Mad Men Monday
Photo via AMC / Frank Ockenfels
Spoiler Alert: Mad Men, Season 6, Episode 1-2
Oh. my. gosh. They're back! My favorite Mad Men (and Women) graced the screen last night for two hours in the season six premier. It was heaven! Last week I re-watched season five and felt caught up and prepared, but I was wrong. Parts of episode one confused, surprised, amused, and even frustrated me. That's what I love about this show--the EMOTION! This season, for Mad Men Mondays, I'm not going to give complete recap of the episode, but plan to touch on certain points that seem significant. Here goes!
Find a full episode recap here.
If "are you alone" was the closing question for the final episode of season five, then "who are you" seems to be the opening theme for Season 6. And wow, who ARE these season six people?
Setting: New Year's Eve, 1967 (going into 1968)
For Don, old habits die hard...and I'm not talking about smoking. After a romantic and seemingly relaxing Hawaiian vacation/work trip with Megan, Don seemed distracted and not himself, hearing ocean waves while gazing out his office window. Perhaps it was the random run-in with the veteran? The weed smoking? Death was a frequent topic in this episode, beginning when Megan and Don witnessed their doorman collapsing in the lobby (he was resuscitated by a resident doctor). I was surprised, yet not surprised, to find Don in bed with the doctor's wife (Linda Cardellini from Freaks & Geeks) at the end of this episode (sigh, Don!). Prediction: Don and Joan will hook up.
Megan, however, seems in high spirits now that she's landed a role in a TV show. I'm interested to see where her character is headed this season. Will she stay oblivious to Don's promiscuity or put him in his place? Prediction: Megan will outgrow Don.
Peggy. is. awesome. and going strong at CGC. She has no problem keeping her ad men in line, yet, seems unsure how to lead without being bossy and rude. Working on New Years's Eve Peggy? Really? In usual Peggy fashion she pulled the advertising rabbit out of her hat at the last moment, saving the day. Prediction: Peggy will hook up with her new boss, Ted Chaough.
Roger Sterling is a mess. He seems impenetrable to his therapist and "feels nothing" as he says. He responded to news of his mother's death with nonchalance and threw an embarrassing at tantrum at her funeral. At the end of the episode he broke down, crying uncontrollably after learning that his shoe shiner George passed away and his family left his kit to Roger. Prediction: He will become a father figure to Joan's baby.
And last but not least, Betty. Oh, Betty. Last season we saw too little of her and now I fear there's going to be too much. Her accusation of husband Henry's affection for Sally's friend Sandy quickly turned into a cringeworthy jawdropper as she jokingly suggested (in detail) that he should rape the 15-year-old. After being rejected from Julliard, Sandy runs away in seek of a "beautiful" life in NYC Village squatter slums. Betty, aware of her intentions, sets off to find Sandy and ends up spending time with several runaways. One in particular tells Betty that he cares as little about her life and she does his. Finally, we see Betty turn Brunette at the end of the episode. Prediction: Betty will experiment with "free love" this season.
Random notes: (a) Ginsberg, Abe, and Stan--nice facial hair! (b) Wish I could have still shots of Don lighting his cigarette by the window in his office during the photo shoot and the last shot of him in the snow (gave me chills), and (c) We need more Joan!
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