Mad Men – Episode 3-4 Review

Shows, Top Story

“The Arrangements”

Note to script writers: Betty is almost one-dimensional and childlike. Do something!

All aspects of life are arranged, whether we care to admit that or not. This episode seemed to me, to emphasize that. Gene wanted to make sure Betty understood what he wanted arranged when he dies. Perhaps he had a premonition of his impending death. When he said he smelled oranges, I was googling and I think that symptom is indicative of a cerebral event about to occur. By episode’s end he was gone, and now Betty has no father. The whole episode revolved around loss of a father or leader and how people arrange their lives to suit their needs, wherever possible.

It occurred to me that the Romanos’ marriage may have been slightly “arranged” by Mama Romano. Sal has arranged his life, but has slipped up.

Every name has some significance, we’ve been told by Weiner. Many, many years ago, there was a multi-shop ad agency called Stirling Advertising, which morphed over the years into Grey’s Advertising. Sterling Cooper in so many ways reminds me of that original description.

I am thinking back on the Madison Square Garden (“MSG”) fiasco: I think that 1963 was far too early for timeline for any foreign entity buying an American ad agency and no one would turn down an account which would not only be an immediate cash injection, but has far more earning potential that anything else. If we’re supposed to see Saatchi & Saatchi in PP&L, well, that didn’t happen in reality, for several more years.

I am so sad for Kitty. She more than suspects what Sal told her: “I’m not myself.” He was right. He knows his secret and unfortunately for him the other night, Kitty got a glimpse of Sal’s closet. He went overboard in his campy rendition of the commercial he was shooting. While the ad campaign failed – who wants a pseudo-Ann-Margret waving bye-bye to sugar – he came out of it with the title of commercial director. Don knows he’s good at what he does and Don has that rare ability to get past the personal aspects. Sal does not realize Kitty is catching on and the look on her face was heartbreaking. She really loves him and while I believe he loves her, it’s not the romance she wants or needs. She’s young enough where he acts more paternal than husbandly.

Did anyone else wince during the screening of the Patio Diet Cola ad? I did – because the actress was so obviously NOT Ann-Margret. Sal did exactly what the customer wanted, but it wasn’t enough.

Betty’s reactions to life are unsettling to me. She is so emotionally childish that her own daughter is more mature than she is. Sally bonded with her grandfather and is probably the only one who will truly mourn him. Chuckle moment: when he lets her know that Betty was a chubby child and her mother chastised her for it. So now we know why Betty called her own daughter fat some time ago and why she’s complaining about her pregnancy weight.

Arrangements. Dick Whitman made the ultimate life arrangement: he assumed the identity of the Don Draper killed in action in Korea. That was a split-second decision; he donned a dead man’s hat to start a new life. Yet he wonders about his own father, to some extent, and probably tries not to be as heartless. I think that was behind Don’s upset reaction to the Prussian war helmet Gene had as a WW1 souvenir, which he gave to Bobby. Don was emphatic about it being a dead man’s helmet and the analogy hits home.

I hope Betty and Brother Bill will honor the arrangements their father stipulated, but I wonder if the large house he left behind (not to mention the chinchilla and mink coats he bequeathed Betty) will create further problems? Gut feeling: Gloria’s not completely out of this picture just yet, folks. Watch her show up at the funeral or memorial.

Ah, Peggy. Margaret. So grown up and looking for an apartment in Manhattan. Her mother’s none too pleased; Mama blew up like an impending hurricane at the thought. As Anita put it, their mom’s grieving for the loss of her spiritual father (the Pope, who has just died) and thus cannot deal with Peggy’s announcement. Extreme? Yes; telling your daughter “You’ll be raped, you know,” is not something one says lightly. Peggy’s sang-froid may come back to bite her. She has had problems finding a roommate and was the butt of office pranks when she posted her ad. Joan’s advice to her worked, but the name of her potential new roommate gave me pause: Karen Erickson. As in Erickson-McCann? An interesting thought.

In a way, Peggy’s giving her mother a TV set was like giving her a new window on the world. But it’s no way to assuage an angered parent who disagrees with your life choices.

The symbolism of Don’s accidental breakage of the ant farm was priceless. In a way, the ad execs are all like ants in an anthill and Joan’s can of Raid put me in mind of the raid the British agency made on Sterling/Cooper.

Lots of father images blown to bits. Bert Cooper sums up the philosophy nicely: “Kill or be killed; eat or be eaten.” Some species have parents who eat their young. Why do I see Betty’s face? She seems to resent her daughter and can be harshly punitive; their son almost does not exist in her eyes. I pity the new child; and I pity Bobby who will now be the middle child.

Even Horace Cooke, Jr.’s dad had to step in and arrange for the agency to humor his son’s seemingly irresponsible wastage of his trust fund money. So yes, life is arranged whether we realize it or not. Cooke Sr. was a friend of Bert Cooper, and it was noticeable that Cooper’s childlessness was mentioned; he’s a non-father, although he may see himself as Sterling-Cooper’s paterfamilias.

I do not see Don as a hero, but he seems to have become a bit wiser this season. Perhaps when Gene came to live with the Drapers, Don thought there would be something he’d see in fatherhood through Betty’s dad. He and Gene were at odds most of the time, though. Don is going to have to parent Betty too.

So “Arrangements” – or better yet: “Who’s Your Daddy?”