Laurel here...Mark and I just sat down for a dinner of Spaghetti Carbonara (Cooks Illustrated), Garlic bread, and an Artichoke and Roasted red pepper salad (Ina), and another episode of Mad Men. This one was sort of a sad episode, but interesting...
It's labor day weekend and everyone at Sterling Copper is looking forward to 3 days off. Roger wants to celebrate by hitting on young twins that are in casting for a commercial for "double sided aluminum" while his wife and daughter are away in the hamptons or something, and insists that Don joins him. They pick up a pair of the double sided aluminum twins and set out for a night of fun. Unfortunately for Roger, he has a heart attack during the middle of getting busy with one of the girl and is forced to face his own mortality. Luckily his wife and daughter rush to his side, which I think gives him a need found appreciation for the value of family. Don's reaction to witnessing this is to run to Rebecca Menkin's apartment and start a new affair.
Also in this episode Joan's roommate confesses her love for Joan (romantic love) which Joan sweeps under the rug and insists the 2 of them go out to pick up some bachelors (not so dazzling bachelors at that) to avoid any awkwardness of being home with her roommate alone that night. Is there anyone who is not in love with Joan? I kind of am too. Maybe Mark's not.
Also Pete is a total dick to Peggy this episode, surprise surprise. Peggy tells him she doesn't know what he wants, or how to be around him since they had sex on his couch last episode. In her words she is just trying to get along with him and she doesn't know whether any given moment he is going to be kind or be cruel. and I don't blame her. He is such a dick, and while Peggy is a smart girl she is also naive in many ways. I feel bad for her that she got mixed up with an asshole like Pete. Thankfully she was out of earshot at the time but he actually refers to her as "Howdy Dowdy" to Don.
Mark here...I agree with Laurel's analysis. This episode was a bit of a downer for me, although interesting in terms of character development. That said, it's still a bit slow. Roger's heart attack is a bit startling, though it shouldn't be...as he said, "he ate the butter, he ate the cream". It does show that he has a little more depth then we have been lead to believe so far. The irony there, is that, seeing Roger in this state, one might think Don might re-assess his choices? But no, instead of going home to Betty he goes to Rebecca Menkin in a drunken state in the middle of the night. A bad decision for everyone, given that this is one of his major clients. SIde Note: we find out earlier in the episode he just lost major client Dr. Scholl's! Which Pete was quite happy to tell Don.
The side plot with Joan was unexpected. I do like Joan, but I'm always unsure of her motives or how she's going to act. In this case when her roommate comes on to her, she goes into total denial mode...but I guess, given the times and peoples knowledge of homosexuality, maybe that classifies as a good reaction? Joan just passes it off as her roommate having had a rough day (she lost her job) and moves on. She does make sure they both bring home bachelors that night. As laurel said, neither of them were winners either.
I also totally agree with Laurel about Pete, though I have to say his presence stirs the pot and creates some drama...even if he is a dick. I'm glad in a previous episode, we found out why the firm keeps him around. At least we know why he doesn't get fired....
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