Mad Men: Hands and Knees Rewatch
November 16, 2014 6:02 AM - Season 4, Episode 10 - Subscribe
An unannounced visitor at the Francis home rattles Betty.
The bobbing drinking bird has made its way from the creative lounge to Roger's office.
Poor Lane. Could he have possibly looked more American to his uber-British father than by carrying a Mickey Mouse doll and red, white, and blue balloons to reception? Oh, sure he could--take dad to the Playboy club to catch a look at his black girlfriend.
posted by ChrisTN at 7:27 PM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
Poor Lane. Could he have possibly looked more American to his uber-British father than by carrying a Mickey Mouse doll and red, white, and blue balloons to reception? Oh, sure he could--take dad to the Playboy club to catch a look at his black girlfriend.
posted by ChrisTN at 7:27 PM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think this is the first episode without Peggy.
It's so weird to see Susan May Pratt in a mother role, albeit a young mother. She will always be Maureen from Center Stage. It's not as weird as seeing Linda Cardellini/Lindsay Weir as a 40-something neighbor, but still weird.
posted by donajo at 11:27 AM on November 17, 2014
It's so weird to see Susan May Pratt in a mother role, albeit a young mother. She will always be Maureen from Center Stage. It's not as weird as seeing Linda Cardellini/Lindsay Weir as a 40-something neighbor, but still weird.
posted by donajo at 11:27 AM on November 17, 2014
Oh, sure he could--take dad to the Playboy club to catch a look at his black girlfriend.
It was childish of Lane to throw that in his father's face. Lane had to have known how his father would react and Lane also had to know, even though he had pushed it to the periphery of his consciousness, that he would, in the end, give in to whatever his father demanded. If Lane was truly intent on forging his own way he would've dealt with his father in a more mature fashion. This was the first true sign that Lane didn't have it in him to escape his upbringing and to live his life how he desired. Lane's inculcated idea of social duty and social expectation ran too deep and in the end it killed him. When he found himself in financial difficulties he was unable even to conceive the idea that he could explain his situation to his work colleagues and ask for help. It's hard to watch his desperate struggle knowing in the end he will pay for it with his life.
posted by cwest at 10:27 AM on November 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
It was childish of Lane to throw that in his father's face. Lane had to have known how his father would react and Lane also had to know, even though he had pushed it to the periphery of his consciousness, that he would, in the end, give in to whatever his father demanded. If Lane was truly intent on forging his own way he would've dealt with his father in a more mature fashion. This was the first true sign that Lane didn't have it in him to escape his upbringing and to live his life how he desired. Lane's inculcated idea of social duty and social expectation ran too deep and in the end it killed him. When he found himself in financial difficulties he was unable even to conceive the idea that he could explain his situation to his work colleagues and ask for help. It's hard to watch his desperate struggle knowing in the end he will pay for it with his life.
posted by cwest at 10:27 AM on November 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
I forgot to mention that if the show's main theme is identity, then Lane's character arc is the starkest example of the difficulties and sometimes impossibility of finding out who one really is and what one really wants.
posted by cwest at 10:53 AM on November 18, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by cwest at 10:53 AM on November 18, 2014 [3 favorites]
Is this the most wall-to-wall uncomfortable episode of the series? "The Other Woman" might have it beat but even there I'm not sure. Even Toni was having to keep Lane secret from her work (and Naturi Naughton plays her beautifully, btw.)
posted by Navelgazer at 7:59 PM on February 17, 2020
posted by Navelgazer at 7:59 PM on February 17, 2020
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
At the end of this episode Don, Pete, Roger and Joan are all being deeply effected by a secret they're keeping.
posted by drezdn at 8:40 AM on November 16, 2014