Dont even try to figure out America.

Breaking bad had the exact same issues with long gaps between seasons and shortened seasons and it only gained momentum.

4 main reasons for declining ratings IMO:

-the tv critics are increasingly mad at Weiner's tactics and it affects the media hype.

-it's not easy to binge watch. It's just not. Our culture in 2014 rewards binge watchable shows. It doesn't have an "elevator pitch" as some critic said this week

-going head to head vs game of thrones

-season 6 was the worst season of all. Even though season 6 was better than 99% of tv shows, it was definitely the worst season of this show. Started slowly, got too messy, then too repetitive.


[This message has been edited by Internetfan02 (edited 4/16/2014 4:00p).]

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-going head to head vs game of thrones

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That is it.

And ratings are an inexact science.

Spot on, InternetFan02.

If you were going to watch two shows, which one would you watch live, the one with commercials or the one without?

GoT live. No commercials.

I DVR both and watch them when I get around to it. Commercials are generally a non-issue, unless you want to count the effort of fast forwarding through them.

Round 2

So did he refuse to pay because he didn't have any money or because he wanted to bond with his daughter?

He paid. He was bonding with Sally.
Anybody notice Shirley and Dawn were calling each other their own names?

Great episode. What a great show.

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He paid. He was bonding with Sally.
Anybody notice Shirley and Dawn were calling each other their own names?

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Ya what was that?

Probably hitting on the idea that people in the office confuse them because they are black. I took it as them joking around about that.

Peggy was pretty insufferable with her behavior. I hope she gets it together. Also, Cutler is a shark circling the waters of that agency. I'm not sure what his plan is but he's definitely trying to squeeze out people from Don's side of the house.

Did Dawn end up taking Joan's job?

Swagger that was my impression - Joan had given dawn the supply keys in an earlier episode as more responsibility.

Lou is so awful. Peggy was a mess this week, but she was the only one who expressed (even privately) self awareness of how crappy she's behaved. Lou was oblivious to how poorly he'd treated dawn.

Loved Dawn standing up to Lou. She and Shirley were definitely joking about how others in the office likely mix them them up. It's interesting to see the wardrobe choices match their attitudes - dawn plays it safe and isn't going to rock the boat. Shirley had the mini dress, natural Afro and big earrings and she was more willing to stand up to status quo.

Harry Hamlin is definitely up to something, but loved his recognition that Joan was working 2 jobs and maybe she should be complaining.

Great episode... Mostly, I was glad too see some positive recognition of Joan (and Dawn). Joan has been, to me, the only character you can consistently root for.

That, and the interaction if Don and Sally at the dinner. That was good stuff.

I think Lou is quickly becoming my favorite character to hate.

Don looked pretty pathetic -sleeping til noon, eating ritz crackers out of the box watching tv (the little rascals, wasn't it?) in his PJs, only to get dressed up just in time to answer the door and get stuff from Dawn. awesome writing there.

the diner scene was good too, especially the joke about splitting on the bill. seemed to me Don was finding a clever way of letting Sally know he's not broke just because he isn't working. coming from a dirt poor background, he probably expected her to be thinking of that.

Pete mentioned starting a new agency. foreshadowing what some have discussed here? Don taking off for LA to start anew, perhaps with Peggy? Maybe. The business lunch at least let us know what the industry gossip is about Don.

personally, i'd like to see him quit everything for good and move to LA. maybe start another line of work. it's always seemed like the only time he's been happy was the time in LA with the original Mrs. Draper.

The dinner with Sally was interesting with more death overtones in the conversation - how many people were at the funeral? I love seeing Sally and Don bond but you can feel the inevitable crash coming in some form. The "I love you" from Sally made me cringe only because I worry that Weiner is going to make this ending as heartbreaking as possible. Just my gut. I'm wrong a lot on this show.

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personally, i'd like to see him quit everything for good and move to LA. maybe start another line of work.

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In just two episodes, they've been showing him watch A LOT of TV. Granted, he's obviously been unemployed and hasn't had much else to do, but they've really emphasized the TV-watching aspect. And he's always been a big movie-watcher throughout the series as well. Would love it if Don ultimately moved to LA to produce TV or movies. Maybe even create a show with Megan as the star?

I definitely got the sense from last night's episode that Lou might be on his way out of SCDP, that Roger needs someone he can banter with at the office again, that Peggy hates her current predicament, and that Pete is obviously unhappy as well. So it seems like they're setting up for either Don's return to SCDP (which would fix a lot of those issues), or that Don/Roger/Peggy/Pete (and whoever else) are going to start their own agency. But like I said last week, both of those options seem kind of been-there-done-that. And Don going to a new company just feels too random, if only because it would feel so disconnected from the SCDP cast.

Then again, Don doing TV wouldn't help fix the SCDP situation, so I really have no clue where they're going with this. As strange as this sounds, all I know is that, as of now, Don returning to SCDP seems like the most bland of all the options.

Peggy needs a mentor or someone in the office that's on the same level as her from a creativity/ drive perspective.

I LOLd at "Masturbate Gloomily"

Don's lunch was the most interesting scene to me. He's fishing for a new spot, but he's clearly not wanting to go to another place to climb up the ladder. After the other guy came by the table, I couldn't help but think they were talking about SC&P as well when they hinted at how miserable it would be to work at that office.

Two episodes of set up, and we have no idea what they're setting up for. Sally and Don's scenes were very solid. Great episode, as usual.

Multiple Godfather references in 2nd episode, all involving death.

1. Red Roses
Peggy: "It smells like an Italian funeral in here"

2. Pete talking about flying to Detroit: "I'll bring Oranges"

Hmmm. Bi-costal company. Phone systems not working. Arguments about who's traveling where to meet with Chevy. Maybe we're going to get a plane crash. Mohawk crashed in New York in 1972...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohawk_Airlines_Flight_405

[This message has been edited by MW03 (edited 4/22/2014 10:39a).]

Remember his mother was lost at sea as well. I always wondered if that was meant as a symbol of her dementia.

[This message has been edited by waltonloads08 (edited 4/22/2014 12:38p).]

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Would they give us 2 plane crashes (Pete's father in S2)? Like father/like son?

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I had completely forgotten that plot point.

I'm really interested to see what they are setting up for. I honestly have no clue where they are going with this, as there are so many different ways they could take this. Already only five episodes left this year...

I don't think it's SCDP anymore, I think the sign only reads SCP. It looks like the 70's Price is Right decor

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I don't think it's SCDP anymore, I think the sign only reads SCP. It looks like the 70's Price is Right decor

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Noticed this too.

loved the scenes with sally and don. At first I thought it was interesting to see Don finally be honest with someone. But after watching it again I noticed he wasnt completely honest with sally, he still held back. It is interesting that of all the people in his life, he now seems to be the most honest with Sally. And he saw that little bit of honesty pay off with Sally telling him she loved him

They changed the name to Sterling Cooper and Partners in what was pitched as a peace offering by Harry Hamlin/Ted Chaugh but was clearly a long term move by Hamlin to get Draper's name off the door.

I would kill for one of those SCP coffee cops

you mean like this?

That's right, I forgot about the "peace" offering. Damn these long stretches between seasons