Mad Men 5x03 Reaction

I understand Roger has been handed his position and doesn’t contribute like the others but there’s a lot of nuance missed sometimes by LM when they continue to characterize him as useless. Roger makes the clients feel comfortable and at home. He makes them feel special and is always a good hang for them. That matters in a business that is built by interpersonal relationships. Its why he kept Lucky Strikes for as long as he did despite Lee Garner Jr being an asshole. I think its shown subtly I think in the last episode when clients were asking to see him.

There were several comments talking about how The Suitcase was the episode that would be memorable, before they saw it. Im not going to say anything in expectation going forward.

Just said they were great. I would never reveal a spoiler.

Neither do I. Its true what I wrote, however unpleasant.

The next 4 episodes are as good a 4 episode run in Mad Men, and in TV history. Four episodes that will all be rated 15 out of 10.

Mad Men is a super feminist show. Everyone has their point of view, and all points should be welcome. My contention is that the men are written as such horrible people, that its justifiable that Milena and Lola speak poorly of Don about 98% of the time. But, yet they say they love the character. HOW? WHY? And, it doesn't change. Harry (100% a sleaze) Roger (100% thoughtless) Pete (100% whining weeny) Don (100% TOXIC man). The guys are all cartoonishly insufferable, ( thank God for Henry Francis) and the women characters are absolute saints in comparison to them. I half expected Mad Men to do a cartoon episode and have Homer Simpson, and Peter Griffin from Family Guy stand in and represent a couple guys. By Season 6, I gave up. I stopped watching, but then came back because MM is the best written show Ive ever seen. The dialogue is TO DIE FOR. The acting of Hamm, Moss, Flattery is expert. And the attention to detail in the sets, and costumes is absolutely incredible. It is lazy to write characters (the men) that never change. That are always bad people. It's kind of soul-crushing to watch a relentless, non-stop attack on one gender. I think this show despises men altogether. MM is my favorite show. But, I do not love it. I admire its quality.

you already know im gonna feminist killjoy (by Sara Ahmed) but how can i ignore the stark contrast btwn how Ginsberg gets introduced vs. how Dawn is introduced? We skip her interview process, we get no hints of her personality, her longest scene is her enduring Harry while he talks at her :C In contrast, Ginsberg, in the same episode, was given such rich characterization. Multiple scenes where he was the center of the story. I can tell you, he's a bit odd, but in a fun, interesting way. He lacks a social life, he lives with his dad (who we can assume he takes care of), he's highly adept at masking, extremely talented, determined, and honest to a fault

This wasn't really a spoiler, but i still waited til the correct episodes. Don's silver and red 1965 Cadillac just sold for about $15,000 a few weeks ago. It's in pretty good shape and the person who bought it is apparently bringing it back to America from the personhe bought it from in England to have it properly restored. I wish i would have known about it before it was sold. I would have paid $20k for that car lol https://youtu.be/ySHShJb3OEY?si=M2keWFiSXPdeX6cu

I also saw Ben Feldman first on "Superstore", so it is WILD to see him here on this show now. There's actually some fascinating parallels between Michael Ginsberg and his role on "Superstore", but they're very different characters. Remember in the first episode when Roger asked if they ever hired any Jews, and Don said "not on my watch"? And now we're here. With Dawn as well! I don't want to give Henry's mother any praise -- because she was truly awful to Betty here -- but it does seem like she has at least realized that Henry does honestly care for Betty. The last time we saw her, she said that Henry was only interested in Betty for sex, and he didn't need to marry her to get it. Now she's accepting that Betty is really a part of Henry's life, and it's not just a fling or something shallow. When it comes to Roger's depression and feeling of powerlessness, I have some minor sympathy, but not much since he has the power to change it. If he wanted to, he could DO HIS JOB. Go out and make connections with prospective new clients, or do research on market trends, or converse with the copywriters to understand their current campaigns, etc. Nobody is blocking him. Not even Pete. But instead of doing that, he's just playing power games in office politics and trying to piggyback on Pete's work. So he's not somebody who has tragically been sidelined by the world moving beyond him, he's somebody who is CHOOSING to stand still while everybody else keeps walking forward. If he tried and failed I would have more understanding, but he has never tried at all. As a bit of locale reminder, Asbury Park (Where Harry says the Rolling Stones are going next) was featured frequently in "The Sopranos". Several sequences were shot there, and it was referenced several times in stories about Tony's childhood.

I've never seen Lola crack up as hard over anything than "Darkest before the Dawn", I'm gonna get you canceled!

Henry needs Betty at a political fundraiser: "Aww, you're sweet." Don needs Betty at dinner with Jimmy & Bobbie Barrett: "Hello, Human Resources?!" (OK, so Henry isn't secretly cheating on Betty with the Junior League of New York, but the contrast is still funny.) In other news, I'm fascinated by the cut from Don worrying to Roger about his kids growing up without a mother... to that really arresting tableau at the Ginsberg apartment. The contrast between Michael's father suggesting they find some prostitutes and solemnly blessing his son is really something. And after that conversation about Harry not being likeable or relatable... Excuse me, he got too high at the concert, accidentally signed the Tradewinds to do a beans commercial, and then ate twenty cheeseburgers on the ride home. What more can he do to win our hearts? Oh, and Jon Hamm directed this episode! Cool!

Henry stays winning!!! Love him so much. I would marry him in a heartbeat too. Harry & Don's interaction at the office after the concert is so funny but it looks like you guys missed it. "I had a great time this weekend!" "Ok." *walks away* You guys are gonna love Ginsberg. One of my favorite side characters for sure. Whfg fvggvat urer areibhfyl gjvqqyvat zl guhzof yvfgravat gb gung ragver cbfg-rc qvfphffvba... ubb obl, gurl ner ABG tbaan or unccl.

I really like the needle drop for this one: “You wait, little girl, on an empty stage For fate to turn the light on. Your life, little girl, is an empty page That men will want to write on” Doubt I’ll hear that song again and not think of Mad Men now, and specifically Betty.

I can’t believe “Darkest before the Dawn” broke Lola the hardest I’ve seen since Pine Barrens

And I love this ep introduces both Dawn and Ginsberg, some of my faves :)

January Jones who plays Betty was pregnant at the time so explains her change :)