MAD MEN: "THE BETTER HALF" S6 E09 REVIEW at FORCES OF GEEK

The family dynamic is explored in depth on the latest episode of Mad Men.

Now that Don (Jon Hamm) has more time to focus on his work and relationships, will he drown in a sea of margarine, or stay afloat on his bourbon ice cube?

Who will Joan (Christina Hendricks) trust to be the father figure to Kevin?

It’s not that smiley Bob Benson (James Wolk) is it?

Roger (John Slattery) has difficulty connecting with the children in his life, but Don and Betty (January Jones) re-connect at Bobby Draper’s (Mason Vale Cotton) upstate summer camp.

We open on Don and Ted (Kevin Rahm) arguing over the price of margarine, or rather the strategy to woo the Fleishman’s Margarine account.

 

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) , Harry (Rich Sommer) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) try to stay neutral, but Don’s insistent on Peggy’s input. She doesn’t relent, as she is loyal to both men and the company itself. In fact, her loyalty to Ted may be romantic. The two have feelings for each other, but Ted does not want to have an office romance (though his feelings for her are strong).

Harry recommends Pete see a headhunter, a familiar face, Duck (Mark Moses) from Season 2. The men are weigh their options on leaving the firm with no name but Pete’s not worth much to the market these days, he’s not a partner.

On the set of Megan’s (Jessica Paré) soap, we find Megan in a blonde wig, playing double duty as Collette, her character Marie’s twin. Megan opens up to Don about work drama over a drink, as we hear the din of sirens in the city as the ‘60s youth revolts and a crime wave hits Manhattan.

Don hits the road for the weekend to visit Bobby at summer camp. Along the way, he runs into a slim Betty at the gas station. The two make love at the Motel and talk about Don’s relationship to Megan and his disconnectedness to the act of sex. Betty has a line that steals the episode, “That poor girl, she doesn’t know that loving you…is the worst way to get to you”. Betty admits that she’s forgotten about how upset she was with Don over the events of the last episode, leaving his kids alone in the apartment as it was robbed.

Megan invites fellow actress Arlene (Joanna Going) over to talk about the acting craft, but Arlene is more interested in making more passes at Megan, which Megan denies. Arlene’s husband, also a swinger is Megan’s boss, so she fears recourse. In the end, there are no hard feelings as Arlene leaves to walk back home.

Uptown, Peggy and Abe (Charlie Hofheimer) are feeling unsafe. Abe has been stabbed and mugged, but refuses to tell the cops what the race of the perps were. Peggy feels uneasy in her new home, and Abe stays on the side of the oppressed.

Peggy sleeps with a homemade harpoon by her bed with a knife attached to a broomstick. A smash and grab outside startles her from bed, armed with the harpoon. Abe is there to ask what is up, and Peggy ends up stabbing her boyfriend…with a harpoon! This unexpected violent act was comic relief for many, I’m sure.

On the way to the hospital, Abe breaks up with Peggy. He does so not because his girlfriend stabbed her, but because he sees her as part of the establishment, and he is a cutting edge journalist. They simply cannot exist in the same world. Peggy is left alone at the end of this chapter, as Ted pushes her away when she confides in him of the breakup. Poor Peggy, but we’ve seen her on the prowl as of late, she will bounce back.

Hey, how about that Bob Benson? He’s swell and certainly has found himself at Joan’s apartment for a trip to the beach! As Joan (elegantly) is packing beach blankets for the trip with Bob and baby Kevin to the beach, Roger pops in with Lincoln Logs for the little tyke (Roger is Kevin’s biological Dad). Roger doesn’t recognize the brownnose Bob from the office, and feels awkward coming by unannounced. Joan flawlessly conducts Roger’s exit and makes Bob feel at home. Oh Joan, you are so independent and wonderful. And a supermom at that! Yay Joan!

Poor Roger, this is his second failing with kids this week. His daughter Margaret (Elizabeth Rice) wasn’t happy with Roger taking 4 year-old grandson to Planet of the Apes. Maybe 4 years old is a bit young for that movie, but that’s when I saw it…and I’m obviously perfectly fine!

When Don returns home to Megan, they talk about their relationship.

Don promises to be more present, though we will have to see if anything else distracts him. Let us not forget, the main motivation to having this talk with Megan was an affair he had with his ex-wife.

This episode explored how close we can get to people in our lives, and once again we see how being close to people makes it easier to hurt them. Quite literally in the case of Peggy and Abe! Pete searches for something, we don’t know what, but Bob Benson has come to Pete’s rescue with a nurse recommendation for Pete’s senile mother. Don and Megan have some issues to work out, and both seem willing.

On the next Mad Men puzzle game we hear Ted talking about “kissing the ring”, perhaps Don’s ego is pushing his business acumen from the subtle to the blunt. Ginsberg talks of body bags from the war and Roger calls a partner’s meeting. Let’s hope Peggy gives up her dream to be a whaler and concentrates on what she does best, writing copy and breaking hearts.

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EARTH PRIME TIME: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE FIRST LOOK

Marvel’s Avengers Assemble on Disney XD debuts this Sunday, May 26th. Marvel Television has released the first half of the one hour premier on exclusively on iTunesfor free for fans to get a first look at the show. The cancellation of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes last November made some fans upset, but Jeph Loeb and the Man of Action Team have set us up for another smash hit. We’re guessing the 2009 Disney buyout of Marvel is finally flexing that animation muscle.

 
Marvel TV has released an early preview for Avengers Assemble. This version of The Avengers is more in line with the look and feel Marvel NOW! comics and the Ultimate Spider-Man television series. Costumes are updated to match Marvel’s The Avengers movie as well.

The last episode of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes was a practical Secret War of guest stars including The Fantastic Four, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Ant-Man and Wasp. The Avengers defeatGalactus and the Earth was saved at the last minute as Iron Man and Thor knocked the planet eater into the Negative Zone.

IRON MAN - Avengers Assemble

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes aligned itself with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a way, based on the Robert Downey Jr. voice clone Eric Loomis as Iron Man, the movie responsible for kicking off the franchise.

CAPTAIN AMERICA - Avengers Assemble

The first season had guest stars and the introduction of deep cut Marvel/Jack Kirby creation Black Panther, and Marvel/Roy Thomas Avengers The Vision and Ms. Marvel.

The show was good, not great. Certainly this is a step up from the young generation Muppet Baby versions of The Avengers in Super Hero Squad.

HAWKEYE - Avengers Assemble

DC took a chance of it’s own on investing in a darker-tone teenage superhero team adventure with Young Justice, existing in a universe all it’s own.

The chance was all too risky, and Warner decided not to renew Young Justice for a third season. Fanboys cried when they also cancelled the strangely CGI animated Green Lantern: The Animated Series Saturday morning show on the same day. From DC, we’re promised a CGI version of Beware The Batman starring Bruce with Katana as his sidekick facing off against villains like Professor Pygand Magpie. Fans of the ’90s Bruce Timm Animated series may have problems adjusting to the look of the show.

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MAD MEN: "THE CRASH" S6 E08 REVIEW at FORCES OF GEEK

Back in the days before Red Bulls and when red eye meant a late night flight, not an espresso infused drink, some well to do movers and shakers saw a doctor for an energy boost in the way of a vitamin shot.

The secret ingredient?

Speed, amphetamines, uppers aka dope. Jim Cutler (Harry Hamlin) prescribes the shots for the yet unnamed agency in the latest episode and we see more running around and hear more phones ringing than ever.

Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton) is seen speeding with a carload of drunk executives in a Chevy Impala. He’s there in Detroit to get approvals on the new agency’s ideas. They nearly kill him with a game if chicken. He returns with a 3 year approval schedule from the company. The partners are disappointed, though Ken has been injured from an accident related to playing chicken on the highway with the Chevy executives.

Don (Jon Hamm) struggles with his ending affair with Sylvia (Linda Cardellini). An upsetting phone call from her brings us to the first of a series of flashbacks to Dick Whitman’s childhood (Don’s original identity).

New partner and artist Frank Gleason (Craig Anton) passes away and the firm mourns by getting energy shots from Jim Cutler’s doctor.  The speed gets everyone going, including Roger (John Slattery)—the only one there with a heart condition.

As the stuff kicks in, Don heads back in time to his whorehouse upbringing. Aimée takes care of a young Dick Whitman, and this leads to sexual abuse and Don losing his virginity to the prostitute.

After the commercial break, the creative department is swimming around and grasping for ideas, cranking out lists of cracked out gibberish all the while Don is sweating and running around like a mad man. Time passes in psychedelic jump cuts with dialogs references to Alice and Wonderland and even a cult favorite 60s psych. spy-fi show The Prisoner is shown in the background of a scene.

Sally (Kiernan Shipka) and get brothers are left at home in the Manhattan apartment and across town Don speed binges on work and obsesses over Sylvia. 

Also at the office, Stan (Jay R. Ferguson) gets ‘accidentally’ stabbed with an Xacto by Ginsberg (Ben Feldman).

Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) heals his wounds, and Stan leans in for a kiss. Peggy seems like she is dissatisfied with her boyfriend and is flattered again by another man passing at her.

Sally hears someone in the apartment, discovering that she is being burgled by an older black lady Ida (Davenia McFadden).

At the conclusion of the episode we find that Don left the rear door open in his drug addled frenzy. The children were not harmed, but Megan (Jessica Paré) and Betty (January Jones) realize the kids are not old enough to be left alone. 14 year old Sally did try to call the cops but the robber intercepted the phone call.

Draper, still at the office cranks out some nonsense on his typewriter, and calls in Peggy and Ginsberg.

As I have stated before, Don’s creative energy is tapped out. He has lost sight of the Chevy overtime goal, has ignored his family as he reflects on his loss of virginity at a young age.

When he returns to his apartment he finds Betty, Henry (Christopher Stanley), Megan and the police. 

By now the weight of the amphetamine rush, his professional and personal failings drop him to the ground like a ton of bricks. The 3 day binge has taken its toll on Don. 

He also misses Sylvia and this is the closest he has gotten to expressing his real emotions. The disgrace of another flashback to his past wakes Don up.

The next morning, Don and Sylvia share an elevator ride. They only mutter pleasantries, though barely so.

The episode ends with Don being rested and a bit more clear headed, fresh in his suit. He tells Ted (Kevin Rahm) that he will be the creative director for the Chevy campaign but not a copy writer. The long-tail of the assignment has Don weary.

This was a purposely confusing episode with rapid paced jump cuts to portray the passage of time. Learning more about what makes Don tick, sexually and personally is intriguing but the reveal that he lost his virginity at the whorehouse he grew up in was not surprising. Imagining the young innocent Dick Whitman growing up to be the Don Draper we know today is a huge leap. The background flashbacks do paint a picture of how he deals with women in his life.

A highlight of the episode, and the meme posted the day after air was Ken Cosgrove’s “It’s my job” speed-induced tap dance. With the writing on the side, he’s a triple threat on the sales team!

To speculate on the next episode from the teaser is fun but hardly fruitful. Pete and Joan are getting along, tensions are high between Don and Ted, and Don takes a road trip. I think we’ve seen all of the Dick Whitman reveals for the season, my feeling is that the will be taking a break from flashbacks for now.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUPERMAN: UNBOUND

Superman: Unbound is the latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie based on an Action Comics arc written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. Though not bogged down by New 52 continuity or pre-Flashpoint Superman Family architecture, the movie does a fair job at retelling the story of the five part Superman: Braniac in 75 minutes. Rumors are that this could be the last DCAU movie set in the old timelines, so continuity buffs and those wishing to celebrate Superman’s 75th birthday this year should give this a chance if you have not already. Since the story references Silver and Golden Age Superman subjects like the Bottled City Of Kandor and Collector of Worlds, this is both a movie for new fans anticipating Man of Steel and those with the House of El’s shield tattooed on their arms. Speaking of which, Supergirl is in for the action too.

 
Our story opens with Lois being abducted by some bad dudes in all black swat outfits from The Daily Planet. Perhaps a nod to our favorite Superman joke, Lois is in a pink outfit (and later has a pink phone and a pink laptop). She’s amazingly calm, because in this version, Lois and Clark are boyfriend and girlfriend. He has a way of saving her from these things.

It turns out that she’s not going to be rescued by big blue because he is dealing with an earthquake elsewhere. High over Metropolis, Miss Lane is in the back of a helicopter, almost helpless if not for her wit.

Heeding the call for action Supergirl uses her powers to defeat the bad guys until Kal shows up.

Cousin Kal reprimands her for using excessive force. This serves the story as an opportunity to introduce the villain of the movie, Braniac. Though not a direct sequel to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, one can see this as the introduction of the character of Kara-El, cousin to Kal-El Superman.

Lois and Supergirl - Superman Unbound

Both movies rely on Supergirl’s motivations to drive the main story, in fact my girlfriend pointed out to me that the first film should really have been called Superman/Supergirl Apocalypse, as Batman and Wonder Woman were secondary characters.

Even with the amazing Andrea Romano as voice director there are still old fashioned gender issues in mainstream media.

Back on Krypton, before the explosion and Kal being sent to the Kent Farm, older cousin Kara witnessed a ship helmed by Braniac invade the capital of Kandor and slaughter many innocents. As the collector of worlds, Braniac bottled the city after shrinking it and he put this among his collection. Kara’s parents survived the blast and live in the bottle. Kara now can’t stand bullies, so she feels justified using so much force.

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MAD MEN: "MAN WITH A PLAN" S6E 07 (RECAP) AT FORCES OF GEEK

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and CG&C have merged to handle the Chevrolet account and bring the forces of both firms together.

Not everyone is able to keep their jobs as the union comes with some redundancies. In this episode we marvel at how the higher ups at the company deal with the power shifts in the workplace and at home.

All the while, those at the bottom of the totem pole scramble to prove their worth and save their own jobs.

The story opens with the recurring elevator scene in Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) building. On his way in to the new company’s first day, the elevator door opens to Sylvia’s (Linda Cardellini) floor. We hear her argue with husband Doctor Arnold Rosen (Brian Markinson) who is leaving his practice and headed to Minnesota. Don closes the door, just before the doctor turns the corner for the lift.

At Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the as yet unnamed amalgamation of the two firms is physically taking place. Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is shown to her new office by a put upon Joan (Christina Hendricks). Joan assigns new offices to the salesmen and the secretaries.

Sterling moves upstairs, as Ted (Kevin Rahm) takes the office directly across from Don’s. This positions these two gentlemen at an equal level psychologically.

The first board meeting divides the client base among reps. Ted Chaough shows an assertive and clear headed side.

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser), the last to the meeting and temporarily without a seat is called away to deal with his senile mother. This accompanies the theme of any self-imposed punishment he’s carved out for himself these past weeks. He is, in his own way, compassionate toward his mother, and puts her up in his stag apartment, offering her the bed.

Don leaves the partner meeting for a different calling. He and Sylvia have a hotel quickie that devolves into a master/slave BSDM power play. It’s clear that while she plays along, this is Don’s game, not her as he demands she stay naked waiting for him to be done with work.

After blowing off a meeting with the creative department and Ted about Fleischmann’s Margarine to have his affair, Don returns to the office. Ted dresses him down about the tardiness, and Don slams the door on Ted.

In a power play, Don visits Ted’s office with a full bottle of Canadian Club. Not being as much of a drinker as Don, Ted is quickly hammered and unable to do any more work. They visit the creative suite in the middle of the offices where Peggy, Stan and Ginsberg are still meeting.

 

Ted passes out, with Don assuring everyone that Ted will “Sleep it off”. The move to embarrass the new partner gets Peggy irked, and she says as much to Don later in the episode.

Our new pal, Bob Benson (James Wolk), the man who has been sticking his nose in everyone’s business, but in a friendly ass-kissing sort of way has moments with Joan that redeem the character in the eyes of the viewer. Joan is not only dealing with the merger of the two companies, but is doing so under incredible pain. Bob takes her to the hospital and is able to use his sideways smirk to get her immediate treatment for what turns out to be an ovarian cyst. When it comes time for Joan, Jim Cutler (Harry Hamlin) and Pete to fire redundant employees, Joan saves Benson.

What mysterious reveals about Bob will we see in the second half of the season? He is certainly having many people talking about him and some important allies in the office (Ted and Joan). 

Don has imposed an imprisonment for Sylvia as he leaves with Ted in a two-seater plane to deal with the Mohawk plane account upstate. In this instance, Ted has the upper hand, being a pilot and identifying more closely with the client, trumping Don’s history with the client.

When Don returns to the hotel to boss Sylvia around and get kinky, she is about to leave and calls off the affair. She realizes that she needs to end the whole thing, and Don protests. In the end, that’s where it leaves off. Drenched from a downpour, Sylvia returns home on to the floor below Don’s, departing the elevator without a word. Don returns home, and Megan (Jessica Paré) fixes him a drink.

Megan asks Don to go on vacation with her, but Don can hardly focus on her words. His world seems to be falling apart. Can he reinvent himself again?

Pete’s mom awakes him to tell him the news of the RFK assassination, but also that he is going to be late for school at 6AM. Chalking this up to her senility, Pete returns to sleep on the couch in his apartment. A grown man who is also powerless, though in a different way that Don.

The story ends with Don staring into space as Megan cries, touched by the loss of Bobby Kennedy.

In a world where freedom rings, there is a sense of unknown powerlessness. Don has lost some control of his business and creativity and his mistress. Is he losing control of everything? Time will tell.

What do we have to look forward to in episode 8 from the teaser?

Furrowed brows, a reaction to the RFK shooting, tired partners and the return of Ken Cosgrove from the midwest with what seems like dire news. Is this merger a success? We’ll see in the long-tail, this new super agency doesn’t have a name yet!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

MAD MEN: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" S6E06 - FORCES OF GEEK

There’s a shakeup at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

Roger’s liaison with a stewardess may affect the company’s future as Mother’s Day approaches and Pete is left in the cold with his baby mama.

A well timed strategy from the top brass of these ad agencies shakes up the office by returning a prodigal daughter to the copy chief desk of a huge firm.

We don’t get to see any Don and Sylvia action this episode, but there is plenty of activity of note here.

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) are having the firm audited to go public.

While they await the results, another partner, Roger (John Slattery) has shacked up with a Northwest Orient stewardess, Daisy (Danielle Panabaker). The charming blonde comforts Sterling (in a very adult manner) before leaving for work, as it is Mother’s Day weekend and his mum has just passed. 

Pete returns home to Trudy (Alison Brie) to carry on the charade of his marriage and hopes for some comfort of his own. No dice, Petey.

Though Trudy seems to appreciate the effort he is putting in, sex with his wife is not in his future. Trudy in her full length flowy nightgown, though really is a thing of beauty.

Megan’s mother, Marie (Julia Ormond) continues the matriarchal theme upon visiting Don and Megan for the weekend from Montreal. She encourages Megan (Jessica Paré) to reinvigorate the heat between the sheets after she confides that something may be wrong in the Draper household. Maybe she can borrow some lace from Trudy?

 

Peggy’s (Elisabeth Moss) world is only grazed by any mother talk. No mention of kids with Abe this episode, quite the opposite. After a life affirming peck on the cheek from her boss Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm), she wishes that her boyfriend Abe (Charlie Hofheimer) was instead Ted in her fantasy. The two are settling into Peggy’s new apartment.

Ted and Peggy’s firm is in upheaval. One partner Frank has fallen sick with Pancreatic Cancer and does not have long to live. It seems to be at an inopportune time, as they try to hone in on the Chevy account.

Speaking of Chevy, there is a comedic sidebar with Pink Panther music as Roger and Daisy turn up the heat. Roger rushes to the airport to trap a client. A businessman headed for Detroit turns out to be a Chevrolet executive and is ensnared by Daisy and liquored up by Roger.

Later we find the both the SCDP and CC&G reps en route to the motor city to land the account. The car is not even revealed to the agencies, just a code name (XP-887). And this is to be the biggest car announcement in years. Both teams have their pitches.

Don (Jon Hamm) has just lost the Jaguar account over an hilarious and ill-fated dinner with Herb, his wife, Megan and Marie. Marie insults Herb’s ditzy wife in French before the ladies excuse themselves. Alone at the table to discuss business, Herb (Gary Basaraba) suggests bringing in someone else to help write copy. Don leaves the table, offended and down a major client.

This episode is fast paced and full of surprises. Pete encounters his father-in-law at a cathouse with a black prostitute, and loses that account (Vicks Chemical). It seems the firm is in trouble before going public and everyone is trying to save face. 

After landing in Detroit, before the pitch meetings, Don does what he does best (or, arguably one of his finest traits) by sitting at the hotel bar downing scotches. He’s joined by Ted who stops the binge as the two leading men come to some realizations about their two companies. The reveal that comes in the third act may just land the Chevy account, but for which firm?

I’m happy to say that I fully enjoyed the action, comedy and the behind the scenes business acumen displayed in this episode. Sure, I’ll take a tawdry affair with the neighbor and noir drama and high fashion highlighted in the other episodes this season, but this episode is one of my favorites thus far. Don, Ted, Peggy and Roger’s confidence contrasts Pete, Joan and Bert’s conservatism to make the alliances within and without the firm stronger. 

What can we expect for next episode?

The teaser foretells a darker, more serious tone. Peggy’s moving back into the SCDP offices, will she be welcome? And, what’s Ted doing there? Mad Men Season 6, you are continuing to keep us excited!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

MAD MEN: "The Flood" S6 E05 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

A time of tragedy and catastrophe strikes the nation and the world in the latest episode of Mad Men.

Echoing the feelings evoked by present day headlines these past weeks, we see how everyone reacts to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “The Flood”.

The serious tone of the crisis seeps through everyone’s dialogue in this chapter as some choose to carry on, whereas others are deeply affected and influenced by the shocking news.

We open on to a realtor showing Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) an Upper East Side apartment. Boyfriend Abe Drexler (Charlie Hofheimer) shows up late and confuses the realtor. Abe’s not the buyer, but we see another empowering gender role reversal as Abe is reduced to apartment consultant.

Actor Paul Newman speaks at the awards for The Advertising Club of New York, where both Megan (Jessica Paré) and Peggy are up for nominations.

The usual pleasantries and Roger Sterling (John Slattery) client appeasing happens over drinks as the ceremony starts with Newman endorsing Eugene McCarthy for President. His speech is interrupted by someone calling out to Mr. Newman the news that Martin Luther King is dead. They all take a break from the celebration and we see the look of surprise and disgust from the tables.

In Brooklyn we cut to a virgin Michael Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) on a set up date with his dad’s friend’s daughter. In the diner, the radio broadcasts the news and black dishwashers take time to sit speechless.

Over at the Betty Draper (January Jones) household, Henry Francis (Christopher Stanley) leaves to attend to city business, a calling of his profession as the Director of Public Relations. Fearing riots, he vocalizes his worries and scares the kids Bobby (Mason Vale Cotton) and Sally (Kiernan Shipka). Betty refuses to watch the TV, scared of the things they may show. At bedtime, Bobby exhibits some at the time was probably misdiagnosed bad behavior by peeling the wallpaper off of his wall because they patterns did not align. Seems more like an OCD symptom than anything else.

Pete’s (Vincent Kartheiser) returned to his Siberian exile in his Manhattan apartment, calling Trudy (Alison Brie) to check in on his family. Trudy appreciates the call but stands her ground by not letting the womanizing husband back to the homestead. In a time of crisis, Pete is looking for the support of home, but the consequences of his actions are that he needs to stay away, with only Chinese takeout as his only friend.

At Don Draper’s place, Megan argues with her Marxist father over the phone, as Don stares deeply into a bottle of Canadian Club whiskey as he watches the news of race riots on national news coverage.

Megan won the award that night for her Heinz Beans campaign. In light of the news, no one really gives a bean, including Megan, who left the award on the couch with her jacket.

An awkward day after happens at SCDP as well as at Cutler Gleason and Chaough, both firms have black employees. Peggy is slightly better at consoling her secretary than Joan is of trying to give Don’s Dawn (Teyonah Parris) an unwanted hug.

Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) breaks up a yelling match between the hurt Pete and Harry (Rich Sommer). Harry is concerned about the loss in advertising sales because of the tragedy, and Pete calls him a racist. Bert cannot seem to diffuse the tension.

Down in Draper’s office a meeting with a new client has everyone confused. An insurance man claims he was visited by Dr. King’s spirit last night and has a bizarre idea for a campaign that involves a molotov cocktail. Don’s not impressed, but hey, his own work hasn’t been much better lately!

Home early from work, Don is back at the TV with the brown stuff. He’s forgotten to pick up the kids from Betty’s, and his relationship with his kids is suffering.

Megan takes Sally to an MLK vigil in the park, and Bobby feigns illness to stay home with Dad. The two boys play hooky and check out a matinee of Planet of the Apes.

In between the first and second showing, Bobby has a moment with the black usher that’s the highlight of the episode. He asks the usher if he has seen the Ape movie, and recommends it to the gentleman. “Everyone likes to go to the movies when they are sad”. This from the mouths of babes moment is evokes emotion in Don, something we see little of.

At the end of the episode we have Harry announcing his bid for state Senator and taking more of a leadership role in his career.

In all a dramatic episode, with diamond facets of how different people deal with tragedy and loss. As truth is stranger than fiction, the timing of this episode being released so near to a time of a tragedy in the Boston really hits home. Another way for us to lose our selves in a television show about the past here, as we switch to national news coverage ourselves and keep our loved ones close by.

On the next Mad Men, we are teased with Peggy being annoyed by someone’s presence, more steamy silver fox bedroom scenes with Roger, and Peggy’s boss Ted Chaough possibly up to no good.  These teasers are harder to gauge or extrapolate as we get later into the season. Lots of Don opening his office door and Roger on a payphone.

We hope to see more Joan next episode, of course, with her hair down.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

Mad MEN: "To Have and To Hold" S6 E04 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

Am I reviewing for Soap Opera Digest, or is this Forces of Geek?

The latest episode of Mad Men has the ruffled blankets of a torrid daytime affair and heightened tensions of day to day business.

Joan (Christina Hendricks) is in the spotlight once again, her first episode of the season, Megan (Jessica Paré) gains more exposure on her own soap opera and Harry (Rich Sommer) scores a major deal for the firm, increasing his value.

Also, the secretarial pool is shaken up by false time punches…can this be trouble for Dawn (Teyonah Parris)?

The elevator of Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) building holds Don on his way home from work, and Sylvia (Linda Cardellini) hops on for the ascent for one floor. Their affair revealed over the last few episodes is put on the back burner but not before Don hits the emergency stop switch and the two embrace, making plans later in the week.

A secret business meeting occurs between the firm and Heinz Ketchup executive Tim (Kip Pardue) at Pete’s apartment with Pete and Don. The men tackle the ketchup branding in secret, and though I thought Stan was shooting up, last week as the teaser implied, he is merely working on “Project K”. Stan is smoking grass with Don in the private supply room to clear out the cobwebs and talk hot dogs. Stan holds the partisan opinion that ketchup belongs on hot dogs, because of the squiggly line it makes. Let’s hope these guys get some munchies soon and get back to work. This season, as partner Don has made some bad business decisions and needs to get back to his Kodak Carousel days, wowing clients with his savvy.

Out in the secretarial pool, Scarlett (Sadie Alexandru) asks Don’s secretary Dawn ( Teyonah Parris) to punch her out as she runs an errand. Noticing that she is not at her desk when needed, Joan catches confronts Sadie and eventually fires her. Dawn is spared the discipline.

Harry returns from a successful meeting with Dow Chemical, scoring a $150,000 supplement for the company. He notices Scarlett leaving and asks for her to fetch champagne. Harry re-hires his secretary on the spot and confronts all of the partners in a meeting to defend himself and ask for a spot at the table. Way to go Harry, this is the only time we have seen him be assertive. The bad news is that Joan realizes she doesn’t have as much power as the men do in this company. She retains partnership, but her pride is certainly hurt.

Megan is delivered news and new script pages for an love affair role on her soap, “To Have And To Hold”. Her boss Arlene (Joanna Going) and husband Mel (Ted McGinley) take Don and Megan out to dinner, but with strings attach. The swingers propose an after-dinner grass and sex session, a ‘chemistry experiment’. Don and Megan deny their advances, but stick around for dessert, just not the kind Mel and Arlene had in mind.

Don shows up on the set on the day of taping the kissing scene and hypocritically accuses Megan of being a whore and enjoying the scene. As a man, he is cheating on his wife. As a husband, he outwardly is acting like a man of his time. He’s jealous, overbearing and not supportive of Megan’s job. The submissive wife lashes out at him as he leaves her dressing room, telling Don it isn’t fair that she is made to feel the way she does. A small victory for Megan, but an important one.

Joan has a friend visiting and applying for a job as an Avon sales representative in New York. Kate (Marley Shelton) and Joan go out for a night on the town and are courted by two gentlemen to the proto-disco Electric Circus on St. Marks. The psychedelic nightclub was once host to the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead.

While there, both girls have some make-out fun with some boys on the couch before headed home to face a severe hangover in the morning. Kate looks up to Joan and tells her so. But Joan is a bit disenfranchised with her position at SCDP, mostly because she is being ignored by some at the company.

We close this episode, with what Ted (Kevin Rahm) has called “The War”. SCDP represented by Pete, Stan and of course Don pitch Heinz a minimalist campaign to Tim for their ketchup. Pictured are singular pictures of french fries , steak, and a hamburger, with the words “PASS THE HEINZ” typeset in Helvetica. Tim is not impressed by the ethereal nature of the campaign, and wants to see the bottle in the picture. As SCDP leaves the hotel room they are confronted by the competition. Peggy, Ted and another gentleman holding the artwork have an advertising Mexican standoff in the hallway.

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MAD MEN: "Collaborators" S6 E03 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

The third episode of Mad Men this season is directed by the show’s leading man Jon Hamm and focuses on the complicated relationships in Don Draper’s life.

Like electrons around the nucleus, people’s lives are spinning around the protons and neurons of Don and his ladies.

How soon before an atomic meltdown, at this pace, though?

Cheating, deception and resolving how honest people want to appear are all issues accented in this latest installment of Mad Men.

The show opens with Don Draper (Hamm) having another encounter with neighbor Doctor Arnold Rosen (Brian Markinson) in the elevator.

The doctor and wife Sylvia (Linda Cardellini) are holding up the elevator arguing about money.

As the doctor returns to work, Don slips back upstairs to continue his tryst.

Her bosom triggers a flashback to Dick Whitman’s (Don’s previous—or real—identity) childhood. Dick’s pregnant stepmother Abigail brings them to a whorehouse, overseen by her sister. “Uncle Mac” is introduced as the brothel’s main man. Flash forward to the present, Don hands Sylvia some cash, referencing previous associations Don has with sex and money.

Elsewhere around SCDP, our boy Pete has gotten himself involved with a neighbor from his Cos Cob, CT neighborhood. Brenda (Collette Wolfe) meets up with Pete in his Manhattan apartment. Their time is rushed, just as Don and Sylvia’s is, everyone must get to work!

Back at the firm, Heinz Baked Beans introduces the representative of Heinz Ketchup to the boys, under false pretenses, though. Beans has no intention of letting the firm work on the competing division’s campaign. The funniest quotes are in this scene.

Ken (Aaron Staton) declares to Don, “It’s Heinz Ketchup, Don! It’s the Coca-Cola of condiments”. To which Don replies, “I know, but sometimes you gotta dance with the one that brung ya”.

Cut to soap opera actress, Don’s wife Megan (Jessica Paré) in soap opera fashion in the laundry room, upset and firing her maid. Sylvia listens in and the two have girl talk over coffee. Megan admits to Sylvia in the Draper’s apartment that she has suffered a miscarriage. Feeling cheated on by Don, the mistress evokes sympathy but not empathy for Megan’s feelings.

Just then, Don arrives home, surprised to see his two ladies in mid conversation. The building is getting smaller now, as Megan crumbles and Sylvia has now broached the threshold of Don’s house on her own.

The Jaguar account representative Herb (Gary Basaraba) visits the office making demands only after having a brief encounter with Joan (Christina Hendricks).

The meeting includes Don, Pete and sneaky new sales rep Bob Benson (James Wolk). Herb wants to ditch the national campaign and stick local. Don seems displeases as much as Pete is trying to accommodate the client’s request.

At the end of the day, Pete finds his extramarital affairs literally knocking on his door. Brenda has somehow telegraphed what happened to her husband and he beats her for it, breaking her nose. Trudy (Alison Brie) brings Brenda to a nearby hotel, and can assume that Brenda confided in her what happened in the city. Trudy banishes Pete from the suburban homestead, and we can picture a downtrodden Pete a few months down the line in his rathole Manhattan apartment with Brenda and a bottle of scotch.

Don and Sylvia find themselves at dinner alone together, by circumstance. Doctor Rosen is called away for another medical emergency, and Megan stays home sick and depressed from her unfortunate miscarriage. After dinner and a quickie, Don returns home to comfort Megan and vaguely talk about the miscarriage, in such broad strokes that no one is really clear about anything. It was the style at the time.

There’s a subplot in this episode with Peggy having trouble asserting herself to her underling copywriters at her new firm. She appears to be overly critical of their work and because of her gender comes off as a total bitch. Her boss Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm) is encouraging and a bit creepy. He looks to steal clients an business from Peggy’s old firm with her help.

Over at Sterling Cooper, all three Jaguar reps hear Pete’s pitch for Herb about ditching the national campaign for the local focus. Don deflty carries the ball and runs with it, suggesting that the luxury brand resort to mailers and Sunday circulars. Don has now embarrassed Herb and Pete while keeping the factory owners happy and maintaining the level of advertising at a match with both the firm and the car brand. The luxury brand doesn’t need to use street level advertising. This of course angers Pete, who has a lot to deal with right now.

We close the episode to another flashback to the brothel. Dick is watching through a peephole as his pregnant stepmother Abigail is taken by “Uncle Mac”. A maiden of the house catches him on the way past with her John. She explains that this is how it works here, and that is how Dick earned his own room, by having his stepmom service the man of the house. Ummm…gross!

Complicated feelings about relationships and boundaries are explored in this episode. No redemption for anyone but some empowerment for Trudy at least.

Neighbors Sylvia and Megan now know more about each other, but it is difficult for either of them to be as detached as Don is to the whole situation. He seems to be able to turn his feelings on and off like a faucet. Is Don falling in love with Sylvia, and is he as close to marital disaster as Pete seems to be? The stories are too parallel not to notice, but leading man Don always has better luck than Pete, and Pete resents that.

The tension wire is tight between the two floors in Don’s building as we end episode 3. The teaser for the next episode doesn’t reveal much—except that Stan may be feeding more than his usual reefer addiction.

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MAD MEN: "The Doorway" S6 E01 / S6 E02 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

Betty (January Jones) isn’t skipping the Jif but redeems herself by being protective of a young runaway, Roger (John Slattery) suffers loss, and Don Draper (Jon Hamm) struggles with his identity and marriage.

Aloha, Mad Men is back and boy have we got a lot to talk about with the Vietnam War brewing in the background of this Madison Avenue drama, returning for Season Six.

Mahalo! Season Six is off to a start, with a two-hour episode for the premiere, ten months after the end of last season. The Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce office has expanded to two floors after the loss of partner Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) to suicide in Season Five.

Both Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Don make comments about the creative department replacing the usual scotch and vodka breaks with reefer madness. The Vietnam War is in full swing, Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) has grown a mustache and Stan (Jay R. Ferguson) has blossomed a full beard.

One of the highlights of the show is the fashion, and we are steadily seeing suit, tie and hat culture grow more accepting of the jeans, sundresses and facial hair seen around them day to day.

It’s Christmas at the Francis house, where Betty (January Jones) and the kids live in Rye is a distant and cold place. Betty remains distant and cold to her daughter. Sally (Kiernan Shipka) feeds this right back to her by politely but passive aggressively shutting the door on her Mom while she takes a phone call. Betty does try to save runaway orphan Sandy (Kerris Lilla Dorsey), a friend of Sally’s, from running away to the Village, but is unsuccessful.

Twice we find our unlikely acid-head Roger Sterling on the therapist’s couch, trying to explain his existential angst. Roger’s secretary informs him of his own mother’s passing, and he seems unaffected, even at his mother’s dry wake, where Don has found himself scotch and is drinking alone in the corner.  Don makes a scene and is carried out by Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Ken (Aaron Staton).

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