They were the Amazin Mets.

On the Roger storyline, I think his daughters words about him not being around to raise her will push him towards Joan - to raise their secret child together.

Ginzberg's clothes get worse each episode. It's like he finds the poorest-fitting shirts from the Goodwill store every week.
Burt looks out for the best interests of the company. As Burt mentioned, the company is doing fine without Don and yet Don's a partner and continues to be paid well. Burt might welcome Don's departure to help the company's bottom line.
I thought Roger would've had a better response to his daughter after she justified her absence from her son.
The scene in the car between Roger & Mona was weak. It looked clearly like it was filmed on stage and below normal Mad Men quality. Plus Mona's acting wasn't up to the others in the cast.

A lot of MM's car scenes are weak.

One of the worst most boring episodes I have seen in a while.

It did redeem itself at the end with the talk from Freddy. Thus setting up maybe Don and Peggy making a power play in the office or even leaving.

Whats with Roger keeping tabs on Don? Doing it because he is the only one that cares about him or just trying to find another way to get rid of him like the rest of the partners? Also, Pete clearly likes Don.

I don't think the way the partners are brushing off Don is reality or they are just dumb. The way they have built Don's character is such that he could leave and take a good part of the clients (the offer proves that he is still valued in the market). That and they can't just take his partnership.

I get the opinion that Roger is just making sure Don isn't screwing up because he doesn't want him gone. Checking in on him like an AA sponsor of sorts.

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That and they can't just take his partnership.

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I thought one of the stipulations of him coming back was that if he violated the new rules, they would be able to absorb his partnership without having to buy him out. Did I misunderstand that one?

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Whats with Roger keeping tabs on Don? Doing it because he is the only one that cares about him or just trying to find another way to get rid of him like the rest of the partners? Also, Pete clearly likes Don.

I don't think the way the partners are brushing off Don is reality or they are just dumb. The way they have built Don's character is such that he could leave and take a good part of the clients (the offer proves that he is still valued in the market). That and they can't just take his partnership.

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Quick rundown of the partners and their thoughts towards Don.

Partners:

Bert Cooper: He is a figurehead who just wants peace and prosperity. If it includes Don, great. If not, great.

Roger Sterling: Don had everything he didn't. They were great friends and made a great team. Both have had similar struggles at times, but Roger knows Don comes from more humble beginnings. Roger will always feel a little sympathy for Don.

Pete Campbell: Knows Don is a creative genius. Has gotten over the petty "battles" he had with him when he was just another account guy. When Don is working he is helping business, so is Pete.

Ted Chaough: The other Don. But he's in California and they aren't even on a radar so they don't care about what each other is doing. Don worked him over the coals last year.

Jim Cutler: Ted is his boy, so he naturally hates Don for how that all went down after the merger. He expects Don to hang himself in his "agreed upon" restrictions or neuter his work to the point that he wants to leave

Joan Harris: Joan also has Don to thank for a lot of her career and personal life that is affected by the office. However, the way Don treated her last year has left her incredibly bitter, and she also now views Don as competition in driving the future of the office. At this exact moment in time, I think she'd rather be done with the problems he potentially brings.


They all have different views towards Don and view his current status and future differently. More than anything, the company was moving along comfortably, so he just presents an unknown. No one is going to be nice to the guy who did a lot of wrong things the past year or 2, but they also know that he's a partner who is currently costing them a lot of money, so you might as well get your money's worth as long as he is on the straight and narrow.

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I thought one of the stipulations of him coming back was that if he violated the new rules, they would be able to absorb his partnership without having to buy him out. Did I misunderstand that one?

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this is correct. The Cutler theory, as he basically admitted to telling Lou, was let Don screw himself. In the meantime, he makes a great copywriter.

In regards to his partnership, is it implied that he signed something agreeing to that legally?

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In regards to his partnership, is it implied that he signed something agreeing to that legally?

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Was he not presented with a paper copy of the stipulations of his continued employment in the meeting with the partners?

Yea I think they handed him an agreement at the meeting. I assumed he signed it.

Yea I think they handed him an agreement at the meeting. I assumed he signed it.

Yes, it was a contract of stipulations. It was on the table. He stared for a second and then said "Ok." So we know he signed it right after.

He also stole a bottle of vodka from Roger's office last night, concealed it by pouring it into his coke can, and then proceeded to get black out drunk in his office and pass out.

Are we all watching the same show?

[This message has been edited by Bunk Moreland (edited 5/5/2014 12:58p).]

One of my least favorite episodes in a very long time.

I think the only saving grace is that they are bottoming out Don and humiliating him so much that when he rises again, which I suspect he obviously will, the juxtaposition of the current humiliation vs the rise will be awesome.

And good Lord was I wrong about a Cooper versus Draper feud in the works. At least for now.

It is clear that Cooper could care less about Don, and unless they are setting up a slow burn into an explosion, that appears to be a dead end plot line.

More Freddy Rumson is a very good thing.

And, I used to love the smug new "Hollywood" Harry Crane. Now I want to see him get punched in the face- repeatedly.

[This message has been edited by parkway94 (edited 5/5/2014 2:00p).]

Any time Weiner is too heavy-handed and obvious with the THIS IS THE THEME OF THE SHOW GET IT? writing and visual cues, the episodes are never as good.

Harry Crane is the guy who when no one is paying attention to him, everything he says you agree with and say "Harry gets it."

Then as soon as he leaves that role and starts talking outside of being that guy, you want to say "STFU Harry"

They do a perfect job with that character and the various opinions of him by others in the office.

Bunk - that's a perfect description of Harry. I can never decide if I think he's a visionary of just a giant ass.

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I must have really not been paying attention. I kept wondering how he was drunk, because all I saw him drinking was Coke.

He poured the liquor into the can.

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yeah, he hid the whole vodka bottle under his coat and took to his office from the other one.

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hey were the Amazin Mets.

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someone clearly hasn't seen Frequency...

overall boring show, not one of my favorites.
Lou is a scum, don't like him
Peggy is quickly becoming my least favorite character after years of liking her
I think Margaret may still be hiding an illness, thus the need for freedom, but we'll see.
Don's comments to the computer guy were very weird, almost as if he was calling him the devil.

[This message has been edited by annie88 (edited 5/5/2014 4:43p).]

Margaret looked really hot.

Why is Don putting up with this bull****? It's his firm.

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Don's comments to the computer guy were very weird, almost as if he was calling him the devil.

[This message has been edited by annie88 (edited 5/5/2014 4:43p).]

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Not almost, he was directly addressing him as if he were the devil.

Anyone else notice all the 2001 a space oddysey references?

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Anyone else notice all the 2001 a space oddysey references?

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I made the same comment on the previous page. Lots of parallels.

There are allusions to The Shining, too. Part of me expects that when Don hands Peggy his 25 tags, he will just have typed a page full of "All work and no play makes Don a dull boy."

Predictions for this week?

I see Don doing his tags, which will be good, and Peggy liking them. From there she will pitch the hell out of the burger chain (first time as lead?), and Lou will **** all over it... Don will observe/hear this and give Peggy what will be known as "The Look" - Why are we working for this buffoon, when we could be out there together with limitless creative potential?

This will start a run, of some kind, to pick off Stan, Pete, and maybe Ginsburg? to start a new Ad. firm - which will begin in the 2nd half of the season.

[This message has been edited by SLF11 (edited 5/8/2014 1:01p).]

Too predictable, in my opinion.

Don will drop out of the rat race.

Not to highjack the thread, but wanted to clear up a couple facts about the 1969 Mets. 1969 was Nolan Ryan's second full season in the big leagues at the age of 22. Also, the furthest out of 1st that the Mets were was 10 games on August 13. They proceeded to finish the season 38-11, were in 1st by September 10, and won their division by 8 games. I have a feeling there may be some more Mets storylines in the 1969 Mad Men season.

It might also serve as a correlation for Don's rise if they do have him rise throughout the year.

Anyone else get a sense of foreshadowing when Don heaved the typewriter at the window in Lane Price's old suicide office?

Maybe that thrown typewriter weakens the window pane. At some point later this year there's some kind of altercation in the office, someone (Don) get shoved against the window, it gives out, and we see the plunge to the street below foreshadowed in the credits. Don ends not by suicide, but by accident.

I always took the opening sequence to be an interpretation of Don's downfall being the very things he built-up himself; not a literal OMG, Don's going fall out of a building.

Don't know how or why- but I am now sensing Don, Peggy, Pete and Ted end up together.

Yeah, it would maybe make for an easy feel good wrap up- but I prefer the happy, successful, conquering MM crew over the depressing storylines. "For Immediate Release" vs "The Monolith"? No comparison.

It just seems like everything in NY is dead, old boring and gray, and everything in LA is young and alive. Maybe Ted and Peggy make peace. Cutler has no respect for creative, and he is the antithesis of Don, Ted, Peggy and Stan. Crane should be in LA yesterday. Cooper is sleepwalking. Not sure what they do with Roger as I don't see him going to LA (maybe he retires, heart attack???). No clue re Joan (goes to work for Wells???).

I just see the new LA firm having a more interesting storyline to develop.

And why are they wasting any time on Betty stories? No one gives a shiart.

[This message has been edited by parkway94 (edited 5/8/2014 5:30p).]

I just get the feeling that this show doesn't have a happy ending

Oh boy

That was unexpected.