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Grin and Bear It
Hi Maddicts. Time for my weekly analysis. Just pretend you're Dr. Wayne and I'm lying on your couch.
The theme this week was "grin and bear it." In the opening sermon on "Passion Sunday" the priest made reference to each of us having our own cross to bear, and then of course Bobbie (not to be confused with Bobby) dropped that little gem of a TV show idea, "Grin and Barrett." Cute.
Interesting chemistry between Peggy and young Fr. Gill, who bears a striking resemblance to Pete. He always seemed concerned that Peggy was leaving. Perhaps he recognizes her as a sheep who has strayed and that it will be his role to bring her back. He did it by reaching her where she lives - in her work - and engaging her help. At the end, he basically told her he knew her whole story by simply giving her an Easter Egg for the little one. Eggs are good symbols of things yet to come. At first I thought maybe the priest was conflicted about being Catholic and celibate but his compassion to sister Anita in the confessional was fantastic and I think he is a gifted priest who is learning to embrace his destiny.
Thought it was neat that on "Passion Sunday" Dan seduced Betty -- he said he had an "interesting dream" - about Rachel maybe?
Roger seemed entirely detached from his family. Daughter has a man in her life other than Daddy now. Wife probably won't have sex with him since his heart attack and he's feeling he may as well be dead. He's going thru the motions of life - trying to just grin and bear it. I loved his comment to Mr. Hasselback of Gorton's - "Love the frozen scrod!"
Major goof - the lunch board said it was Mon. April 16 when it should've been Mon. April 9. I was really confused by this and it took a 2nd viewing to realize it was just a bad continuity goof.
When Bobby got burned, Betty put butter on it. LOL! Loved how Sally clapped her hands about going to the office with Daddy. Joan was less than thrilled and had to grin and bear it. Duck to Harry: Why are you here? Harry: Uh, I'm head of the television department. I want to know what the secretaries were all typing so diligently.
The buffet scene and Sally's observations of it were interesting. She has probably always witnessed "Ladies first" but in this man-controlled office they are second glass. Loved how the women sneered at Peggy. The gum on the socks was priceless, as was Duck's dismissal of Bert as a doddering old fool.
The hooker scene with Roger was interesting. He commented on his health. For the first time in a while I think he felt alive. Weird, though, that he'd be with a hooker on Sunday? Guess he said he had to go to the office. His line was the complete antithesis to "Grin and bear it:" -- "I want everything I want."
Don had a great line -- "A lot of bricks but I don't know what the building looks like." BTW, loved Don's outfit. Jon Hamm, you rock my world!
The scene when Duck walked into the conference room with everyone all lined up - all the ducks in a row - was great. Roger had stretched to be prepared LOL! Don's line was perfect - "We have to deliver a stillborn baby." Afterward, Roger basically told Don to grin and bear it and says "old business is just old business" and speaks of loving the chase. He really feels dead.
I liked the confessional scene very much. It was so honest and real. Anita has every right to wonder why no one notices her. Her mother comes to her house and acts like the hostess, brags about Peggy and then criticizes Anita's chicken (overcooked). The priest's compassion and understanding was very moving. I have to add that the scene when he said grace cracked me up! He said beautiful, meaningful words and then Mom said, "Are you going to say grace now?" I also liked that he spoke in Latin as Anita spoke in English. Great set up for Vatican II.
Now, the final scene in the Draper house. Don couldn't grin and bear it anymore. He threw the robot against the wall. Betty pushed him and he pushed back. He's not going to take her pushing him around anymore. The scene with Bobby was incredible, especially the "We have to get you a new daddy." WOW. Don's candor with him was incredible. Very few and simple words yet he said more with those words than he has ever. And it helped open him up to speak to his wife later, which I hope is the beginning. I think there is true hope for their marriage if they can be themselves with each other. The choice of the word "murder" intrigued me. Is it a clue?
This is like watching "Blue's Clues" - I hear things and think, "A clue! A clue!"
The Easter scene at church was just beautiful. Kudos to costuming and set design. It was breathtaking.
I would like to understand the significance of setting all of this against the holiest time in the Christian faith and understand the parallels. I think I get the Good Friday part. But Palm Sunday? Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem? What are your thoughts?
Please post when this episode is on Attention Deficit Theater.
Our hour is up. See you next week.
Pete and those awful tennis shorts!!!! OMG. And
you have really shed light on so much
grin and bear it , huh.. kind of like take what you like and leave the rest
many good points made here but in all the shared comments no one has mentioned sally's comment to joan about the fact that "she had big ones and so does my mom" and she goes on to add someday "i'll have big ones too" what is this young pre-pubescent child focusing on, funny i think- she is such female of the era
the religious references are somewhat accurate however i don't beleive scripture was considered, nor should it be-- the blue egg, i don't know.. maybe father gill knew peggy's child was a boy, can't remember exactly the conversation in the confessional- funny you are confessing anonymously yet the priest does know who you are and what you are referencing;
or maybe it has to do with the time of year, a robin's blie egg or that the virgin mary's deminuative color in chrisitanity, not just catholosim , is indeed blue
the beat goes on..... good work!!
Great post, Nancy, as usual. I'm with you about Betty and Don's marriage. I really want them to stick together and I want Don to start telling her the truth about himself. In an earlier post, I posited that maybe the young Dick Whitman had something to do with his father's "accidental" death. Not that he deliberately killed him, but maybe didn't exactly help the old man out when he was in trouble. I believe these two do love each other deep down and I'm rooting for them.
Your observations about Roger are very insightful. Do you think maybe he liked Vicky because she looks like his daughter? I think maybe our boy Roger is going to do a Nelson Rockefeller on top of her. By the way, wasn't he concerned about walking into Lutece with a hooker on his arm? What if he bumped into someone he knew? Is he really that reckless?
The only thing I disagree on -- Pete's tennis outfit was cute!
What absolutely beautiful, crisp, and biting writing in the weekly wrap. I can hardly wait until the dear Father and Peggy are found behind the bushes....
jojo, I happened to mention yesterday on the other forum "Episode 4 - Open Thread" about Sally's remark to Joan regarding her "big ones!" (re: your above post: "no one has mentioned Sally's comment to Joan....") It struck me how casually and innocently she said it---plus how Joan just looked over at her as if to say "Did you actually say that??" It was a very funny scene for sure.
Just discovered this show, bought the first season on DVD & devoured this weekend. Almost cried when I couldn't find start of season 2 on demand to catch up but found it today (miraculously) on my obscure channel 325....couldn't believe it. Anyway: I started noticing Sally & the "bartender" thing right away. Note how Mom & Dad get the booze out right away, when Dad comes home. Or Mom is already at the bottle while kids eat dinner. Or has drink with ciggies while they nap. And knew recipe to Tom Collins except Dad's reminder to use gin. Most recent (last) season 2 episode when Don sits at dinner table & says "don't ask" about how AA account went, Betsy slides drink in front of him. And more importantly, Sally's drinking at the office with Daddy. Hmmm......Also are Pete & his wife having trouble conceiving? And like another poster said: did Sal get married? Who's Kitty?
Hi there, Sassy! Welcome to the "Maddicts"!!!!(the name we all liked best to call ourselves when we voted on another forum! ha Go back through some of the older forums to find it) Yes, it seems that Pete and Trudy are indeed having trouble conceiving and it also appears Sal got married to Kitty. That's what it "looks like" at this point in Season 2 anyhow. But, as you have no doubt noticed, M. Weiner likes to throw us curveballs! But, that's a lot of the fun of watching...never knowing if anything is what it appears to be or not! Love it.
Strictly speaking the priest broke the seal of the confessional when he handed that egg to Peggy and hinted that he knew all about her child. That is a serious offense in Catholicism, and one of the few ways in which one can acquire an automatic excommunication (canon 1388 §1). The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that this secrecy "admits of no exceptions" (para. 1467) and that it "cannot be violated under any pretext" (para. 2490). Not even through cryptic language.
"The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion." (canon 983 §1)
By telling Peggy that he has been told about her child, and using such cryptic language, he's essentially told her that someone told him something in Confessional. Given that the number of people who know seem to be limited to her sister and mother, and given that her sister doesn't like her at all, the person who "confessed" is quite obvious.
Of course, it is obvious to any Catholic observing Peggy that she is either living a sinful life or has had a child out of wedlock, but wants to remain a Catholic, because she abstains from the Eucharist every Sunday. Catholicism does not actually deny the Sacraments to those Catholics who choose to engage in sin, but they are encouraged to abstain from most of the Sacraments (Confession is of course still permitted) while they continue to live a sinful life. Peggy, by not marrying the father, will remain in her "sinful life" until she marries, ideally a Pete who has annulled his current marriage.
We don't know that the source of Father Gill's information was only the confessional via Anita; Peggy's mother may have confided in him in hopes that he would help guide her back into God's graces. We just haven't seen that on screen.
Heh...
I mentioned in another thread that I think the priest is not a priest. Vatican 1, was really strong in the 60's and many churches would not accept the new ideology of Vatican 2. The priests WOULD NOT even hint of a confession to the person who he knew something about. I think this priest is a frat buddy of Pete. I think he sent him out to get the goods on Peggy. Peggy's ideas are the only ones Don will accept and he is going to take Peggy down through blackmail.
Hi Nancy,
I love your posts. Didn't you also name us the Maddicts?
I would like to mention Peggy's sister, Anita's husband: What's with him? He stays on the couch and doesn't move. Poor Anita has this as her family?
No wonder she is angry and bitter about Peggy.
I also don't remember actually hearing Father Gil say that he is aware of Peggy's child.
I also like the portrayal of all aspects of the emerging 60's. This time thru Father Gil's liberal take on his religion.
And poor Sally.
best
Hi Boop -- so sorry for not commenting sooner. Not sure I like this new format or not.
Yes, I humbly admit that Maddicts was my idea, although I'm sure there are plenty of others out there who thought of it, too (kinda like Pete and direct mail!). What I liked best about Ep. 4 was the insight into Anita, Peggy's sister. I feel for her. Her husband's worthless, her mother shows up at her house, criticizes her food, acts like she owns the place and brags about her slutty little sister who comes and goes as she pleases while Anita raises the bastard brat.
I agree with you that Fr. Gill did not reveal anything to her. He simply said, For the little one."