Last week, as we settled down to watch this episode, I told Beth that since there were only a few episodes left, Matt Weiner really needed to get going to set up his season finale. He did not disappoint. I think Season 4 may be the strongest season "Mad Men" has had, and this was one of the strongest episodes. In my opinion, here were some of the highlights:
1. The scene between Roger and Lee Garner, Jr. was done very well. Here are these two men stuck in a love/hate relationship because of the relationship between their fathers, finally speaking the truth to each other for the first time. And what is the truth? That Lee thinks Roger's a lightweight because he simply inherited the account, and that Roger thinks Lee doesn't know very much about his own business.
2. The stuff with Lane and his dad was rather slap-sticky, and at some level it simply represented another example of how Matt Weiner assumes that family life among the high WASPs is dominated by people who hate their children. But the actors really bought into the story, and pulled off their scenes with power and menace.
3. The whole plotline with Don and his service history was handled very well. Of course, this is old hat for Don, Pete, and Betty, and it was fun to see them running through their paces again. But even though I, for one, never really thought there was much of a chance that Don would be hauled away for desertion, the actors did a great job of selling the story and letting us feel the tension that they were under.
4. I was very worried that Sally wouldn't get to see the Beatles, and I was pleased that Harry actually came through with the tickets.
5. The final scene at the partners' meeting was brilliant. Pete is lying about why they can't do the deal with NAA. Roger is screaming at Pete, in part because he knows what has happened with Lucky Strike. Don is defending Pete because he knows the debacle at NAA is all his fault. Roger says everything's OK with Lucky Strike. Joan's pretending that everything is OK, even though she just had an abortion. Lies, all lies. The dignity of work, ladies and gentlemen, the dignity of work.
Two notes to this customarily fantastic review:
ReplyDelete-- I thought it was interesting that both Betty and Pete passed on opportunities to reveal Don's secret with their spouses (while Don actually did reveal to the new woman, which I suspect will turn out to be a very big mistake).
-- We don't know that Joan actually had the abortion (at least from 4:10; I haven't yet scene last night's).
Seen, I meant.
ReplyDeleteI think you make two good points, although I'm pretty sure Joanie went through with the abortion. In many ways, Don is much closer to Pete and Betty than to any woman he happens to sleep with.
ReplyDeleteFace.
ReplyDelete