Henry is after the same thing everybody was after in those days: the trophy wife. Getting it second hand, used, or damaged, does not seem to concern Henry. After all, we saw the dog he was with when we first saw him, at Roger's party. She was obviously an ugly-but-powerful-or-rich woman whom Henry would have married for interest, or to get ahead in politics. Now that he is ahead, he wants the "symbol". All this underlines a very shallow and narcissistic nature, although Henry seems to hide it very well, under a restrained and controlled behaviour, let's call it the politician's facade. Betty, who is the shallowest, most insensitive and selfish woman who ever lived in the 60's, and who has no self-esteem, naturally is prone to feeling love for anyone who seems interested in her. The good news here is that she was wrong for Don, a creative lion who craved the white picket fence because of his past, but was never meant for it - but she is perfect for this guy. When I saw them in the plane headed for Reno, it was a match made in heaven. You could almost see their whole boring, shallow future, the silent evenings they will spend together, the ugly weasel face and the blonde ice queen.
I don't see him as a homewrecker, a woman like Betty would have men make passes like that at her every party, every dinner. Betty never did anything to change anything with Don, and it was clear she did not love him (her reaction to his confession about who he is was very cold, as was her assessment of the situation with her family lawyer). I am a "Don Draper" type, and the women in my life, when they loved me, became forces of nature in trying to make me be with them, not the other way around.

Monty,
I vahnt your bloodt.
Trotsky

Oh gosh, I spoke too soon on another thread that the trollish ones had disappeared....my bad.

Anyway, I have commented before that there are not many men....particularly looking for a "trophy wife"... that would approach a nine-month pregnant woman the way Henry did to Betty. That must be true love at first sight....and it sure impressed Betty who was not exactly feeling very sexy or "trophylike". I honestly think the guy just fell head over heels for her from the first moment he laid eyes on her....kind of like Don did once upon a time

I, for one hope that Henry is really in love with Betty. She deserves some happiness.
Linda

Monty, whatever your name is, I'm not a she. Try re-reading your post, and figure out for yourself how you are proving my point. Read your last line.
And you know why that is? Because a successful man did not need the trophy wife to "get ahead", but merely as a status symbol, much like he wanted a beautiful car to impress women, only in this case it is just to impress other men.

Has anyone noticed that Pete and Trudy are just the younger versions of Betty and Don? Just married and without kids, Trudy already knows that Pete cheated on her. But she's decided to put it behind her and put on a happy face.

Pete is just like Don, in fact wants to BE Don, so he will continue cheating. Pete and Trudy will probably have a couple of kids down the road. In the end, Trudy will end up just like Betty, who knew all along that Don was cheating on her repeatedly and with different women. Betty became so depressed, so unhappy with no self-esteem. She reminded me of those TV commercials for those anti-depressant drugs, where the people are so depressed they almost act catatonic.

That is exactly where Pete and Trudy are headed. Give them 8-10 years and a couple of kids and Trudy will be sitting on the couch at home surrounded by kids smoking a cigarette and just staring into space.