Mad Men 6x08 Reaction
Comments (26)
There was a pretty important revelation in this episode that really changes how you think about the series as a whole - Henry's running for office.
It's a dead heat between this and the S5 finale reveal that Pete is president of the howdy doody circus army
THE TIMBRE OF MY VOICE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE CONTENT
Random thought, this episode recontextualizes what we saw in the last one. Since Sylvia reminds Don of Aimee, perhaps the whole domination thing was a subconscious attempt to take power and control back after being violated and taken advantage of as a child... it also makes me think of the Bobbie Barrett scene in s2 where she ignores his no and keeps going. Then later we see him acting in a similarly dominant fashion with her
Don's flashback here reframes so much of what we've seen in previous episodes. His relationship with Bobbie, asking the prostitute to hit him, and (obviously) his broader attitudes toward sex. I'm not sure how long Weiner had this revelation in his back pocket, but it really fits.
I just have to say that the cinematography, editing and sound editing in this episode are OUTSTANDING. Best of the series imo. The scene where Don rests his head on Sylvia's door and the song gets louder and the singer's voice just washes over everything... perfect. With the lyrics "I must think of a way into your heart" right on point. You can FEEL his desperation and longing so viscerally. Also, when Don stops in the hallway and has a flashback, it's night time... when he comes to, it's day time. Only seconds/minutes after he talks to the group in the lounge, Wendy has teleported to his couch and now the sun's setting. It's so disorienting, they did such a good job making the audience feel like we're on drugs too
Ahhh the Speed episode
Don's flashbacks really do recontextualize his initial sexual interaction with Bobby in the car in S2. ALSO, Sally reading 'Rosemary's Baby' and the parallels of it throughout the episode 🤌🏼 Damn... 1960s Mitt Romney does it again 😭
This episode is just so, so great. On top of all of the drug-filled absurdity and the revelations about Don's past there are so many great conversation scenes. The phone call between Don and Sylvia. Peggy-Stan convo. The call with Sally and Don. It's perfect.
The doctor who showed up is fictional, but is based on a very commmon practice of "doctors" in the '60s and '70s prescribing drugs-on-request to celebrities and businessmen. The most famous is probably Robert Freymann, a New York doctor known for dispensing vitamin B-12 shots laced with amphetamines. That concoction would give us the exact result we saw here. I love how everybodys' personality while on this shot is so close to Ginsberg's default personality. He is High Strung even when completely sober. I think Peggy storming out of the office and loudly announcing that she's leaving was her slamming the door on any romantic thoughts she might have let herself have about Stan. They had their real emotional moment together, Peggy was definitely thinking about it...and then Peggy saw him having sex with the grieving, teenage daughter of a co-worker who just passed away. So even if Peggy had been willing to pursue it, Stan ended it himself with his actions. Yes, Don was hiring a prostitute in the beginning of season four, and it was a very ugly, painful encounter where he asked her to degrade and punish him. I think we only saw it once, but their dialogue said it was an ongoing practice between them as Don spiralled out of control after he and Betty split up. We did see Stan's cousin before, I believe in season five. He was Stan's guest at that surprise party at Don's apartment. So we do have a face to go with the story that he died in Vietnam.
There are conflicting reports on whether Robert Freymann was the subject the Beatles song, but the idea is obviously the same: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb9L3iAUhc0
Ken mixing up his mother and his first girlfriend feels so personal to Don that I honestly wonder if that line existed only in his head.
It's 🕺 my 🕺 JOB! 🕺
Yo I got butterflies when Stan kissed Peggy damn
So did Peggy! I don't like beards either but... I think I'd make an exception for Stan
I first read "the child is the father of the man" in a Cormac McCarthy book (The Road I think). But it's originally from a Wordsworth poem. It means that an adult is fundamentally shaped by what they experienced in their childhood. Which is a very apt line in an episode such as this!
the book you're thinking of is blood meridian
Sometimes the show must earn his name
I remember watching this episode when it aired and being convinced for a moment that that lady was Don's actual mom lmao. Perfect way to show Sally doesn't know anything about her own Dad.
I had the same thought. When she said his name I was like "oh--wait. Maybe this IS a nanny from his past that we just haven't learned about yet!" It doesn't make sense under scrutiny but hey... it sounds believable enough. She's a great con woman.
I’ve seen a lot of discussion about mad men online the last few weeks, it seems like coincidentally lots of people are rewatching it. I’ve seen the whole thing front to back at least 4 times over the last decade and it’s always just as good every time.
Vg'f boivbhf gb zr gung Fgna unf unq n guvat sbe Crttl sebz gur irel ortvaavat. Fbzrbar rira wbxrq nobhg vg bapr fnlvat "lbh ybir ure!" Ohg vg zvtug or rnfl gb zvff ba n svefg jngpu orpnhfr Fgna'f nyjnlf tbbsvat nebhaq, ur znfxf uvf erny srryvatf oruvaq uhzbe naq seng obl nagvpf.
Don sprinting round the office chasing Ken and then sauntering into the lounge all casual is so funny
i only noticed it was don while editing, i thought the new guys were chasing each other outside
This is such a wacky episode I love it. Also it really hammers in home how Sylvia represents Don’s mommy issues the most
MY FAVORITE EPISODE!! Masterpiece.