Mad Men, Season 7: Discussions, spoilers, reactions

[Lord Garth]

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

This has to be Don's professional nadir but he's picked himself up. Hmmm. Bert laid out the situation very bare. Too bad, though. "Doing fine" or not, I think SC&P could use a computer account.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

I'm not thrilled with the new Margaret story. I mean, I'm usually glad to see John Slattery given more to do, but this particular family drama doesn't appear very promising.

Plus, hippies bore me to tears.

This has to be Don's professional nadir but he's picked himself up. Hmmm. Bert laid out the situation very bare.

I'll never bad-mouth Freddie Rumsen again! He told Don exactly what he needed to hear.

And...is it possible Bert did, too? I can't make up my mind if Bert Cooper is a doddering old fool or a wizened master-strategist. Was he just being a prick to Don trying to push him out the door? Or was he giving him a kick in the butt to get his ass in gear?

Right now, my money is on "just being a prick," but we'll see.

 

[dansigal]

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

This has to be Don's professional nadir but he's picked himself up. Hmmm. Bert laid out the situation very bare. Too bad, though. "Doing fine" or not, I think SC&P could use a computer account.

I think Margaret's storyline was meant to mirror Don's. Both in essence were running away from a life/situation they weren't happy with by taking the route of avoidance rather than the tougher rode of putting in some work to make their situation better. Don lucked out that Freddy was there to pick him up and dust him off. I think little by little and bit by bit, this season is about Don actually learning from his mistakes and improving himself.

Also, while there was plenty of smoking and smoking references, I didn't see any fire caused by smoking references in the episode of the first time this season.

 

[gblews]

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

It seemed perfectly natural to me. It is the way these thngs would happen back then. A very susceptible Margaret, pampered rich kid who grows up feeling unloved, trapped, and aimless has one conversation with the right person and immediatly sets off on a quest to find "enlightenment". Not an uncommon story. They even showed us the set up in the "previously on Mad Men", when she went to lunch with dad just to tell him she had forgiven him.

Yes, thank god for Freddy Rumsen. Is he Don's only friend now?

Don's actions after leaving Bert's office were so cringey that my hand was inching toward the remote, I so dreaded the scene where Don gets busted for breaking the agreement and is fired for good. I was as relieved as Peggy was when he told her he would have her tags to her by lunchtime.

Peggy and Don might (and I say "might") once again become allies (against Lou) before it's over. The "previously on MM", also showed that shot of Lou mentioning his 2 year contract. There is something to that.

 

[Beagleman]

Yes, thank god for Freddy Rumsen. Is he Don's only friend now?

I really like the Freddy Rumsen character, decent guy who has pulled himself together (which is pretty rare on this show).

 

[ALF]

Was there anything worth discussing what Don drunkenly tells the computer installation guy? I can't wait to see the new computer - based on the bright red and blue tape reels it'll be a sight out of the Batman TV series.

 

[the G-man]

"I mean, are you just going to kill yourself?"

Hamm does play a great drunk.

The shot of don exiting the elevator was framed quite like the way he's framed during the opening credits before the fall.

I assume there's some import the fact that Don drops a cigarette in Lane's office and finds the New York Mets banner. As noted previously cigarettes are a real theme this year.

And then there was the typewriter going toward the window

I think Don could've handled being a subordinate to somebody better if it hadn't been a subordinate to Peggy. He's always had something of a father daughter relationship with her. Having to report to her for that reason made it sting especially bad.

"On a carousel" is an upbeat song but I suspect it actually had a grim message. Don keeps going around and around.

Another episode where Roger was the voice of reason? What is the show coming to?

 

[the G-man]

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

This has to be Don's professional nadir but he's picked himself up. Hmmm. Bert laid out the situation very bare. Too bad, though. "Doing fine" or not, I think SC&P could use a computer account.

From my recollection some people did get caught up in the era

 

[Lord Garth]

They even showed us the set up in the "previously on Mad Men", when she went to lunch with dad just to tell him she had forgiven him.

While this is true, I meant Margaret's season storyline instead of just this episode. I have a hard time believing the character of last season would join a commune. She'd seemed to have moved passed her upbringing and seen her father's irresponsibility for what it is. She seemed to know better. If she didn't know better, then I could buy her converting to a commune more easily.

Margaret's story-line is very out-of-left-field. It feels too much like writing the characters to the times instead of characters who happen to be in those times.

This is the part where, despite my avatar, they'd all start screaming at me, "HERBERT! HERBERT!! HERBERT!!!"

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Was there anything worth discussing what Don drunkenly tells the computer installation guy?

Well...I'm certainly curious about it. Surely it wasn't just drunken, delusional raving? Did Don catch something I missed? Does he think Harry Crane (or someone else) put Lloyd up to tempting Don with "new business"?

I can't wait to see the new computer - based on the bright red and blue tape reels it'll be a sight out of the Batman TV series.

I'm guessing it's going to be considerably more realistic than Batman. That was an actual IBM System/360 mainframe computer we saw being wheeled into the nascent SC&P computer room, a very popular business computer of the day. (A model probably at least partly responsible for the commonplace truism among data processing executives for years that "nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM." )

 

[gblews]

assume there's some import the fact that Don drops a cigarette in Lane's office and finds the New York Mets banner. As noted previously cigarettes are a real theme this year.

Yes, and then it was seen pinned up on the wall in a later scene. Was Lane a Mets fan? Did Don and him go to a Mets game together? Anyone recall?

"On a carousel" is an upbeat song but I suspect it actually had a grim message. Don keeps going around and around.

Loved that they used this song. I was a huge Hollies fan.

 

[Pondwater]

assume there's some import the fact that Don drops a cigarette in Lane's office and finds the New York Mets banner. As noted previously cigarettes are a real theme this year.

Yes, and then it was seen pinned up on the wall in a later scene. Was Lane a Mets fan.

season 4

 

[Garak]

assume there's some import the fact that Don drops a cigarette in Lane's office and finds the New York Mets banner. As noted previously cigarettes are a real theme this year.

Yes, and then it was seen pinned up on the wall in a later scene. Was Lane a Mets fan? Did Don and him go to a Mets game together? Anyone recall?

Here's an interesting piece on the Mets and Mad Men:

Link

 

[Snaploud]

They even showed us the set up in the "previously on Mad Men", when she went to lunch with dad just to tell him she had forgiven him.

While this is true, I meant Margaret's season storyline instead of just this episode. I have a hard time believing the character of last season would join a commune. She'd seemed to have moved passed her upbringing and seen her father's irresponsibility for what it is. She seemed to know better. If she didn't know better, then I could buy her converting to a commune more easily.

I never got the impression that Margaret was particularly evolved. Her main character trait has been the tendency to blame other people for her problems.

 

[the G-man]

Well...I'm certainly curious about it. Surely it wasn't just drunken, delusional raving? Did Don catch something I missed? Does he think Harry Crane (or someone else) put Lloyd up to tempting Don with "new business"?

He was drunkenly realizing that the world is changing around him and leaving him behind. This changing world is symbolized in Don's head by the Computer guy. In Don's frazzled mind the computer guy, not only symbolises the change that is making Don irrelevant within his own lifetime, he even went to Don and tried to learn his tricks to make this irrelevance come faster.

The first time Don learns about the computer the office is a ghost town.

Ginsberg says the computer will "erase" creative.

Don is, of course, the personification of the firm's creative team.

 

[gblews]

assume there's some import the fact that Don drops a cigarette in Lane's office and finds the New York Mets banner. As noted previously cigarettes are a real theme this year.

Yes, and then it was seen pinned up on the wall in a later scene. Was Lane a Mets fan? Did Don and him go to a Mets game together? Anyone recall?

Here's an interesting piece on the Mets and Mad Men:

Link

I think as a fanbase, we really reach for metaphors in this show. This is fair because the show does seem to offer a fair amount of metaphors, but sometimes the reach is just too far.

To find only ominous signs in a Mets pennant in 1969 is to ignore the fact that the Mets came from nowhere that year to win not only the pennant, but the World Series, shocking the baseball world.

 

[Lord Garth]

I dread to think what Ginsberg would do if someone told him about 2014.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

WHAT. THE. HOLY. FUCK? What the hell was that? Ginsburg cut off his nipple?? Computers make you go off on a mentally ill tangent and suddenly develop delusions about homos? Have I missed some precursor to this? Twin Peaks. Mulholland Drive. Hellooooo?


Also, alll of a sudden Megan wants to have three ways with Don and this Amy friend? I thought she and Don were finished. There must have been an off screen apology somewhere along the line. And the little dance she was doing with her male friend? What was that? She's obviously insecure at the thought of this pregnant girl being there but three ways are okay? Is it because Megan is in control of the situation? How bizarre.

I'll shock everyone here by saying that I appreciated Don slithering into the meeting with the cigarette people and putting the screws to Lou. I know, I know. I had to approve of something Don did at some point after 7 years.

I understood Betty's anger. Henry was basically telling her to look pretty and shut up when she voiced a question about his Vietnam stance. Sally was out of line with her. Betty's an angry woman who's never been taken seriously for anything but her looks or "proper wife" potential. I've never hated Betty like others. She exasperates me, but I remember the season 2 Betty whom Don belittled, spied on with her shrink, and cheated on constantly and I remember feeling such sympathy for her then. I've never liked the overly bitter direction in which the writers took her character. The way she treats her kids is too much.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

The hell...? Did they screw up and forget to air an episode between last week's and this week's? This episode should have been titled "WTF?"

Jesus, where to begin...

So, Don and Megan aren't kaput after all? Actually, that kind of does make sense. I'm sure Don is well aware by now of what a drama queen Megan is. He probably knows that when Megan launches a catastrophe, the smartest thing to do is just wait it out for a few days.

Sally is certainly turning into a mega-brat. But then, for someone her age, what else is new? It was cute watching her and Betty arguing over endangering that "perfect nose" that Betty gave her. But come on, Betty! Sword fighting with golf clubs? What's the big deal?

Did Ginsberg's breakdown seem to come out of left field to anyone but me? I mean, I know he's supposed to be quirky--and that the last few episodes have made it clear that he doesn't like the computer--but I don't recall seeing any prior foreshadowing of actually mental illness.

I liked Peggy giving the computer the stink-eye after Ginsberg was hauled away...although she really should know better. The computer didn't drive Ginsberg mad. If he really was mentally ill, then if it hadn't been a mind-controlling, sexual preference-changing computer, it would have eventually been something else. A telepathic toaster oven, maybe. Or an invisible refrigerator.

Incidentally, kudos to the set designers for the SC&P computer room. Looks just like the old IBM publicity photos.

My favorite part of the episode was seeing Don finally openly engaging Jim Cutler and Lou Avery. (Damn lucky break running into Harry Crane, eh?) Crashing that meeting was a welcome glimpse of the "old" Don.

Not sure what to make of Stephanie's reappearance. Except that, thanks to all you Sharon Tate conspiracy theorists here, I'm now scared to death she's going to show up at Megan's door with a gang of Mansonites and slaughter everyone in the house.

 

[Snaploud]

Did Ginsberg's breakdown seem to come out of left field to anyone but me? I mean, I know he's supposed to be quirky--and that the last few episodes have made it clear that he doesn't like the computer--but I don't recall seeing any prior foreshadowing of actually mental illness.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/05/mad-men-ginsberg-was-always-struggling-nipple-box.html