Mad Men 2x08 Reaction

I've always liked Don's reaction to Betty asking if he hates her. "Oh, God no," he says, looking and sounding genuinely horrified. In that moment, I think he is being really and truly sincere. He DOESN'T hate her. He just doesn't think of her as his equal, or as a full person. I won't say more about the future of the show, to avoid spoilers, but his relationship with Betty strikes me as far more complex than the "Stepford Wife" that is an easy, quick judgement of how he feels.

Chris Truex

I ASKED THE LOOOOORRD TO HELP ME PLEEEASEE FIND THE WAAAAYYY

cheech

In the UK you'd say "a bird shat on me" yeah

Kara

She's great, a lot of viewers at the time didn't understand she was playing a mega conservative porcelain doll 95% of the time.

Kara

the priest is forcing her to confront her actions, something don said to run away from and ignore. peggy chose to take dons advice. how did it work for don?

Erin

This show is just one of a kind. Every episode so unique and written to perfection.

yeahokgood

January Jones always got hate as an actress playing Betty, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing her.

Patrick

Now I NEED the girls to react to the anime 'NANA'. The female characters and their struggles there are so reminiscing of Mad Men

bondbond53

It’s “shat” in English and “shit” in American English (same for spit and spat)

windyMelon

While vague, I think we should keep this sort of "Just you wait for episode x" comments to a minimum. It's spoilery in a way where it makes them expect something to happen.

Sebastian

Greg is there for a half a second: "Fuck off!" Hilarious!

Biberius Caldius Mero

Welcome aboard🫡

Eric Viola

I'll admit I was wrong about not wanting them to watch Mad Men next. I originally watched it weekly as it was coming out, and that was a decade ago. Now I'm re-watching it along with them, and I'm realizing I had forgotten how fantastic this show was.

GassyTrod

KingSlayer

It's a neat narrative trick: Harry asks Roger to create this new position in the television department. Roger dismisses the idea and suggests that a secretary covers it. Roger hears that the clients are happy and decides to honour Harry's request. He doesn't even know that Joan is involved until after he has made the decision. (Not that I think Roger would think of giving Joan the position. But it does keep his hands clean of the situation.)

Mike

I am amazed at writers that can come up with stories like Gill challenging Peggy or Roger/Harry overlooking Joan in a way that is devastating for them but are completely believable situations if these were real people. Like of course a priest that is trying to do good in his community in the regressive way he knows how would confront Peggy to take confession and of course Roger/Harry wouldn't think twice about hiring someone over Joan. But these are still turns in the story that I don't see coming. Reminds me of Bert's "who cares" line. Like of course someone like him wouldn't care at all about Don's background, but it truly is a shocking moment when you first see it. I don't know how writers do it lol.

Eric Viola

Don being so smug because he knows Betty won't find anything cuz there's nothing to find because he's not stupid enough to leave stray hairs or lipstick marks or secret love notes around the house is sooo grim. I guess in the end she sort of goes on faith "Am I crazy? I don't think so", like what the priest was preaching.

Kara

I think you're totally right, the guitar playing is just deeply sincere in an almost corny way that kinda wins you over, or at the very least makes you believe that HE believes in what he's doing. I *love* how Mad Men treats 'side characters'.

Kara

Joan needs a real man, like Warren.

Mike

A really, really beautiful episode. Punishing on the characters, obviously, but the way those Joan / Betty / Peggy storylines weave in and out of each other just sings. It seems kind of crazy to say it, but I think it's true: the show has only scratched the surface of Elizabeth Moss's powers so far. The work that she does in that final scene with Father Gill is just next level. And speaking of acting, people sometimes rag a little on January Jones for being the weak link in the main cast, but that sequence where she is searching through Don's suits really stood out to me. She has totally dropped the Ossining Housewife facade -- there something totally different to her aspect there that underlines how much of a role she is constantly playing in her own life. She isn't stilted, fake smiley, overly mannered, whatever you want to call it. Sad stuff, beautifully realized by the performer. That moment with Father Gill playing guitar alone in his room has always really struck me. I'm not sure why. We spend the episode weighing how much he is manipulating Peggy vs. just trying to be an earnest servant of God, and I think that moment is *so* earnest that it sort of absolves him of how shitty he was being to Peggy about her child? I don't know. He is being very shitty. But I love that the show has space for such a considered, ambiguous moment for a minor character.

Mike

This is the first episode where Betty actually takes some power in her relationship with Don. You can see Don as he goes out to work the morning after Betty confronted him that he believes he still comfortably holds all the cards. He is genuinely shocked when Betty tells him not to come home. Already been said but this ending with grabbing a Heineken alone after hours is so, so perfect.

Eric Viola

100%. If your religion preaches that sinners who don't repent will burn forever then the onus to "save sinners" is so impossibly high... like if you don't help them, they literally suffer FOR EVER. it doesn't justify the behavior but helps me understand it, if you saw someone on fire you'd want to douse the flames

Kara

It takes about .05 seconds to see that Greg is not a high enough caliber of man for so much woman!

Taya

For the opening conversation, what I always say is "Better no person than the wrong person". If all of your choices are bad, picking "None of the above" may be the best option. When Betty asks Don if he even likes her, I'm reminded of the divorce arc of "The Sopranos". Carmela says that she knows Tony better than anyone else, and that's why he hates her so much. Don definitely likes Betty more than Tony likes Carmela, but he doesn't like her as a PERSON. He likes her as a wife, and as a mother, but those are all ROLES she plays. When it comes to Betty as a wholly realized, independent woman, Don has probably never even thought about her at all. Which is why she can't even tell if he likes her. To continue to compare and contrast with "The Sopranos", I give Father Gill more credit than I do Father Intintola. But even though Gill is not preying on Peggy to satisfy his own repressed desires, regardless he is still "preying" on her. I believe that he honestly means well, and that he's not trying to vicariously live out his sexual fantasies with Peggy by working with her, but he's still just GRINDING away at her. A religious figure can be a counselor and healer in times of stress, but it's not for them to decide, and Peggy is not inviting him into this role at ALL.

JBK405

Ahh yes, Warren. The most relatable MM character for me personally.

cheech

I feel kinda spoiled. It’s already perfect but by 4/5 it gets to “this is the best thing I’ve ever watched” territory and there’s no denying the level they’re working at. I’m trying just to appreciate every upload :)

cheech

I agree btw, the girls do mention this but Harry and Roger don't even perceive the problem, and the priest is unironically trying to help because he (presumably) 100% believes in God and thinks he can reconnect Peggy with God (and eternal life in heaven).

Kara

I remember tearing up the first time watching it and thinking I should go back to church 😏 . this shows too good man

cheech

"I want to kill everyone... this is my fav episode so far"

Kara

The last shot of this episode is my favorite in the whole series. They masterfully cut from the Father singing, to Peter Paul and Mary singing the original song, coupled with Don framed so beautifully and tragically in this box as it zooms out – him drinking the Heineken that got him in this position in the first place. Truly perfection.

Wesley White

During this reaction/re-watch, even during season 1, I couldn't even look at him without scowling lol

Chris B

"I despise him...he's my favorite character" very Walter White and Milena hahahaha

Scott

I think a very subtle but poignant detail in this episode is the fact that if you really break it down the priest and Harry weren't really even trying to undermine the ladies. Now hear me out - it is actually sad how normalised and part of their society this whole undermining women was that you can technically argue for their "good intentions". Of course Harry didn't expect Joan to take that position; she's a secretary there temporarily and why would a woman even want to read tens of scripts and such? And the priest was obviously just trying to include in the church community this woman that has sinned and lost her way by working. Even when she offers her skills he sees them more as a hobby rather than the voice of an expert that has ultimate power. It's all just so sad.

bondbond53

god these are so hard to watch sometimes lol but in the best possible way. I cant take it

cheech

I knew this episode was gonna destroy you girls lol It's basically a feminist horror film

Father of the Year

One year ago today (almost), Mad Men came 3rd in the long show poll with just 13%: https://i.imgur.com/SVe5Vx2.png I knew it would be bad but I wasn't expecting such a visceral reaction to this episode, it totally makes sense. It puts all 3 of the women characters you care about most in a really tough place. The only thing I can repeat is (as you mentioned) Mad Men is written by women and it's a 7 season show. One of the things I love about MM is that it can make us feel this way without extreme violence or pulpy action - it's funny ranking "best TV moments" and you have like, XYZ kills all the bad guys in a blaze of glory! right next to Peggy has a conversation e.g. Rewatching at this pace alongside you with breaks and discussions is so interesting because usually I'm binge re-watching like a season a week minimum lmao. This time I'm really noticing how well the show balances perspectives - it shows us an episode with learning something about Don that makes you pity him more, then gives us Betty's focus with Don as her antagonist and gaslighter. But we know Don better than she does, and we probably know Betty a bit better than Don (despite her Heineken purchases), and we feel aligned with the character on screen when the show wants us to sit in their perspective. It's really masterful television writing, it makes use of the long form format so damn well. 100% agree with everything. What happened to Joan is still happening in workplaces every day. The priest is well meaning but so aggressive in a way he can't even parse, "There's no sin too great" okay babe try giving up your accidental child... Peggy Olsen walked so Fleabag can run! Pete doesn't even have to say anything any more, he just pops up on the screen and the girls are gagged its so funny to me 💀 The ending guitar song, into the camera pulling back from Don sitting in a dark office drinking green glass Heineken beer alone has stayed with me. "I'm getting overwhelmed by all the storylines but also by how good it is" girl us tooooo, it's so peak 😭🙏 now imagine the rewatch where you have full context for all characters, everything that happens and what's coming up, foreshadowing, callbacks etc etc etc. it's literally so fucking good lmao. Most fans think it stays at this quality thru at least s5 - personally I think it's this good until the series finale lol.

Kara

I fear Don's tactic of confidently saying "Nothing happened" then shuffling out of the room like he's wearing a chunky suit of armor would work on me 😩

Kara

Don Draper you're a lying manipulative shitty husband but I love you man

Bernardo

All I can say is that if a man is going to be trash anyway, he might as well be eye candy so that's why I choose Don ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

bondbond53

Ahhh yes. The episode that made me hate Harry Crane forever.

The Great Uniter

I love you guys being ride-or-die for Joan. She's easy to root for. Great stuff as always, ladies.

JayFi