Mad Men: Best. Episode. So. Far.
I don't know if Marilyn Monroe had to go ahead and die, or if someone had to pee their pants or WHAT, but last night's Mad Men was not only the best episode so far, it was like they got a new writer who suddenly brought all this likability to so many characters. And so many chickens are coming home to roost, it's insane. And the funny lines in this episode! ("I got my diagnosis the other day: I'm bored.") Also admit it: you've been waiting forever to see Betty with seriously dirty hair.
The show kicked off according to its "We Didn't Start The Fire" timeline with Marilyn Monroe's death, nearly every mention of which occurs close to (or superimposed with) Betty being depressed. Look, it's our very own Tortured Blonde!:
And drinking wine during the day, but still out of a fancy real glass, so you know it can't be that bad:
Or can it?:
Betty's housekeeper is all "Maybe you should wash your hair" and then (for real) "Splash some cold water on your face (Ed: meaning "warm water" and "hair") and go outside: you'll notice things are right where you left them." So familiar but I Googled it and nothing.
Then poor Fred Rumsen pees his pants because he's a drunk:
And Peggy stands up for him, showing her human side for once!
Betty refuses to take Don back, Don punches Jimmy Barrett, and Don and Roger have this really deep two-part conversation about life that's just too deep to watch on the internet, and Roger tells Don he has to do a "grand gesture" to get Betty back (Ooh, we will wait an entire two seasons for that, won't we? Grand Gesture-watch starts now.)
And then they send Fred to rehab with this hilarious story of a guy they know who went to rehab and "he only drinks beer now." And then Roger leaves Mona for Don's secretary who Don then fires, which, I know they've been setting this up forever, but do we care a whole lot? It's the Don and Peggy show, which, SPEAKING OF...what is this bit of obviousness from the beginning?:
Don looks at Peggy appreciatively for a really long "Okay we get it" amount of time (and even looks away and looks back again!) because:
Theory 1: "Wow, she hears Marilyn Monroe has died and the first thing she thinks is how will this affect our business? I'm going to give her Freddy Rumsen's job later!" (Which he does, but also it could be):
Theory 2: "Nice ass. We're totally going to do it." AFTER, prediction, are you ready?:
Betty commits, or, more likely, tries to commit, suicide. I know! So obvious since the very beginning of the show, but now Marilyn has happened and has given her the idea to go through with it. But maybe Don's GRAND GESTURE will come in time to save her.
Also, there was a blood drive. I don't know what that means.
Posted by Lindsay at 5:10 PM in Soap Operas
Tags: Betty Draper | Don Draper | Elizabeth Moss | January Jones | Jon Hamm | Mad Men | Marilyn Monroe | Peggy Olson
I loved this episode. It will be sad to see Freddy gone but I think big things are brewing.
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Freddy's pant zipper brought me my favorite Mad Men moment ever, so I hope he's not gone for good. I can't rely on Pete or Kinsey or Duck to pull a stunt like that.
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anyone ese think pete is a total dumbass?
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um... i HATE roger and JANE (that little whore) after this episode.
i feel bad for freddy...
and pete is a weasel of epic proportions.
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I love Pete's befuddlement: http://tinyurl.com/4tf89o
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Didn't like this episode so much..sometimes you gotta leave the heavy metaphors out of 'Mad Men' since the entire premise of the show is a big fat metaphor. Almost feels like a depressed teenager's creative writing assignment. Wine, blood, parasites, suicides, divorces, the world is horrible and at the same time just doesn't get me so let me indirectly tell it it sucks in numerous numerous ways.
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I thought Freddy would be all suicide at the end of this episode, and the secretary and Roger... twist! This episode totally toyed with my emotions; I hated Pete and the secretary so much, I loved Don even more.
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You didn't mention that Freddy had at least 12 CONFIRMED kills in the war! He was an ace soldier. And now he's a drunk. Notice how he underplayed the heroism? Wonder why he drinks. Hmmmmmm.
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