Mad Men Season 4, Ep. 3

November 10th, 2011 by maureen | No Comments | Filed in Hot News

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August 09, 2010

Mad Men Season 4, Ep. 3

Usually I hate it when Don Draper leaves the Empire State, but I’ll make an exception in this case, because it was nice to have his face register emotion again.

But wait — that’s not where things start.

We begin at New Year’s with Our Joan clambering out of OB/GYN stirrups. The doctor helpfully tells her that “gals your age don’t wait to start a family.” Thanks, Sawbones. She mentions she’s “had a couple of procedures” including one by, ummm, someone who may or may not have been a midwife. Oh, Joan!

Hubby Dr. Rapist is heading soon to San Antonio for basic training. “Whatever will be will be,” says the GYN. Very Doris Day.

Don’s at the office, and Harry pops in to ask why Don, on his way to Acapulco, has a 24-hour layover in LA. (We know why.) Harry gets off the biggest in-joke of the evening, suggesting that Don meet Bill Asher at the Brown Derby, “He’ll probably try to cast you, ” Harry says. Bill Asher was the brains behind the then-new hit series Bewitched (and married to Elizabeth Montgomery), which was about a Mad Man married to a blonde witch. Ha!

Meanwhile, Lane is playing Scrooge to Joan’s Bob Cratchit, refusing her two days off in January. “All men are dizzy and powerless to refuse you but I am the exception,” Lane says. Rrrrrow!

Now Don/Dick is in Cali, with the gentle Anna, who has a broken leg, and, occasionally, with her nasty sister Patty and niece Jailbait Stephanie, a Heather Graham-ish Berkeley student.

Don/Dick is himself here. His face isn’t stiff and pasty. We find out he went to City College (natch) night school and we get his take on Betty: “I could tell the minute she saw who I really was she never wanted to look at me again.” Owie!

Meanwhile Jailbait Stephanie, in the car, tells Don/Dick that gentle Anna has terminal cancer and doesn’t know it. Later, Anna goes off on UFOs, which she believes in after seeing one, “thinking of all I knew was true and how flimsy it was.” And the kicker: “I know everything about you and I still love you.”

Oh, Anna, will you please say that to me too?

Back at SCDP, Lane sent (via hapless secretary) to wife and Joan, but the cards were switched. Big double owie! Big red explosion!

Don/Dick wants to help Anna but he knows he can’t. He has to go to Acapulco. It’s genuinely sad to see Don/Dick being genuine.

At Our Joan’s apartment, she’s preparing a little luau for Dr. Rapist, but she cuts her hand. For once, hubby cowboys up and gently bandages her. She cries. Oh, Joanie!

Mad Men rarely traffics in so much sincerity as in this episode.

But the holidays are like that.

Don’s not in Acapulco! He’s at the office, where there’s stability and order. Lane’s there, too. They bond. They go to a movie (is that Gamera?) and dinner and a club and meet the hookers Candace (my sister’s name!) the Slapper and Janine. Lane — who loves him some NYC — has fessed that his wife isn’t coming back from London. He’s reservedly sad. He knows he’s supposed to get on a plane, but Don asks, “Is that what you want or is that what’s expected of you?”

Janine says she loves “House of the Rising Sun” which is, of course, a song about a brothel. Subtle! Tous les quatre spend the night at Don’s bachelor pad.

We end at the office, with Our Joan starting a meeting. “Gentlemen, shall we begin 1965?” Don’s pasty face is back. Sigh.

In all, a sweet, sad episode. Anna reminds us of the Don/Dick who is less of a dick when he’s actually Dick. Vietnam and Bob Dylan and the Berkeley sit-ins creep into the consciousness.The dialogue between Lan and Dick when they’re picking a movie is a delight. (Among the rejected movies are “Send Me No Flowers” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”.)

Posted by Kyrie at August 9, 2010 05:26 AM
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Mad Men Season 4 Episode 3: Watch The Good News Online S04E03

November 9th, 2011 by maureen | No Comments | Filed in Hot News
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Mad Men Season 4 Episode 3: Watch The Good News Online S04E03 – Mad Men season 4 episode 3 called “The Good News” which was directed by Jennifer Getzinger and written by Jonathan Abrahams and Matthew Weiner aired last night on AMC.
Last night we watched one of the most painful yet funniest holiday episode for Mad Men that has ever aired.
In “The Good News” which takes in place in late 1964 we follow Don Draper (Jon Hamm) who is alone to welcome the new year deciding to go to Acapulco for little vacation.
Don decided to make a stop in Los Angeles to see Anna Draper (Melinda Page Hamilton), the wife of the real Don Draper (remember that Don’s real name is Dick Whitman).
During the brief visit he learns that that his wonderful who tells him beautiful thins like “I know everything about you and I still love you ” has terminal cancer and he is asked to keep the secret.
Unable to cope with the situation he tells her goodbye for the last time and flies back home.
He might be a bastard most of the time, but it was hard to watch Don/Dick lose the one person who knows everything about him and still loves him- Betty was unable to that.
In order to better celebrate New Year’s Eve- Don teams up with Lane who was fighting with Joan, to get drunk, go watch Gamera, drink more alcoholic and finish it off by having sex with couple of hookers -25 bucks each.

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Here is the synopsis of the episode:

Joan is trying to start a family with Greg, but her work schedule and his impending Army commitments make things difficult. Don takes a trip to California to see Anna, and meets her niece, who delivers some unsettling news. Upon returning to New York, he finds Lane in the office, who has been experiencing family difficulties of his own. They take night on the town to get their minds off their troubles. This episode takes place around New Years’ Eve, 1964.

Another great episode of Mad Men where Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) stole the show by getting drunk and going on a crazy rant where ever he went from the movie hall to the comedy club.
Jared Harris’s acting was superb and provided us with some great laugh out loud moments that made this episode worthwhile.
On a side note,only Mad Men can reduce the main characters to two nonspeaking appearances in the final scene of the episode.
1965 is going to be a very interesting year.

Here are few things that stood out:
“Alcoholics who think they’re collectors”
“Though things have been precarious financially, it’s been a magnificent year.”
“I agree with that they’re doing, but somebody has to go to class.”
“Just keep marking off the days on the calendar while we keep planning for our future,”
Don: “I could tell the minute she saw who I really was, she never wanted to look at me again.”
Anna: “I’m sorry she broke your heart.”
Don: “I had it coming.”
Lane and Joan’s big fight over the floral mix-up.
“I’ve got a big Texas belt buckle. Yee-haw!!!,”
“I started thinking of everything I know is true, and how flimsy it might be.”
“I know everything about you and I still love you.”

What are your thoughts on the episode?

That’s all we have for now on Mad Men season 4 episode 3.

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Maria Menounos: This one’s for the gals

November 9th, 2011 by maureen | No Comments | Filed in Hot News

It was the Gamers vs. the Famers last night on Madden NFL “Pigskin Pro-Am” on NBC, but the big-time playah turned out to be “Access Hollywood” honey Maria Menounos, who was named MVP!

“You know me, I’m athletic and love all sports,” the Medford homegal told the Track. “I usually excel and do one or two really good things and guys respect me for it.

“But last year, Joe Montana threw me an end-zone-to-end-zone pass for the win – and I didn’t make it,” she moaned. “I was devastated, so this year, I grabbed Joe Montana and told him that there will be redemption this year. ‘I will catch your pass if it’s the last thing I do,’ I told him.”

In the first two minutes of the game, which also featured Hollywood football fans James Van Der Beek, “The Blind Side” actor Quinton Aaron and poker princess/actress Shannon Elizabeth, Maria sacked former St. Louis Rams QB Kurt Warner!

As if Warner wasn’t humiliated enough by Maria’s hometown team, the New England Patriots [team stats], in Super Bowl XXXVI.

“I don’t know how it happened,” she said. “But it was hard for him to get away from me. It was like God said to me, ‘You are going to be a football star today,’ and I was. I caught it every time. I swear I could have lifted a house that day.”

Maria, who claims to have made two touchdowns, but was credited for one, said when she was named the Old Spice MVP, “I said I did it for all the girls who never got passed the ball.”

Now that you’re on some pigskin high, Maria, ya think you could sub in for rehabbin’ Pats wide receiver Wes Welker if needed?

“I think I could catch Tom Brady [stats] with confidence, but Wes is coming back,” she said confidently. “I saw him at the Kentucky Derby and asked him, ‘Are we going to be good this year? You sure? You OK?’ And he told me, ‘We’ll be fine.’ Tom overheard him and told him I wasn’t being a crazy person. ‘Dude, really, she’s a hardcore fan.’ ”

Just a couple of MVPs . . .

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