Mad Men Season Four ep 2

[shapinglight]

Actually, I'm not sure there's anything I could say about this episode that could do it justice. This'd be one of those times when, if I smoked, I'd be lighting one up in the afterglow.

Bliss.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I don't know as I felt sorry for Roger so much as it was good to see he has to occasionally work for the money as well. I was reading a Mad Men discussion a few weeks ago and someone was pointing out that Roger gets away with all the stuff that Betty is bashed for -- that really, they're very similar characters. I agree, although the big difference is that Roger is inappropriately funny and Betty seems to have no humor at all.

[shapinglight]

That's interesting about similarities between Betty and Roger. Could you link me to the discussion if it's open and not spoilery for eps after 4.3?

[yourlibrarian]

It was open but it's also spoilery up until two weeks ago so best to skip it for now. But as I recall they talked about how both were essentially spoiled, impulsive, childish and prejudiced, and had both gotten by on their looks, charm and position in life. In fact, and this was my thought, they both were the characters who ended up divorcing their spouses for someone else.

[shapinglight]

Ah, yes. There's a lot in that, though of course also another side to both characters. Betty is well educated (fluent in Italian) and thus very frustrated by her limited role in life, which probably distorts her personality quite a bit. As for Roger, he's a complete shit basically, but a charming one - plus he's a WW2 veteran, and that has to have had some effect.

That's what I love about Mad Men - even the most unlikeable characters have sides to them that you can only understand but even admire. I saw ep 3 the other night, and we even saw a good side to Joan's husband (who I've christened Dr Killanything) in that one.

[yourlibrarian]

Yes, they're truly a complex bunch and often unlikable, though I think Joan generally comes off the best. (And in that conversation apparently several people refer to her husband as Dr. Rapist).

[shapinglight]

With good reason, though of course neither Dr Killanything nor Joan would have thought it rape back in those days.