Mad Men returns. Thumbs up or down?

The Peggy-Rizzo phone call had me rolling with laughter.

"No you won't."

 

Glad you mentioned this. I loved it. There was a lot going on in that scene. Pete was observing, assessing Peggy's relationship with Ted and Ted's fondness for her. Then, after he left the table and came back, Ted noticed the interplay between Pete and Peggy, so Ted had more information to process, and you could see the gears turning.

So many scenes in the series (and especially this season) artfully show people constantly taking in new information and having to rethink, adjust, postpone, deflect, choose, stall, and then rethink again. It's like a CliffsNotes "The Art of War" laboratory on evaluating the situation with battle at hand.

It's one thing I particularly love about the show. In their world, you have to really pay attention, or you're left behind on some blind alley. But they aren't the only ones you have to pay close attention. So do we.

 

Bring back Sal.

 

Christina Hendricks really needs to get a new agent. She hasn't really capitalized on what a sensation she was the first few seasons. She hasn't done all that much outside of the show, which happens sometimes with TV actors known so well for one character, but now she's getting more screen time Sunday nights in Scotch ads than her own show.

 

I'm not one to overanalyze the show, but does it seems like Don is losing his touch? He went the first four seasons or so without getting caught in the sack with anyone else, including the teacher of one of his kids, and now he's been caught twice. This, and a few more issues (this infatuation with the downstairs neighbor's wife) has kind of ruined the smoothness with which he always carried himself and the reason why he's a character every man wants to be.

I just figured Don moves opens the next door when one closes. No regrets.

 

Joan just isn't very interesting this season. The plot line with Herb and Jaguar was fascinating but there is a "okay, now what?" feel to her character.

Especially with adding Ted, Jim, Bob, Pete's Mom, Arnold and Sylvia and a new secretary, that really makes this ensemble quite bloated. Some of the characters like Betty, Ginsburg and Ken I don't miss as I don't find them very enthralling.

This last episode was strong which makes me think Sunday could be a dud.

 

Things are definitely unraveling more, at least personally, which to an extent would seem to be a point of this season.

But I also don't think he's necessarily been one to close the door with no regrets. He pretty much fell in love and was willing to risk everything with at least two of his affairs (the department store lady and the teacher) and now with the neighbor he's obviously completely obsessed. At some point it all has to catch up, doesn't it?

 

Please refresh my memory: what was the first time he got caught? I can only think of Sally Sunday night.

 

In the act, yes. But Jimmy Barrett openly (and rightly) accused him of sleeping with his wife way back in Season 2:

 

A little too Godfathery with Roger and the oranges? Next week is the next to last episode -- death time in the prestige dramas.

 

This show would win TV for all time if this season spelled the demise of Don Draper and we continue from Ted's point of view for a final season.