One of the things that I always marvel over when I watch Mad Men is how they all smoke and drink all the time, and it is completely acceptable for them to do so. Can you imagine if you came back to the office after a three-martini lunch and told your secretary to hold...
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Well, there were all sorts of rumors about heavy things going down this finale—perhaps even dire harm to Sally, or Betty. And thankfully, nothing of the sort happens. Although with Betty back in horrid mode, one almost wishes. Instead, we have a shocking event at Betty’s hand (Carla’s firing) and another that was called...
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A couple of quick observations about this episode, before I start the recap. I thought it was fascinating how prescient this episode was, considering our current economic climate. You see the exact same things happening in this office almost 50 years ago that we are seeing (and have seen) happening in offices and companies...
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THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WORK After the speedy, wham-bam non-stop knockouts of last week’s episode, Chinese Wall returns to more thematically rich writing in this study in men versus women, work versus personal life. In every way, at every point (with the noticeable exception of Roger), the men of SCDP choose work...
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Well kids, Shannon is in Austin, working hard at FantasticFest, attending screenings and panels and interviewing movie stars and directors. All for you. So I’m back just for today on Mad Men, the best show on TV. But OMG. What an episode. Harrowing much? What a fucking shitstorm. Truly, the most traumatizing I can...
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Don Draper’s Very Bad Day Well, so much for my theory that Don might abstaining from sex for a bit. In the opening moments we hear the sounds of some wild tryst, followed by a crash. It’s Don and Faye, who were going at it so urgently that the lamp on the night table...
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It Sucks To Be Joan If there is one thing that drives me nuts on Mad Men, it is that I have no concept of time during a season. Does a season go on for weeks? For months? For years? I was rather startled to learn that Don’s son is already two years old....
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Poor Peggy. Let me just preface this recap by stating that the episode resonated deeply with me. I found Peggy’s story moving and indicative of a time period that thankfully has passed us by. ‘The Suitcase’ begins with the creative team hashing it out over the best way to sell Samsonite suitcases. It is...
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First matter of business to address this evening: congrats to Mad Men for its Emmy Awards this evening. Mad Men took home the big prize for Best Drama for the third year in a row, and Matt Weiner and Erin Levy won for best writing for a dramatic series. Now, on with the recap....
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Something Wicked This Way Comes, And Its Name Is Betty Draper I’m stepping in for your regular Mad Men guide Grace this week, so be gentle in comment land. The episode begins with Don getting a little payback for his caddish ways via a decrepit and incompetent secretary who hasn’t quite mastered the art...
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