Well, I do recall Carla telling Betty (during one of her attempts to pry open that drawer!) that she'd "been married so-and-so-many years" (I forgot the number, but it was many) and wondered if Mrs. Draper "wanted to talk" about her troubles.

Since she has stated she has a marriage/life of her own (children?) it does seem odd she would be expected to take on the Draper kids full time.

Don needs to get a full time housekeeper/nanny and soon. Maybe Betty was planning to fly the kids out as soon as she and Henry set up living arrangements? Crazy...none of that part makes sense to me.

I also think it odd that she decided to take little Gene with her and Henry....does that make any sense?

Maybe Don will make frequent visits to see the children while Betts is gone. I'm sure they would love to see him. He seems to have a good relationship with Carla compared to Betty. I thought it odd, too that Betty would take the baby, but then she could use him as an excuse to keep Henry at a distance until the divorce was final.

Henry doesn't seem like a fatherly kind of guy to me and I don't think the kids will warm to his rather smug personality. I see Bobby with a full blown third-child syndrome in the future. Poor kid.

Like Henry Francis, Mr. Politics, doesn't have any secrets??? Anyone in politics has skeletons in his closet...what's the rush to wed Betty? What is Francis hiding? Plenty! Watch Betty end up with Roger....

Perhaps Carla will call Don and "all will be well"
and Betts will come to her senses and return home, sans Francis, and appreciate her life
and family, begging Don to forgive her!

Betty probably took litte Eugene Scott (how did you do on the season quiz?) to have that "close to Daddy" sense of life with his namesake ... she seems to be the nicest to the baby and smiles the most with him "You litte pig in a blanket"!

Hoping for a happy ending for the children and for all of us! :)

@Mmlady: "Hoping for a happy ending for the children and for all of us!"

Fairytales and romantic comedies promise us that there is only one way to happiness (that the separated lovers must reunite and realize that they belong together forever and ever). And we want to believe this, and love such tales enough that we always want to see that same story enacted between our favorite characters. But in a show that's trying to be more true to life, such happiness is not going to be so easy to achieve.

I mean, think about it. Really think about it. Would it really bring a happy ending to these children if the parents remained together after demonstrating to us, over three seasons and three years how miserable they are together? How incapable Don is of being faithful to Betty and how incapable of being happy in that sort of lifestyle Betty is?

If this last episode proved anything, it proved that no one thing works for everyone in bringing happiness. You have to find what works for you, not what the fairytale promises will work for you. I don't know if the writers will give us a happy ending, but if this last episode was any indication, if they do, it won't be according to the usual, generic, fairytale script.

I also thought it was WRONG to do all this divorce stuff a few weeks before Christmas! I think they should have kept a lid on it and suffered through a few weeks and let the kids have a decent holiday. Talk about selffish...but then ...excuse me. I forgot who I was talking about. Watch out late 60's and 1970's...the Draper kids are coming!

I sometimes wish Don would've thought about the children and his family. But, no one ever thinks they'll get caught.

I was reading some of the season 3 interviews, and the actor who played Gene (the father) explained how it was for him growing up in the 60s.

"A: That's very easy to relate to because as a kid I felt a little adrift too. One was trained to regard your elders at arm's length. They were very busy with the business of the world and raising a family with all these astonishing dangers lurking -- if it wasn't the Soviets, it was the Cubans; if it wasn't the Cubans, it was nuclear catastrophe. And you were supposed to stay out of the way and do one's bidding and go to school and get it done. No one was particularly interested or had the time to look into how you were doing."

Basically how Bobby and Sally are treated.

I still don't understand the need for Carla if Betty is a stay at home mom, though. What does she do with all her time? lol No wonder she's so depressed/bored with her life. Fire Carla, concentrate on the kids, until you get a job.

pfftt...the 60s.

Didn't Henry mention having daughters, I think in a conversation with Betty? Could Henry be hiding an abusive personality, with his instant infatuation with Betty, made her come to him, is isolating her, possibly subtle controlling - went with her to divorce attorney, going to Reno. Betty doesn't really know anything about his background.

Fly the kids out to Reno for Christmas vacation. That works. Carla can have two weeks with her own family. A little coordination with Don about taking them to Idlewild and the kids could have Christmas with him before they leave and then with Mommy on the 25th.

Now if either parent was that willing to work with the other...

@CaretakerCat: Do you watch the show? "Maybe the teacher can help out" ?? Whaaaa???? I hope you said that in jest. Also, Henry didn't only MENTION having daughters, the daughter was in attendance at Margaret's wedding and Henry came and met her there. They danced.

As for Henry, I know that WE all think there's something OFF about this guy.
@Monty as much as you bug me, you're right on about this guy. BUT, Matt Weiner may have written in Henry as the guy who can and will make Betty happy. You never know, he might treat her as a helpmate, include her in decision-making, pay attention to her needs and the kids'. Don't forget, Betty's a housecat - she needs to be petted to purr. She may blossom under Henry's inclusive attention. Let's hope so... They'll have enough problems with Sally. :)

@Ritt: I'm with you. Too many people are assuming Betty just abandoned the kids for Christmas. Even Betty's not that big of a monster. Why don't we all agree that Betty is flying out to Reno with Henry on December 16th-ish, will establish residency, get an apartment, file for divorce, and will be back in Ossining by December 21-ish to celebrate Christmas, then back to Reno with the kids for New Year's and to wait out the divorce ?? Kids' fly back when school starts and Carla/Don stay at the house until Betts gets back.

Make sense?

OR, better yet, the scene with Don getting out of the taxi with his bags walking into his new apartment and Betty & Henry on the plan may have taken place January 2nd for all we know. After all, the day the guys decided to "shoot their legs off" was Dec. 13th. That following Monday they're all at the Pierre and it's the 16th already. Christmas is only 9 days away.... plus at that point, Don would have had to sign off on whatever terms they agreed on, and Joan was looking for an apartment. All this didn't happen magically within 3 days, especially before the days of instant email and internet.

I think that Don and Sally are very attached to one another. Their scenes together in Season 3 are some of my favorites. I hope the writers will provide us with lots of weekend sleepovers in Don's new apartment.The adjustment to step dad Henry isn't going to be easy. Weekend escapes for quality time with Don will be just what the doctor ordered. His marriage may be ending but I think that Don resolved so many father issues at the end of Season3 that he will be able to be a better father himself.

I can't remember what movie I saw it in, but I remember the line (referring to divorced fathers) that they "seem to make a special effort" regarding making time for their children after the split.

Oh yeah, it was Dana Wynter talking to Burt Lancaster in "Airport" I do believe, when she showed up asking for a divorce.

I knew some kids of divorce growing up and they always were being taken somewhere or doing "special" fun things with their dads. I hope that's the case for Bobby and Sally, and Gene when he's old enough to join in.

Fun jaunts to the Big City with Dad/Don, that can't be all bad, huh? Especially for Sally approaching her teens.

@LaurieB Do I watch the Show? Are you one of those scary posters here who have assumed possession of the entire talk forum? Ordinarily I wouldn't respond to your post but although I don't post often I do read the posts when the forum works and I see a lot of your type of snide (to put it politely) posting here for the purpose of what???

1) I've watched all 3 seasons of the show but I watch them for overall enjoyment not to take a test to prove that I picked up each and every detail.

2) My comment "Maybe the teacher will help out" was my wondering if Don would rekindle the relationship now that Betty has left him She gets along great with his kids.

3) My comment re asking "didn't Henry mention he had daughters? was in reply to another poster who said "Henry doesn't seem like a fatherly kind of guy to me and I don't think the kids will warm to his rather smug personality." Apparently, this poster is another sinner like me who doesn't commit every scene to memory but still likes the show.

4) I disagree that there will be a happy ending with Betty and Henry. Unless they are planning on having them leave town or get killed and written off the show. Happy endings are not good for ratings.

5) The Talk page invites me to sign in and ask questions etc. There is nothing that says, don't dare post here unless you have read every comment and memorized every scene. So until AMC puts a disclaimer on the site, I will ocntinue to post what and whenever I feel like and disregard comments such as yours in the future.
Signing off until next season.

I predict that Betty will be miserable until Glen turns eighteen and sweeps her off her feet. I see a repressed Cougar in ole Betty Boo.

I think Betty is going to turn tragic. Somehow the age difference between Henry and Betty seems a little scary. I think she will be disappointed because she is jumping from one relationship to another and that never works even if you are leaving for the right reasons. Maybe distance will get Betty and Don on the right track. They sure have always looked so good together.

Well all Betty was doing was setting up an address for her self. She could just rent a motel room or rent a small place having maybe an electric bill in her name? Another person who has also lived in Nevada must say that they know you were living there for 6 weeks. Betty wouldn't have to actually stay there after everything been set up.

RE: Season 3 Finale - Betty, Henry, & Baby Gene

Henry Francis is suspect. As a politician in the 1960's he DOES have secrets... and ambitions.Given Henry's influential position, it would be surprising if he didn't harbor some political aspirations. How convenient for him to acquire a "trophy" wife and a new, young family that could transform his political persona from an aging, widowed, "good-old-boy" to a revitalized man with a Kennedy-esk family. Don't forget that, as Rockefeller's adviser, Henry is a strategist that manipulates facts and "spins" situations to create a certain image.This is what he does for a living and it is second-nature to him. He has "positioned" himself close to Betty in the midst of her marriage's demise. When Betty revealed her decision to divorce, Henry was right there with a marriage proposal. (It seemed premature but not spontaneous. He has given this thought). He encouraged Betty to ask for nothing in the divorce settlement, stating he will give Betty and the children his full financial support and... the divorce will go faster. Now that's a proposal! Betty's fear of the future can stop and further pain from divorce the can be avoided... and THAT'S what Betty really wants.. marriage is just a means to this end. But if she follows through with the divorce and marries Henry under these circumstances, once again she will be financially dependent and "trapped".

Betty has transferred a lot of her idealized notions onto Henry while barely knowing him. Her romanticized fantasies long for a man's adoration and protection... echos of father-daughter issues? Lucky for Henry... he made a powerful first impression with his hand-to-her-pregnant-stomach move... such a loving, protective gesture. It certainly feels better to receive Henry's attention than, say... mourn her father's death. After all, to deal with this profound loss would not only involve accepting that her father is gone from her but that the chance to resolve their relationship issues is gone as well. So, let's see... pain and truth... or, LOOK,!... another daddy, riding in on his white horse to save the damsel (Betty's own self-reference) in distress. This is what she has wanted and what she chooses to perceive as happening to her now. She's not asking any questions because she doesn't want to ruin it.

Finally, it seems quite perfect that Betty takes baby Gene on the trip to Reno. This child, her father's name sake, is the only person with which she has sustained an emotional connection... to the extent that she loves him with an open, undefended heart... and she NEEDS to hold on to Gene.

Will Henry start calling Betty "Kitten" like the dad on 'Father Knows Best'... or make a call to the Stepford Men's Association if Betty gets bitchy?

Will Betty wake up before it's too late... or end up in rehab like Joan Kennedy?

@ shrinkingthemadmen, I agree...Betty found a replacement for Daddy. Henry is stepping into a vacancy left by her father and he's going to take advantage of that weakness of hers. I suspect she will find herself trapped again and struggle to get free. Henry just made himself way to accommodating and has an agenda to get his political career going.
The show has yet to get into the tranquilizers of the era. A lot of women were popping pills to cope with their existence as a homemaker with a maid and a husband who never gets home for dinner. Maybe that will be Betty's future. As for the children, they were seen but not heard back then. I know, I was one of those seen but not heard. Must be why I find Sally so annoying.

Gin & Tonic, Yes, tranquilizers might be needed to contain Betty at some point... whether she marries Henry or not. I also found out, after the fact, that my dad - a Mad Man himself, added prescription speed to his heavy drinking to "keep up" with business pressures. I'm sure many drugs during the 1960's and on with find a timely role on Mad Men.

The Draper family was mine. I was Sally's age the same years as Mad Men. I was raised with impeccable manners and the expectation to follow the be-seen-but-not-heard rule. But I became out-spoken and was always upset... because reality was denied on a daily basis in my family.

And, like Sally, I was actually in touch with my feelings while my mom was in denial and my little brother was too young to see the things that I did. My mom & brother were both annoyed with me because they just wanted to pretend things were fine.

It was terribly upsetting for me to confront my parents the way Sally has in the show but my anger and frustration became greater that my need for approval.
Living in a family like the Draper's either makes you crazy (deny the truth, what you see, hear, & feel) or angry ( because you are constantly having to defend your own reality).

Was your family like the Draper's?

@shrinkingthemadman, How old IS Sally, I was wondering? I think Sally's character may be THE break-out role, I can see an eating disorder or drug problem in her future. Remember her drinking all the "leftover" drinks in the SC office? I can so relate to that one, ha ha.