It’s been almost a year since we last saw the gang at the newly formed Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Pryce. If you’ve been wondering what everyone’s been up to, you’ll have to wait. This first episode of the season centers around our favorite fedora wearing executive, Don Draper. The rest of the cast, to quote Don’s 25 year old opera loving date Bethany, are merely “actors who fill the stage”.
The episode kicks off with a reporter asking ”Who is Don Draper?” Based on this episode, Don is a depressed man who hires hookers on Thanksgiving to slap him in the face during sex. He’s also man who can brand any product, unless the product is him.
This episode is very much about keeping up appearances. Peggy hires two woman to fight over a Sugarberry ham in a cheap publicity stunt. It backfires when one of the women is arrested and Peggy needs bail money from Don, who had no idea this stunt took place. Betty is spending Thanksgiving with Henry Francis and his family. Trying to play the part of doting mother, she has a great scene where she force feeds Sally, who refuses to eat, and blames it on a fever when Sally spits out her food. As Betty drags her out of the room we hear Sally off screen pleading “stop pinching me!” Then, of course, there’s Don. Roger sets him up on a blind date, with an actress no less, who takes a liking to him. Don tries his best to convince Roger and himself that he’s doing fine in the wake of his divorce. But we know better. In a heartbreakingly subtle moment, Don tucks his visiting children into bed, shuts off the light and lingers in the doorway. It’s his silhouette we see, but it’s in that darkness that we truly know who Don Draper is.
The episode closes the way it opened, with another reporter looking for the same answer. Who is Don Draper? Don now does what he knows how to do and brands himself as a product. With a twinkle in his eye and a rock song in the background, Don spins the story of how Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Pryce started and a new brand of Don Draper emerges.
Mad Men airs Sunday nights at 10pm on AMC. Also, be sure to check out the Mad Men Blog post at cafepress.com!
Related posts:
Christine is an improviser/comedian currently living the Boston area. She has studied and performed at The Second City and Annoyance theaters in Chicago. You can currently see her perform at ImprovBoston in Cambridge, MA.
Welcome back Mad Men! I look forward to this series the same way that I look forward to ‘Lost’ and looked forward to the ‘Soprano’s.’ The only difference is that Mad Men can be ‘tough’ TV. Roger is the only character who ever seems to have a sense of whimsy, and even that is so misguided it comes across as an aggressive attempt to ignore anything that might cause him trouble. That said, bring on the martini’s and celebrate the return of Christina Hendricks… and the rest of the Mad Men… and women.
My father owned K&K Advertising Art in Minneapolis MN since 1941. I have quite a few tales to share with the production group at Mad Men, but do not know who to talk to.
If your wondering who the largest clients are for K&K please see the right side of this link
http://www.kandkstudios.com/about.html