Betty Draper is a wicked, wicked mother. There, I've said what you're all thinking. When each night's episode begins with, "Previously on Mad Men," and I see domestic Draper scenes, I sigh; tonight's show will feature the FAMILY. Now that Don isn't in that family, I wish it would all center on MAD[ison Avenue]MEN. Because nothing really develops here. We get the dynamics. That said, tonight we watched little Sally as she teeters between the sweet girl she was and probably misses being, and the Betty-morph she keeps slipping into, thanks to said mother! Betty shows cold, but polite distance toward her two sons, but downright animosity toward her daughter. I think it's an alpha-female syndrome. As her girl matures (which we are literally watching as the child actress thins out into adolescence), the mother sees her replacement in the world, a world that Betty bitterly misses - modeling, socializing, playing, youth. One hint of this was in the bizarre scene where Betty desperately clings to continuing her own visits with S's child psychologist. This is one fragile, brittle woman in arrested development who is ready to crack. And yes, part of me feels very sorry for her, and I suspect we will learn why down the road. Actually, I take back what I said earlier; it is pretty interesting.
Quick note: opening scene of her feeding hot dogs to her children before step-dad comes home and the adults will have "different food" jolted my memory box. My parents were friends with a couple who would frequently serve their boys hot dogs while the parents ate steak, justifying it that the kids didn't "like" steak. Could be. But my mom was always so indignant that there would be such a food hierarchy. {Years later, one of the sons "accidentally" shot and killed his dad. oops.}
The sub-plot of artist-junkie was a weird one, but with this show, I hold great trust that the wisdom will be revealed. Sure enough, in a later scene, Don sits staring at her tormented canvas. I wonder if it held fascination for one who has his own addictions and lapses of control, hmmm?
The Lucky Strike meltdown intrigues me. As they mentioned a new cigarette aimed at women, all I could think of was, "it has to be Virginia Slims," right? We'll see. The rapid flashes to each person's private reaction with totally 60s film music in background was quite authentic.
Don Draper's manifesto, Why I Am Quitting Tobacco, was stunningly brilliant and courageous. But I know the feeling: on those rare mornings I would wake up having no clue what I would be doing in 3rd period class, I'd pull out all creativity, throw caution to the wind, and usually had one of my best lesson plans. Brilliance under pressure - haha. He was an ass for stating a new "policy" the firm had not discussed, but the ol' "best defense is good offense" is the act of a leader. Wow. It's "I'm breaking up with you." "Oh yea? Well, I don't want you anyway." WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT WEEK?
A fun reference: Barefoot in the Park. Great play. One of my favorite nostalgic movies. I saw it on the first morning after 8th grade graduation.
Lastly, I am continuously amazed by all the alcohol in the offices. Whew.
A POST SCRIPT TO A LONG POST:There are wonderful, loving, wise mothers like my own, and there are evil, f-upped, physically abusive, drug-addicted, neglectful mothers out there. Betty falls into a weird (but probably all too common) pool of unskilled parents. She is too weighted down by her own issues, too focused on the image of "perfect family." But I believe her flaws are potentially catastrophic, sending little girls like Sally into their own bad marriages, therapy, and much worse like promiscuity, eating disorders, drug abuse, or a lifetime of never learning to love the Self.
ReplyDeleteI begin with your post-script: You are SO correct about the results of Betty-style parenting. When parents are always harsh and critical, the kids become self-doubting and depressed. They escape into terribly self-destructive behaviors, including drugs, alcohol, and more....and they inevitably end up with bad marriages of their own.
ReplyDeleteNow for your first paragraph: You've again nailed Betty. She is brittle and ready to crack. Her meanness toward her daughter is miserable and despicable. I despise characters on film who are verbally or otherwise abusive toward kids, so this show really pushes my button. I really want to give Betty a piece of my mind!
The Lucky Strike meltdown is a good subplot, because it shows how a business can suddenly be in jeopardy. I am enjoying seeing how the partners try to sort out the financial crisis.
The kiddie plot: not nice, in my mind. A shot or two, fine. But this pseudo-friendship on the grass seems exploitive...not tasteful or appropriate. OK, needed for the Betty blowup, but still overdone.
The addiction scene: Best I can make of it is to show that all folks have their addictions, of sorts. Don is a sex addict, perhaps. Everyone smokes.
All in all: a tough-to-watch, rather unpleasant episode.