Another healthy sign is just how happy Don seems. There is a rough patch in "A Little Kiss," but overall, he seems much more at peace than at any other time during the series. This can surely be credited to Megan, and thus, her presence is welcome. Their nuptials do seem a little fast, but she's proving to be a good match who can inspire Don to be his best self. Better still, he already told her his secrets between seasons, including that he is really Dick Whitman, so there is no dark cloud hanging over them.
Pete's marriage to Trudy (Alison Brie) in Mad Men, on the other hand, seems far less suitable. Pete is clearly unhappy no longer living in the city as of "A Little Kiss." He doesn't exactly cheer the advice of his buddy on the train, who suggests that Pete stay at work later, if he comes home at all, but it does appear that Peter considers the words. How long before Pete begins to act on them? And how long after that before Trudy leaves him?
Roger, too, isn't happy in his marriage. He ignores his wife, Jane (Peyton List), or tells her to shut up. It's not like Roger has ever been happy with anyone (except for Joan), but this is the bed that he made. If he doesn't want to stay married, then get a divorce. Having an unhappy home is not doing him any favors, and with everything else going on, Roger needs some sanctuary where he can feel at ease. At present, Roger is lacking that.
Pete's relationship with Roger is even more tenuous in "A Little Kiss." Pete wants to push Roger out, and makes a play for his office. Roger holds him off, for now, by bribing Harry (Rich Sommer) to switch with Pete instead. Not exactly what Pete wants, since the office isn't really the issue. But this struggle is far from over. And might Pete just be lashing out at Roger because he is unhappy at home?
The thing is, while Pete is right about Roger not bringing in a lot of new business, or really, any, Roger does have value. Clients love him. Potential clients love him. Roger has great people skills, and is fantastic at entertaining with alcohol and fun. This can be very important for a firm that needs all the business it can get, and is still growing. Not giving Roger his own secretary may make sense, but trying to oust him does not.
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Article comments
1 - Ladybelle Fiske
I generally agree with your summing-up, Jerome. Bored a bit by so much time spent on only some of the characters, and who cares what Harry does or doesn't do?
I did not realize it was 1966, an important year in my own life (I was sixteen and beginning to have a life of my own). I thought it was still 1965. Sally, however, has grown a lot -- or Kiernan S. has-- to the point where one felt more time had gone by than was shown. I missed seeing Betty and Henry but I think we'll see them next week. Lurch and Morticia.
I liked Megan's character in "Tomorrowland" but did not really see that much of the same thing in "A Little Kiss." You'd think she'd have more sense than to sing and dance in front of Don's colleagues and competitors. She was good with the kids, the obvious (to me) reason that Don did not choose Faye but chose Megan-- he needs a new mom for his kids as well as someone he loves. (I felt he could have convinced himself he liked Faye enough to be with her except for that). He wants someone who's not on the same level to himself, but Megan may grow quickly beyond him if he isn't careful.
I'd like to see more of what's going on in the world in 1966 (the war, the Civil Rights issues) to convince me it really is MY 1966... where are the hippies? I guess in 1967.
2 - Jerome Wetzel
Thanks for your thoughts. Mad Men has never dived head first into the outside world, so I'm not sure how much we'll see, but I'm tickled by the inclusion of the civil rights stuff. I think the hippies will come. There are definitely themes of change, and it will be interesting to see how the stuffy ad execs deal with this new, "freer" generation.