THE CHINESE WALL: Oh lord, this series hits home, the things I've seen. Roger, poor little rich boy. Too busy focusing on glasses of Smirnoff to stroke client egos. Lacking confidence, once life takes hold, a client walks, they cower, then crash, oh, the unbearable lightness of funny one liners, becoming tinged with bitterness, then embarrassing.
You can understand Draper's inability to bond with Roger. Don never knew his mother, didn't inherit a thing so he's got a major hunger to hunt. And here we have Roger becoming tedious with his Mummy fetish, crying to Joan because Father wasn't around, too busy making all that money. These men just aren't natural carnivores so they feast on Foie gras, without the je ne sais quoi, no wonder Joan's fed up.
But hey, wonderful to see Pete and his opportunistic nemesis Ken Kosgrove eating up the scenes, watching them feel the heat. Those two are definitely up for the hunt. Pete's a trust fundy but hungry because his father had 'old money' but ate every last bit, leaving him nothing but contacts to feast upon, which he does, with zest. He's fabulous, providing all the tension, that ambition, teetering so precariously each week. We don't need to hear him necessarily, but we need to see him, preferably with his precious Trudy.
And was it my active imagination or did I just see Eve Harrington sprout outta Don's secretary Megan like the alien creature; Faye, you better watch out.
But Stan. I don't get Stan. The lipstick scene? The company's drowning and Stan, knowing what its like to drown is steering the ship 'towards the berg'? well, maybe it was worth it just to suffer along with Peggy's humiliation, played out in deceptively slow motion/real time. This is why I love the show, life can be awfully awkward when you're jumping off cultural, business or social cliffs..life has a way of taking the mickey out of you, so enjoy it vicariously whenever possible...
No wonder I've forgotten how to spell the word pride, whatever is the point....
HANDS AND KNEES: Speaking of. Joan, most diaphanous creature. Did she, or didn't she? Maybe she did keep the child, not a coy woman but very pragmatic and she does want a child. And, what about Joan's past?
Sad, fabulous Joan, when 31 meant time was no longer kind, when she flips her male currency she gets inept, less than ideal Dr. spouse for heads and cavalier trust fund lover for tails.
And now the diner discussion had to happen, shedding new light on the 'loving chemistry' with Roger Sterling, prince of the light one liners. Is she willing to dismiss his role right alongside the writers decision to drain away much of what made Roger funny to hear and happy to watch for so many episodes? Our blessed Joan. She's had abortions before, and didn't she just question her Dr. last time about long term impact of said fact?
Just when I think it's nostalgic and distinctly American, sighing at those old phones and clothes, an English friend tells me its Chekhovian, universal. This series, so instrumental in playing out our insecurities, spilling the beans, exposing our secrets along elements of compassion, reminding us how quickly the past plays catch up, there's consequences after all...
The show moves so deceptively slow, no hero or villain to make us feel noble. It's just an advertising firm. Its just us, our life, our dramas and the tedious fact that life ends, drama meets death, the credits roll.
Can't wait to download the next episode. Perhaps I should, this precious interlude, this petite piece of calm
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