Okay, "surprising" then, to me.
Mad Men season 6 (spoilers)
- Thread starter ALF
- Start date
I hate to say it, but I didn't buy all the(white) characters being that upset about Dr. King's death. Some of them, yes. Not all. Don's drinking again now? The man needs a therapist.
I'm worried someone will shoot Henry. Ouch.
Oh well, Don. Maybe you should take Bobby to the movies more than once in a blue moon? Or maybe Bobby senses than Henry isn't a big giant douchebag like you? I should feel sorry for Don, but I don't. And I'm okay with that. 
I'm worried someone will shoot Henry. Ouch.
Oh well, Don. Maybe you should take Bobby to the movies more than once in a blue moon? Or maybe Bobby senses than Henry isn't a big giant douchebag like you? I should feel sorry for Don, but I don't. And I'm okay with that. 
Don is a complex character which is part of the fascination. He isn't all bad or all good. He has his demons (like many people) and can be reactive like a lot if not most people. I'd argue that a lot of people just react rather than think first before they say or do something.
And I think thats true of all or most of the characters on the show. They're nuanced rather than mostly caricatures.
I, too, agree that not all white people would have been so broken up about the death of MLK. There would have been quite a few like Harry for whom it was just another well known person who died and life moves on. This happens every time someone famous dies---some are really affected and others just shrug and wonder what the fuss is about. We still see this happen---witness more recently when Princess Di and Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston died and they were just celebrities. MLK represented a lot more than the examples I just cited, but the reactions to such a death are still essentially the same.
And I think thats true of all or most of the characters on the show. They're nuanced rather than mostly caricatures.
I, too, agree that not all white people would have been so broken up about the death of MLK. There would have been quite a few like Harry for whom it was just another well known person who died and life moves on. This happens every time someone famous dies---some are really affected and others just shrug and wonder what the fuss is about. We still see this happen---witness more recently when Princess Di and Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston died and they were just celebrities. MLK represented a lot more than the examples I just cited, but the reactions to such a death are still essentially the same.
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Some of the characters were more concerned about the black reaction would be. There was a long time racial tension starting bubble to the surface. Some of their public being upset my have been about person concerns. It was stated outright by Henry but probably felt by others too.
True. We know how history played out, but at the time a lot of people were really worried about racial tensions. Up here in Canada I remember enough about the FLQ in Quebec that had a lot of people very nervous. Today we know that it was just a handful of goofs, but back then no one knew and a lot of people were worried.
Yes, this was only about three years after the Watts riots and less than a year after what was referred to as the "Long Hot Summer." As such, it would not be surprising for some people to worry about what the black reaction would be. And, in fact, some major cities did see rioting following MLK's murder.
More thoughts on this weeks episode:
The "previously on mad men" sequence had yet another "Don's going to die" foreshadowing moment when they played back the clip of his son saying that, when he's 40, Don will be dead.
Cool. Harry Hamlin.
Peggy's boss so has the hots for her. He may be middle-aged and married but he's probably still an improvement on her dirty hippie loser boyfriend.
Pete is a horrible little weasel but I strangely enough identified with him in that scene where he was on the phone with Trudy. Not because he's a cheating bastard but because you could feel some confusion and pain and even remorse when he realized he had done something incredibly stupid and now he was paying a price and would probably be paying that price for the rest of his life. Pete is the exemplar of what Don Draper's life would really be like for most people.
And again as I mentioned earlier in another thread as much of a creep as Pete is, for some reason he's the most progressive white character on the show when it comes to civil rights issues.
Joan awkwardly trying to hug dons secretary and her reaction was terribly funny in a horrible way.
Oh, the crazy insurance guy is Ethan from "lost". I knew he looked familiar.
God Betty is a bitch. And sadly Sally is turning into her.
Whoa planet of the apes spoiler alert!
By 1960s standards and putting aside his cheating ways And the divorce, Don is actually a pretty decent father to his son. The drinking isn't cool but taking an upset kid to the movies really isn't that bad of a thing. I thought his speech about fatherhood was one of the most genuine things we've ever seen come out of Don Draper.
And when his son is more worried about Henry then Don was a real punched in the gut
Oh and Hamm standing out on the balcony looking down on the city with the sirens..he must be the next Batman
The "previously on mad men" sequence had yet another "Don's going to die" foreshadowing moment when they played back the clip of his son saying that, when he's 40, Don will be dead.
Cool. Harry Hamlin.
Peggy's boss so has the hots for her. He may be middle-aged and married but he's probably still an improvement on her dirty hippie loser boyfriend.
Pete is a horrible little weasel but I strangely enough identified with him in that scene where he was on the phone with Trudy. Not because he's a cheating bastard but because you could feel some confusion and pain and even remorse when he realized he had done something incredibly stupid and now he was paying a price and would probably be paying that price for the rest of his life. Pete is the exemplar of what Don Draper's life would really be like for most people.
And again as I mentioned earlier in another thread as much of a creep as Pete is, for some reason he's the most progressive white character on the show when it comes to civil rights issues.
Joan awkwardly trying to hug dons secretary and her reaction was terribly funny in a horrible way.
Oh, the crazy insurance guy is Ethan from "lost". I knew he looked familiar.
God Betty is a bitch. And sadly Sally is turning into her.
Whoa planet of the apes spoiler alert!
By 1960s standards and putting aside his cheating ways And the divorce, Don is actually a pretty decent father to his son. The drinking isn't cool but taking an upset kid to the movies really isn't that bad of a thing. I thought his speech about fatherhood was one of the most genuine things we've ever seen come out of Don Draper.
And when his son is more worried about Henry then Don was a real punched in the gut
Oh and Hamm standing out on the balcony looking down on the city with the sirens..he must be the next Batman
I'm glad to see Bobby and Ginsberg get more to do. Now that Sally is a teen, Bobby fills the void of child character.
Seeing scenes from Planet of the Apes was as great as hearing You Only Live Twice at the end of last season.
It's too late for it in the timeline now, but they really missed an opportunity last year for Bobby to get caught up in the Batman craze. Or Harry making some bean-counter mention of it.
You can see signs of Don not loving/caring about his kids as far back as the first season when he left Sally's birthday right in the middle of it and then came back at night with a dog, as if it were an afterthought. Betty's reaction, "I don't know what to say," was all that needed to be said.
Seeing scenes from Planet of the Apes was as great as hearing You Only Live Twice at the end of last season.
It's too late for it in the timeline now, but they really missed an opportunity last year for Bobby to get caught up in the Batman craze. Or Harry making some bean-counter mention of it.
You can see signs of Don not loving/caring about his kids as far back as the first season when he left Sally's birthday right in the middle of it and then came back at night with a dog, as if it were an afterthought. Betty's reaction, "I don't know what to say," was all that needed to be said.
Don's a great dad when he only has to be a dad once in a while.
The best exchange of the show: "Don't do anything crazy!" "Too late for that, I'm going to Harlem in a tuxedo!"
I said this exact thing to a friend at work yesterday. She was aghast. Hard to believe Roger wouldn't have had something snarkey to say. But I do understand that Weiner was showing us the perspective of the people who loved MLK or at least thought he was doing something important. It would not have suited the narrative to focus on Roger being "Roger" here. No, in America, in the 60's, MLK was a polarizing figure. People either grenuinely loved him or hated him. When he was killed, some wept, some rejoiced, hardly any shrugged.
This is one of the reasons I love this show so much. Pete is a character I would love to punch in the face every time I see his face and he irritates the other characeters in similar fashion. But, just like real life, there is more to the character than meets the eye.
The most honest Don has ever been on the show. His relationship with Bobby is not what it should be and that is Don's fault, but it does appear it may improve. May be too late for Sally and we'll see about Gene.
MEgan's reaction to Don's little speech was interesting too. He is such a fool. This woman knows more of his crap in just a year than crazy ass Betty knows to this day and she is still devoted to the guy. Megan is so smart and so GGG that I expect that when she finds out about Don's cheating, that will be it for their marriage.
Killer.
This was a great episode.
It's interesting that Don got such a harsh reaction for taking his son to the movies. It's probably one of the character's few redeeming moments, and he got a 'you're a horrible person' speech.
I agree that the reactions seemed a bit odd. Though, I did enjoy the back and forth between Pete and Harry.
I agree that the reactions seemed a bit odd. Though, I did enjoy the back and forth between Pete and Harry.
It's interesting that Don got such a harsh reaction for taking his son to the movies. It's probably one of the character's few redeeming moments, and he got a 'you're a horrible person' speech.
I took Megan's reaction to be less about him taking his son to the movies and more about her perception that Don was hiding from his feelings/his other kids in that bottle of Canadian Club. She explicitly complained about his drinking all day in fact.
It's interesting that Don got such a harsh reaction for taking his son to the movies. It's probably one of the character's few redeeming moments, and he got a 'you're a horrible person' speech.
I took Megan's reaction to be less about him taking his son to the movies and more about her perception that Don was hiding from his feelings/his other kids in that bottle of Canadian Club. She explicitly complained about his drinking all day in fact.
I always wondered what that bottle said. Now I'm gonna have to try some of that.
You gotta feel for Peggy. She finally took the leap away from Don and what did it get her? Now she's got two crazy bosses. And just when she thinks she's up for a snuggly session with Ted, in comes Don to fuck with her head again.
It was hard to see Joan turn on Don but we knew it was coming from his recklessness, eliminating what she did for the company. Pete, as always, made all the wrong decisions. What's the new firm to be called? Chaough Draper Sterling Cooper Campbell Harris? CDSCCH for short.
Lots of turning points tonight. And some outstanding hair.
It was hard to see Joan turn on Don but we knew it was coming from his recklessness, eliminating what she did for the company. Pete, as always, made all the wrong decisions. What's the new firm to be called? Chaough Draper Sterling Cooper Campbell Harris? CDSCCH for short.
Lots of turning points tonight. And some outstanding hair.
I've always thought Trudy was a dish. And Pete deserves whatever he's got coming although he let his father-in-law get the better of him. He could just as easily threatened him with mutual destruction so to speak.
Don has got to learn there are more nuanced ways to deal with a client.
Don has got to learn there are more nuanced ways to deal with a client.
Draper has a self destructive streak a mile wide.