It is rare when a television show (outside of HBO) takes the time to deeply explore complex human relationships. One favorite exception of mine was the weekly Denny Crane/Alan Shore male bonding on Boston Legal. So thank you, thank you, Mad Men, for shooing away all the extraneous characters and plots, at least for a time, and just allow the Peggy-Don dynamic to flow. The tension - the heat - the eye contact - I was completely captivated by this episode. While it had its share of dramatic developments, its brilliance lay with terse, poignant dialogue and superb acting! How rare. And that requires producers/directors who trust the intelligence and patience of viewers.
Peggy continues to speak for the women of her time as she faces the ancient age of 26 with no husband on the horizon. Her conflict over "what I am supposed to want" versus her true passion for work is fascinating.
Now for a minor tidbit: The Clay-Liston flashback was fun. I was only eleven or 12, but I still vividly remember sitting with my family and visiting grandparents at Green Gables restaurant in Phoenix, all anticipating that night's fight. We were pretty appalled by Clay's pomposity. But today I can appreciate his personality, confidence, and showmanship, not to mention his extraordinary athleticism.
Why has Don never hit on Peggy? Because men like him stay away from women they RESPECT. I hope Don and Peggy do not get together. But if they do, it will be a different kind of "hook-up" than Don (or Peggy) has ever known!
O.K., I've written enough. What say our readers??
O, wise colleague, how you sometimes (sorry, nearly always!) impress me with your intelligence and fine eye for detail! I am entirely in agreement with you.
ReplyDeleteIt took courage for the writers/producers to create this all-nighter between the two protagonists. The relationship, which was risking becoming stale, suddenly blossomed into a friendship/trust of sorts...to the extent that each of our emotionally needy characters can really open up. How wonderful when Don put his head on Peggy's lap! How amazing when she opted for work over her domineering boyfriend. How incredible that Don and Peggy really got to know each other.
Re: The FIGHT. Yes indeed, it was a major moment in our pasts. Several important aspects to the fight: Clay demanded to be called Ali. This was a toughie for folks who did not want to recognize the new militants in America. Clay defeated the big monster....just as, deep in our minds, we all hoped we could slay our dragons of youth. But most importantly, the fight looked, and probably was, fixed. Liston basically took a fall and did not get up. The ko punch, if there ever was one, was a slight fist to the chin. SO: What we have is another fading element in the naivety of our thinking in the early 60's. As the century progressed, nearly everything we first believed in was tainted....so too was boxing.
Yes, let's hope Don and Peggy don't hook up. It'll really mess up some good writing to date. As you said, Don only beds women he does not respect...so Peggy might not fall prey.
But with MM, who knows? All bets are off each week. That's why I love the show.
What else can I say other than that I agree wholeheartedly!
ReplyDeletePeggy and Don have always been my favorite characters. Let me be cliche for a moment and focus on how the feminist in me reacts to this show. (Sidenote, when did it become woefully cliche to have a feminist perspective?)
Women shouldn't love Don, but they do. Let me rephrase that: Women today shouldn't love Don, but they adore him. He is a relic of the past, but incredibly modern. He is everything women know is bad for them, but his badness makes him that much more sexy. He is so complex in the simplest ways. Really, he makes me squeal. And that, ladies and gentleman, is how a feminist gets turns inside out and reduced to whatever the opposite of a feminist is. Darn you Don Draper.
I love Peggy. I completely relate with her. She IS the modern woman. She IS what all of the women on the show want to be--whether they know it or not. You can tell by the way Joan looks at her and the way Trudy digs at her. I respect the way she rises above it all and at the end of the day she is totally unapologetic. It might seem cold, but it is necessary.
I respect and have enough faith in Weiner that if Peggy and Don sleep together it will not be a "jump the shark" moment for MM. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen because the tension is what makes this show worth it. The slow build, the prelude to the kiss...it's always the best part.
PS- I am dyyyying for the moment Don realizes Pete is the father of Peggy's baby.
Nice observations, Keiko. Your comments on women knowing they should not go for Don but doing so anyway really fascinate me. My dear spouse sits by my side drooling over the handsome dude (just kidding, of course), even though she devotes her professional work to feminism. I often hear, "Gee, is he ever cute!" So, Keiko, Valerie, and other enlightened women, we need to further this discussion. What is the REAL appeal to Don? Is it pure physicality? Or do women go for men who are dangerous? Or men who are dominant? Or men who are maybe jerks? I better stop asking, lest one of you accuse me of some old-fashioned stereotypes! Enlighten me, please!
ReplyDeleteWomen see a challenge in Don. Women on the show sense it, sniff it out like cologne. Women watching acknowledge it and are helplessly drawn to it. He is like this perfect knot: it gives a little bit at a time before tightening and tangling again.
ReplyDeleteDon is also a bad boy. And I don't care what women say, they are hopelessly drawn to a bad boy--particularly a bad boy in a suit. Dear Lord, that is the worst kind. He has all appearances of normal and nice, but badness lurks very close to the surface. It's the best of both worlds.
The simplest observation: tall, dark, and handsome.
Let me dive into the "why" of Keiko's astute "why." I am thinking back to Ashley Montague's anthropological book, The Naked Ape. We have not, nor are we meant to, perhaps, strayed far from our primordial ancestors. I don't think women are attracted to men who will treat them badly, but a "bad boy" does have traits that are leader-based, protective, strong, capable and aggressive; traits which help guarantee survival. Not to mention physical attributes to go along. Now, because we are drawn to them, they have added power, and power can corrupt. 'Bad" is often more geared toward short-term gratification which can be very irresistible. Also, while men are pegged as the hunters, perhaps women also hunt for the elusive prey. "Don" may be easy to get physically, but the ultimate elusiveness is in his emotions. Can I get him to love me?
ReplyDeleteP.S. My first husband was a "good boy" but a bad man, all in adult form. My current husband is a "bad boy" but a good man. Perfect.
You have both enlightened me on the attraction women seem to have for the "bad" boys of the world. Yes indeed, Valerie, your current husband is a winner...a good man...who maybe plays bad sometimes! I think Don is potentially a decent guy. But as you said, it could be a challenge for a woman to pull this out of him. I liked your reference to primal needs. We must never forget our cave ancestors. Women "gathered" and men "hunted"...which explains so many of our social issues. Let's follow up this discussion with future exchanges, particularly about Don in Mad Men.
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