Mad Men season 3 ep 5

[shapinglight]

Brief thoughts within, with spoilers



On the day when we get yet another reminder that the worst thing that ever happened to the Buffyverse was the day it fell into the hands of Comic Book Guy, thank everything there is to thank for Mad Men is all I can say.

Wonderful, wonderful ep - in which Betty gave birth while high on who knows what, Peter Campbell managed to come out of things looking pretty good compared to the old guys (Sterling and Cooper, in this instance), one of the Brits actually managed to half-redeem himself by not sneering at the idea of advertising aimed at African Americans, and we got a timely reminder in the Peggy/Don scene as to why the times they damn well should be a changin' etc etc.

Wonderful, wonderful stuff!

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

On the day when we get yet another reminder that the worst thing that ever happened to the Buffyverse was the day it fell into the hands of Comic Book Guy

Huh? What'd I miss?

And yes, Mad Men is incredible. The third season really brought a lot of interesting stuff...

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Hey, I didn't know you watched Mad Men. Nifty.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

As a Sopranos fan, I couldn't not watch it. And it really is a great show, even if I can't seem to quite get fannish with it. It's sort of like with Big Love: I watch it with equal parts horror and fascination, loving it both for the character drama and the bitter pills underneath, but it leaves me pretty much wanting all the characters to keep fucking up because they don't deserve not to. ...Or something.

It's weird how I can find mass murderer Tony Soprano far more lovable and redeemable than a mere creep* like Pete Campbell.

*OK, possibly worse by s3, but no spoilers

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I'm really only fannish with the Buffyverse stuff, but I did write a Mad Men fic prompted by Season 3's finale.

Horror and fascination is a good word. I think that's why I love Don's character so much. The complexity of it all. I think my favorite characters (in the sense of I love all their scenes) are Don, Joan and Roger. Roger just has the best lines ever.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, on Mad Men there are some characters I actually like but with Big love I feel exactly that way. On one hand it's so creepy it's really good, but I kind of root for everybody going down (especially for Bill).

[shapinglight]

*OK, possibly worse by s3, but no spoilers

Oh dear! And there was me thinking Pete was possibly improving.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Oh, he is. In so many ways. It's just... um... no spoilers. But it's Mad Men.

[shapinglight]

But it's Mad Men.

There is that. Plus, he idolises Draper.

[next_to_normal]

Huh? What'd I miss?

I second this. Did something happen today?

And yes, Mad Men is incredible.

I second this, too.

[shapinglight]

I second this. Did something happen today?

Not really. It was just the stupid comics again. The Angel one this time.

It got on my nerves, though - enough that I was really grateful to Mad Men for providing a brilliant and much needed distraction.

[next_to_normal]

Ah, yeah. I only saw the preview, but it pretty much convinced me that Willingham knows nothing about AtS, and is basically an idiot.

[shapinglight]

Yes, that.

[shapinglight]

Huh? What'd I miss?

Nothing at all important. Just Bill Willingham trashing various AtS characters.

The third season really brought a lot of interesting stuff...

It certainly has so far. I love it.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Just Bill Willingham trashing various AtS characters.

OK, now I'm curious.

[shapinglight]

Well, I've only someone else's review of the latest issue to go on so far. Shall be picking up a copy later and might have more to say when I've read it myself.

Or I might be so annoyed I can't be bothered. We'll see.

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

Shapinglight has well summarized the situation.

Points to icon for an example. Though for the portrayal of Spike as seen by B W to be more complete, I should have added certain male parts grown up to extraordinary dimensions.

And poor Illyria isn't better treated either. She/it/he wants baby from Connor (of course!)and politely asks the permission to Angel.

If you want more details go to IDW or Buffyforums or Slayalive sites (Angel n°30). The whole thing is of an abyssal stupidity and I'm not going to spend one cent on this.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

She/it/he wants baby from Connor (of course!)and politely asks the permission to Angel.

But of course. She's a woman, after all (well, sort of), what else could she possibly want?

The thing about Spike regrowing his leg sounds hilarious, though. OK, it's clearly bad on a massively bad scale of bad craziness, but... it's nice to pretty much see the writer admit that he has no clue at all about the canon he's fanficcing.

[shapinglight]

it's nice to pretty much see the writer admit that he has no clue at all about the canon he's fanficcing.

Or about the characters he's writing. Or very little.

I should reserve final judgement until I read the whole thing, but at the moment it looks like he's picked all Spike's worst character traits and amped them up to 11, while removing all his good ones. And then he's written Gunn in the exact same way.

As for the Illyria thing, I'd set Joan on him if I could. He'd be sorry then.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

As for the Illyria thing, I'd set Joan on him if I could. He'd be sorry then.

The more I think about it... OK, I haven't even read the preview, so maybe it makes some sort of insane troll sense in context, but... ILLYRIA wants a baby. ILLYRIA?!? The ancient primordial God-King of the Long List Of Ways Of Being Infinitely Superior To Everything Else In This Or Any Dimension wants a baby?!? Are they trying to outdo the Kafka!Dawn arc in character assassination? Or did Willingham just look at her and go "Oh, she has tits, let's just drag out the standard Childless Woman 1A arc so I won't have to write her out"?

Joan is too good for him. I have a better idea. No spoilers, but after you've watched the next episode of Mad Men, you'll know. *nudges*

[shapinglight]

Or did Willingham just look at her and go "Oh, she has tits, let's just drag out the standard Childless Woman 1A arc so I won't have to write her out"?

I suspect so. I told you about the wedding in his Fables series where the bride promised to obey the bridegroom, didn't I? Anyway, more later, if I have time, because it is unfair to say more when I haven't read the whole thing.

Joan is too good for him.

Goes without saying. She's too good for all of them.

I have a better idea. No spoilers, but after you've watched the next episode of Mad Men, you'll know. *nudges*

Ooh, now I'm intrigued. And damn, will be away most of next week so will have to catch up with Mad Men the following weekend. :grumble, grumble:

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

Oh, she has tits, let's just drag out the standard Childless Woman 1A arc so I won't have to write her out"? This probably! (I'm not feeling very merciful at the moment)

And now you've got me intrigued too! Is having seen Mad Men a requirement to understand?

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Is having seen Mad Men a requirement to understand?

Not really, but it's a bit spoilery. I'll PM you, just don't read it if you don't want to be spoiled.