Mad Men: Shit Is About to Hit the Fan

I was excited to see tonight's episode, not because of what I expected to see onscreen, but rather because of what's been going on offscreen: this episode was the last one co-written by Emmy winner Kater Gordon, who was recently let go from the show. I was expecting a hot mess of an episode (as much as any episode of Mad Men could ever be a hot mess), but I was actually pleasantly surprised by what I saw. Stuff HAPPENED tonight. Let's dive into the best parts:

Betty finds out that Don Draper is really Dick Whitman. Betty found the keys to Don's secret drawer of secrets, and she seemed quite pleased with herself, until she found out what was in it. Her consternation at Don's pictures of his youth turned to anger when she found the deed to the house in California and Don's divorce papers from the other Mrs. Draper. OH SHIT. You would think Betty would freak out, but no. Instead she decides to sit up and wait for Don, glass of wine and cigarette in hand, so she can confront him when he gets home. When Don doesn't show up, she puts the box away and the key back in his robe. Apparently she is going to sit on this information for a while. Why? I do not know.

The Brits are selling Sterling Cooper. I'm not really sure why (they want to cash in apparently, but that seems silly, because the agency is making a ton of money.) This is interesting because (1) Roger, Bert, and Don have no idea and will probably freak out and (2) it means we can get rid of that awful Mr. Price. He's boring as shit and annoying too.

Miss Farrell is about to go Fatal Attraction on Don. First, she tells him she wants to scream while they're having sex. Then, she wants him to meet her brother. Then, she calls his house and denies it. (I KNOW it was her.) Then, she just appears on his train to work. She's also going through a tough emotional period because of her brother's problems--he has epilepsy. If this were a different kind of show, she and Betty would be having a showdown. Regardless, I think she's going to continue to unexpectedly intrude in Don's life.

Paul finally realizes that Peggy is smarter and more creative than he is. That final scene, where Peggy just takes a Chinese saying that he had mentioned mere minutes before and turns it into a pitch is kind of awesome. Also, Paul is a tool.

Those were my takeaways from tonight's episode. I'll leave you with some quotes to help you ponder your own:

"Do you feel bad about what you do?--Crazy Miss Farrell to Don. Obviously not, lady.

"I love getting telegrams, but I never send them." "How is that supposed to help?"--Cosgrove and Don.

"Ughh, he's such a toad." "He is, he is."--Price's wife and Price about Price's assistant. Note: I like Mrs. Price.

"Well he knows how to leave a room."--Crazy Miss Farrell's brother about Don.

"Geez Louise"--Sally, when Betty yells at her for asking questions, but also probably about her life in general.

"I don't care about your marriage, or your work, or any of that, as long as I know you're with me."--Miss Farrell to Don. She's also stolen a lock of your hair and keeps it with her all the time.

"Good god would you shut up."--Paul to Lois

"She's not Margaret, she's Jane, she's my wife." "Does Mona know?"--Roger and his mother. That was fucking hilarious.

Mad Men: Brief Meditations on Tonight's Episode

Mad Men is a complex show. Most of the time I do not really understand what is going on. As such, I will just share a few random unrelated thoughts:

• Don is getting careless. Sally's teacher, Don, really? She seems like the types that will go all Fatal Attraction on him. This will end the least well of all of his long-term affairs, and that includes the one that ended in a car crash. Yeah. Bad idea.
• Conrad Hilton is obsessed with Don. See Fatal Attraction comment above about how this storyline will resolve itself.
  
• Did anyone notice that Betty's stationary had a fleur de lis at the top? For those who don't know, the fleur de lis was the symbol of the House of Bourbon, the French dynasty that ruled right up until the French Revolution. Now, as you may recall, Marie Antoinette was the French queen just before the revolution, so I'm wondering here if we're supposed to be drawing a parallel to her. Actually I bet we are, since that fugly couch Betty has in the living room totally seems right of Marie Antoinette's boudoir.
  
• Betty has daddy issues, which is why she wants attention from Henry Francis. That is all I will say there.
• Did Sal go to try to find the guy from Lucky Strike at the end of the episode? Or was he just going to try to pick up someone else?
• I find it very hard to ever take Roger Sterling seriously, and therefore could only laugh when he was trying to yell at Don at the end of the episode.
• My jaw dropped when Betty said, "This whole thing makes me wonder about civil rights, maybe now isn't the right time," right to Carla. That's one of those moments that really makes you appreciate how well grounded the show is in its time period.
  

Anyone else notice anything good?