Mad Men - Season 4 (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

I blame Joan, she's like the Galactus of Cleavage, going around, and sapping the cleavage of other gals in the office...

 

[JonZ]

 

[mattCR]

Just so there is a post you can click on to go to the end... that's a new bug.. smilies as the only content means you can't click on the thread to jump to the end. Interesting.

 

[mattCR]

And the loss of Lucky Strike is out of the bag. Good scenes between Roger & Joan. Don gets in a bit of corporate espionage, and now they start pushing on.

 

[Jason_V]

Somehow I thought losing Lucky Strike would be be...dramatic...in the office. Not that there weren't moments I wasn't squirming in my chair for Don and the gang, but it was a very orderly announcement.

Joan on the phone with Roger was excellent. She let her anger show for a brief moment and then *poof* it was gone a little later.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Originally Posted by Jason_V

Somehow I thought losing Lucky Strike would be be...dramatic...in the office.

I've been at a professional service organization that lost a major client, and they caught the mood perfectly. It's a quiet, sinking sensation. The drama comes later on with the layoffs (if that's where the series is going).


The part that I particularly liked was when Ted zoomed into the maternity ward to recruit Pete. That's how it goes. At the first scent of blood in the water, the sharks swarm in, and your shop gets chewed to pieces.


If only Draper had been able to withstand that security review. That would have been a few more million in annual billings.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Even with a sinking ship, it's nice to know that Don can carve out some time for some office nookie.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Jason_V

Somehow I thought losing Lucky Strike would be be...dramatic...in the office.

I would have expected more worry too but Don did exude an air of confidence when he talked to the group. As an audience member, I was surprised that SCDP was apparently already finished in one season but Don's speech made me realize that they (and the writers) have other ways to keep the company going without Lucky Strike.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Originally Posted by TravisR

I would have expected more worry too but Don did exude an air of confidence when he talked to the group.

That's what someone in Don's position has to do to prevent people from bolting for the door. I'm curious to see what the writers have in store, but in real life, speeches like that are frequently all talk and no substance. Someone I'm close to once listened to a similar speech from a leader of a firm in crisis on similar grounds. A week later, he left to take a senior position elsewhere. The firm closed within a few months.

 

[mattCR]

I also thought it was very fitting. Privately, there was panick; they were bolting to the office at 10PM, Pete left his wife & kid in labor to deal with it.. it was not a small thing.


But publically, you put on the face. That's why I loved the exchange between Don & Peggy:


Peggy: "I'm not worried"

Don: (blank stare then) "Really?"


He was basically saying to her: that speech was an ad. It was marketing. Could you not see through the bullshit?


Kind of a low-blow regarding the lipstick there.

But I also liked how the good Doctor practiced some corporate espionage. Kind of a sign of Don entering the new, more brutal workspace.


The reality is, while Lucky Strike was huge, the office could likely survive.. it'd just be a botique. That's why the comparison to the shop they tried to put out of business (that approached Pete) was fitting.

But if Don can grab Heinz, it would not be a bad bit of business.

 

[adamfarren]

Seems to me that with Lucky Strike gone, its only a matter of time before Roger Sterling is out as well. He's certainly not bringing in any new business at this stage. Which brings me back to Cosgrove and Campbell...with Sterling out of the picture, how long will Cosgrove stay happy with his rival Campbell a partner, and he still just an account man?


Can't believe I'm still surprised at Don's self-destructive habits with his secretaries...but I am surprised. It sure doesn't seem comfortable for him the next day, which would stop many people from making the choices he makes, but not Don. Now what happens when the Doctor stops by?? That's going to be a nice awkward confrontation down the road I'm sure...

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

I don't even picture the awkwardness because they established up front that it was what it was -- and no more.


I liked how Heinz was described. "It's vinegar, sauces and beans." And then came ketchup.


Don's doctor lady is hot. You walk out of a destroyed relationship with January Jones and walk into that? Not only is she just as beautiful, but she's infinitely more well adjusted, and "in the business" to boot. Don's described as a sort of self destructive tragic character, but he has so many blessings. Doc was right when she said he's one of the most hirable men on Madison Avenue at this point (even though he doesn't want to work for someone else). It's sad that his children grow up without their father, but other than that, I wouldn't exactly call his life terrible.

 

[alexander10]

I like to watch Mad Men episodes again and again.This is my favorite show and i have seen all the episodes from this show.It is a amazing show.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Pretty gutsy "Hail Midge" call on Don's part, hope it keeps SDP afloat.

 

[Jason_V]

I had flashbacks to Jerry Maguire when Don sat down to write the tobacco copy. Loved everyone's reactions to it, too.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Yes, I couldn't quite place the letter motif, but it was very much Jerry Maguire-esque. Nice move on Don's part to spot Pete his share. Don must be loaded to walk around with $130 back in the mid-60s.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The final scene between Don and Peggy was interesting -- just the slightest acknowledgement from Don that, yes, she did have the right idea when she suggested "changing the conversation". But he didn't know how until his encounter with Midge.

 

[Shane D]

Originally Posted by Patrick Sun

Yes, I couldn't quite place the letter motif, but it was very much Jerry Maguire-esque. Nice move on Don's part to spot Pete his share. Don must be loaded to walk around with $130 back in the mid-60s.

it wierd to not think about money conversion today, when he gave the junkie 10 bucks for groceries my first reaction to his reaction was, what small amount of groceries could he get for 10 bucks for a full meal, until i realized his reaction was amazement at how much don had given him.


didn't don get a million for his share as partner when the brits took over?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Yeah, $10 could probably buy you quite a bit of heroin back in the mid-60s... (actually I have no idea...)

 

[TravisR]

I have no clue what the inflation rate is from the mid-1960's to today but I just add a zero on to every amount of money that they talk about to make a guess as to what it would be in today's value.