One Week Behind The Times Mad Men Post
I finally watched the Mad Men season premier (last Wednesday... when I wrote this), so I can finally comment! (I've been avoiding everything these past few days because I didn't want to be spoiled)! And now I am behind again, so I gotta get this (late) one out of the way so I can watch last night's episode so I am not on full-on Spoiler Alert mode again.
My favorite storyline? Roger vs Pete all the way. Those two jerks are my favorite characters, so watching them go back and forth trying to one-up each other is going to be amazing. The fact that his new status as (junior) partner means that Pete can now openly say all of the things he used to have to say behind Roger's back is just making it that much more entertaining. Same with the fact that Roger still outranks Pete just enough to be able to shut him down with "You have to do what I say".
Poor Pete is just not living the life right now. Home sucks. Work sucks. At least he's got his homies on the train. He's always been so tightly wound, and the fact that nothing around him has become what he thought it would is going to (hopefully) make for some great scenes this season. He was kind of in the background for a lot of last season, so it's good to see that it seems like that trend is not going to continue. I forgot Trudy was pregnant, so the whole baby thing caught me off guard. That meeting in his cramped office was hilarious. I was like, "Why are they trying to cram four grown men on one tiny couch? That's a tight squeeze!" and then Pete hit them with the "I'm a partner. Look at my tiny office! That column is awesome guys, am I right?" and the game was on! Of course Roger offers to take it outside, because he is basically a teenager and that's how teens handle disputes.
Roger is still Roger. A lot of people do not like this, but I am not one of those people. Yeah he does no work, and it seems his new favorite pastimes are hitting on Don's wife, talking smack to his own wife and stealing Pete's thunder (terrible hobbies all), but I can't help but go, "Oh, that's just Roger!" Falling into his daddy's business/money means that he never had to really be a real grow up, and man does it show. He's one of those characters that makes for great television, but if you had to deal with him in real life, you'd want to punch him in his wisecracking face on a daily basis. His new secretary is great. Their banter amuses me.
The fact that Lane stuck around after the buyout fell through makes me happier than you can know. Lane seems on the surface to be a stand-up straight-and-narrow dude, and he keeps things running smoothly when almost everyone else at the top of the food chain is coming in early, leaving late and doing whatever it is Bert does all day, but he really is a sleazeball too. He fascinates me. You know what I love? His relationship with Joan. If I was predisposed to such things, I could ship it. But that would get in the way of Joan and Roger who, again, if that was my thing, I'd be rooting for (not as much as Peggy and Pete though. I know there is like zero chance now, but still.... )
In a continuing trend from Season 4, I'm liking Peggy more and more. In an office where it seems less and less people are actually, you know, working, Peggy continues to be Business as Usual. It's too bad the fact that it's the 60s means she can't be a partner. You can never have too many names on the marquee, right? Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Campbell Olsen!
Season 5 Don is still too much like Season 4 Don. He still just seems deflated. I don't know what it is. He seems happy enough at home, but he's rather "Meh" about work. That's not working for me, because I always found Work Don to be the more interesting one. He's not gonna stay married to new Mrs. Draper, is he? Because she's cramping his style or something. Less time in the office flirting, more time in the conference room giving amazing presentations, please!
As for other Drapers, Sally is really, really old. I've seen her a few times in articles and such in the off-season, so I was not so much taken aback by her appearance as I was by her voice. Because I've seen her, she does not even look that old to me, but she sounds it. Also, I was really confused about that third Draper kid. I thought, "Why is he with Don?" like I guess I thought he was Betty and Henry's kid. Is there even any need to talk about Bobby? He'll be replaced in a week. about an hour and a half into the episode and I actually said, out loud, "Where's Betty?" She's a pretty major character to get NO screen time in the premier. And I don't even like Betty. (Though, I think I might actually like her better than new Mrs. Draper. That's not a good sign).
That party was... a party. An awkward party. I never thought I'd say this, but the new Mrs. Draper is actually worse than the original. Worse than Betty. In the entire history of this show I can think of no character who has ever earned that honor. I don't know what it is about her, but I am not a fan. I think it's because the two of them don't seem to fit. It's like Roger and Jane. I always thought that was a bad move and, as is obvious by their behavior in the premier, they may have come to the same conclusion. The fact that she gets mad and is all "LOL. You're old!" and he's like "Yeah, you threw me a party, but whatever. I hate parties and I am going to bed. You can do whatever you want." just shows that they're not really on the same page. Also, it is leading to way too many awkward work and work-related situations. That song and dance performance in front of all of your important co-workers? Not the smoothest move. It seems kind of like everything about their relationship is just making things weird for everyone that is not them.
Speaking of which, Harry Crane. What in the world, man!? He's finally grown an attitude to match his position, I guess.
Ken Cosgrove (Accounts) continues to be amazing. Pete vs Ken was my first favorite SC inter-office feud, so I am glad to see that it has not been forgotten, even if they do seem to be friends now.
You know, I thought Joan was not having a baby, so once I got over the shock of Extreme Baby Butt Closeup, I was like, "Who has a baby? Wait. Joan has a baby?" I really should have re-watched season 4 before this started. So now there's a secret Joan/Roger baby to go along with Peggy/Pete I guess. Hopefully by the time he hits kindergarten he'll be sporting a full head of silver hair. Joan does not strike me as maternal, so watching her try to make the transformation is going to be interesting to say the least. Speaking of which, watching Joan and her mom was a great way to get a glimpse into what made Joan the woman she is. Their back and forth was even better than that of Roger and the secretary whose name I don't know. Their relationship was awkward, like everything else on this episode. So many things that probably needed to be said but were not, so now everything in caustic jabs followed by polite ignoring of the fact that there are serious issues. "You know you're not exactly at your fighting weight." "Try me." "Oh yeah, well here is a want ad that shows that your beloved job is replacing you!" Oh, you two!
All in all, a good start.
My favorite storyline? Roger vs Pete all the way. Those two jerks are my favorite characters, so watching them go back and forth trying to one-up each other is going to be amazing. The fact that his new status as (junior) partner means that Pete can now openly say all of the things he used to have to say behind Roger's back is just making it that much more entertaining. Same with the fact that Roger still outranks Pete just enough to be able to shut him down with "You have to do what I say".
Poor Pete is just not living the life right now. Home sucks. Work sucks. At least he's got his homies on the train. He's always been so tightly wound, and the fact that nothing around him has become what he thought it would is going to (hopefully) make for some great scenes this season. He was kind of in the background for a lot of last season, so it's good to see that it seems like that trend is not going to continue. I forgot Trudy was pregnant, so the whole baby thing caught me off guard. That meeting in his cramped office was hilarious. I was like, "Why are they trying to cram four grown men on one tiny couch? That's a tight squeeze!" and then Pete hit them with the "I'm a partner. Look at my tiny office! That column is awesome guys, am I right?" and the game was on! Of course Roger offers to take it outside, because he is basically a teenager and that's how teens handle disputes.
Roger is still Roger. A lot of people do not like this, but I am not one of those people. Yeah he does no work, and it seems his new favorite pastimes are hitting on Don's wife, talking smack to his own wife and stealing Pete's thunder (terrible hobbies all), but I can't help but go, "Oh, that's just Roger!" Falling into his daddy's business/money means that he never had to really be a real grow up, and man does it show. He's one of those characters that makes for great television, but if you had to deal with him in real life, you'd want to punch him in his wisecracking face on a daily basis. His new secretary is great. Their banter amuses me.
The fact that Lane stuck around after the buyout fell through makes me happier than you can know. Lane seems on the surface to be a stand-up straight-and-narrow dude, and he keeps things running smoothly when almost everyone else at the top of the food chain is coming in early, leaving late and doing whatever it is Bert does all day, but he really is a sleazeball too. He fascinates me. You know what I love? His relationship with Joan. If I was predisposed to such things, I could ship it. But that would get in the way of Joan and Roger who, again, if that was my thing, I'd be rooting for (not as much as Peggy and Pete though. I know there is like zero chance now, but still.... )
In a continuing trend from Season 4, I'm liking Peggy more and more. In an office where it seems less and less people are actually, you know, working, Peggy continues to be Business as Usual. It's too bad the fact that it's the 60s means she can't be a partner. You can never have too many names on the marquee, right? Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Campbell Olsen!
Season 5 Don is still too much like Season 4 Don. He still just seems deflated. I don't know what it is. He seems happy enough at home, but he's rather "Meh" about work. That's not working for me, because I always found Work Don to be the more interesting one. He's not gonna stay married to new Mrs. Draper, is he? Because she's cramping his style or something. Less time in the office flirting, more time in the conference room giving amazing presentations, please!
As for other Drapers, Sally is really, really old. I've seen her a few times in articles and such in the off-season, so I was not so much taken aback by her appearance as I was by her voice. Because I've seen her, she does not even look that old to me, but she sounds it. Also, I was really confused about that third Draper kid. I thought, "Why is he with Don?" like I guess I thought he was Betty and Henry's kid. Is there even any need to talk about Bobby? He'll be replaced in a week. about an hour and a half into the episode and I actually said, out loud, "Where's Betty?" She's a pretty major character to get NO screen time in the premier. And I don't even like Betty. (Though, I think I might actually like her better than new Mrs. Draper. That's not a good sign).
That party was... a party. An awkward party. I never thought I'd say this, but the new Mrs. Draper is actually worse than the original. Worse than Betty. In the entire history of this show I can think of no character who has ever earned that honor. I don't know what it is about her, but I am not a fan. I think it's because the two of them don't seem to fit. It's like Roger and Jane. I always thought that was a bad move and, as is obvious by their behavior in the premier, they may have come to the same conclusion. The fact that she gets mad and is all "LOL. You're old!" and he's like "Yeah, you threw me a party, but whatever. I hate parties and I am going to bed. You can do whatever you want." just shows that they're not really on the same page. Also, it is leading to way too many awkward work and work-related situations. That song and dance performance in front of all of your important co-workers? Not the smoothest move. It seems kind of like everything about their relationship is just making things weird for everyone that is not them.
Speaking of which, Harry Crane. What in the world, man!? He's finally grown an attitude to match his position, I guess.
Ken Cosgrove (Accounts) continues to be amazing. Pete vs Ken was my first favorite SC inter-office feud, so I am glad to see that it has not been forgotten, even if they do seem to be friends now.
You know, I thought Joan was not having a baby, so once I got over the shock of Extreme Baby Butt Closeup, I was like, "Who has a baby? Wait. Joan has a baby?" I really should have re-watched season 4 before this started. So now there's a secret Joan/Roger baby to go along with Peggy/Pete I guess. Hopefully by the time he hits kindergarten he'll be sporting a full head of silver hair. Joan does not strike me as maternal, so watching her try to make the transformation is going to be interesting to say the least. Speaking of which, watching Joan and her mom was a great way to get a glimpse into what made Joan the woman she is. Their back and forth was even better than that of Roger and the secretary whose name I don't know. Their relationship was awkward, like everything else on this episode. So many things that probably needed to be said but were not, so now everything in caustic jabs followed by polite ignoring of the fact that there are serious issues. "You know you're not exactly at your fighting weight." "Try me." "Oh yeah, well here is a want ad that shows that your beloved job is replacing you!" Oh, you two!
All in all, a good start.