Back during my Myspace days I also had a blog that was focused on a lot of things but the starting point for that blog was “Lost.” Every week I would watch the latest episode and then dissect it in my blog. Well 5 years ago “Mad Men” started and I have been meaning to write about that show as well. While it doesn’t have the need to develop crazy theories like “Lost” did. It is the best show on television right now and deserves to be analyzed.
It’s been 17 months since the last new episode aired and the show returned with another great episode. It reminded me how much I missed these characters and I was happy to welcome them back into my home. The first part of the show worked at establishing what has changed since we last left the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. The year is now 1966 and it’s Memorial Day weekend. Don is married to Megan and the relationship is essentially about sex. Don is obsessed with having her whenever he wants. This is probably the reason that their apartment is still not put together with blinds and drapes still needing to be put up. Don doesn’t care about that and he is obsessed with just having Megan. Even at work, their time together is about him getting a view of her cleavage or trying to leave work early to get her back to bed. We only got a few shots of Don with his kids but he seems to show that he enjoys being with him and makes a point of telling his coworkers that he had the kids over the weekend and that is what made it great.
Back at the office we get a glance at what the rest of the crew is up to. Peggy has taken charge in creative, true Don is still the head, but with his Megan obsession he is barely there, not once in this episode does he actually push any ad work. The only meeting he takes place in is the Heinz meeting and during it he shows none of the old Don. Note that there is a memorable 60’s ad campaign for Heinz Beans, the famous “Heinz Meanz Beanz” ad. It was put out by Y&R, the company that our main characters were taking pot shots at. I see trouble ahead. Peggy has noticed that Don has changed.
Pete is desperately trying to move even higher in the company and is trying to replace Roger, who is struggling to search for an identity within the company and sees himself as one step away from being as relevant as Bert Cooper. We are currently seeing a role reversal between Pete and Roger, with Roger battling against it. It will be interesting to see if the roles completely reverse and what happens when Pete has what he wants and what will Roger be like when he has nothing that he wants.
The episode also featured some creepy actions from Lane who follows in the same pattern from last year when he was obsessed with the Playboy Club and a check in on Joan who is struggling with motherhood and yearns to return to SCDP. She even makes an impromptu visit that included all sorts of innuendo with Peggy, Pete and Roger. All of this was set with bookends that show the civil rights movement in full swing. Change is coming to SCDP whether they want it or not.
Of course the crux of the episode was the party and the aftermath. The party showed that many of these people are simply work friends not real friends as when they did talk to each other it was usually about work and if it wasn’t it was awkward. The song of course was the most awkward part and showed how Megan is something different and new than what Don has been used to both professionally and privately. Megan of course hasn’t figured out that Don is different at work than at home. But that is really his fault since he is no different in the way he treats her whether they are at home or at work. However, the end shows that she knows how to get his attention and is working on learning how to get what she wants. All of this should make for a great journey during this season.
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