"Shoot" Episode
I missed this episode the first time around and forgot to tape it. The closing scene, one of my favorite songs playing in the background, Betty in total control, with the cig hanging out of her mouth, shooting those damn pigeons who dared to harm her family. Priceless.
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I agree--I love the scenes that take women out of their proscribed roles in this very sexist era. Betty with her cigarette and her gun reminds me of those Rosie the Riveter posters.
The scene also makes a great contrast with Pete Campbell, who replaced his Chip n Dip with a rifle designed to empower him, and he just gets berated by his wife about it. Who is really in charge here? Once again, subverting the "norm" of the period.
(Followup, as told to Clayton who urged me to post this)
Clayton,
Thank you for the response, I didn't know if it got posted or not.
I just found the Mad Men blogs and hadn't even read any of them when I posted. Now I see that this scene originally garnered more comments than any other.
It is one of the most compelling, most influencial, most graphic scenes that I have ever seen in any movie. Have reran it over and over from tape.
I saw most of Mad Men the first time around but missed this episode. Therefore I only found the series lukewarm until I saw Episode 9.
Now I see why the entire series is so great, I missed a vital part of it.
Finally (didn't mean to draw this out), I have always thought that "Betty" was the most striking, beautiful, and sexy of all the women. This scene enforces it.
Thanks again. I too will be eagerly looking forward to this year's series.
I can't help it -- when I watch MM I get the overwhelming sensation to scream at Don, "What the hell are you doing??" when he cheats on Betty. I agree--she's absolutely gorgeous and totally fascinating. The scene in the season finale when she approaches Helen's son to say how sad she is was heartbreaking. Can't wait to see more of her.
I think Don is crazy for cheating on Betty. She is bueatiful and is a real housewife with talent. Im a woman myself and i think if you have all three categories why cheat? Im waiting for them to put alittle more of the son in the movie. Im seeing bits and peices. Im getting the vibe that Betty is soft hearted for the little boy and reach out to him because she don't have a son.I hope that's the case. More power to the bueatiful ladies in MADMEN..
Betty does have a son -- but it's obvious that she's starved for attention, even if it does come for a minor. Such a tragic character!
I am enjoying the reruns of Mad Men. However, I would like to see some more original episodes and I guess those won't begin until June. This is a good show! At least it has a plot, strong characters, interesting story lines, etc. So much better than all the reality shows and that garbage that is on TV these days. I wish there had been more episodes of MM in the first place, and I hope there are more when the series returns.
I agree with a lot of folks that Betty will emerge as one of the feminists of the show--I hope she really lets Don have it in the next season. At first, I never really cared for Betty, but this episode really tugged at me. Don knew exactly what the ad agency was doing--using his wife to get to him. He should have marched into Jim Hobart's office and knocked him out.
Great show but a few things seem anachronistic. Show I watched here in Scotland last night had Don and his "beat" pals listening to "Sketches of Spain" (Miles Davis) somewhere in the Village.. I seem to remember this was issued in 1969. Also seem to remember Chubby Checker came out around end '61/early 62. Sorry to be a bore but am I correct?
Sorry folks, but remember the 1960's were not an era of feminists. If Mad Men writers stay true to the era, they will only hint on feminism, but that is as far as it will go. Betty will not emerge as a feminist as egk719 predicts. She is playing the part perfectly of the beautiful 1960's submissive, Barbie housewife. She is so good playing the part she reminds me of one of the Stepford Wives. It creeps me out sometimes. Men like Don married women like Betty, but secretly loved the independent, sassy women like his mistress and Rachel. Again, he loves their feminist brash side and deep down wants to be with them. However, he needs Betty to portray the image and he will never lower himself to marry Rachel or the mistress. Betty deep down wants to be a feminist, but she knows she will suffer dearly for it and finds it is just not worth it. It is this struggle of her wanting to be like the mistress and Rachel that has led her to the shrink. She knows Don strays because she cannot be more like Rachel and the mistress.