episode so far ... http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/09/mad-men-10-life-death-and-politics.html

Another aspect of Don's reaction to Roger's heart attack could be the realization that Don may have come close to killing Roger with the scam he pulled a while back making Roger climb, what was it, 27 floors? A man with a failing heart could ealily have died during that physical stress.

And talk about little details ... did you notice that when the scene came back to Roger and his twin-triumph lying on the floor, the camera panned up her legs, that the girl had two very red and "burned" knees? The men in the audience know what THAT implied! LOL!

Just saw on The Internet Movie Data Base that John Slattery (Roger) and Talia Balsam (Mona) are married to each other in "real life" since 1998. Interesting.

To Paul Levinson (thank you for your GREAT commentary on Mad Men in your BLOG!), the use of "The medium is the Message" by Joan in the BABYLON episode is not necessarily an anachronism (far-fetched - but it could have happened). Here's from your earlier comments on the subject: (http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/08/mad-men-6-medium-is-message.html): "Well, as I also point out in Digital McLuhan, the phrase was actually first "published" in McLuhan's "Report on Project in Understanding New Media" - a typescript report, in fact, that McLuhan prepared for the National Association of Educational Broadcasters, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare ... on June 30 ... 1960!

So ... the 1960 scene in Mad Men last night could, technically, have happened.

But would an office manager have heard of the phrase? Not likely ... but by no means impossible. After all, the firm the saucy Joan works for is very high powered, with the Richard Nixon for President team as one of its clients. So, conceivably, Joan could have heard someone from the Department Health, Education, and Welfare talk about the report... (though prefacing the phrase with a "you know what they say..." does seem a little much)."

To Paul Levinson (thank you for your GREAT commentary on Mad Men in your BLOG!), the use of "The medium is the Message" by Joan in the BABYLON episode is not necessarily an anachronism (far-fetched - but it could have happened). Here's from your earlier comments on the subject: (http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/08/mad-men-6-medium-is-message.html): "Well, as I also point out in Digital McLuhan, the phrase was actually first "published" in McLuhan's "Report on Project in Understanding New Media" - a typescript report, in fact, that McLuhan prepared for the National Association of Educational Broadcasters, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare ... on June 30 ... 1960!

So ... the 1960 scene in Mad Men last night could, technically, have happened.

But would an office manager have heard of the phrase? Not likely ... but by no means impossible. After all, the firm the saucy Joan works for is very high powered, with the Richard Nixon for President team as one of its clients. So, conceivably, Joan could have heard someone from the Department Health, Education, and Welfare talk about the report... (though prefacing the phrase with a "you know what they say..." does seem a little much)."

Tiramisu: Don solves everything with sex by his own admission to Rachel! He tells her it's all there is to life, etc. Sorry, but this type of man is empty and will sleep with the next available woman who comes along. You say he has only slept with two other women aside from his wife (uh, well wait for numbers 3 and 4 because they are on the way!) and apparently defend his "honor" when I referred to him as a sexual predator/addict by stating that he did not have sex with the twin. Of course he didn't, because he is smart enough NOT to allow Roger to see any indescretions in which he may indulge. The man is low and about the only thing his character seems to have going for him is his good looks; otherwise, he seems shallow. He can only seem to talk about himself where women are concerned, at least the ones he is about to bed.

Jack: I am not dismisisng that Don was in the Korean War (Yes, I think he was), but just because he began calling himself Don Draper at some point is not proof he "stole" someone else's name, and even if he took the name of a fallen commrade, so what? You cannot opyright a name, and calling yourself by another name is not the same as stealing one's identity (as is so common today). You can call yourself anything you want to; just look at all the screen names here! In addition, there is more than one Don Draper's running around, and I am sure that was the case in 1961 too. In fact, I used to work in the same building with a guy named Don Draper! If the Dick/Don character began using another person's Social Security Number and all that, then it's something entirely different And let's face it, the character of Dick/Don is pretty much of a scumbag, albeit a good-looking one! Pete is no different really, but he is missing one essential ingredient: The good looks and polish of Draper! He'll never attain those things!

That gentleman playing Rachel's father played Bert Segal on "One Life to Live" back in the late sixties/early seventies. I don't remember what his name is.

To Peter G: Thanks - glad you're enjoying my blog commentary on Mad Men...

Yes, "the medium is the message" technically could have been said by Joan (as I pointed out in my earlier post which you quoted), but I don't think it's likely ...

But I agree that "I'm so over you..." is worse - unless there's some evidence of some Valley Girl speaking like this in 1960...

It's a measure of what a wonderdul show this is that we can have discussions like this about phrases and their first appearances in history...

i have to say that as this first season progresses, it's getting more and more clear that the relatively low profile that amc affords this show could hurt it (and may already be).

this is so clearly the quality and style that would normally have been found on hbo during its heyday (and could have been a savior to the net, had they picked it up when given the chance). however on amc the show only seems to have real mojo on these message boards.

where's the publicity push? where's the marathons? there's no real momentum out there that i've observed. no one seems to talk about the show the way other good cable shows get buzz (witness: rescue me, damages, the closer, and others). john hamm on kimmel is pretty weak, if that's the sum total of the pub.

if mm were on hbo sunday nights (and it's clearly good enough to hold down that slot, imo), it would be all over the place, and people would be talking about how hbo reversed their creative nosedive.

let's hope amc raises their game a little, and shows that they know how to treat a world-class original property.

This was one of the best episodes this season by far. It's so refreshing to watch a show that is interesting and keeps you wanting more, plus Mr.Draper is DREAMY! ;)

Don comes from a broken home, he will always be searching for a Mother in a woman and also to be a caretaker (which is to his wife). I can relate to that very much, he has a constant battle going on within himself, it's self torture.

Wow what an epi. Question for those who saw epi 10 last week. Were you shown epi 11 this last week ??????

Julia I totally agree that Peggy is preg. Just look at how her appearance has changed and she is hiding her wieght gain with clothing, and then the pill thing too.

Interesting about that 911 call. That went right over my head 3 times now.

I have watched the original airing, and on Comcast On Demand twice. My On Demand doesn't lose the color. Maybe check with your cable Co ????

Think my favorite part of this epi were the the quotes like:

Betty's Dad assuming Betty is hiding the sugar from him. LOL I had to hide the salt fm my Dad when I was his caretaker because of history of stroke, no salt diet and the start of Alheizmeras,.

Also love the "When God closes a door he opens a dress" comment by Roger. What an animal

Another Sterling comment which all of us with children have experienced was, "just wish I could talk to her without her rolling her eyes" SO TRUE.

wE HAVE BEEN SO SPOILED BY THE NET that it is hard to even remember sending telgrams as they did to all their customers. Made me laugh like hell !!!

Ok we now have 2 answers about Betty's Dad, Dave Siegel and Allen Miller......can anyone be sure and clarify???

I don't think Roger will die so but that would be an excellant chance for Don to move up the ladder. I didn't like the scene with Roger looking so bad in the hosp as it reminded me of when my Dad was on his death bed. It hit home toooo close and I almost shut it.

Going to try that www.newcritics.com site although I think this blog sinply rocks and you all are so nice.

Please forgive my type-Os as I have catacts

Just thinking about Don and his "womanizing ways." We have seen him so far only with Midge, Betty and Rachel. How many other women are there in his past? Quite a few, I'd guess. What if there were one true love, or one who totally consumed him? It would be very interesting if she showed up sometime--

Wonder how he'd handle that!

Dave -- Allan Miller is the actor playing Rachel's father. Here is his website - http://allanmiller.org/

Re. Don's comment "This is it," my first thought was that the classic question people who are in the midst of a mid-life crisis ask themselves is, "Is this it? Is this all there is?" When Don said "This is it," I felt he had reached a point of depressing acceptance that he now had everything he had always wanted and...it isn't satisfying his soul.

Above, Lyndon's post made me think. He said that in the notorious "twin" scene, Don was basically watching a preview of the man he could become (Roger) and was repulsed. When I watched Don watching Roger, I could feel his discomfort right through the tv. He looked like he was in pain. I was so relieved when he left the room.

Penultimate above asked about Don and Joan getting together. I initially thought so too, but then I remembered that when Peggy was relating to Joan the phone conversation she accidentally overheard between Don and Midge, Joan's comment was, "Oh...ok. I've always wondered why he ignores me." In other words, Joan had been puzzled as to why Don hadn't responded in any way to her overt sexuality. It was a relief to Joan that Don wasn't necessarily oblivious; it's just that he already has something on the side. I agree that Don and Joan are somewhat mirror images of each other.

Someone asked why Don is so attractive to women. By today's standards, he's emotionally unavailable and he fools around on his wife and we should all hate him. But instead, most of us find him very attractive. I can explain why I find him attractive. (1) He's courtly and gentlemanly, even when he's having his extramarital affairs; (2) he's never sexually vulgar like Roger Sterling; (3) He's not overtly slimy and transparant like Pete (Don's style is more subversive); (4) he's a classic Alpha male. He provides for his family, takes care of everything at home (excluding his wife's emotional needs, but what the hey) (5) Don is cool and in charge at work. He never stoops to the juvenile "lobster tail" types of comments that come out of the peanut gallery, and (6) he's tall, dark and handsome.

It may be that while women want to spend their lives with a sensitive man, a nurturing man, a man who shares in the housework and child-rearing...what physically attracts us is the strong Alpha male whom we can't control or negotiate with.

This is a very un-PC comment, of course, and I'm braced for the fallout if anyone wants to respond to it.

I can't decide whether I like this episode better or "New Amsterdam." One of the things I especially loved about this one: that so many of the things that occurred in it made me so darn uncomfortable. they include: don's petty display of temper after losing the dr. scholl's account, roger looking over the casting call twins like he was looking at steaks in the butcher's case (and don standing in the background, smiling and seemingly condoning it), carol's confession of love to joan, roger riding mirabelle, roger breaking down in the hospital room, joan inviting that horrible professor into her room to "change a light fixture" - and leaving carol to flatly tell the horrible guy #2 that she would do whatever he wanted, and don's abrupt middle of the night visit to rachael's.

(which reminds me of something that's been bothering me: how do these men know the home addresses of their female business coworkers/associates? was everyone listed in the phone book in 1960? otherwise, how did pete know where to find peggy on the very night of her first day at work? and how did don know where rachael lived?)

back to the episode: i'm so impressed by the amount of discomfort that matthew weiner et al made me feel because it's indicative of how much texture and nuance, some of it unpleasant, that they put in to each of the characters. they're complete, complex, flawed and very human. so just when you want to fall in love with don the dashing ad man or roger the reckless but harmless roue or joan the sassy secretary, the writers throw some cayenne into the pot--or in your eyes.

the most surprising revelation of the episode to me was not don finally saying something about his prostitute mother/john father, but finding out that joan went to college!!!!!!! when carol talked about seeing her walk across the common, it sounded like it was one of those very nice seven sisters colleges. i wish that joan could channel her wonderful innate sense of cunning into something employable, like peggy and her knack with ad copy, instead of pouring them into office gossip and manipulating the sorry men she seems to meet. if she can't find that outlet, that's the reason why she'll end up as the girl pushing the buttons in the elevator.

i could write about this show forever (and watch the episodes forever, too). while i wasn't yet alive in the 60s - i was born in 1970 - i love the aesthetic: the streamlined furniture, the skinny suits, the women's fitted dresses and purses. i also adore the music - whoever selects it for mad men does a great job.

mad men not only gives me so much pleasure; it has also helped me make a great personal discovery. i'm the american-born daughter of taiwanese immigrants who came to the us in the early 60s. it's only when i watched the first episode of mad men that i realized my father's entire fashion/grooming style (tie clip, hat, raincoat, briefcase, vo5 cream to hold his hair back) was formed in that era and it stayed that way long after it went out of style, like until the mid to late 70s. as a kid, i couldn't figure out why he clung to these anachronistic styles and ideas about, say, niagara falls being a good place to honeymoon. then i saw mad men and understood that the first impressions he made when he came to this country must have been so extraordinarily powerful and set the template for how he thought an american man should be. i've been able to see beyond what i always thought was my father's willfull out-of-datedness and instead see it as his fierce, dogged longing to fit in. so for that, i'm enormously grateful, mr. weiner et al.

@dansj30: I wouldn't worry about the buzz you say Mad Men is not getting. It's a new world out there ... what people say on message boards and write on blogs can be more important than the more official kinds of buzz...

Mad Men's been renewed for a second year. I think it's future is secure.

"i wish that joan could channel her wonderful innate sense of cunning into something employable, like peggy and her knack with ad copy, instead of pouring them into office gossip and manipulating the sorry men she seems to meet. if she can't find that outlet, that's the reason why she'll end up as the girl pushing the buttons in the elevator."

I think this is the essence of these character, gaudybird. Joan and Peggy both seem highly intelligent. However Joan's approach is to, for lack of a better phrase, "make the system work for her" ... sort of an "I didn't make this world, I just live in it" mindset. These people get the most out of others, but in the end sell themselves short ... she'll be a secretary all her life.

Peggy, on the other hand, is less likely to accept the status quo. Maybe it's the 5-10 years difference in their ages, but Peggy's not going to be satisfied serving others in her career. You can see her ambition. But, being a woman, she has to work harder to find the right opportunities to show her abilities.

Joan makes the most of others, but Peggy will make the most of herself.

Let's hope, Paul.

I talk the show up a lot, and very few people have heard of it.

Brilliant episode! The hospital scene was great.

I have one question for the writers-

"Where is the office clown?" Wherever I have worked there has been one. One guy I worked with liked to glue people's desk accessories to their desks or to the ceiling. Are people in Manhattan always so serious?

goldendog ... it's an ad agency.

they're ALL the office clown.

ero....thank you for your follow up link. Greatly appreciated

as for Joan/Don hooking up, i think that Don sees that as dipping the pen WAY too far in the company ink.

which is why his inability to resist Rachel is so disconcerting in this regard.

Don/Joan are definitely parallels (male/female versions of each other - both representing the past, c. 1960), however Don values discretion and i think he perceives Joan as Roger's property (honor among skirt-chasers).

Wow, gaudybird, what a powerful comment. I had to read it twice to catch everything. Funny how this show puts us in a time machine and shows us the world in which our parents' lived pre "us"!

You're so right about Joan. She's no dummy. She needs to direct that cunning into something employable. It was more difficult back then but by no means impossible. Joan isn't going to be beautiful or sexually alluring forever and she's going to hit one heck of a crisis once her looks begin to fade. If not, she runs the risk of becoming pathetic in her middle age.

I might be over-analyzing here, but...Joan pointed out that the character played by Shirley MacLean in "The Apartment" was an elevator operator who tried to kill herself. The last scene in this epi shows Joan pushing the elevator button on Cooper's direction. Foreshadowing?

That link that was kindly provided for Allen Miller I guess has not been updated as I didn't see Mad Men listed under TV show guest appearences. There is a striking similarity though.

Please correct me if I am mistaken anyone

PLEASE! Show the encore presentations when people can actually watch them - not at 3 AM!! How about running the new episodes a few times a week? I'd be willing to bet the show would garner a much bigger audience...

when are all the homos gonna get over themselves? This is just a show. I think joan handled her roomate the way you would handle any unwanted advance whether it be AC or DC. I think the writers have been keeping big social issues where they belong. In politics. This is a great show becuase it deals with the lives of people who we are being allowed to get to know. And I hope it doesn't become some ridiculous platform for a "queer nation" or "civil rights" or "nambla" or any other special interest group. It's just a real good TV show. For crying out loud! I'm glad all these issues are only backround plots to give the show real flavor. I think these actors are giving an Emmy performance every time. And I get emotionally caught up when I watch too but then I come backe to reality.

P.S. I missed elevator scene. What did joan do? What happened in the elevator? My wife was at work that nite so couldn't tell me.

definitely the first time i've seen "civil rights" mentioned with "nambla" in the same vein.

don't think i'd classify civil rights as a special interest, but hey ...

I have come to sympathize a great deal for these men.

Yes, I said it...the men I feel sorry for.

I was born in '68 and am a true blue feminist. When I started watching this show I was horrified with how the women were spoken to and treated by the men (remember how the ObGyn spoke to Peggy? Awful.)and looked at the show as a great time capsule; a way to teach and show me what it might have been like for my mother.

But I have to say that I now see that this is an amazing way to show how American men have been sold a bill of goods.

The wars they fought and responsibilities they faced. The loneliness and the emptiness. The fake friendships and fake marriages.

It is weird, but I feel like there is a lot of ennui through and through and each man is really a boy and knows no other way to be.

At least the women have something to rebel against! I imagine Betty divorcing Don in 1972 and Peggy becoming a great feminist leader.

Men, however, have never had a "cause."

Sure you have the John Lennons, Abbey Hoffmans and Malcolm Xs, but they are rare and have specific goals.

But what are these men of 1960 to do?

Keep on doing what they're doing.

And so they drift like ghosts through their lives.

This show is so haunting.

I actually feel sorry for these men.

NAMBLA?

Are you high? Or just trying to be funny?

ick.

For penny321:

I totally agree with your comments 1 through 6 regarding the fabulous Mr. Draper and your insightful analysis afterward--perhaps that IS "what women want" after all.

Have to say, I still think some are missing the point in thinking that Don was referring to sex when he told Rachel, "This is all there is." Don may be many things, but shallow is not one of them. He was not talking about sex. He was holding Rachel's fingers when he said it. He was talking about connecting with another human being..sexually, perhaps, but more deeply. He and Rachel are two essentially very lonely people, reaching out for the warmth of human connection in that one moment.

Shannon, you're so right about the men. We tend to focus on the burdens of women, but the men bore equally heavy burdens. Even in 1960 it wasn't easy to be the sole support for a wife and family. It also wasn't easy (and still isn't) to fit into the very confining "strong man" role. If a man shared his deepest emotions to another man in 1960, he ran the risk of being labeled "a fruit." And if a man like Don Draper decided to reveal his angst to his wife, I think Betty would be incapable of digesting it. She would believe he was weak. She would question his ability to shoulder his manly responsibilities. Men just didn't go around sharing their feelings with other men and very rarely with their wives.

I think for Don, Rachel is the release valve.

I agree that Don went to Rachel as a release valve. He needed comfort and intimacy, and unlike women, the way men experience intimacy is always through sex.

I don't think Rachel is going to stand for playing the mistress role very long. She'll break it off because she wants more for herself and has too much self-respect to let it go on. But I'll bet she enjoyed every minute of that evening!

I don't think Don Draper is a sex addict at all. I have at least one friend who has been treated for sexual compulsion, and people like that could not sit there like Don did watching Roger with the other twin and not act upon it any more than an alcoholic could watch another man drink a bottle of whiskey and not get thirsty. Right after that incident Don remarks to the girl that he is not ready to "go around the block", in fact, he can't even "get the car out of the garage". I think what he saw horrified, not titillated him.

His other two relationships that we know of with women (Betty and Midge) are not one-night stands. He is married to Betty and takes care of her, and when he did break it off with Midge it was because he realized she loved another man.

He went to Rachel in a time of distress. He was having an existential meltdown. His wife was far away, and having her own problems dealing with her mother's death. He didn't bare his soul to his wife on the phone because he doesn't like other people to see him show weakness. (That's why he had Peter close the door before he swiped everything off of his desk.) He also (wisely) didn't want to dump any more on her, when she is already seeing a psychiatrist to help her over the death of her mother. In fact, he seems VERY sensitive to the plights of other people. He even had to tell Betty to let her father 'have it', meaning a relationship with another woman after Betty's mom. He realized the loneliness that Betty's father felt. That left Rachel.

He shows up at Rachel's in obvious distress (his hair looks like Hitler's) and starts blurting out bits of his past. When he said "this is all there is", I took it more as a realization of his mortality, sort of a 'Carpe Diem' statement. He didn't go to Rachel for sex. He was very gentlemanly about it. He wanted to make sure it was okay with her. He went looking for comfort. He is always the rock for everybody else. He never had a mommy.

All I have to say is that Lyndon, I agree with your analysis of Don and his multiple relationships...

...re: Peggy....Peggy's character is not preg. but the Elizabeth Moss might very well be... I took particular note of the dresses Peggy wore in this episode and in the preview of episode 11...they are both somewhat of an empire style which was popular in the early 60s around 63-64...they seem to fall from just below the bustline in a free fall.... no waistline to show fullness...at any rate I think that for them to have Peggy get preg. would ruin the "flow" of the plot line as she is now coming into her own professionaly acquiring more devirsfied responsibility.

....I am liking Hildy more and more as someone who is not to be trifiled with...

...also I have been thinking about the sexual relationships between Roger and Joan and Peggy and Peter...wouldn't they be in this day and time regarding as sexual harrassment..everyone seems to be discussing them as though they were comepletly consensual without the consideration that both Roger and Peter excert a particualr kind of control over those relationships as as we see in this most recent episode Joan is facing a very probable loss of power and position with Roger's heart attack and absence fromthe office...I think Cooper's advice to her is quite on point.."don't waste your youth on age"....

don and rachel is one of the main reasons i have been waiting week to week to watch. the scene at her apartment was surprisingly flat but maybe the writers didn't want to emphasize the sex because the connection is emotionally-driven. i am sure her "yes, please" was completely intentional on the writers' part. a good girl, not used to sexual freedom, so a little uptight? one of the most powerful things someone can give in a relationship is to be emotionally vulnerable/honest. its what made the sopranos interesting- tony's sessions with dr. melfi. not sure where it goes with rachel, but hope the writers continue to play out the relationship.

Wow...love reading all these INTERESTING and RIGHT ON (to use a '60's phrase) comments...it's obvious that this show appeals to people with brains and high standards in choosing what is worth spending an hour of their lives on (or 2 hours!---I always watch it twice in a row to try to catch all the "nuances") The only other thing worth watching on "regular" TV so far this season has been "The War" and that is on PBS! Hooray for quality TV and Michael Weiner and Crew! I haven't been this addicted to a show since "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under" MAD MEN FOREVER!!!

A great many men (or idiotic women) must be posting here, because so many seem to think Draper's behavior is just fine and dandy, and they deride anyone who dares to suggest he has low morals. One poster told us he only slept with two other women and loves his wife! Say what? I have a flash for those who consider extra-marital dalliance OK (as long as the guy looks like Draper, it seems), it's NOT! You will notice too that no one cuts Pete any slack and that's because he isn't the good-looker Draper is. Extra-marital dalliance is NOT OK, and I don't care if he has only slept with two women so far (other than his wife). What exactly is the magic number that finally makes this sort of thing NOT OK? Three, four, five? I think Don Draper could sleep with every woman on the show and there would be those who would defend him. On the flip side, nearly everyone thinks Pete is scum (and he is, of course, but as far as we know he has only slept with ONE other woman other than his wife). And hey, he loves his wife, right? Frankly, whether he does or doesn't, what he is doing with Peggy (or did) was and is wrong! To be honest, Peggy is scum too, because she is dallying with a married man. A married man or woman is someone else's spouse and should be off-limits, off the market, etc. This is only a television show but my point is that sleeping with someone who is married to another is never right. Ever. Draper has a low opinion of himself, though I am sure many think the opposite. Same with Pete. Same with Peggy. Same with Joan. I think too that so many here on these boards seem to act as though they know EXACTLY what the writers are trying to convey in each character, and they get very upset when anyone dares to disagree with their hypothesis.

Oh please just lighten up! This is just a place to write comments on an entertaining show not meant to be a place to preach right or wrong. No one is saying these characters represent how people should model their own lives...it's just entertainment...ok??

Often I have to watch Mad Men twice to grasp the depth of each episode. Anriley, I don't know if you did but your post certainly expressed it. Bravo!

And not only was this a sad episode it captured a vulnerability by all the main characters that we've yet to see. (With the exception of Peter Campbell, but that was covered so wonderfully in "New Amsterdam")

I still don't understand the homophobia I'm seeing on this board. Or do you think homosexuality just popped into the culture? It's been around since the dawn of man. But in 1960 it was very well hidden.

And to Irememberitwell: Good observations. Matthew Weiner has said often that what went on in the late fifties/sixties is a less PC reflection of what is going on today. Indeed it was an important reason he set the show at that time. Before political correctness came into being.

And twenty-twenty, I agree with you too. I would comment but could never say it better than you just did. *smile*

Hey "PeterG"-- do you know if Talia Balsam and John Slattery are STILL actually married? That is interesting with them being cast as husband and wife as well on the show, huh?

Just wanted to say how much I enjoy this show. It provides a glimpse into my parents' world. I was born in the mid-70s but my parents got together in the early 60s. He was a very successful and charismatic company president, attractive, and very married (not to her) and she was the naive bookkeeper. Don reminds me of my father. . .but gosh, I hope Daddy wasn't THIS active. The drinking and smoking that I've heard of is all there in addition to the dresses, girdles, and heels worn by the secretaries. I watch the show with my mom and it's like stepping back into her early life. She recalls how flirtatious the men were with their female colleagues. And how much she loved the cut of early 60s suits. On more than one occasion, she's said, "Your father had a suit like that!" Oh, and how it was a major catastrophe if you got a run in your stockings (she always kept a spare in her desk). This show is a gift to watch--the glamour, the mannerisms, even the food. I feel like I understand my parents even better through the show. And why my mom has always said it's not really a date "unless he pays for a fancy dinner where you wear a cocktail dress." :)

MarjNYC, I also have noted some homophobia in the comments. We've covered the oppression of women, the sometimes unfair burden men bore, and the total absence of African Americans in any positions of power. But we've never talked about what must have been agony for any homosexual living in an era in which homosexuality was thought to be a mental illness.

One note about Joan and her roommate. I don't think the writers were trying to titillate. After all, the scene was far from sexy. It was just a way to show Joan dealing with an issue for which she had no emotional tools, no ready response.

The twins scene wasn't sexy, either. I'm guessing the writers wanted to put Roger and Don in a situation that could reveal Roger's coarseness and Don's repulsion while watching the vulgarity of a man who represents "success" in his business.

Comments have been made responding to the question of who plays Betty's Dad:

When Don sees him in the kitchen, he greets him as, "Gene". According to the credits, Gene Driscoll is played by Ryan Cutrona who's been in a lot of TV appearances over the years including "West Wing".

http://www.tv.com/ryan-cutrona/person/25968/appearances.html

Peter6 - Mirabelle's knees were all red because Roger had been "riding" her back into the office in that homage to Fellini. No imagination required there.

Joan says, "1960, I am so over you." Doesn't quite fit culturally or time-wise - there's almost four months left in the year.

Speaking of Betty's dad - did everyone notice his sport jacket is roughly the same color and pattern as the kitchen wallpaper? He seemed to blend into the background. Which may have been intentional by the writers.

Also no love lost either way between Betty and Gloria. We knew about Betty but I just watched that segment again and caught Gloria's expression.

Joan's full of little quotes. She grips her roommate's arm and says, "After all, tomorrow is another day." It's entirely possible she read the book in college. The movie was re-released sometime in the 1960 time frame but I was thinking it was more like 1961-62.

Yes, I agree with someone up above talking about Joan and Peggy. The blog is too long to find it. These two women represent (so far) the opposite ends of the spectrum in 1960. Joan is working within the system and accepting things the way they are. Peggy is foreshadowing what will be when women finally got the chance to prove themselves in the work world. I was surprised that Joan went to college while Peggy went to secretarial school. College in those days for a woman was nothing more than entree to a secretarial job when they were called "secretaries" not "administrative assistants." An ambitious woman like Peggy had to wait a few more years or work within women-oriented industries. I hope the writers are hinting at what's to come (the women's movement). Peggy has more talent than the all the guys in the Sterling Cooper boys' club put together. Let's hope future episdoes take her somewhere productive. Could it be that her weight gain is her way to keep the men away? It's obvious they're filling her out and that there was a lot of makeup filling out her chin. I wonder where they're going with this. Will we be disappointed that Peggy's talents are shuttled aside, or will she get a chance? Either direction would be very 1960. The 60's saw trememendous social transformation. Is "Betty" Draper an homage to Betty Friedan, the penultimate suburban housewife who wrote "The Feminine Mystique?"

I think it would be unwise to assume that because someone is describing lack of womanizing behavior that they are condoning extramarital affairs in real life. When I talk about Draper's lack of inerest in bedding every woman he meets, I doing so to understand him better. Character's within Mad Men talk about how good looking Draper is, so it begs the question, if he is not interested in bedding every woman he meets, then what is he interested in?

As for the Rachel and Dan moment. Viewers did not get to see the actual sex between them. So, the only way we can figure out what it was like between them is the conversation afterwards. Dan could have said to Rachel, "That was great, thank you, nice seeing you, or nothing, but he gave her something of himself. That tells us how emotional and not just sexual that moment was for him.

As for Pete, he is clumsy and unsophisticated in his manner with women. Peggy is a great example, his wife is another. He actually wanted his wife to have sex or flirt with her old flame, so he could have a story published. He had sex with Peggy in the office. I can't imagine Dan doing that.

Mad Men is as much a character study about Draper as anything else. Through his and other characters on the show sexual, emotional and work interactions we see some nice and not so nice things about them. That to me is what literature, film, and television, at its best should do. To take it as condoning instead of understanding the behaviour would be wrong, and misguided.

why all the disappointment over Rachel? First off, it's not lmeeting, where everyone had their business "masks" on. He caught her without her mask; at night, with her guard down. Don't forget what she said to her sister abot him. She has real feelings for him, she has probably been waiting a long time to meet her match. A rare event for a woman like her. Now that he's confessed to her he is even more her match. I don't think she lost her self respect, remember the time frame, this show is all about the changes that were taking place, people (especially women) bursting through their boundaries. Women can have sex without marraige. Don actually made love. That whole scene was not the usual sex scene. Hasn't anyone let love get it's hooks into you??? ike they were at a business

Good Grief! we certainly have analyzed this episode to death! A second season is sure something to anticipate. As previously posted, getting the word out would help--although my friends who just found MadMen, and watched this episode..well let's just say I had some explaining to do.. I was hoping Don would have enough good sense to get Roger away from those twins, especially when he recognized he could be looking at himself. And running to Rachel--what was she thinking!? I would like Don to have restrained himself, and shown further inner conflict..sort of good vs. evil. And one last comment about the twins: they were attractive girls--kudos for not casting Hollywood blonde idiots! Who on the show besides Joan, Don, and Betty are knock-outs??

La la land, I never said Don's adultry, was OK, whatever that means. I was discussing how interesting the man's philandering was - that is was deeper than a just a man who can't keep it in his pants. This guy could have any women he wanted - Joan, Peggy, those two pretty young things at the bar, Ellie the other twin. Does a picky adulterer make a moral one? Of course not. But it does say that it is more than sex that he is wanting.

Read Nikole's post, it says it all. I don't think Weiner et al are trying to give us a morality play here, there is no preaching or message to be sold here. Like the Sopranos, we are bystanders to lives that are flawed, damaged and lonely, against a backdrop of a volatile, confusing time in our country's history and it's presented in a realistic way, visually and culturally and humanly. The fact that the show resonates so deeply with it's viewers (this blog is a great example) is testament to it's success.

The love scene with Rachael and Don was disappointing to me. She looked so stony and unsympathetic. Even a fleeting expression of passion, something, would have helped. And I agree with others here that it was too soon, especially since she just didn't seem caught up enough or empathetic enough to let go of that icy control.

Re Betty: She is very young to have lost her mother already. Perhaps that is why she's so childlike, so repressed, numb -- like her hands.

(Has it ever been made clear how much Betty knows -- or doesn't know -- about Don's real history? I don't remember anything specific.)

Don, whose job and life it is to analyze the culture, is looking for an analytical woman; Betty in her present form simply isn't his equal. Rachael is, as well as being Jewish, hence an outsider herself (despite the hollow claim that she's "not that Jewish.") Don sees himself -- an Oakie/outsider who has sucessfully "passed" -- in her.

I agree that this will be the great love story of the series. I hope, though, that Rachel puts up some more resistance, realizes that this might be a mistake, etc. Anything else will just be too easy, IMO. We'll see.

Agree with the above poster who cautions us to remember that this is simply a discussion board for a televison show. It's not the place for a diatribe about the perils of adultery (I'm talking to you, La-La Land!). Sounds like something you need to be discussing with a therapist, not on a message board like this one. We don't want to hear about posters' personal morality issues. We want to talk about the show!

About Betty ...

Her whole story is still out in front of us. It's all been foreshadowing so far -- and good foreshadowing: the mother she recently lost, her former job as a model (which she left for Don -- and lost again because of him), her lack of experience around people ... even children. There is so much good stuff to mine there.

I loved the end scene from the episode "Shoot": Betty with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, picking off birds with a BB gun. She's not stupid at all. She is uncomfortable and lost. I like seeing her get angry: this is a reaction I understand, given the almost impossible conditions of her life.

I think Don feels tenderness for Betty. I just don't think he knows the first thing about her ... worse, he no longer wants to listen to her. He's paying someone else to do that, in fact.

Betty's character is one to watch. She might go deeper than many of the others. I can't wait to see where the writers and the actress take her next.

I'm in outside sales. I'm not too familiar with advertising agencies of the level of Madison avenue etc., but I'd love to see Pete make some cold calls over the phone. I'd love to see his face after a few rejections. Clients don't just decide to "appear" for meetings. The one episode where Pete got fired by Don for "pitching copy" I did not understand. The account executive is in charge or am I wrong? Someone help me out here. I'd like to see more from the character Harry Crane, the media buyer.....he seems so...God forbid...normal. :)

e-roc: in the structure of an ad agency, the account exec's job is to represent the decisions & judgements of the creative and media teams (nowadays, most advertisers split those duties among "specialist" agencies, but back then all agencies were hired to do both). in other words, he's the mouthpiece, there to schmooze and make clients feel good about what the creative and media groups decide to do.

that's why pete got his tail caught in the door over pitching copy ... he's supposed to support the creative team, but instead looked like he was working against them.

however, your point about him needing to experience a little failure and get his nose bloodied is a good one. i think getting him fired was one way the writers took care of that. and in the preview for ep 11, he seems defensive when someone suggests he's concerned about getting fired. i think we'll see more of this.

Does anyone know who is the actor who played Adam Whitman ("Don/Dick's half/step brother)? Just wondering, since I believe he will decide to return to see if there is more than just that first $5000 to be had since he got rejected by the only family he has left and all--- (Blackmail??)

Regarding Betty. She really did send her husband into Rachel's arms. It was great that the viewer could see how disturbed Don was over what had happened with Roger but she had no clue. This is so true to life. Don has a life that involves so many people. Betty's life is small and petty--home with the children. She was so aching to speak to an adult about the horrible situation she felt she was in--regarding her father's new lady friend-- it just spilt out of her as if she could not help herself. How fitting she was bunked with the two kids looking so very uncomfortable on her 'vacation' by the water. When I was home with small children I surely did the same thing at times--so ready to spill out my own thing I barely heard what was being said by anyone who would listen. I can relate to Betty-- maybe because i have been as guilty as she is at being small and petty while watching the kids and dealing with situations that were overblown in my mind. It's easy to forget the outside world exists. This show is perfect in moments like this. After her attempt to take a step into the outside world Betty is five or ten steps back a week later. I'm not sure if women home with their children had part-time jobs in 1960 the way they do these days--most having full-time jobs to make ends meet. Women who had husbands working on Madison Avenue most likely did not run out to work when the husbands came home. When do the husbands come home in 1960? Don sure seems free to do pretty much what he wants to. Telling was the first episode. I was long into it before relizing he had a wife and kids. Sometimes he seems to forget. I think at the hospital with Roger he remembered and tried to reach out to it but he and Betty have been living seperate lives for so long the connection couldn't be made. Betty was too caught up in her own drama. It might have been good if Don said yes when she asked if he needed her to come into the city. That might have taken things in a whole different direction.

I'm glad Joan (Red) declined from Roger's offer for Labor Day weekend otherwise it would have been the old cliche'- mistress caught in the scene w/the over exerted executive for it was inevitable for that to have occurred to Roger. Joan's upset for she knows Roger will not make advances to her anymore. She has no pull anymore. As for Don he doesn't want to step on Roger's toes besides he'll be too busy using Rachel for all she's worth. Everybody is using someone and they'll all miserable. Time for some new upbeat characters.

LOVE Joan's character. She's strong and sassy and no doubt will be heading the women's lib movement in 10 years. But I wouldn't be so quick to think that Roger's going to have some great moral turnaround after his heart attack. Deep down, he's a weasel. He'll probably risk his health to keep those "lunch" meetings with Joan. Does anyone else notice how random some of Pete's comments are in meetings? It started a few week ago with the whole "Elvis doesn't wear a hat" thing and continues on. He's an odd little man. The funny Attention Deficit Theater recap is up:

http://www.unboundedition.com/content/view/2646/50/

dansj30: Thanks for clearing that up for me :)

Hi Dansj30 - The actor playing Adam Whitman is Jay Paulson. He is so believable in this part (the scenes where Don rejected him were utterly heartbreaking) that it almost surprised me to find out he was "just" an actor.

Re Betty:

My favorite character and I believe she and Peggy are set up as the contrast in women's roles, moreso than Peggy vs. Joan.

She was very understanding and sympathetic to Don in their phone conversation. She didn't whine about his delay in coming to the shore; she said she understood perfectly.

What she is going through re her mother's death is real. She's not okay with it yet, and her father has already moved on. How long has Mom been dead? Just a few months, right? How awkward and uncomfortable. She had every right to tell Don what was going on there. It was after she had offered to come home to be there for him, but couldn't because the kids would be so disappointed. Did anyone catch her last words to Don? Not "I love you," but "Don, be sure to eat something." AHA! food=love!

PEGGY IS NOT PREGNANT. When did Pete come to her apartment? At least 6 months ago! I think she'd know by now and it would be OBVIOUS. She would've gone crying to Joan already.

Prediction: Don's birth mother's name was Donna Draper. He enlisted with that name and started his life over (remember that the medal has Don Draper on it). If there had been an actual Don Draper and he'd switched identities with him, don't you think the real Don Draper's family would've done something by now?

I think Adam will show up at the house one day and tell Betty all about it. I think Rachel will get pregnant with Don's baby -- complicated because she's Jewish and he's married. She'll tell him it's not his and he won't believe her, yet will have to or run the risk of ruining his marriage and image. He'll be overwrought with guilt about abandoning his love child, who was conceived just as he was, out of wedlock.

I have to disagree about Joan embracing the Women's Lib movement. She's not the type who gravitated towards it. There were all kinds of women, but most were women like Peggy, who were intelligent and driven and very frustrated by the limited options women had before them in 1960. Many others were the Bettys of the world, who had just had it with the confining wife/mother role of the 1950's. I was there and I don't remember a whole lot of Joans in the movement.

Unless Joan has a life-changing epiphany, I think she'll just find another sponsor to replace Sterling. As time goes on, she'll work very hard at concealing her age and she'll begin to look like a woman who's trying too hard. The cunning sweetness that was appealing in her youth will morph into a sarcastic bitterness as she heads toward middle age. I know that's a harsh assessment, but think about it. Joan has predicated all of her self-worth on her ability to manipulate men with her sexuality. I've known a lot of Joans and they have no Plan B when their looks begin to fade.

I think it is Peggy who will rise to the top professionally and Betty who will be one of the pioneers of the women's movement.

Penny 321 I agree with your analysis completely...

penny 321 and verta -- you are both right on. You must be fify+. Many of these posters are younger and I hope they don't have too much contempt for Betty. She didn't have much of a choice back then. It's obvious she's disatisfied with her life also.

Tom -- you sound like a woman but your name? Most women worked only until they had children and stayed home after that. People hadn't become used to two incomes and they managed. They just didn't get as much -- or want as much as they do today. Blame that on the boomers. Men didn't work as hard -- and came home on the 5:01 except for those in fields that required afterhours client entertainment. Advertising was notorious for that. The good old days? I'm not so sure. I think people are much greedier today.

"It really is a kind of time travel. I can conjure up the tinkle of cocktail glasses and laughter downstairs late at night when my parents entertained friends, overflowing ashtrays and the smell of lighter fluid (and pipe tobacco for a few years), martini kits, hostess aprons, Arpege perfume, etc."

Same in my house. The next morning, my brother and I would wake up early, go downstairs, and eat the leftover chips, dips, pretzels, and sample all the leftover drinks. On the rare occasion that my parents actually cleaned up after the party, instead of going to bed, we would be very disappointed the next morning.

As for Roger's military service, he was WW II Navy. He recounted a story at Don's house where they shot down a Japanese Dinah, which was a twin engine reconnaissance plane, while sailing in the Pacific.

Peggy321 is right about Joan -- she'd curl her lip at the women of the feminist movement.

Yes, the goings-on at the office would definitely be ruled sexual harrassment today and grounds for a lawsuit. But the policies we have now weren't even thought of then.

Agree that Peggy321 is right on the money about Joan and the women's movement, and about what Joan would morph into as the years roll on. Joan is all about Joan, not about advancing the cause of women! Also thought Tom and irememberitwell had good comments about stay-at-home wives and mothers, both then and now. Even now, it's still easy to feel disconnected from the rest of the world when you are at home with small children all day.

Several people have separately brought up an issue in regards to the behavior of several of the female characters in different instances, but I don't know if anyone has asked the question about all of them as a group. Since I wasn't alive back then, perhaps someone who was can answer this question...

Don't the female characters in this show seem a little too ..."easy"?

The Pill wasn't introduced until May of 1960. The 'Summer of Love' wasn't until 1967. Roe vs. Wade wasn't until 1973. I have to assume that people brought up in a time before all these events wouldn't just suddenly be able to change all their ingrained attitudes and behaviors towards sex overnight. A single woman getting pregnant in that era must have faced enormous obstacles. Before DNA testing a man might be able to deny the child was his, but the woman would have a lot of troubles. I'm sure I don't have to itemize them here, especially since that is not the main intent of this post.

Rachel and Peggy certainly seem intelligent, yet Peggy has sex with Pete (the night before his wedding no less) almost as soon as she gets the pill. Surely she knows it won't be effective that quickly. Don shows up at Rachel's house out of the blue and she gives in. The twins both seem to be willing to have sex before Roger's heart attack. Joan is having an affair with Roger and with other men she picks up. There are implications of other link-ups throughout the show's episodes.

This seems a little unrealistic to me. If things were that wild before the sexual revolution, why was there even a need for the sexual revolution? Are the writers taking artistic license, or was it really that way?

If someone from that era can shed some light on this I would be grateful.

couple of thougths:

peggy321 and others are so right. joan will become one of those older, bitter types. no plan b, indeed. if the series does skip the odd years and accelerate in time, then the show will depict that sooner than later.

don & betty's kids ... they're hardly shown at all so far (can only think of 2-3 shots where they're totally facing the camera). as the show moves through the 60s and these kids get older, i believe we'll start to see them be affected by the choices (good and bad) made by their parents. after all, isn't the series about how that generation acted and the effects those actions have on us today?

finally, didn't joan refer to taking her roomate to the doctor 'again' when she assumed she was late with her period? so she's been pregnant in the past and had an abortion, even though she seems to think she's lesbian. some interesting backstory there ... considering how joan treated her admission in the first place ("let's go out and get laid"), that roommate is on a miserable collision course.

in the 'reveal' scene with roger and joan in the hotel, i think roger had a few disparaging things to say about her. food for thought ...

I rather doubt that Peggy's pregnant. It's been roughly six months since she started and that night with Pete. Just putting on weight.

If anyone's going to get pregnant, it's Rachel. She hadn't been seeing anyone apparently, so no reason to be on the Pill. Don shows up and...

Oh, the line by Papa Menken was, "...reminds me of a Tsarist ministry. No matter what happens, you didn't make the decision." To which she replies, "I have no idea of what you're talking about."

People were going on about Betty driving Don into Rachel's arms. Going there for him was like getting wet out of a baby. He wanted someone who was actually listening to him and Betty was too far away. Betty said all the appropriate things including asking if she should come back. She was also filling him in on how she felt - letting him listen to her. One of her final comments was for him to remember to eat. A mother's comment.

In the early 1960's where I worked in Manhattan, there were quite a few young women having office romances (the men were generally older). Some were local girls from the outer boroughs or Long Island or New Jersey, but I would have to say in general the local women were more conservative when it came to sex because they still lived at home and many were also Catholic. However, the young women who moved to Manhattan from other states, and lived with roommates in the city, were much wilder. There were many singles bars on the east side in the early 60's, also parties in their apartments every other weekend, and it was not unusual for 50 or more people to be at each one. Most women had two or more roommates and each one would invite their own friends and everyone at their offices. They were all labeled "GD" (geographically desirable). We local girls (even if we lived in upper Manhattan) were labeled "GU" (geographically undesirable). Everyone who was not living with their parents lived in Manhattan. (No trendy singles neighborhoods outside Manhattan then). Even if you lived very close to Manhattan your goal was to find a roommate and live in the city if at all possible.

The twins were a little bit of an enigma to me also because they were so young. Also Peggy. Joan not at all, and Rachel would give in to successful men only.

Sorry to be so verbose.

Regarding Lyndon's post -- I wasn't exactly of age in 1960, but had a pretty good idea of what went on. I think that things in Manhattan, LA and San Francisco were quite different than in, say, the South or Midwest. My mother told me that, during the war, most of her girlfriends weren't virgins and many of them slept around, that their dates knew they would likely die in battle, which accelerated things, a lot.

I think the main difference the "sexual revolution" made was that sex began to be seen as natural and wholesome as opposed to secretive and dirty.

Some of my mother's friends -- all housewives -- seemed cartoonishly seductive, like that was what they were thinking about all the time. I also remember the same polished manner of dressing, the girdles (believe it or not, high school girl were encouraged to wear girdles as a kind of date-night chastity belt even in the early 60's). Hair always done, dresses and lots of makeup, heels, big chunky jewelry and French perfume, pretty much all the time -- very similar to what we see on Mad Men. Lots of flirtations going on with the married people too -- I'd eavesdrop on my parents' cocktail parties. The women would look as seductive as possible, just to go to the neighbor's house! Of course they didn't get out much, stuck at home with the kids all day. And all of that hair-doing and dressing took a ridiculous amount of time.

Pre-pill, there were other methods that worked fairly well and the more experienced women used them. The stakes, of course, were much higher if a pregnancy occurred.

All that aside, Peggy's sleeping with Pete so quickly felt a little strange to me. Perhaps because she is so dowdy, fresh from the hinterlands of Brooklyn (!) -- or so she seemed at first. So did the little flirtation with Don. Now we know more about her, of course. But for me, her character hasn't formed yet. She's like a soft-boiled egg.

And the twin models -- well, yuck. The riding scene has to be a Fellini reference. Full-body shudder time, like another poster wrote here. I think they called that type "party girls" in the era, like the girls of the Profumo scandal in England or Holly Golightly (at least as she was portrayed by Audrey Hepburn)in Breakfast at Tiffany's -- not quite prostitutes, but certainly not above wild times or accepting expensive gifts.

And so yeah, people slept with each other as much as in modern times, but it was more discreet, not like the dogs-in-the-park manner of the Sixties and Seventies. I think might have been more fun, actually. What the sexual revolution brought women, primarily, was the idea that you had to go with just about everybody, and be quick about it. I'm not sure any more that that was so great for either sex in the long run.

My take is that Don was attempting to be a better hubby by phoning Betty. He wanted her to feel his pain and know, even from a great distance, that he was hurting. But Betty bacame, once again, selfish and rambled on and on about her dad and his girlfriend and the pot roast. Even at the end of the conversation, there was no "Baby, I love you...Baby, it'll be OK." Nuttin'!

Visan, your comment made me smile. He was reaching out to Betty and there was not even a "Baby, oh baby." She gave him just the excuse he needed (not that DD needs an excuse) to Rachel. Too bad that played out so flatly - a disappointment that I hope the writers will fix the next time those two hook up. Oh - baby!

IT WAS GREAT SEEING THE MAD MEN WOMEN IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF PEOPLE. PEGGY WEARS PADDING UNDER HER CLOTHES, WHAT A HOOT! SEASON 2 IS GOING TO BE A LONG WAIT.

Very interesting comments as usual.

For penultimate, according to a great article I read in American Heritage magazine (RIP) a few years back, the first true singles bar is generally considered to be the original TGI Friday's, which opened on First Ave. in 1965.

The owner, Alan Stillman, noticed that the many single women living in the area (including one building full of flight attendants that was known as the "stew zoo") had no nice place to hang out and meet single men -- bars were disreputable places that were for drinking.

So he created such a place and the rest is history.

Thanks "Ero" for the info on Jay Paulson (Adam) We will have to watch that boy...I think he will decide he wants some more of that "hush money" or will threaten to spill his guts (like "with zeal" said)--- to Betty! That may just turn out to be one juicy plot line!

I too followed the Sopranos and was affraid I wouldn't find a replacement. This show did. I'm upset that the rerun on Sunday isn't on closer to 11PM or Midnight Cenral time.

My comments on this Episode:

By introducing the room mate, the writers are revealing to us that Joan is older than we thought. She and her room mate went to college together, but the room mate looks much older, which means that Joan is trying hard to not look her age.

Cooper's comments to Joan (and the fact that he had her come in after hours during the emergency) reveal that her amorous relationship with Roger is common knowledge at the office.

Joan's position in the office is completely dependent upon her relationship with Roger. If he dies, or becomes less powerful, her status will plummet--and she knows it.

Don's revelation to Rachel means that he feels a very strong connection to her. He reveals secrets about his background that even his wife doesn't know (we assume.) Roger is constantly trying to get Don to reveal something about his background (in this episode, the comment about Chicago)and Don just ignores him; yet, he spills his guts to someone he met only recently. Rachel also feels the connection. In one of the earlier episodes, she told her sister "I think I've met someone", so she knew instantly.

Regarding Peggy's decision to have sex with Pete after the first day of work, it seems out of character, but it may be evidence of her resolution to change her life all at once (moving to Manhattan, losing her virginity, getting a new job.)

As for the show in general, I'm 60, and 1960 was the year I started high school. Looking back at that year, through Madmen, the one thing that strikes me the most is how dressed up and sophisticated everyone looks, compared to today. At the time, there was a half hour or hour tv show called "Playboy's Penthouse" that came on at about 10:30 on Saturday nights in Chicago, starring (who else?)Hugh Hefner. I don't know if it was a local program (because Playboy was headquartered in Chicago) or if it played throughout the U.S. The scene was a party, held in a penthouse (presumably Hef's) overlooking the Chicago skyline, and the tv viewers were "invited" to just watch. There were usually about 20 people there, including a few celebrities who sang or played jazz piano or sometimes just hung out. The women all wore cocktail dresses, the men wore suits, and everyone was drinking martinis. Although I was only 13, I usually watched the show, and I could hardly wait to grow up so that I could attend parties just like that. However, by the time I became old enough to attend such parties, no one had them anymore. By 1970 it was all chips (with no dip) and a keg of beer, and everyone in jeans. I've always felt that I missed out on a whole way of life by being born early enough to observe it but too late to actually experience it. And with Madmen I get to oberve it again.

"I still don't understand the homophobia I'm seeing on this board. Or do you think homosexuality just popped into the culture? It's been around since the dawn of man. But in 1960 it was very well hidden."

The (overused to death) term "homophobia" means an irrational, terror-type fear of homosexuality. So brandishing it as a weapon against anyone who dares to express anything less than full endorsement of the lifestyle is just ignorant.

To coin a phrase, I think many of us in this culture are "homo-exhausted" - tired of the constant, gratuitous injection of homo- or bi-sexuality into seemingly every movie, TV show, news program… It's more of an "ad nauseum" thing.

One thing abnout the episode I found amusing was when Joan was talking to her roommate about how she'd rather be living "The Best of Everything" than "The Apartment." In TBoE, the office manager's anger at her frustrating office sexual liasons is directed at her employees - she makes their lives hell because she's so unhappy herself.

Lyndon, good question about sex in the 50's and 60's. There was indeed a whole lot of sex going on but it was very different because the Pill hadn't become easily available yet. Most of the women who had premarital sex believed their partners were future husbands, so that made it less taboo. If she got pregnant, well, they got married, especially if they were already socially acknowledged as a couple.

Most women relied on the men for birth control (back then condoms were simply an affordable birth control method; STD's only happened overseas!) It was a man's responsibility to provide the condom or to use the dreaded withdrawal method; the ensuing weeks of pregnancy worries were the woman's responsibility. If a pregnancy did occur, back-alley abortions were pretty easy to arrange and usually the man was not involved.

Sex came with a lot of consequences--physical, social, and emotional. When the sexual revolution came along, the freedom lay in the fact that a woman could control her reproductive choices and thus didn't have to have sex only if there was a commitment of some kind. Just a personal aside...I was living in an apartment alone in Boston in 1960 and my family was absolutely scandalized. (I learned years later that my mother had told people that I was living with an aunt who of course didn't exist). My family's shame lay in the fact that it was automatically presumed that a girl on her own was having sex with lots of men. Regrettably (smiles) I wasn't. I wanted to, but I was very concerned about getting pregnant before I had laid the groundwork for my career. It had nothing to do with propriety.

My take on sex and the Mad Women: Joan has taken precautions, as has Peggy. Joan's roommate is desperately fighting the fact that she's a lesbian and is having sex in order to "cure" herself (very common back then) and has had at least one abortion as a result. Betty, as a married woman, would have no problem getting birth control because her doctor would have "allowed" that (seriously). The twins were probably on the Pill or would insist a condom be used. The one I'm worried about is Rachel. As someone pointed out, she isn't "easy" and wouldn't have a medicine chest full of birth control on hand. Plus, what an interesting plot twist that would be!

One last note: even when the Pill was widely available, a lot of single women resisted it because it was a daily, guilt-ridden reminder to herself that she was sexually active. For years and years that remained a conflict for single women.

I think some of you are not giving Rachael enough credit for being an attractive, wealthy, sophisticated woman. She impressess me as the type to have traveled to Europe at least once ( you know the "grand tour" the rich provide to their young adults upon graduation from high school or either at the end of freshman year college) and probably a couple of times since then. She more than likely has had a couple of European lovers and something in that privleged background leads me to believe that she is much more worldly than the average young woman and has had enough sexual experience to have at her disposal the most advanced forms of birth control.

I think she'll probably suffer more from emotional pain from her involvement with Don than an unwanted preg.

From BPAT: "Some of my mother's friends -- all housewives -- seemed cartoonishly seductive, like that was what they were thinking about all the time. I also remember the same polished manner of dressing, the girdles (believe it or not, high school girl were encouraged to wear girdles as a kind of date-night chastity belt even in the early 60's). Hair always done, dresses and lots of makeup, heels, big chunky jewelry and French perfume, pretty much all the time -- very similar to what we see on Mad Men. Lots of flirtations going on with the married people too -- I'd eavesdrop on my parents' cocktail parties. The women would look as seductive as possible, just to go to the neighbor's house! Of course they didn't get out much, stuck at home with the kids all day. And all of that hair-doing and dressing took a ridiculous amount of time."

Welll... I was a little kid in the 60's and my parents partied with their friends the same way... mostly in each other's unfinished basements, but boy did they dress to the nines. As opposed to today -- let's see... we've got tattoos, nose rings, piercings, we can see women's thongs peeking above their waist, girls' big bellies hanging over their pants, etc.

The Feminist Movement might have done a lot for women re: careers and equality in opportunitiy, but it sure de-classed most women. There doesn't seem to be any modicum of dignity, class or self-respect. You would have NEVER seen the likes of the women we see regularly on Jerry Springer's show on Queen for a Day or Dave Garroway. And Girls Gone Wild? Would many of us today say "How far we've come???" Not me.

From BPAT: "Some of my mother's friends -- all housewives -- seemed cartoonishly seductive, like that was what they were thinking about all the time. I also remember the same polished manner of dressing, the girdles (believe it or not, high school girl were encouraged to wear girdles as a kind of date-night chastity belt even in the early 60's). Hair always done, dresses and lots of makeup, heels, big chunky jewelry and French perfume, pretty much all the time -- very similar to what we see on Mad Men. Lots of flirtations going on with the married people too -- I'd eavesdrop on my parents' cocktail parties. The women would look as seductive as possible, just to go to the neighbor's house! Of course they didn't get out much, stuck at home with the kids all day. And all of that hair-doing and dressing took a ridiculous amount of time."

Welll... I was a little kid in the 60's and my parents partied with their friends the same way... mostly in each other's unfinished basements, but boy did they dress to the nines. As opposed to today -- let's see... we've got tattoos, nose rings, piercings, we can see women's thongs peeking above their waist, girls' big bellies hanging over their pants, etc.

The Feminist Movement might have done a lot for women re: careers and equality in opportunitiy, but it sure de-classed most women. There doesn't seem to be any modicum of dignity, class or self-respect. You would have NEVER seen the likes of the women we see regularly on Jerry Springer's show on Queen for a Day or Dave Garroway. And Girls Gone Wild? Would many of us today say "How far we've come???" Not me.

anyone remember this great line from the Mary Tyler Moore show:

Mary's parents are visiting.

Mary's mom: "Don't forget to take your pill, dear."

Mary's dad and Mary, simultaneously, "I will!"

This may have already been said, but I'm only halfway through the comments. Could Roger have been very deliberately knowing in choosing the two least attractive girls in the bunch as a gamble that they would be not used to such attention/success and therefore more willing to do what he had in mind for the evening's entertainment? He didn't have much time, after all. (Both figuratively and literally!)

This is from a previous episode, when Peggy came up with "A basket full of kisses" for the ad campaign.

I thought I had heard that line before. It's from "The Bad Seed," a 1954 play/1956 movie about a little girl named Rhoda who charmed grown-ups but was actually a killer (The question was, "Could murdering be an inherited trait?").

When "sweet little Rhoda" met a grown-up, she would say, "A basket of kisses for a basket of hugs."

Were the writers trying to imply that Peggy is sweet on the outside but lethal on the inside?

Is anyone out there that was born after this era? I for one was and still find this show incredibly addicting! I just love all the little remarks made about women and the expectations of women back then! I would have died in that era! To be so submissive...don't even get me started!! I'm sure there had to be at least one or two men that DID NOT cheat on their wives?! The way the guys are portrayed; all guys do this and it's all ok and the little wives are just in the dark or accepts as the norm. I am glad to see that Rachel & Don finally did it; the sexual tension was killing me (even though it's not ok to cheat on your wife) Rachel seem to have a connection with Don therefore he ended up opening up to her and telling her about his past; a past that I don't even think Betty knows about??!! Lastly, I love the character Joan; they're starting to show her more vulnerable than she originally led on and her poor roommate Caroline!! Unrequited Love!! LOVE THIS SHOW; CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE! KEEP IT UP AMC!!

I think Roger chose the twins because they were giggly and fun--he was obviously used to "checking out the casting couch", as was everybody else that was interacting with them. I'm not so sure about any Fellini reference--the one twin did say her hobby was riding horses--'dressage' was the term she used; and that's why Roger was riding on her back and hence the red knees..

I know I'm REALLY out on a limb here and overanalyzing (sp?) this but (this will show my age... but who cares?) Anyone watch "One Life to Live" back when the actor who is Rachel's dad on MM played Dave Siegel? (not sure of last name) He was married to Eileen and one of their kids (girl/boy twins) was Tommy Lee Jones!!! Also, when his character died on that soap, he had a heart attack (like Roger on MM) and fell down the stairs! Just a note on the "heart attack" bit in Long Weekend epi. I think we are all tending to read so much into this stuff...but it's FUN! ha.

Becky....You are not the only one who grew impatient with the sexual tension between Rachel and Don. Prolonged tension annoys me to no end and does NOT make the plot better, IMO. I did want their sex to be raunchier than it turned out to be but then it is AMC....

Just two notes....the postings attributed to verta mae are actually from DivaDeeGee...something is wrong with my typekey system......

Also for those of you who don't have access to "on Demand"....below is a link that will enable you to view episodes 1-6 on line:

http://openflv.com/tag?t=Tv%20Show&p=3

Ardilla wrote:

By introducing the room mate, the writers are revealing to us that Joan is older than we thought. She and her room mate went to college together, but the room mate looks much older, which means that Joan is trying hard to not look her age.

In real life Kate Norby (Carol) is 31 vs. Christina Hendricks (Joan)'s 29. In the late 50's-early 60's the clock was ticking...

Carol was in publishing, reading slush pile poetry. I suspect an English major. A very, very tough occupation, even for a man.

Joan could have been any major that wasn't math or science. Psychology would have been an incredible major for her. She works the system and right now has no where to go upwards at S-C. Probably looks over visiting clients as possible marriage material but almost all are already married. Not interested in becoming a "kept woman".

If Don makes partner, she'll probably be his right hand, not Peggy. Don will push Peggy towards writing copy (where he came from). This will position her perfectly for the late 60's.

In response to everyone who think Peggy is pregnant, i think this is just another red herring, like Don being jewish. Any woman who has taken birth control or has seen woman who take birth control, knows that there can be a major increase in hunger and in result some serious weight gain. I thought this would be obvious.

I thought the scene between Draper and Rachel was very intense and romantic. I think (or maybe I just hope!) that it will evolve into something serious, more than a fling - he's connecting with her on a deep, emotional, gut level. It may even threaten his marriage.

Somewhere I heard a theory -- maybe it'll turn out that Draper is Jewish (i.e. the mom who died in childbirth was Jewish) - whether he knows it or not I don't know, but that could explain his deep connection with Rachel (consciously or unconsciously).

Btw, this is the best show on TV.

Regarding the post above about the real-life ages of two of the actresses on the show...Christina Hendricks is beautiful, voluptuous, and a great actress to boot...but there ain't no way she is only 29! Most actresses shave a year or two (or more) off of their actual ages.

Someone upthread asks if everyone was sleeping around in 1960, then what was the sexual revolution about.

In 1960 stakes were high for women -- remember what Peggy went through just to get her diaphragm. There was such shame connected to the whole thing. You know, "good girls" don't do that kind of thing -- and if you do, you must not be a good girl, so anything goes.

The sexual revolution meant freedom from shame. Clearly, it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops, but it was certainly less pernicious psychologically. (Then came herpes and that was the end of that.)

If you want a good look at Peggy & Joan's era, see if you can find Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown. Not the movie, the book. About 1963, I think.

I love Mad Men. The writing is superb. No one says anything that isn't important. I am pleased for Jon Hamm being chosen for this role. He was "mad e" for it. I have been reading through most of the comments and am pleased that so many people love the show. I am curious, does anyone remember Peggy getting "the pill" at the gynaecologist? Why would she be pregnant? The reason Betty doesn't know of Don's affair is because he has to commute from Ossning to Manhattan daily and he tells her he has a lot of work. It seems like his affair with Midge is over as she and the other guy are "in love". I think that is why the writer's have made Rachel "give in" to Don. It was inevitable that Don and Rachel had an affair. I think Joan did the right thing by telling her friend with lesbian intentions that they should go out. She did everything to not be alone with her. Pete will not get into trouble about his words with Hildi. I think she will be the one leaving. I hope Roger Sterling survives. He is interesting. He needs to do what he does so that Don can do what he does best. Don/Dick's mother was supposedly a whore and he was raised by his father and new wife. Then his father died by being kicked by a horse. When I watched the episode with the hobo I thought he might be Adam's father as well. What's with Betty and the neighbor with the 9 year old son now? Is she still babysitting for her? The comments about Kennedy being a womanizer in those days I think wasn't true. It is only now that everyone talks about these things. I think the reason Don didn't "do" anything with Eleanor (the twin) is because he likes to do the hunting. Well I can't wait for the next 3 episodes. Thanks for your interest.

Thanks to all of those who responded to my question on whether the representation of the "sexual availability" of the women in 'Mad Men' was true to the time or not. I would have guessed that it was being overplayed for artistic reasons, but the consensus seems to be that many women of the time actually were that way.

It seems a good possibility that one of the women will end up getting pregnant, though I don't think it will be Peggy. The way she is getting fat doesn't seem consistent with pregnancy, more with overeating, which she has been seen to do. Even eagle-eyed Joan said something about "too many lunches". And one of the men said "all the meat's in the tail". Surely they would know the signs of a woman being pregnant.

But what intrigues me is that her second ad-copy task will be for the 'PER' or "Passive Exercise Regime". Peter said that the machine has a bunch of testimonials, but "none that you can take a picture of". He also seemed wary about making "fake weight loss claims". Early on in Episode 10, when the men are watching Peggy and discussing her weight gain, one of them suggests that she is "one of those girls who slimmed down before she got here". Now she has been asked to give her opinion of the machine. These events may all be unrelated, however if Peggy is able to "slim down" when she wants to, she could become very valuable to Sterling-Cooper.

Best scene: Sterling on strether being taken to hospital, muttering "Mirabelle" - the name of one of the twins. Don stops stretcher, smacks Sterling hard across the face and says, "Mona! Your wife's name is Mona!"

Gotta think that Don took immense pleasure in slapping Sterling. (I certainly enjoyed it!)

Don would really have to be sicker than Roger to get pleasure out of slapping him. This was more like the tough sergeant slapping the rookie soldier who was on the verge of losing it in combat. Roger still saying Mirabelle when Mona walked through the door would come under the heading of "not good." :-)

The interesting question is who contacted Pete so that he was at the hospital? Don? He'd call Cooper and Mona (Mona and Margaret must not have left for Block Island yet) but why Pete? Cooper? Again, why? Calling in Joan to do work but why Pete when Sterling had several managers reporting to him? Because he lives in the City?

Alas, Mad Men just peaked. The beauty of the show is (was) how buttoned-up everyone is, and in the unacknowledged tension between the conscious and unconscious. Sure, the secrets and hidden pasts are there, lurking, but that stuff just trickles out, it's not blurted, and certainly nobody blabs about how they "really feel" -- not even Roger on his near-deathbed. Joan's lesbian roommate gives it a shot and is crushed neatly and abruptly; that was a great scene. The whole episode is superb until that dreadful, clunky last scene, really out of character for Don. So the cat's out. Now that he and Rachel have slept together, where can the show possibly go except headlong into emotional daylight, and who really wants that? What's the rush? The more firmly MM pushes the plotlines, and the farther it moves from pure character study, the less interesting it gets ...

For that matter, why was Pete necessary in the hospital scene? To watch the Kennedy negative ad with Don on TV? Don could just as easily turned as he was coming out of the phone booth and see the TV ad. Is Don going to refer to it with Pete in a future episode?

If I recall correctly, Nixon did take the reins of power temporarily after Eisenhower had his massive heart attack in 1955. Eisenhower wasn't able to walk until a month later, while Nixon was running the cabinet meetings, etc. There were no crises and Sherman Adams, Eisenhower's chief of staff, was also helping to run the government, getting his orders directly from Eisenhower.

Eisenhower returned to the White House six weeks after his heart attack.

I watched Episode 2 again and must say I think Peggy's $35.00 a week salary is quite low. I started in 1962 in TV and even an entry level salary in NYC was almost double what Peggy is making($65.00 to $75.00 a week)depending on experience. Peggy went to Secretarial School also. Typist, Dictaphone Operators, Varitypists etc. were all making at least that some $10 to $20 more.

Could 2 years have made such a difference? Peggy's salary seems better suited to jobs outside NYC.

"Now that he and Rachel have slept together, where can the show possibly go except headlong into emotional daylight, and who really wants that? What's the rush?"

Not so fast, Alan ... remember that most - if not all - these eps were written and shot before the show was approved for a second season. That's the rush, if you want to call it that. Now that Wiener & Co. have a little more breathing room, I'd expect these character studies to go on.

I don't think that Don & Rachel sleeping together was a "jump the shark" moment, as you indicate. If anything, it helps to justify more revelations from Don about his past. There's still a lot of holes left unfilled.

For instance:

- what's the real chronology of his parents' deaths, Uncle Mac, Adam's birth, his name change ...

- what's the Purple Heart about and how does it relate to his identity change

- there's more to his relationship with Adam than the 2 scenes we got to see in '5G' - think we just saw tip of the iceberg there

- what was so horrible about his childhood? we've seen clues and suggestions (alcoholism, neglect perhaps), but no real hard facts ... there's more to come.

I'm as hooked as ever ...

BTW - I watched '5G' again last night On Demand, and realized for the first time that 5G was also Adam's apartment number. I thought it just referred to the $5,000 Don paid Adam to go away. I'm slow but I pick up on things eventually ...

Fair enough, Penultimate. And it's not like I'll stop watching the show anytime soon. Just saying it's rare to see a tv show that so fully embraces the art of restraint; without that, it becomes like all the rest ...

Alan it was "dansj30" who responded to you. The poster's name is after not before the comment.

Ritt - you may be right about Don playing the 'tough sergeant' when he slapped Sterling. (Either way, Sterling needed to be slapped.)

But make no mistake, Don is equally as 'sick' as Sterling. He's just far better at keeping his sexual escapades(and everything else for that matter) covered by a well-maintained veneer.

When Don does open up, it's with someone who has no clue what he's talking about (like his young son), or someone who doesn't want their relationship known (like Rachel). He's never going to open up to Betty, Sterling or anyone close enough to use the information against him.

On second thought... I'm not sure if he's 'sick' or just an expert at self-preservation. Any information that sniveling Pete gets on Don will surely be used against him.

Agreed, Roger.

Remember, without the precipitating event of Adam's surprise visit, there would be nothing to reveal, in Don's eyes. No haunting flashbacks, no post-coital heart-to-hearts with Rachel, and nothing to bear. The past would remain fully buried.

It would be kind of like ... his relationship with Midge. In fact, I would suggest that the whole Adam/family secrets business is a big reason he dumped her Bohemian ass (nothing against that crowd - it just reads well).

Remember, Midge was a perfect set-up, really. She can't call him ... he gets to be mysterious and impenetrable ... he gets the occasional nooner. She was sexy but, perhaps in Don's eyes, not his emotional equal. Under normal circumstances, Don could have run circles around that hippie she was seeing. Instead, he used it as a reason to cut the cord.

Now that his world is thrown for a loop, and he has to deal with his past ... BOOM. He sends Midge packing and, knowing he's not going to rock the boat at home, needs to find an outlet for what's going on in his head.

It's probably not a coincidence that he had a flashback in Midge's apartment right before he left her, and then had to unburden himself to Rachel immediately after they slept together.

That Don's a deep one ...

Great episode.

I think the depth to the characters that's been only hinted at is finally being revealed...Don may or may not be sympathetic, but you have to consider his childhood as you try to figure him out as an adult, he opens up to Rachel with "this is all there is," representing an existential response to Roger's near death experience, which scared him (Don) as much as it scared everyone else, but they're all containing it...the repression of the era in action...as with the gay and lesbian themes...and that brings me to Joan, while I initially thought she was the pragmatic and manipulative play-along that performed well in the environment of the times, I think this episode shows her beginning to question the status quo, her discussion of The Apartment (with Shirley Maclaine) hinted at themes of feminism and her reaction to her roomate's pass could have been much harsher given the zeitgeist, in fact, for a moment I wondered (hoped) she was gonna kiss her...at any rate, she didn't outright reject Carol, allowing her to save face.

I'm stoked to hear there's gonna be a second season.

Roger -

You're right. Don isn't sick - it's self-preservation. Being Dick Whitman, whore child, was nothing to be proud of. In contrast to Don Draper, USA officer, Purple Heart awardee, married to a beautiful blonde graduate of Bryn Mawr.

He's given the Don Draper cover story to Betty, Roger and anyone necessary. To be revealed as Dick Whitman would be very humiliating, to say the least. Like it becoming known you're a bed-wetter when you're in junior high. For Pete to make it public could be fatal. Literally. "Poor Pete Campbell. Couldn't handle the stress so he took the .22 hanging on his wall and did an Ernest Hemingway." Much smarter for Pete to use the information to convince Don to help him up the organization. But I don't think he has that many... street smarts even if he is twenty-six. (Don asked him how old he was in the first episode.)

Besides which, there are a lot of things husbands don't tell wives and vice versa so as not to damage their image with their spouse. Don believes Betty would not have married Dick Whitman, whore child. Nor would S-C have hired a non-college grad and definitely would not have promoted him to his current position even if they had, no matter how good he was. This was 1960 when a college education and a "proper background" really made a difference.

Don's sexual escapades are really nothing compared to the other men in the office. According to Joan, "He's good looking enough that he can get his women outside the office." Remember, he didn't join the guys at Pete's bachelor party. He was also wearing a frozen, professional smile while with Mirabelle and Eleanor and more than once said, "It's time for me to go." He's not a womanizer like Roger or Helen's ex- (if you'll recall that conversation). Just has one certain person on the side at a time. Kissing Rachel didn't count. Nor did kissing Eleanor.

That he never talks about his war experience to Betty or Roger isn't unusual. Generally speaking, the amount someone talks about their war experience is in inverse proportion to how close they were to regular combat. If you've watched Ken Burns' "The War" you can understand why. Besides, this allows him to be vague about what unit he was with, who he served under, his position, etc.

I'll bet he never told Midge about his real history either. Midge was an artist in Greenwich Village he'd probably met on the job. No exchange of money for what she did. Free love and all that. She was also uninhibited when it came to sex, like when she literally jumped on him in the Babylon episode (just before Dude arrived). Midge probably wasn't responsible enough in his eyes to keep a secret of that nature.

Rachel, as a client and CEO of a NYC department store whose father wouldn't be happy to find her having an affair with a goy, much less a married one, much less a whore's bastard... She's got reasons not tell anyone. Another thought - Rachel's busy enough they're going to have to schedule their "meetings" - no more spur of the moment nooners. That said, he won't have to pay her way to Paris - she'd be going anyway at least twice a year on buying trips.

I just had a thought. Don's mother couldn't have been Jewish. His stepmother wouldn't have let that be forgotten either.

dansj30 -

Remember the advertising award he won right at the beginning of the 5G episode? They made it blindingly obvious that his luck just ran out.

But I don't think he dumped Midge because of the Adam/family issues thing. Maybe the writers did but that's another matter. He gave her the golden parachute after he realized she had higher priorities sexually than him. Otherwise she would have gone to romantic Paris. Strike three, yer out!

"I loved the end scene from the episode "Shoot": Betty with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, picking off birds with a BB gun. She's not stupid at all. She is uncomfortable and lost. I like seeing her get angry: this is a reaction I understand, given the almost impossible conditions of her life."

I was gonna follow up with a comment about Betty, but I think the comment above from Anne and her other observations, are spot on.

Those birds were homing pigeons, they get let out during the day, but they have to come home, just like she did.

I just watched "The Apartment." This may be a stretch but I found it interesting how much Jon Hamm (Don Draper) resembles Fred McMurray (Mr. Sheldrake). Same long face, same build, same patent leather hair. I'm sure that went into consideration during casting: "Get me a Fred McMurray type." Anyone agree?

I just remembered... Don did reveal a bit about himself (to the guys at the office) after they watched the Kennedy ad.

Comparing Kennedy and Nixon, Don said, "Kennedy... I see a silver spoon. Nixon... I see myself."

No one picked up on his comment, or at least they didn't let on that they picked up on it.

Another twisted similarity between Don and Roger: in this episode, both had post-coital therapy sessions with women other than their wives. They even stretched out (with their heads in the women's laps) as if they were on the shrink's couch!

Roger -

I suspect Don and Roger got a lot more out of their "therapy" sessions than Betty does. :-)

I don't think Peggy is pregnant. I think they're setting her up for a big makeover. She's going to lose weight, get a more sophisticated hairdo (maybe a Jackie Kennedy 'do) and revamp her wardrobe (thank God!) They're going to polish her up from head to toe with a look appropriate for her new responsibilities. If this does happen, you just know it's going to go right up Joan's tailpipe. And as for Pete, if Peggy becomes an up and comer (not only a woman who ultimately rejected him, but a secretary with no executive experience) he might just spontaneously burst into flames.

thx, Penultimate! sorry for the oversight, dansj30 ...

I just watched Babylon and Red in the Face again and noticed Don's huge aversion to women who are avert about their sexuality. It seems to play right into his "whore's child" image of himself.

For example:

- Betty's flirtation with Roger in "Red in the Face" and his reaction to her being a sexual object.

- Joan's overt sexuality on display in the office and Don's lack of interest.

- The two cute girls in the bar (when he's with Roger) and how they're cooing back at the two men; Don simply ignores them and discounts the interest.

- The twins' responding to Roger's overtures and Don's reaction to Eleanor's kisses as "selling too hard" in the last episode

Great contrasts with the women he actually beds:

- Betty, who he chased, she mentions this in one of her therapy sessions

- Midge, who takes it when she can get it; and willingly submits whenever he's around (until she doesn't)

- Rachel, who fights him off despite her attraction to him. Even though she's let go this time, I don't think she's going to be another fuckbuddy like Midge was. I think he'll still need to chase her and she'll continue to put him off...

Zebra, I agree with you. I think Don has an aversion to overtly sexual women because he associates them with a certain crassness. He's the child of a prostitute, and he grew into a man who has gone to extremes to dissassociate himself from that. It's understandable he'd be repulsed by anything crass, vulgar, or in-your-face sexual.

Some posters have talked about Don like he's a sex-crazed womanizer. It's not the sex he's looking for; it's the emotional intimacy. He actually rejects more sexual opportunities than he accepts.

Zebra, I agree with you. I think Don has an aversion to overtly sexual women because he associates them with a certain crassness. He's the child of a prostitute, and he grew into a man who has gone to extremes to dissassociate himself from that. It's understandable he'd be repulsed by anything crass, vulgar, or in-your-face sexual.

Some posters have talked about Don like he's a sex-crazed womanizer. It's not the sex he's looking for; it's the emotional intimacy. He actually rejects more sexual opportunities than he accepts.

Pointless to post here because I notice that the minute you don't agree with some of these weirdos, they go ballistic and start name-calling, being condescending, nit-picking, and other things. If you post your own opinion and it DOES NOT concur with theirs (or like I said, you disagree) it's just like any other message board - they turn on you with a vengeance! How silly, as this is only a television show and this board is but a momentary diversion. That of course is the allure of message boards though, they are so anynomous and so easy to access. People use them to snipe at other people. I have noticed that a great many people on these things are total whack jobs!

Autumnwise--nobody is attacking you--just stating their opinions and thoughts just like you. Free to do so--please don't take things personally--people are just shooting the breeze. I guess you could say that this message board is like life...there are some nuts and some sane folk. It's the mix that makes life interesting. Take Care

Hey irememberitwell -

I am 32 and am fascinated by the world of 1960. Each week when I watch the show I am more and more amazed at the blatent sexism, racism, smoking, drinking and good ole boy behavior! I come away feeling grateful that I didn't have to live through that kind of crap and for those who came before me to make things better. Secondly, I love a well written, well played show and this is both.

Just got back from a late night run to Shop Rite, and I did not see one woman wearing a shirtwaist dress, crinolines, high heels, or gloves. That's one of the reasons I enjoy Mad Men so much; it takes me back into a different world.

I wonder what life here will be like 47 years from now, and if folks will look back and discuss the positive and negatives of our unenlightened 2007 society?

Penultimate -

Peggy's $35/week may have been her take-home pay, not her gross pay. Figure taxes at 20% (Federal and FICA, not counting any state or city taxes), that makes her gross $42/week. Still not as high as you mentioned, but higher.

Pete's making $3,900/annum or $75/week. Remember how concerned he was about the downpayment on the apartment? That was almost a year's pay.

Before his raise, Don was making $30,000.

That scene when Roger was united with his family, was so moving and touching. I was tearing up, I never thought that Roger could aside his ego and just focus on his family.

The hospital scene with Roger and his family was nicely done. But will he really change - for good? Or is it just a temporary change because the heart attack scared him 'witless'?

I'm with you Andrea in being grateful to not have to deal with the kind of racism and sexism that was "OK" back in 1960! I'm even more grateful to Civil Rights and Women's Rights activists for making that so!

Sexy secretaries are awesome!!!!!!!!!

:D

Re: Hospital corridor scene with Don and Pete. Anyone notice how Pete asked about Roger, "What happened?" and Don responded, (pointedly, I thought) "I don't know." Well, that was a lie. It struck me that once again, Don was keeping Pete in his place.

Meanwhile, why isn't AMC promoting this show?

Chowdie:

Don knows better than to give any information/secrets to Sniveling Pete!

Roger: My point exactly! Thinking it was the point of the scene.

Roger and Chowdie -

Pete would have already had the info that Roger had a heart attack. Either from Cooper (or whoever called Pete) or from the reception desk where he was standing.

Don would have realized this. Nothing more to add in his opinion. Definitely wasn't going to mention the Double-sided Aluminum twins. He didn't give Pete as much info as he'd given Betty.

IMHO, there was no point having Pete in the hospital scene. Unless Pete was trying to show his dedication to Cooper at some point by being there. Putting Pete in his place as a reason for him to be there seems so... unnecessary.

It's amazing that viewers watch this show and comment as if we made so much "forward" progress, and think that the "poor homos" had such a hard road to tread. The only difference between then and now is that society has become desensitized to degenerate behaviour such as homosexuality, laciviousness, adultery, and alot of other crap. No wonder today's children are so screwed up. Madmen depicts a time in America when there was still a cultural conscience about that type of behaviour. Albeit Blacks,Hispanics, and other minorities have more opportunities now, but mankinds basic mentality is still selfish,greedy,and immoral, and that's why whenever there is a crisis for individual's who live like that i.e. (Mr. Sterlings heart attack.) They flip out like Don Draper. No spiritual anchor whatsoever. I love watching show's where it jumps out at you. Madmen is a great example and it makes me very greatful to know that there are spiritual laws that never change, one of them is that you always reap what you sow, and these characters are a good example of that. Especially the scene with Roger Sterlings attack. What did he think would happen living like a "Roman"? The picture of health or what? Very little has changed at all since the 60's except that we society doesn't hide the garbage any more. We call it culture, political correctness, progress, acceptance and other propaganda. We are headed for a wreck, and it's a party all the way down the tracks. Remind's me of the guy falling down a 100 story building that kept saying all the way down "so far so good, so far so good...."

Keep it coming madmen..Love to see what happens when degenerate behaviour runs peoples lives. Way to go Mr. Draper, let what's between your legs dictate your actions. That will keep pete from getting your job. Of course the writers of this show could portray a fairy tale and have everyone live happily ever after. Hey! I know, write a big lie. Have all kinds of degenerate behaviour, dont let there be any consequences. But...you could have a really interesting episode where Don sleeps with Joann and gets the Clap and turns around and gives it to Rachel, she dumps him and meanwhile Sal gets drunk with pete, and petes homo tendencies get the best of him and he goes down on Sal and they start an affair at the office, and pete catches AIDS from Sal but doesnt know what it is and gets so sick that he starts doing really crazy stuff at the office and each episode shows him more emaciated and crazy, oh well I guess that's too realistic, we better stick with the lies and keep all the degenerate behaviour romantic.

OK guys, remember what we keep telling each other....everyone is entitled to their own opinion and all opinions are welcome. Through gritted teeth and kindest regards,

Blue

Yep Blue.....the thing I miss most about the 60s is civility and graciousness....

Serenity now!

LOL!

The direction Episode 10 took was very disappointing. The low-class mentality of a threesome disrepects the intelligence of the audience. I had thought we could get away from the sleeziness permeating our television screens. AMC ... gives us a break! We can do without the trash.

Wow, a whole lot of people in America seem to have very little to do with their lives! Some are arguing here, some are writing diatribes, and those who recount things having nothing to do with the series, well, weird. A comment or two is one thing but this place is peculiar! It's like people are LIVING for this show. It's good but not THAT good! Well, back to my real life.

Hi, Sena. re. the threesome, the whole thing was sleazy and trashy for sure, but I think it was supposed to show Roger's depravity. I didn't feel it was a shot at the viewer's intelligence in any way. Sometimes basically good people behave in a sleazy way and you can't always pretty that up.

Tooltime, there are thousands of blogs out there. If you dislike this one and the weird and peculiar people who use it, just gracefully move on. I for one love the series and really enjoy reading the commentary here.

I'm starting to get the feeling that regarding MM, you either get it or you don't. Also, I'm starting to feel kind of protective of we MM bloggers. Lots of fly-bys don't "get" us at all!

Hey bluedogg, you hit the nail on the head. Let them fly-by and then fly AWAY.

Very good advice. Just had a bad moment there. (And Roger, I'll second that: serenity now!)

Okay... some of us are more than a little obsessed with this show. (Guilty!)

But is our obsession that much different than fans who spent years following the Grateful Dead all over the globe?

Or Yankees fans who can recall every play in every inning of every game ever played? (Lord knows I don't understand that.)

Or what about the football fans who wear those 'cheesehead' hats? (Nothing good can come from combining food and fashion. Akin to putting clothes on pets.)

But hey - if it brings them joy and no one gets poked in the eye...

I enjoy reading how other viewers interpreted a particular scene. Even when I think we're over-analyzing it - as we often do - I still find the discussion interesting.

So, blog until your heart is content!

"Man-Hoe's"? Thomas you sound like a woman. Seems to me you're the one giving men a bad name.

Someone above was commenting on saleries for the characters. Though Don's $30K doesn't sound like much these days, adjusting for inflation $30K today would be $204,081. That doesn't sound too bad to me. ;)

Source: http://oregonstate.edu/cla/polisci/faculty/sahr/cv2006.pdf

Thought episode 10 was stunning-- one of the best episodes of TV drama I've ever seen. As to Don/Rachel -- I think they share an intense attraction, not merley physical. Thir scenes together in previous episodes crackle with attraction for one another, disappointment/anger/reserve on Rachel's part over his kiss, but he's married and she will certainly not be played as a fling of Draper's. check out preview to episode four, wherein he encounters her in the hallway at Sterling Cooper. The other guy (copywriter escorting her) excuses himself, and they have anwakward moment. he asks her how she is, and she gives a very polite, general answer. Realizing and frustrated that she will not let down her guard, Don says Rachel... and she cuts him off saying what are you doing? And Don says...I don't know." Simply brilliant. He wants a freindship/relationship, is intensely attracted to her, but there is nothing in it for her, she has to keep an icy demeanor as way to bottle up her own disappointment.

Check out any scene they are in, and they are intensely atttracted to each other --whatever her reaction. She is dignified, proper, classy,smart, Don's attraction to her can only grow episode by episode.

In the conference room in episode 10, Don is talking about Menken's customers being like 'your daughter -- edeucated, get what they want (paraphrasing here I know). Watch the camera close in to her face while Don is saying this. She is so attracted to him...and she has already decided to take the plunge with him and all the risks involved (to her) when she spoke to her sister on the phone in previous episodes. Note also how Rachel tells Don as conference room meeting breaks up "I guarantee you there's nothing my father likes about you" And his perfect response -- what about you?

I thought the scene in her apartment was jaw-dropping. She was dignified, offered him a drink, and rightly parried his first kiss. I loved when he asked her to sit next to him -- camera pulls away to revealher sitting a demure distance away but with an oh-so-dead on uncomfortable look on her face. Then, she says I don't know what you want from me -- exasperation. This was no smooth seduction, Ithought their attraction was physical as well as deeply heartfelt -- one of equals. Her intelligence makes her all the more desireable --Don has more than met his match. Also, no one could possibly reveal what he did to someone else without feeling kinship, trust, maybe even love. He has now told her some pretty intesne stuff and provided her with the means to destroy him (if she were so inclined, which Ido not think she would be). Mother a prostitute? In 1960, that would have destroyed him if exposed. So, he could only have revealed himself to a kindred soul. It's a revelation based on complete and unconditional trust. He had no reason to do so, he had already seduced her.

Love reading all the comments; this is first show I've ever blogged on. I worked in TV network/advertising/pr world in 80s and 90s and while overt sexisim had abated, office affairs still were rampant, people just going to hotel during lunch hour or after work. no problem and nothing's changed.

Can't wait for last 3 episodes and will be one of first to buy it on DVD, for sure. The show is brilliant.

Great post, Ray. I love the show but I'm especially invested in the Don/Rachel storyline. Maybe because I know someone who was a Rachel dealing with a Don in real life, so I understand her inner conflict. She desires him but she has too much respect for herself to be "on the side." She wants a real relationship with a real partner. His feelings are no doubt 100% sincere and intense toward her. He probably sees her as some sort of ideal - a mother/therapist/lover/partner, who is smart and savvy enough to understand him, but really, what is he offering her in the long run? It's a dilemma.

Laura, I think the basis for Don's attraction to Rachel is that they are both outsiders in the incredibly non-pc, WASP world of 1960: in the case of Rachel, Jews were considered social pariah; and Don, the bastard child of a prostitute. He sees in her himself -- the outsider.

And in the case of Don, I get the feeling that he finds tremendous relief to have found in Rachel someone with whom he can drop, for a time, the incredible artifice of a life that he's created.

Rachel, I suspect, is attracted to this image Don has created. Now that he's dropped this constructed facade, it will be interesting to see how things play out between them.

I almost never watch television, but, as you can probably tell from this over-the-top analysis, this show has really got a hook in me. :)

yeah, we're all hooked, i think it's fair to say ... looking forward to mm in an hour.

as for don/rachel - definitely a soulmate-quality there. we'll see how it all plays out, but they're emotionally connected in a variety of ways, not least of which was growing up motherless. don't think that can be underestimated.

also provides a good contrast with betty, who seemingly glorifies her mother, beyond all reason. what did don say when hearing the woman who raised him (mother-figure) is dead? "good." whoa.

switching gears, it's fun to watch all the reaction shots to peter during business meetings. at least 6 or so times so far they show exaggerated eye rolls or exasperation when he speaks up. roger's done it several times. don a couple. the best was old man menken last week when peter repeated that the plan was well thought out. more to come, i'm sure ...

"I would like to see a "Mad Men" movies day on AMC - "The Apartment", "The Children's Hour", "The Best of Everything", "Exodus", "Gentleman's Agreement"."

There's a fair amount of the mid-60's film THE GROUP in the female dynamics here, as well--the roommate's feelings for Joan; Betty going stir-crazy amid perfect suburbia--and her being from a Seven Sisters-type school and having to downshift to a role she's overeducated for.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060479/

"It may be that while women want to spend their lives with a sensitive man, a nurturing man, a man who shares in the housework and child-rearing...what physically attracts us is the strong Alpha male whom we can't control or negotiate with."

But Draper isn't your standard hard-headed, "my way or highway" alpha type, though. He combines the strength and focus of an alpha with a willingness to learn and understand. He's shown that he is open to learning about different people several times--when he questioned the AAmerican waiter in the first ep.; or seriously considered what it was that women wanted when dealing with his wife--or trying to understand Judaism. He's also sensitive enough to know that having the best of everything isn't curing what ails him. He's an alpha guy who is willing to change and grow--and who finds himself fascinated by independent women instead of yielding to his first impulse to not deal with them. That's what makes him sexy.

"Oh, the line by Papa Menken was, "...reminds me of a Tsarist ministry. No matter what happens, you didn't make the decision." To which she replies, "I have no idea of what you're talking about."

Someone upthread asked what this exchange was about. It showed the difference between class, generations, and expectations (a point made in the previous scene between the Menckens and the Sterling-Cooper posse about what the new Mencken's should be like) Papa Mencken was old enough to have fled from the Czar/Russia and to remember how that system worked. Rachel is straight American--she was born here and never experienced the Old World or old world mores. (Or she's heard her dad's tales about this era more times than she cares to recall and wants to distance herself from that "Old Country"-kind of thinking--g!) Rachel is running from her past, to a degree--she's hardly abiding by Jewish/old-world family traditions of how a woman should live. Yet another thing she has in common with Don.

"One last note: even when the Pill was widely available, a lot of si