Mad Men S03E11: See Dick Cry
BOOM!
What an episode!
Betty and the kids are leaving for Philly. Uh oh, they are going to miss Halloween! (P.S. I love that this show's holiday-themed episode is a Very Special Halloween episode.) Oh wait, they are not going to miss Halloween because there is still Halloween in Philly. Bobby is going to be an astronaut. (No he isn't.) Just you wait. This whole thing is about to get flipped on its head. So, the family makes plans to leave. Betty wants some money and Don is like "go to the bank and get money, there is absolutely no money in this house. Not in any of the drawers, I promise you." Betty is like "squint." Meanwhile, Don makes plans to get away for the week with his lover. I guess she can take vacation because it's the early '60s and schools used to let out for an entire week for the cherished Halloween holiday. It was a time to be with family. Or fuck buddies.
Except that Don comes home the next day to wash his face before taking his lady love on a secret vacation, and he hears the kids calling out to him in the next room. The kids? BUT THE KIDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN PHILLY! Then there is Betty. BUT BETTY IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN PHILLY. Well, they were in Philly, but then Betty talked to a lawyer about Don, and the lawyer made it pretty clear that Betty was kind of fucked, at least until she had it out with Don. I mean, that's what it sounded like. It was kind of hard to hear his advice over the sound of Betty's brother being a whiny bitch. So Betty and the kids came home early. Don is like "but I was only stopping home to change my shirt before leaving on a sex weekend I MEAN A CLIENT DINNER." Betty is like "uh, no."
Meanwhile, Yo Teach! is out in the car, waiting like a schoolgirl for Don. Or I guess waiting like a schoolWOMAN. The night before she had told Don that she entered into this relationship with her eyes wide open, but now she is realizing that she wants more from him even though she knows she can't get it. Like, she wants to take him to a restaurant in Little Italy. And that's mostly it. Mostly she just really wishes that he would divorce his wife and abandon his three children so that they could go eat cheese pasta in Little Italy. A girl can dream, can't she? Sure she can. Especially when she spends all night alone sitting in a car. Because Betty is about to confront Don about his secret drawer, and that is going to put a damper on the secret sex weekend, 4 sure.
"Open this drawer."
--Betty Draper
Don does not want to open that drawer! "This is my desk," he says. As if we all know the secret bond between a man and his desk. "A man is the king of his desk castle," is what the framed embroidery over Don's office door says. Don opens the drawer because he is a man who has been to war, and has falsified his own death to escape his family, and he knows what is what. He is so shaky that he drops a cigarette. A CIGARETTE! And he tells her everything. And he cries.
Don Draper cries.
Betty is mad, but her heart melts, too. She wanted the truth and she could handle the truth. One has to assume that there is a certain amount of relief for her in discovering that all of her fears and concerns over Don's secrets were completely legitimate and well-founded, but that now everything is out in the open. He is a liar, just like she always suspected he was, but at least now she knows. Which will make trick-or-treating much less awkward.
P.S. I love Bobby's "hobo" costume. So much so that I am going to get myself a "hobo" costume. Mine's going to be even better, though, because I am an adult, and I can make myself smell more convincingly of whiskey and vomit. And Bobby is going to be ashamed of his childish costume. But he will take pride in knowing that he inspired such a great costume in my costume. Why am I still talking about this?
Don goes to the office and his secretary is like "I thought you were going on a sex weekend." Nosy. Don calls Yo Teach! and breaks up with her. She is crying. She wonders if he got caught, and he says that it is more complicated than that. True. She asks if she needs to worry about her job, and he says no, but it is actually the first time I even thought about how seriously she endangered herself. Her job! Everything she has!
Don Draper, shame on you. Always.
I did think that the final scene in which the guy at the trick-or-treating house asks Don "what are you supposed to be?" was a little HEAVY-HANDED, but I am willing to move forward because this was a great episode.
Speaking of how great this episode was: how about the Roger Sterling plotline? This season has not had enough Roger Sterling. He is such a charming and complicated character. His flirtation with the Dog Food Princess was so enjoyable to watch. Verbal sparring! A glimpse into Roger Sterling's past! "The boxing"? The boxing! How about when she said "you were the one," and he said "you weren't"? POW. And you know that he's not talking about his stupid wife, right? She's so dumb. No, silly, he's talking about Joan! They love each other, but they will probably never get together. Because Joan is too busy hitting her husband in the head with a vase. Ouch.
Great episode. A++++ would do business with again!
Posted by Gabe at 12:15 PM in Love-Watching, Recaps
Tags: Christina Hendricks | Elisabeth Moss | January Jones | John Slattery | Jon Hamm | Mad Men
(I don't take credit for this, it's from an anonymous AV Club commentator)
Score = 14
If nothing else, this season of Mad Men has given the internet some of the greatest animated gifs of all time. Bravo again, Matthew Weiner.
Score = 2
If you had taken credit for this, you would have been the belle of monster's ball.
I tip my hat to your integrity.
Score = 1
That vase scene was as convincing as the table smashing on the Real World. Seriously, dude got a vase to the head and he just rubs his head and says ow? No blood?
Score = 5
My theory is that either 60s vases were super weak, or dude's head is just really thick.
Score = 6
that dolt? clearly his head is as thick as something that's very thick. because he's stupid.
Score = 4
Aren't all vases made of sugar glass?
Score = 5
The "What are you supposed to be?" line was heavy-handed, but PERFECT, because it is exactly what people giving out candy say to people who aren't in costume.
No horse meat jokes?
Score = 13
I loved that Dr. Rapey McButterfingers apologized for getting smacked with a vase. "It's my fault, I make her so angry sometimes."
Score = 8
I can't wait for the Very Special He Died in Iraq episode.
Score = 10
Whoops. I meant Vietnam. Freudian slip! Sort of!
Score = 6
So many WOWs in this episode. But mostly: Bobby's hobo costume was way cooler than never-saw-him-before-fired-from-Dunder-Mifflin-at-the-Halloween-party dude's hobo outfit. Kuhdooz, Mad Men, kuh-friggin-dooz!
Score = 5
This makes me sad because I know I will be a Betty when I grow up... *sighforhavingbadtasteinmen*
Score = 0
"My dog is independent. He knows what he wants." (P.S. he wants this season to last forever).
Score = 8
Great recap, Gabe. I have only one quibble. I think you meant:
Score = 47
Oh man, that whole confrontation scene between Don and Betty was KLASSIK. Don's face was like Pete's when Peggy told him she had his baby and gave it away, except a million times worse because Don is Stoic J. Nofeelings and not the retarded manbaby Pete is. SO GOOD.
I am also happy this was a Rogery episode, and he was back to his old self for the first time all season, it seems. But Duck is going to be back next episode. >:(-)--> (that is an emoticon barfing angrily)
Score = 11
It has been a long time since we got a good Rogering (TWSS).
Score = 14
I'm putting this ascii art of a duck here so people know why your emoticon is barfing:
( * )
Score = 0
Ugh, forgot about the missing less-than-sign deal; one more try and I'm done:
( * )<
Score = 0
This post was Tom-Cruise-movie-reference-heavy, and that's the way I like my recaps.
Score = 4
Great episode and I felt like this was one of the few episodes since Season 1 that featured the "Rodge" prominently. He was so interesting as a youth; eating in cemeteries, going to war in the Pacific and being the white Cassius Clay. I just wonder if he sparred in a three-piece suit and went under the moniker of "The Stylin' Sterling."
Score = 8
Hey! nice avatar!
Score = 0
I hope Don taught Bobby the hobo code so his costume would be more authentic.
Score = 20
"And what are you supposed to be...a gay person???"
Score = 5
"I can't turn it off. It's actually happening" Oh Peggy summing up the hard facts of life in a throwaway line about people not wanting their dogs eating horses.
Score = 13
that was the best lol of the season "turn off the SOUND."
Score = 3
Let's not forget Roger Sterling's double take when Don admitted he'd eaten horse meat.
Score = 4
Never leave again, Joan Harris and Roger Sterling. You are so glorious and we all really miss you when you guys are gone.
Horse meat and hobos. THIS SHOW DOES IT ALL!
Score = 2
I don't like it when Rodge and Don show emotions - emotions are for women who take it out on their phone-call screwing up children.
Score = 2
I'm so happy Don left that Manic-Pixie Dreamgirl in the car. She was really wearing my nerves (probably cause they rushed her storyline and failed to make her a real person).
Score = 6
"My husband died of lung cancer"
Cut to Don lighting up.
Score = 5
Mad Men: Shit Just Got Real
Score = 3
I'm just glad Dr. Joan's Husband is finally getting shipped out to the army. Now they can finally ax his character.
Score = 0
That is, unless Joan axes him first. I swear, if that broad were any saucier, she would be played by a bottle of A1.
Score = 3
...But then Meatloaf would be contractually obligated to make an appearance on the show. Do you really want that??
Score = 1
I want a spin-off show that features a young Roger! I'll take my emmys now thx.
Score = 1
After that guy asked him "And what are you supposed to be?" Don should have looked to the camera and shrugged his shoulders Jim Halpert-style.
Score = 0