Mad Men Week 10

After the climax of the "Don and Peggy" episode (The Suitcase) and the surprising jolt of the following episode (Summer Man) the back leg of Season 4 has a lot to live up to. Episodes 9 and 10 were very fine but perhaps the climax of the season has already been reached.

I thought Peggy's storyline ended quite definitevely at the end of Episode 9 when she opted for the elevator down with Joan and ______ instead of the other elevator with her new lesbian bohemian buddy. Don suddenly made his way back to the lightness in Ep 8 and now it seems that a new, semi-fabricated plotline has plunged him into a different kind of depth. His relationship with Pete, while interesting and well-played seemed only to hint at further conflict rather than sit and creep in, as with Don and Peggy weeks earlier.

I thought Roger's storyline perhaps to be the most interesting this week; that and the new developments in Don and Betty's post-marriage life. The bomb that Lucky Strike lays on is sudden and must remain a secret (clealy the big word of the day in this one).

I'm curious to see where this goes. "Hands and Knees" marks a swift turn after the middle section of emotionally intense masterpieces, but perhaps one whose larger sense will fall into place in the home stretch.

In Defense of Week 8

There seems to be quite a bit of disagreement as to the merits of Mad Men's eighth episode of season four. Critics decry the voiceover as a totally cheesy cinematic trick and the moves of the characters as too-made-for-TV.

I'm not so sure. First of all, I think that after "the suitcase" episode of week seven hit such a climax that there needed to be some new turn in week eight, one that would not necessarily match the emotional intensity and late-night caffeinated/alcoholic buzz of week seven.

In fact, it was a total wake-up.

Yes, voiceovers are mostly cop-outs, but Mad Men does not only master at storytelling, but also in how it tells its stories. Each week, style and narrative play off of each other to create that ultimate effect that makes us love the best in movies and television.

So, why a voiceover? Why bring the inside out in scene after scene?

If this episode is a wake-up for Don Draper then it must jar the viewer in some sense as well. The early use of the Stones' "Satisfaction", the new setting of the swimming pool. The constant light, whether daylight or even candles or streetlights at night signaled a stark shift from the darkness that pervaded weeks one through six, and especially week seven.

We should think of the style as a shock, similar to the one Peggy receives in the elevator; one we did not see coming, which we aren't totally comfortable with, one which adds a new layer of depth and confusion, but which is ultimately, necessary to keep going on.

I'm Caught Up

Tonight officially marks the night when I have completely caught up with "Mad Men". And as I sit here deep in thought about the last two episodes ("Waldorf Stories", "The Suitcase"), I realize there is nothing new that I can see... until Sunday...

I look forward to joining in the conversation week to week, which inevitably enriches appreciation of a show like this.

Eminence Front

Why did I not know about this song until now?? I cannot stop listening to it. Something works here.