Mad Men 6x10 Reaction

Oh! I can't believe I forgot to mention this in a previous post, since I was actually waiting to get here to bring up this trivia: Daniel Siegel, Jane's cousin, is played by Danny Strong. Here we see him apparently being very successful and having "made it" in Hollywood. In real life, Danny Strong actually HAS made it in Hollywood. Despite his mid-level acting career (Appearing mainly in small recurring roles like here) he's found very large success as a screenwriter, director, and producer. He's won a whole passel of awards, and been the behind-the-scenes drive for several very successful TV shows and hit movies. This arc for his character parallels his real life success.

My favorite scene in this episode is Joan's original dinner with the Avon executive, where she goes in thinking that it's a date only to realize it's a business meeting. She never even CONSIDERED that it was business. As soon as her friend said that she was arranging a dinner for Joan, Joan just took it for granted that it was a romantic (or sexual) setup. She didn't even think to ask deeper questions that might have clarified the situation, since it was just a given. But then when she realizes the situation she pivots, and immediately decides that she is going to ride this as far as she possibly can. Peggy is right that Joan was harsh and critical at the beginning. But their relationship has changed a lot since then, and I like how here Peggy said that she never expected to be the one to have to point out to Joan that she'd made a mistake. Pete is correct that The Rules do matter in and of themselves (I'm a big fan of Rules), but as he always does he goes over the lines and takes things too personally and too extremely. The obvious thing Pete should have suggested was to have it be a meeting with Pete & Joan representing The Business, and with Peggy there as well to represent Creative. With Pete & Joan working together they would have definitely won the account (For all his faults, Pete is a good Accounts man) and Joan would have been able to participate all the way. But since Pete couldn't bend at all to let Joan even sit in at the meeting, Joan cut him out entirely. I do like that we saw Ted Chaough compliment Ginsberg's work, even calling him "lightning". it's one of those things where we usually only see him being 'weird', but now we see confirmation that he's actually very talented and good at his job. Bob Benson continues to suck up and manipulate everybody around him, but like I've said before, it's "good" manipulation. He compliments them, he tries to assuage anger, he provides support and sympathy to everybody around him. It's still all self-serving, but he could do a lot more damage if he didn't choose this way of advancing his own career.

You can hate Pete all you want, no one really likes him, but he's 99% right in this situation. Also, cop-hate is so blasé, move on with your life and focus on actually important issues. Cop violence is not one of them.

the security vulnerability of that boardroom tf huh

Harry Crane is not “a wizard” but yes, he is excellent at his job. No, Joan is not “the brain of the operation.”

Ladies, loved your reaction. I look forward to your Mad men reaction each week more than anything else I watch. When I see you guys appear with the newest episode…I get so excited! And Lola….ive got the biggest crush on you.

the only show I know that compares to Mad Men is Peaky Blinders - and there is so much in it even if you've seen parts of it before... always feels like a first watch to me :)

I don't know if the music choice in that final scene with Pete *really* holds together thematically, but it's too cool to care.

Harry is in the files

Joan showing she's a natural at wooing a client while breaching the protocol of the account management structure. Bob Benson stepping up to rally creative before a presentation. Roger skillfully placating a potential client in the middle of a pitch. If you wanted to give someone an idea of the role/importance of the account man, this is the episode.

Seems to me, back in s2 & s4, water represented purification and renewal, cleansing etc while now in s6 it represents death. Don narrates The Inferno while he's at a beach by the water. He asks the doorman if his near death experience felt like "hot, tropical sunshine". Then there's the jumping off point ad, and now drowning in the pool. While I don't think Don is consciously suicidal, a part of him is drawn to the water, not as a way to wash away his sins like before, but as a way of releasing himself from his misery. I think when we saw him standing in the office and hearing the waves crashing, he wasn't just reminiscing about his peaceful vacation, he was (subconsciously) wishing he could go back, dive in and not come back up. But like the soldier said... death doesn't make you whole.

you NEED to watch six feet under its not as popular but trust me its on the same level as mad men, the wire, sopranos etc

Oh yeah, I never spent more money on a trip anywhere than going to Switzerland. Like a piece of cheese cost a firstborn son. Even just gazing at the fountain in Zurich felt like it cost me somehow.

I really can't even blame Pete here. Between Don fumbling Hilton and Lane fumbling Jaguar (the first time around) it always goes badly when someone tries to personally handle an account without an "account man"

The episodes where they head west are always among the best, most fun. I have to say this season feels a bit all over the place, less coherent than others, a bit muddled - let's call it a transitional season. Still, it's Mad Men so better than 95% of other shows. Lola - love the colour. Milena - get well soon. Sunny Spain will help.

The soldier (PFC Dinkins) was the man he met in the hotel in Hawaii in the first episode of the season who was ostensibly KIA. Him saying "dying doesn't make you whole" was in reference to the suicidal feeling Don has at the beginning of the season i.e., dying won't fix Don's internal damage or make him complete.

Don looking into the pool and seeing himself drowning is a clear reference to David Hockney's 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' painting. This same shot will later be referenced in Bojack Horseman