Very, very good exchanges between characters. I think it's what the episode was built around.
Roger and Don in the bar, informing Don of Henry Francis. They're talking about an older man with a younger woman. Roger said he was sorry, twice. Is it, Roger feeling guilt regarding Mona, as in Don having to find out about being the victim of an older man/younger woman affair like Mona did? The other parallel is Henry is so all about Betty the same way Roger was so all about Jane, look where that is now. But is Roger saying I'm sorry to Don but really almost to Mona? I'm sorry is what Roger should be saying to Mona but doesn't.
Speaking of which, the exchange between Don and Peggy in her apartment, is it the same type of thing? If you look at what he says, not directly necessarily but isn't it really what he should be saying to Betty? He says to Peggy basically, people buy into something and it ends up different because something terrible happened, and the way they saw themselves is gone. No one understands that but you do, you're valuable. That's the conversation he should be attempting with Betty. And other things like "I don't know if I can do it alone will you help me"? Don builds Peggy up and makes an effort toward her as a response to her. But he doesn't make the same type of effort toward Betty.
So the greater point is, he says this to Peggy but should be saying the general tone to Betty and Roger should express grief toward the victim of an older man/younger woman affair to Mona, not Don. More Roger and Don parallel behavior.
Roger when Cooper and Don come to him, Roger resisting at first, saying there's a deck chair with my name on it. It just reminded me of expressions about throwing deck chairs off the side of the Titanic.
Then Roger saying regarding Coop's pitch, "Join or die." Remember Cooper saying, "kill or be killed, that's how I was raised."
Don and his father in the stable, young Don almost bonding with his father, of course over a drink, this time from the jug. And his father saying "I have a silo." I think we found out Don actually took a few things from his father. But then we see Don seeing his father get kicked in the face. I think that was what his attention to Sally was about, he doesn't want her to see her dad kicked in the face and instead be there for her.
The title, "Shut the Door, Have a Seat." That's what you say when you have to have a talk with someone. What made this episode beyond the obvious plot points, was the dialogue exchanges between them all. The dialogues and everything around them made this really good stuff.
Through that exchange with Peggy and Don we've gotten back to one of the original MM themes about Don/Peggy/Betty. "I won't spend the rest of my life trying to hire you." If you apply that statement to Betty as well, it underscores his whole thing about leaving when he's had enough.
One of the best exchanges was between Don and Connie, Don saying, play around with me (Suzanne Farrell), kick me (Betty), knock me down to size (SC and the contract). Great summation of the whole season regarding Don. So what does Don do here in the last episode?
RE Peggy and Don: It is confusing because the audio is a little mumbly when you first hear it. I did think he said, "I will" but wasn't sure when I was typing that out and f-f to watch it again and changed my mind.
To me he's kind of shaking his head, and he also said the word no. And her reaction isn't a coy shy smile or anything so I opted for thinking he said "I won't". So given the fact that he has said more than once to Betty she's had a bad week or whatever and that's his (ill) way of giving her a chance, then he does end up agreeing to leave and to get an attorney, I guess I see it as he says he won't chase her; both Betty and Peggy. It is a kind of Don thing to say, so that's how I interpreted the bad audio.
To answer another poster on the same subject: Also I think it fits more with the dynamic. Her, although not showing it, actually being distraught at the idea of not hearing from Don again even as much as she's combated with him I think fits Peggy and the implied mentor role that was there in the first season. And you have Don rising back up to alpha-male status and taking control telling her goodbye. I just think it fits the MM dynamic that the Peggy character is more likely to respond this way, feeling validation for her efforts, yet challenged.
Burger boy was Mr. Nice Guy and she liked it, but left him just using him. It's not a cliche about nice guys always losing. Instead of kicking her out, he actually helps her to get out by telling her how the locks work and says he'll be around for her, at that same place if she wants. She never goes back to him. Don validates her, but also takes control and the power telling her he won't chase her. She responds to that. Notice when Duck called her last week, he doesn't act all the sweet guy, he tells her what to do. Here it's part Don-business, and part Don-honesty and part Don-working a woman and knowing how this one needs to be worked. That's how I saw it.
MAD MEN
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Very, very good exchanges between characters. I think it's what the episode was built around.
Roger and Don in the bar, informing Don of Henry Francis. They're talking about an older man with a younger woman. Roger said he was sorry, twice. Is it, Roger feeling guilt regarding Mona, as in Don having to find out about being the victim of an older man/younger woman affair like Mona did? The other parallel is Henry is so all about Betty the same way Roger was so all about Jane, look where that is now. But is Roger saying I'm sorry to Don but really almost to Mona? I'm sorry is what Roger should be saying to Mona but doesn't.
Speaking of which, the exchange between Don and Peggy in her apartment, is it the same type of thing? If you look at what he says, not directly necessarily but isn't it really what he should be saying to Betty? He says to Peggy basically, people buy into something and it ends up different because something terrible happened, and the way they saw themselves is gone. No one understands that but you do, you're valuable. That's the conversation he should be attempting with Betty. And other things like "I don't know if I can do it alone will you help me"? Don builds Peggy up and makes an effort toward her as a response to her. But he doesn't make the same type of effort toward Betty.
So the greater point is, he says this to Peggy but should be saying the general tone to Betty and Roger should express grief toward the victim of an older man/younger woman affair to Mona, not Don. More Roger and Don parallel behavior.
Roger when Cooper and Don come to him, Roger resisting at first, saying there's a deck chair with my name on it. It just reminded me of expressions about throwing deck chairs off the side of the Titanic.
Then Roger saying regarding Coop's pitch, "Join or die." Remember Cooper saying, "kill or be killed, that's how I was raised."
Don and his father in the stable, young Don almost bonding with his father, of course over a drink, this time from the jug. And his father saying "I have a silo." I think we found out Don actually took a few things from his father.
But then we see Don seeing his father get kicked in the face. I think that was what his attention to Sally was about, he doesn't want her to see her dad kicked in the face and instead be there for her.
The title, "Shut the Door, Have a Seat." That's what you say when you have to have a talk with someone. What made this episode beyond the obvious plot points, was the dialogue exchanges between them all. The dialogues and everything around them made this really good stuff.
Through that exchange with Peggy and Don we've gotten back to one of the original MM themes about Don/Peggy/Betty. "I won't spend the rest of my life trying to hire you." If you apply that statement to Betty as well, it underscores his whole thing about leaving when he's had enough.
One of the best exchanges was between Don and Connie, Don saying, play around with me (Suzanne Farrell), kick me (Betty), knock me down to size (SC and the contract). Great summation of the whole season regarding Don. So what does Don do here in the last episode?
He leaves.
RE Peggy and Don: It is confusing because the audio is a little mumbly when you first hear it. I did think he said, "I will" but wasn't sure when I was typing that out and f-f to watch it again and changed my mind.
To me he's kind of shaking his head, and he also said the word no. And her reaction isn't a coy shy smile or anything so I opted for thinking he said "I won't". So given the fact that he has said more than once to Betty she's had a bad week or whatever and that's his (ill) way of giving her a chance, then he does end up agreeing to leave and to get an attorney, I guess I see it as he says he won't chase her; both Betty and Peggy. It is a kind of Don thing to say, so that's how I interpreted the bad audio.
To answer another poster on the same subject: Also I think it fits more with the dynamic. Her, although not showing it, actually being distraught at the idea of not hearing from Don again even as much as she's combated with him I think fits Peggy and the implied mentor role that was there in the first season. And you have Don rising back up to alpha-male status and taking control telling her goodbye. I just think it fits the MM dynamic that the Peggy character is more likely to respond this way, feeling validation for her efforts, yet challenged.
Burger boy was Mr. Nice Guy and she liked it, but left him just using him. It's not a cliche about nice guys always losing. Instead of kicking her out, he actually helps her to get out by telling her how the locks work and says he'll be around for her, at that same place if she wants. She never goes back to him. Don validates her, but also takes control and the power telling her he won't chase her. She responds to that. Notice when Duck called her last week, he doesn't act all the sweet guy, he tells her what to do. Here it's part Don-business, and part Don-honesty and part Don-working a woman and knowing how this one needs to be worked. That's how I saw it.
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