Mad Men: Tomorrowland Rewatch
November 26, 2014 3:33 AM - Season 4, Episode 13 - Subscribe
(Season Finale) Opportunity arises for Don and Peggy.
I doubt it - it was such a spur of the moment decision, very characteristic of Don acting in panic with added incentive to hurt Betty, and the after the first viewing I just went "OH GOD HE'S DOOMED."
Cause there is no ray of hope this show can't POUND DOWN.
posted by The Whelk at 9:54 AM on November 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Cause there is no ray of hope this show can't POUND DOWN.
posted by The Whelk at 9:54 AM on November 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Would Don have married Megan if Betty hadn't fired Carla?
I think it's possible that he would have. Megan had already caught his attention, and the trope about executives marrying their secretaries is a trope for a reason. As Joan noted, it happens all the time.
I think it's less likely that Don would've married Megan had Dr. Faye not made Don realize that his world won't come crashing down if people find out about his past. And Don certainly wouldn't have married Megan if Sally hadn't knocked over her milkshake.
I don't know why there haven't been more "Peggy and Joan smoking and bitching about work" scenes. Every episode should have one.
posted by donajo at 12:53 PM on December 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think it's possible that he would have. Megan had already caught his attention, and the trope about executives marrying their secretaries is a trope for a reason. As Joan noted, it happens all the time.
I think it's less likely that Don would've married Megan had Dr. Faye not made Don realize that his world won't come crashing down if people find out about his past. And Don certainly wouldn't have married Megan if Sally hadn't knocked over her milkshake.
I don't know why there haven't been more "Peggy and Joan smoking and bitching about work" scenes. Every episode should have one.
posted by donajo at 12:53 PM on December 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
Betty makes the effortless transition from Mother of the Year to Mother of the Decade to Mother of the Century.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:23 PM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:23 PM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
And Don certainly wouldn't have married Megan if Sally hadn't knocked over her milkshake.
Whilst it is a cliche about men marrying their secretaries - there should probably also be a cliche about divorcees (men especially) being attracted to partners who get on with their children. Dr. Faye fails that test and Megan passes it.
I liked the scene of solidarity between Joan and Peggy. Maybe the first time the characters have shown mutual respect for each other.
posted by rongorongo at 1:45 AM on September 12, 2019
Whilst it is a cliche about men marrying their secretaries - there should probably also be a cliche about divorcees (men especially) being attracted to partners who get on with their children. Dr. Faye fails that test and Megan passes it.
I liked the scene of solidarity between Joan and Peggy. Maybe the first time the characters have shown mutual respect for each other.
posted by rongorongo at 1:45 AM on September 12, 2019
Megan is gorgeous, into Don, can hold her own with Don, and is fucking great with his kids, especially Sally.
Sixties power dynamics are clearly always at play here, but the question is whether Megan would have married Don under different circumstances. She's far more together than he is. And as much as I like Dr. Miller, the season makes a good case for how, if Don is going to end up with anyone at the end of it (which seems to be the closest this season has to an "arc") it should be Megan. And yes, that's about the Kids more than anything. Megan is a natural with them. Faye is an alien with them. Faye is more mature and astute and challenging (in the best ways) with Don, but also, why the fuck should we doom Faye to a life with Don under those circumstances?
TL;DR this sells me on Don+Megan, and not in a cynical way. They act fast, but it makes sense.
But nothing in this episode is better than Joan saying that there has to be something outside of work, Peggy calling "bullshit," and the two of them finally laughing their asses off together.
posted by Navelgazer at 12:57 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Sixties power dynamics are clearly always at play here, but the question is whether Megan would have married Don under different circumstances. She's far more together than he is. And as much as I like Dr. Miller, the season makes a good case for how, if Don is going to end up with anyone at the end of it (which seems to be the closest this season has to an "arc") it should be Megan. And yes, that's about the Kids more than anything. Megan is a natural with them. Faye is an alien with them. Faye is more mature and astute and challenging (in the best ways) with Don, but also, why the fuck should we doom Faye to a life with Don under those circumstances?
TL;DR this sells me on Don+Megan, and not in a cynical way. They act fast, but it makes sense.
But nothing in this episode is better than Joan saying that there has to be something outside of work, Peggy calling "bullshit," and the two of them finally laughing their asses off together.
posted by Navelgazer at 12:57 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Also, Peggy's whole reaction to the engagement is fascinating and multifaceted and worthy of maybe an Emmy or at least discussion.
Because Peggy doesn't want to be Don's gal. And her barely-hidden disgust at the engagement is partially a "jesus, men are pigs" thing, and partly her not being privvy to how the engagement came about (which I found pretty romantic, for this show, but something those on the outside would naturally cast aspersions at) but also party personal, and it's not because she wants to be in Megan's place.
But she does want the special place by Don's side, as a creative deserving of respect. And she does want to be looked at that way, and celebrated that way, especially on the day she wins Topaz over.
And, I believe, she does want to be part of a sort of "power couple." She has no need or desire to throw her talents or drive overboard for anyone else, but wants a partner in that (which I think, come season seven, is why she's so flabbergasted to realize that a rehabilitated Stan has become that.) She doesn't want Don, doesn't resent Megan, but fucking hates that things can work this way, even moreso when she realizes that Megan might become a copywriter (though we know that Megan might have skills leaning that way, Peggy has no reason to believe it.)
Betty is of course ten tons of bad looks this episode, and I adore January Jones for not flinching from any of them. She even gets pissed at Carla for not thinking about how firing Carla makes Betty feel! And of course, Carla, off the leash, is wonderful while still remaining politic. I've wathced this series so out-of-order that it's a revelation to me to see how just like a housecat Betty is, where it doesn't matter why Glen's presence bothers her so much, she just needs to thrash about and bite and yowl until it's dealt with.
But then, the ending scene is surprisingly tender. Betty and Don are both wounded, but don't want to wound each other any further. He delivers the news of his engagement like it's a tragedy. She responds like it's good news from a thousand miles away. They move on.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:21 PM on February 18, 2020
Because Peggy doesn't want to be Don's gal. And her barely-hidden disgust at the engagement is partially a "jesus, men are pigs" thing, and partly her not being privvy to how the engagement came about (which I found pretty romantic, for this show, but something those on the outside would naturally cast aspersions at) but also party personal, and it's not because she wants to be in Megan's place.
But she does want the special place by Don's side, as a creative deserving of respect. And she does want to be looked at that way, and celebrated that way, especially on the day she wins Topaz over.
And, I believe, she does want to be part of a sort of "power couple." She has no need or desire to throw her talents or drive overboard for anyone else, but wants a partner in that (which I think, come season seven, is why she's so flabbergasted to realize that a rehabilitated Stan has become that.) She doesn't want Don, doesn't resent Megan, but fucking hates that things can work this way, even moreso when she realizes that Megan might become a copywriter (though we know that Megan might have skills leaning that way, Peggy has no reason to believe it.)
Betty is of course ten tons of bad looks this episode, and I adore January Jones for not flinching from any of them. She even gets pissed at Carla for not thinking about how firing Carla makes Betty feel! And of course, Carla, off the leash, is wonderful while still remaining politic. I've wathced this series so out-of-order that it's a revelation to me to see how just like a housecat Betty is, where it doesn't matter why Glen's presence bothers her so much, she just needs to thrash about and bite and yowl until it's dealt with.
But then, the ending scene is surprisingly tender. Betty and Don are both wounded, but don't want to wound each other any further. He delivers the news of his engagement like it's a tragedy. She responds like it's good news from a thousand miles away. They move on.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:21 PM on February 18, 2020
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posted by drezdn at 6:13 AM on November 26, 2014 [6 favorites]