Non-seasonal Christmas episodes are the best. Click below to find out what happened!
Leave it to Mad Men to keep subverting and disappointing expectations. My ears twitched when I heard Kinsey’s name. He was never my favorite character, but I enjoyed his pompous idiocy, and his pretentious sweaters. So I thought it was a little mean to make him a Hare Krishna, buffoonish with his shaved head and folded hands. I guess he always was a follower.
His intrigue with Harry was like a meeting of pathetic minds. Props for the Star Trek reference. A follower, but one with his ear to the ground. Lakshmi’s clumsy and spiteful seduction of Harry was gross. I thought the word “disgusting” before she said it. Nice sales pitch too, lady.
In the end Kinsey gets his own Don Draper second chance. $500 is hardly much, but Kinsey will finally have his chance to go to California. Harry remains a pathetic coward, but at least he did something a tiny bit nice by telling him the script was no good.
The rest of the episode was all business, culture clash, and white collar crime!
Lane’s story line was sad and puts him in top running for character who will die this season. Maybe he’ll just be out, in jail, or fired? Fraud and embezzlement are a pretty big deal. I think the plotting was a little sloppy on his tax problems though. He disappeared for a solid four episodes. Ninety seconds of him getting a phone call and acting furtive would have been enough to set up this week’s scandal.
Don went to see an experimental play with Megan and chafes when they mock advertising and consumerism, then picks a fight with Megan over it. He’s doing a good job not cheating like I thought he would, but he is taking out his frustrations in petty hurtful ways, like spending an evening getting sloppy with the charming Joan Harris. Joan and Don’s scene together was awesome, seeing the two of them loosen up a bit. Maybe she’ll be Don’s new office friend. Or perhaps something more?
I doubt it actually. If Don and Joan have sex the world will literally fall off its axis. Also it would be a terrible decision, completely contradictory to the nature of both characters. (Not that anyone on Mad Men has never made a terrible decision before.)
But Don’s doing well as far as I’m concerned. He’s more likable this season. He’s honest and comfortable with himself. I don’t like it when he’s a dick to Megan but let’s face it, there’s a lot wrong with that relationship. Where do you suppose it’s going?
Lingering Questions
I wonder if Don returned the Jag?
What was up with Roger’s Aloha shirt?
Only three more episodes? This season went quickly.
Wasn’t Roger observing Pearl Harbor day and that’s why he was wearing the shirt?
@ Jim – yes, exactly.
Maybe it would be bad for the show (maybe not?) but I wanted to see Don and Joan get NASTY. I would watch that on repeat.
There definitely wasn’t enough setup for Lane’s storyline. I’d be unsurprised if he killed himself before the end of the season, but that seems a tad obvious. I’m hoping Mad Men will throw us a curve.
The Don and Joan scenes were just right. There was flirtation, but the Weiner’s not dumb enough to actually ‘ship those two. You’re right, the accumulated erotic power of those two doin’ it would interfere with planetary ambulation.
It was great to see Kinsey again, and yeah, making him a Hare Krishna was a bit mean. It really drives home how his supposed radicalism was more fashionable than anything else. He ardently follows counterculture, but he does not contribute to it, as shown by his terrible Star Trek script.
Loved Roger’s shirt. I don’t think Don and Megan will self-destruct. The show’s already covered that ground. No idea where else it could be going. Maybe they’ll become swingers or something.
Hmm, I found Lane’s storyline consistent since the beginning of the season. There have been hints of his money troubles sprinkled throughout the season so far. But I did gasp when he went into forgery mode.
For reference, the amount he stole ($8k) is nearly $57k in 2012 money. That’s a fucking salary.
Don said he returned the Jag to Megan.