The Inheritance
Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 11:58am by freakgirl
Unfortunately, Michael is unable to post about Mad Men this week (he’s training for a marathon, ya’ll!). But feel free to discuss this episode in the comments. Um, the scene between Betty and her father? AWKWARD.
1. Grey Rainbow said ( Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 12:23 pm )
Loved it! Another great episode.
Highlights for me:
The baby shower cake with “It’s a Crane” in frosting.
Coooper coming in and saying, “Happy Birthday!”
The return of creepy Glen.
Betty’s dad’s dementia and the house, the jardinere. Betty has a mammy, too!
“Telstar” by the Tornadoes.
Joan telling Paul (rather than sending a memo) that he’s not going to CA.
Paul getting on the bus w/Sheila — I can see Paul geting a beating or worse for that trip down south.
Wondering if Betty will get pregnant (after the quickie at her Dad’s) and reconcile w/Don.
I like that Betty can confess w/strangers (telling Helen that Don was not living at home.)
Also, noticing how Pete always opens up to Peggy (well, he was drunk from the shower, too). Confessing he was nervous about flying.
Oh, and is Pete’s family totally crazy or what? The whole adoption thing.
Next week looks great, too. Wondering if Don knows that Pete is the father of Peggy’s baby and he’ll tell him. Also, wondering if Don will run into anyone from his past.
Only 3 more episodes left and Jon Hamm is hosting SNL on Oct. 25!!!!!
2. GeekBoy said ( Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 3:29 pm )
The English major in me loves when this show manages to ring the bell of a common theme over and over in the same episode, while still managing to move the overall story arc forward in a convincing way. That can’t be an easy task.
Case in point here, where the writers present adults as children throughout the episode. Harry Crane in a baby bonnet. Betty’s brother escaping to his treehouse. Don in his business suit relegated to putting together a puzzle with Betty’s father — who because of the stroke may as well be a child himself at this point. Don sleeping on the floor in the same way that Glen sleeps on the floor of the toy house in the yard (that Don put together). Although maybe this makes them both more of a dog than a child. Pete struggling unsuccessfully to assert his adulthood with his mother, and Betty struggling to retain her role as daughter (not wife) with her delusional father. Betty once again finding that the person she most connects with is Glen, a boy, thereby proving her psychiatrist right when he said that she has the emotions of a child. And so and so on.
Meanwhile, Glen tries to make a move in the opposite direction. Sleeping in the toy house that Don built, sitting in Don’s chair, wearing Don’s clothes, sitting and watching TV with Don’s wife Betty, and trying not so subtly to “rescue” Betty (who her own father has referred to as a “princess” earlier) and take her away. It’s the emergence on the scene of Betty’s kids that seems to bring everything back into focus again — reminding Glen that he’s a child and Betty that’s she’s a mother. At that point, she reasserts her adulthood, puts Glen in his place, and finally talks to somebody (Helen) as adult about her adult problems.
Brilliant, brilliant television. Love this show.
3. Bianca said ( Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 3:54 pm )
That’s an excellent assessment GB. I picked up on some of that throughout the ep but not all of the examples. Go you!
I pretty much screamed out loud when Betty’s dad copped a feel.
Jon Hamm is hosting SNL?? YEY!
4. sandra said ( Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 10:20 pm )
GB, that was a great review.
You can’t trust a man who has no people.
5. pammysue said ( Friday, October 10, 2008 at 2:04 am )
“I pretty much screamed out loud when Betty’s dad copped a feel.”
Me Too Bianca!! That was so jaring.. it took me a while to recover!
6. freakgirl said ( Friday, October 10, 2008 at 11:15 am )
“You can’t trust a man who has no people.”
Sandra, I loved that line as well. A friend of mine always says, “You can’t trust a woman who has no girlfriends.” It reminded me of that.