MAD MEN Season Premiere

[wonkit]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 7:19am

I have missed most of last season but I might as well try to get back on the train for the final season. I still feel betrayed that a series with so much early potential faded (for me) into who will Don sleep with next for so many episodes. Last season, last chance but I will never feel the enthusiasm that I felt during the first two years.

[east side story]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 9:40am

Each season, this show is pretty slow out the gate. It takes a good four or five episodes until Weiner gets his season up and running. He did tell Variety that each of the seven episodes of this first half of the last season are "dense," but I am not expecting a break neck pace. Regardless, I am still a fan and will be watching this evening.
Updated On: 4/13/14 at 09:40 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 11:58am

I am so excited. I have zero complaints about this show's prior seasons. Zero.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 12:07pm

**shrugs** Re-watches actually has the latter seasons feel more rewarding to me. Whatever patina of 'subtext' people insisted the early seasons had, it is the early episodes to me that laid it on real thick, to me at least. I liked last season as well as Seasons 4 and 5. Cannot wait.

I will say, Season 6 had much more movement in terms of plot as far as the agency went. The merger, the finale fallout, the affairs, and the expansion. That is seasons worth of material.

I also read a spoiler on this episode- by I presume some anonymous critic who got hold of a screener- that is holding up in the reviews I have read. It sounds potentially fun and pretty weird.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 10:48pm

NEVE EFFING CAMPBELL!!!!!!!

[east side story]

Posted: 4/13/14 at 10:57pm

Neve looks outstanding. Such a tragically underused talent.

No January Jones. (Insert sad face.)
Updated On: 4/13/14 at 10:57 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 7:58am

I thought the show did an excellent job making it an ensemble episode and it is just 2 months off the Hershey incident. The damages, be it Don at his job, have such a physical distance in his marriage, and even Peggy and Ted's relationship imploding, still feel fresh and both characters are contrasted by how they are both handling it. Peggy feels in a much worse position at work in terms of influence that she had with Don and Ted. Don actually does want to make things right but the agency looks like they have him in their rearview mirror and so does Megan in a way.

Joan ruled the episode, make no mistake. And Poor Ken.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 11:19am

I'm fascinated by what they did with Joan. She's a partner...but she's really off balance when working in accounts. Ken treats her like a pair of tits, which was tough to watch. But seeing her hustle instead of ruling is so very exciting.

The coyotes terrified me.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 11:51am

I got a bit of a shiver when Megan talked about the coyotes -- I know there've been some theories that Megan might come to an unpleasant Manson Family type end, but this episode was the first time that I thought they might actually be setting something like that up. Kind of a leap to go from coyotes howling to Megan being brutally slain, I guess, but, well...

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 12:54pm

My favorite exasperating bloggers TomandLorenzo pointed out that Matthew Weiner isn't the type to telegraph that clearly. But then they pointed out the opening lines of Helter Skelter:

“It was so quiet, one of the killers would later say, you could almost hear the sound of ice rattling in cocktail shakers in the homes way down the canyon.

The canyons above Hollywood and Beverly hills play tricks with sounds. A noise clearly audible a mile away may be indistinguishable at a few hundred feet.”

Jesus H. If I were to hazard a guess, I think the murders will happen and it will take some sort of profound emotional toll on Megan. I feel like we've seen seasons of Mad Men that play out a month an episode, which means we'd be up to the Tate murder by the last episode of the first half of this season.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 1:53pm

"If I were to hazard a guess, I think the murders will happen and it will take some sort of profound emotional toll on Megan."

Agreed. They don't usually place characters in the center of big events like that. Although it might be interesting if Megan or Don met up with one of the Family members doing one of their famed "creepy crawlies."

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 1:59pm

It'll be interesting to see if it plays itself out at all. The signifiers haven't been subtle. It may be one big Weiner fake-out. They handled the Kennedy assassination so brilliantly, one has to wonder if it would be worth it to make a deal out of the Manson killings. But it seems like it's sort of hurtling towards that for some reason.



Updated On: 4/14/14 at 01:59 PM

[east side story]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 2:03pm

That would make my YEAR.

[romantico]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 2:31pm

I think I missed it last night. Are we now into January 1968 or 69? Not sure how long this final season will stretch into. At one point I thought I had heard we would go into the 1970's but I am beginning to think that's unlikely now.

FYI, The entire series is currently on Netflix for those like me who wish to catch up.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 2:46pm

Nixon's inauguration was shown, so it's January 1969. I believe Weiner said the show started in 1960 and will end in 1970.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 5:23pm

romantico- All of last season was 1968. MLK and RFK slayings both included in episodes as well as the notorious DNC.

As far as the Helter Skelter/Manson/Canyons connections. I do think there is some trolling by Weiner. He was well aware of the Internet conspiracy theories. That's not to say that there could not be an episode where the fact the murders happened and the uneasiness and tensions of that time eat on a lot of characters. Pete, for example, has this high of being in California bound to run out and I can see that event and the details of it all, effecting him.

Also, Margaret Sterling either became a born-again, a Scientologist, or is also doing LSD in therapy.

I think showing the characters just 2 months after the finale was a good move. Some of those things left off we need to see the transition from point a to point b. Now I wonder how Sally responded to that trip and how much she was told about Don's past. Megan was still bring told by Don that he is a working man when he is just being paid as a partner and having Freddie sell his pitches to agencies.

It is needs to be said, Lou Avery is a creative director from hell and how weird they all tie to men from Peggy's past: Replaces Don, brought in by Duck Phillips, and approved by Ted.

[romantico]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 6:03pm

Thanks. I re-watched some of the last episodes from season 6 on Netflix yesterday but could not remember what year we were in. I watch too many shows & have trouble keeping up where exactly we are. I hate how they are splitting this season up over the next year but understand why they are doing it. So I am assuming next spring when season 7 part 2 airs we might start off in late 1969 and then have the show end sometime in 1970.Just a guess.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 6:22pm

I just want the '69 Mets properly featured and I'll be good. They can skip Woodstock and moon-landing for all I care.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 6:24pm

As soon as Megan took off for Los Angeles I knew they were setting it up to place characters in the vicinity of the Tate/La Bianca murders.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 6:43pm

I admit, I barely remembered Lou from last year--but yeah it wasn't exactly subtle how regressive a boss he will be for the company (the comments flippantly directed at Dawn from the start.)

I thought it was a terrific opening. Most of my issues have been mentioned here, though I was disappointed that there was no Bob Benson visiting from Detroit, just a mention of him being on the phone after his Thanksgiving with Joan at the end of last season.

I don't see them addressing the Tate murders in a big way, but I do agree Weiner is obviously tapping into that and is aware that the Tate connection has been speculated about since Megan came to the show, more or less (similarly he seemed to purposefully be pulling with the long standing thoughts that the opening titles with a man falling off a building would become literal for Don what with all the balcony references.) I admit the only plot "catch up" moment that threw me was Peggy being a landlord or manager or whatever--why would she take that on?

I get how Megan and Don's relationship has deteriorated, although I admit I find it a little surprising she didn't simply ask to remain on her soap opera in NYC. It did seem slightly disingenuous that she was worried what her less well off friends would think if she had a big tv--I mean surely her car (which I think she said she just was borrowing or the agent lent her? Can't remember) is pretty show-offy and I can't imagine her place would be cheap...

I thought that was Anna Camp as Pete's new squeeze--but she had a recurring role a few years back, so... And Ken sure becomes an asshole just from losing an eye and a little added work stress--suck it up buddy. He used to be one of my favorite characters.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 7:34pm

"I admit the only plot "catch up" moment that threw me was Peggy being a landlord or manager or whatever--why would she take that on?"

During the MLK assassination episode, Peggy considered buying an apartment on the UES/2nd Avenue but she noticed the lady offering judged her and Abe and also appeared to be using the event of the assassination to stir up competition. Anyway, Abe insisted they move to the West 80s stating to her that he wants to raise a family with her in a diverse neighborhood and Peggy bought a building. Of course, Abe tried to fulfill the landlord duties and sucked because he also acted like the ACLU, to Peggy, on matters of building maintenance and tenants. Then she accidentally stabbed him after mistaking him for an intruder after they already fought about the neighborhood Peggy was now stuck in, that she mostly flipped the bill on, and they broke up.

Fin.

"I get how Megan and Don's relationship has deteriorated, although I admit I find it a little surprising she didn't simply ask to remain on her soap opera in NYC. It did seem slightly disingenuous that she was worried what her less well off friends would think if she had a big tv--I mean surely her car (which I think she said she just was borrowing or the agent lent her? Can't remember) is pretty show-offy and I can't imagine her place would be cheap... "

I think she was just struck by another impulsive decision made by Don in buying a gargantuan TV set, that he insisted was a sign of support for her career that he has never supported, especially when the reason they are living separately is because of his impulsive decision-making.

I am not sure how soaps were made back then but I think she may have not had any reasonable time-frame to ask for her character(s) (an evil twin!!!) got written off and likely died and she made commitments also to LA that also are probably more glamorous to her than soaps. But even if she doesn't know about his unfaithfulness and his actual job status, she probably does think there is something off. That whole reaction he had to her miscarriage last season is still one of the strangest things ever.

I think Don flipped the bill on the expenses like the house. He's let her do that stuff on Park Avenue, doing it in LA doesn't seem too far off, especially if it was in a, 'Please, forgive me...' gesture.

EDIT: I think the show acquitted itself in the Benson stuff by noting he was in Detroit and they needed no reporting from him. Ted came back but not really for business. I think there are certain costs in not having every member of the ensemble all jam packed in there. Namely, no Harry Crane (who seems so California bound that I am shocked it hasn't happened yet) or even Bert Cooper this episode. I was actually impressed by how well the ensemble were used this episode that is still heavily on the main characters. Updated On: 4/14/14 at 07:34 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 9:50pm

Thanks Strummer. I actually remembered, clearly, all of the Peggy/Abe stuff EXCEPT that he was working as apartment maintenance (I also thought the apartment looked different, but clearly it was the same place...)

Your point about the TV makes sense--certainly I got why she found it so obnoxious and such an intrusion. As for soaps--I mentioned this last year, but there were no evil twins/dual roles on soaps until the mid 70s, although there were a couple of cases of a character being killed off only to have the actor return in a new, usually related role. But obviously once she found an agent and got into the idea of tiring to work in LA, I can see why she wouldn't wanna move back. Her relationship with Don really felt like a college student having their father come visit them in their new life for the first time--really awkward. But yes, I have no doubt Don is paying for the expenses.

I was wondering if Benson was at all an issue of CBS not letting James Wolk do both shows--but it's true I'm not really sure how much more story there is there (though, like I said I did like his and Joanne's growing relationship, whatever it was.) I absolutely agree about the use of the ensemble in the episode--certainly something increasingly hard to do with the show (I did miss Sally actually most of all.)

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/14/14 at 10:30pm

Well, 'maintenance of private property' is especially relative in terms of Abe, who worked at an alt weekly to write about politics but appeared to be a freelancer, IIRC, than actually have a full-time job. I also think Peggy had no idea what she was in for and could only trust him to do those things at the time.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/15/14 at 5:08pm

Here's the trailer for Bracken's World, the show Megan apparently may have gotten the pilot for. It replaced Star Trek, ran a year and a half (which back then meant 40+ episodes...) and I had never heard of it, BUT after watching the trailer, I was not surprised to see it was created by the woman who wrote the screenplay for Valley of the Dolls--it looks like a (watered down for network tv) version was the pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fXb4fmIfW4

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/15/14 at 6:10pm

The listings that I have come across don't even have titles for the next six episodes don't even have released titles let alone those useless synopses.

EDIT: The AMC site (Jesus H. Christ other TV listing websites) hast this for Episode 2 and only Episode 2 after the premiere:

"A Day's Work"
Peggy receives a bouquet of flowers at the office. Pete navigates the politics of new business. Joan is put in an impossibly awkward situation.

Just assuming a Valentine's Day episode. Updated On: 4/15/14 at 06:10 PM