TV Talk: MAD MEN Episode 5.03 “Tea Leaves”

- PROLOGUE -

MAD MEN IS PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING SHOW EVER MADE.

HULK DOES NOT SAY THIS LIGHTLY. IT MAY NOT BE THE GROUNDBREAKING REVOLUTION THAT WAS THE SOPRANOS, NOR DOES IT EXHIBIT THE PITCH PERFECT RESONANCE AND SOCIAL URGENCY OF THE WIRE, NOR DOES IT FEATURE THE ALL-TIME GREAT CENTRAL PERFORMANCE OF BREAKING BAD (WHICH ISN'T TO SAY IT'S LACKING), NOR WOULD IT EVER HOPE TO CREATE THE UTTER HILARITY OF GOLDEN AGE SIMPSONS. BUT THE ONE THING THAT MAD MEN HAS ON ALL OF THEM IS THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT FOR HOURS.

EVERY EPISODE UNFURLS A LITANY OF SUBTEXT, ALLUSION AND DUALITIES. ITS CHARACTERIZATION IS OFTEN BRILLIANT, UNDERPLAYED AND YET FULLY-REALIZED. IT IS SIMPLY MASTERFUL AT "PAINTING THE CHARACTER PSYCHE" (A PHRASE HULK JUST MADE UP RIGHT THIS SECOND AND WILL NOW USE FOREVER). IT NEVER FEELS PLOTTED AND YET MANAGES TO COMPEL YOU WITH EVERY SCENE. IT IS AN ENSEMBLE CHARACTER PIECE; IT DOESN'T BURY THE SHOW IN RELATIONSHIP HYSTERICS OR OVERT, CONVENTIONAL DRAMAS.

INSTEAD, THE SHOW REVEALS ITSELF TO YOU.

YOU CAN SAY IT IS A SHOW ABOUT NOTHING MORE THAN HOW PEOPLE RELATE TO EACH OTHER.

YOU CAN SAY IT IS A SHOW ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO RELATE TO ANYONE.

YOU CAN SAY IT'S A SHOW ABOUT THE 60'S.

YOU CAN SAY IT'S A SHOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

... YOU CAN SAY IT'S ANYTHING YOU WANT.

BUT PERHAPS HULK'S FAVORITE ELEMENT OF MAD MEN IS HOW IT CONSTANTLY DEFIES EXPECTATION AND CONVENTIONALITY. YOU MAY KNOW THAT HULK IS SUCH AN INTENSE LOVER OF DRAMATIC CONVENTION AND STORY STRUCTURE, AND AS SUCH, HULK CAN USUALLY TELL WHEN A WRITER IS BUCKING CONVENTION FOR NOTHING MORE THAN THE EFFECT OF SAID BUCK. BUT MAD MEN NEVER EVEN COMES CLOSE TO THAT KIND OF CONTRARIANISM. IT ONLY DEFIES CONVENTION IN THE NAME OF ITS CHARACTERS AND GREATER TRUTH. MANY OTHER WRITERS' ATTEMPTS TO DO SO HAVE ONLY RESULTED IN DRAMATIC DISAPPOINTMENT AND THE DELIVERY OF BANAL OBSERVATIONS. BUT THIS SHOW RISES ABOVE ALL OF THAT.  IT USES SLIGHT OF HAND SO PERFECTLY THAT YOU SLAP YOURSELF ON THE FOREHEAD AND YOU EXCLAIM "OF COURSE! HOW COULD IT EVER BE ANYTHING ELSE????" IT IS THE TRUE THRILL OF GREAT WRITING.

AND SOMEHOW, THE SHOW HAS ACTUALLY MANAGED TO GET BETTER WITH EVERY PASSING SEASON.

SO, WITH THAT MASSIVE AMOUNT OF LAUDING, LET'S TALK ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE.

- EPISODE NUMBER: 5.02 -

- EPISODE TITLE: TEA LEAVES -

- FAVORITE QUOTE: "SAY WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAY." -

- OVERALL IMPRESSION -

NO SHOW PLAYS WITH ANTICIPATION QUITE LIKE MAD MEN. AFTER THE DIZZYING HIGHS OF ZOU BISOU BISOU, THE SHOW IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS ITS FOCUS TO JUGGLING A FEW NEW ELEMENTS AND EVEN SOME LOFTY LIFE AND DEATH STUFF: BETTY RETURNS IN A RATHER NEW STATE OF APPEARANCE. DON COURTS THE ROLLING STONES IN THE NAME OF HEINZ ("A CLIENT'S IDEA IF THERE EVER WAS ONE."). THEY HIRE A NEW COPY WRITER AND HE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT NUTS. ROGER AND PETE CONTINUE THEIR TÊTE-E-TÊTE. HARRY EATS THINGS. ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT HULK BELIEVES THIS WAS THE FIRST DIRECTORIAL ENTRY OF ONE MR. JON HAMM. THE WORK IS RATHER SOLID AND IN KEEPING WITH SHOW'S TONE. HE EVEN GETS SOME VERY NICE WORK OUT OF THE ACTORS, WHO HULK CAN PRESUME, TRUST HIM.

BUT WHEN IT COME TO TALKING ABOUT MAD MEN, HULK FEEL IT BEST TO APPROACH THE SHOW BY TALKING ABOUT EACH CHARACTER.

- DON -

DON SEEMS TO SPEND A LOT OF THE EPISODE WAITING IN THE WINGS, BUT DON'T MISTAKE THAT FOR HIS BEING A NON-CONTRIBUTOR. HE SEEMS TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SILENTLY POKE OUTWARD (HE ALWAYS DOES THOUGH). FOR INSTANCE, WHEN HIS TRIP TO COURT THE ROLLING STONES TURNS SOUTH (AS EXPECTED), HE TAKES IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROD A YOUNG GROUPIE WITH HIS USUAL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT MAKES HER TICK. WHEN SHE ULTIMATELY REVERTS IT BACK TO HIM AND HOW HE'S TOO OLD TO UNDERSTAND, HE UNLEASHES THAT ALL TOO RARE PARENTAL SIDE OF HIS: "WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT YOU." IT'S BRILLIANT AND IT CUTS THROUGH THAT GIRL LIKE A KNIFE (EVEN IF SHE'S AFRAID TO SHOW IT).

BUT THE EPISODE ALSO CONTINUES THE NEW-STANDING TRADITION OF DON'S BEING CHALLENGED. MEANING THAT THIS SEASON THERE HAVE BEEN FEW TIMES HE WAS ABOUT TO RECEDE RIGHT BACK INTO HIS OLD DON WAYS, BUT MEGAN STEPS IN TO MOTIVATE HIM IN THIS NEW DIRECTION. LAST WEEK, SHE TURNED A FIGHT INTO A SNEAKY POWER PLAY WITH THE WHOLE "YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS!" TEASE. IT FED INTO HIS DOMINEERING SIDE, BUT ALSO HAS THIS ADDED BONUS OF SUBVERTING HIS DEEPLY PROBLEMATIC MADONNA/WHORE TENDENCIES. WHEREAS FAYE APPROACHED DON HEAD ON PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT IS MEGAN WHO CAN ACTUALLY CUT THROUGH HIS BULLSHIT IN A TACTILE/EMOTIONAL WAY. AND TONIGHT IT SHOWED UP AGAIN. DON TRIED TO PLAY THE "NO, I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT" CARD, WHICH SHE TURNS RIGHT BACK ON HIM AND ACTUALLY GETS HIM TO CART HIS ASS TO FIRE ISLAND... IT'S SO FASCINATING TO WATCH DRAPER CHANGE LIKE THIS.

LAST THING TO MENTION, DON ALSO HAS A NEW SECRETARY NAMED... DAWN. SHE WAS HIRED FROM THE "EQUAL OPPORTUNITY" Y&R POOL OF BLACK CANDIDATES. WHILE THE COMMON EXPECTATION IN CONVENTIONAL STORYTELLING WOULD BE TO HAVE SOME GRAND STATEMENT OR HAMFISTED THEATRICS ON THE NATURE OF RACIAL STRUGGLE, THE SHOW UTTERLY SUBVERTS THEM AND YET MANAGES TO EXPRESS THE CONCERNS BEAUTIFULLY. IN ONE BRIEF MOMENT DAWN'S CLEARLY GOOD AT HER JOB, CLEARLY GOOD AT STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE (ROGER WAS FISHING FOR A REACTION),  AND CLEARLY WORKING FOR THE RIGHT GUY (REMEMBER DON IS A TRUE NEUTRAL IF THERE EVER WAS ONE). THOSE THREE THINGS ALONE ARE PERFECT COMMENTARY (NOT TO MENTION ROGER'S LATER COMMENT OUT OF EARSHOT ABOUT A "DARKER SHADE OF DAWN.") BUT REALLY THE WHOLE DON/DAWN THING IS SOMETHING HULK ADORED. BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY MAKING THE MOST BASIC OBVIOUS SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THE WORLD: THE MALE CREATIVE HEAD OF THE COMPANY AND FIRST BLACK FEMALE EMPLOYEE HAVE THE SAME EXACT NAME... CALL IT A JOKE, BUT WHAT CAN SIMPLY STATE THE TRUE NATURE OF UNIVERSALITY MORE THAN THAT?

BUT STILL, FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THESE FIRST EPISODES, THE CHALLENGING OF OLD HABITS SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN CONCERN FOR THE SEASON THUS FAR. AND IN THIS EPISODE, OLD HABITS ARE ON THE BRAIN THANKS TO...

-BETTY -

NOW, HULK IMAGINE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ONE COULD SAY ABOUT THIS EPISODE WHEN IT COMES TO THE TOPIC OF BETTY DRAPER... SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HISTORY.

THE VARIOUS REACTIONS TO THE CHARACTER OF BETTY DRAPER ARE ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS HULK HAS EVER SEEN (ACROSS BOTH GENDER LINES). IT'S AMAZING HOW OFTEN PEOPLE FORGET WHERE HER CHARACTER WAS IN SEASON ONE AND TO WHAT AMAZINGLY HORRIBLE THINGS DON SUBJECTED HER. AND HER ARC OVER THE NEXT TWO SEASONS WAS SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE; CULMINATING IN THAT ROME TRIP (WHERE BETTY WAS REALLY AT HER HEIGHT OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION) AND THE INCREDIBLE BREAK-UP THAT FOLLOWED.

BUT BECAUSE SEASON 4 INDULGED IN THE IDEA OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHARACTER WHO IS DISTANT AND NAIVE FEELS SHUNTED BY LIFE, BETTY LASHED OUT. SHE LASHED OUT AT EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY "HER FUTURE" - AKA SALLY DRAPER.  AND THEN SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENED... PEOPLE ACTED LIKE BETTY DRAPER WAS NOT ONLY "A BITCH" BUT THAT SHE HAD ALWAYS BEEN A BITCH. HULK HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS. IT IS THE HEIGHT OF BOTH SELECTIVE MEMORY AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF CHARACTER EVOLUTION. BETTY DRAPER IS ACTUALLY ONE OF HULK'S FAVORITE CHARACTERS, ESPECIALLY THE WAY SHE FITS THE LARGER CONTEXT OF THE SHOW REGARDING THE IDEAS OF FEMINISM, TRANSIENCE AND THE MYTH OF CONTENTMENT.

SO MAKE NO MISTAKE, HULK BELIEVES THAT MAD MEN IS A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER SHOW WITH BETTY DRAPER IN IT. AND TONIGHT, WE GOT TO SEE SOME GOOD REASONS WHY. FIRST THERE'S THE OBVIOUS FACT THAT WE'RE THROWING THE CHARACTER INTO NEW TERRITORY WITH HER WEIGHT. AT FIRST WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS OTHER THAN "WHOA!" BUT THE SHOW IMMEDIATELY TAKES A RIGHT TURN WITH AND PUTS IN THE PROSPECTIVE OF THYROID CANCER, WHICH IN TURNS SENDS BETTY INTO AN APPROPRIATE CONCERN ABOUT HER WORTH. AND THE ACTUAL TEA LEAVES SCENE IS COMPLETELY DEVASTATING TO A WOMAN WHO BELIEVES SHE'S WORTH NOTHING.

AND THEN THERE'S THE EFFECT ON DON. THE FIRST SCENE WHERE BETTY RUNS HOME AND CAN'T GET A HOLD OF FRANCIS, SHE DOES THE FIRST THING SHE CAN THINK OF AND CALLS DON. SHE IS REVERTING TO THE OLD HABIT. THE SCARED YOUNG GIRL. THEIR CONVERSATION IS ONE OF THOSE REAL AND HONEST THINGS YOU HAVE WITH SOMEONE WHO SHARES A HISTORY WITH YOU. AND WHEN SHE COMES TO THAT HEARTBREAKING LINE OF "SAY WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAY," HE SIMPLY HAS TO GO BACK TO HIS HABIT: "EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY." AND IN THAT MOMENT, WE SUDDENLY REMEMBER JUST HOW CLEARLY THESE TWO PEOPLE MATCH EACH OTHER (BUT IN THE MOST HARMFUL WAY POSSIBLE). BUT THE THREAT OF LOSING BETTY SUDDENLY HAS A REAL EFFECT ON DON. HE SEEMS TO LIKE HIS KIDS A BIT NOWAWDAYS, BUT SUDDENLY TURNING HIS LIKE INTO 24/7 CARE IS SOMETHING HE CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT. IT INSPIRES HIS NEED TO REVERT. TO RUN AWAY. TO PUT TROUBLE OUT OF HIS MIND.

BUT WHEN IT TURNS OUT THE TUMOR IS BENIGN AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, THINGS FIND THEIR DEEPLY PROBLEMATIC STASIS ONCE AGAIN. AS BETTY PUTS IT, "I'M JUST FAT,"  SO THIS TOO SHOWS THAT SHE HAS COMPLETELY REVERTED RIGHT BACK TO HER PRIOR LINE OF THINKING. THE VERY SAME THINKING THAT GOT HER INTO THIS "NO FRIENDS" MESS TO BEGIN WITH. EVEN AT HER SADDEST MOMENT, BETTY IS A TRUE SOLIPSIST. SO OF COURSE, WHEN HENRY MAKES A REAL DECLARATION TO THE CONTRARY OF ALL HER FEARS - A SIMPLE ONE THAT MEANS SHE IS NOT NOTHING, THAT SHE MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO HIM AND THAT HE IS VERY HAPPY THAT SHE IS OKAY - HER RESPONSE?

"OF COURSE YOU SAY THAT; YOUR MOTHER IS OBESE." ... FANTASTIC.

- MEGAN -

SO IS ANYONE OUT THERE EQUALLY FASCINATED WITH WHERE THE WHOLE MEGAN CHARACTER IS GOING?

WE'VE SEEN HER BE UNDERSTANDING AND PRESENT AND LIBERATED AND EMOTIONAL AND YET COMPLETELY AWARE. THE SHOW REVEALS ITS CHARACTERS OVER TIME AND HULK FEELS LIKE WE ARE JUST GETTING TO THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WITH MEGAN. AND HULK SO CURIOUS WHERE WE GOING TO GO.

ALSO, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HER DINNER ETIQUETTE? SHE SEEMED NATURAL ENOUGH, BUT ALSO NERVOUS. BETTY ALWAYS PUT ON THAT "DON'S WIFE" HAT RATHER WELL AND DID EVERYTHING EXPECTED OF HER. HOW WILL MEGAN FARE IN THE SAME ROLE? ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE HEINZ PEOPLE'S DAUGHTER'S AGE THAN ANYONE AT THE TABLE? AND DOES DON EVEN CARE ABOUT THAT ANYMORE?

- PEGGY & THE NEW COPY EDITOR-

SO PEGGY IS TASKED WITH HIRING A NEW COPY EDITOR. IN HER SEARCH ("TOO THICK, TOO THIN" HA!) SHE STUMBLES ACROSS A YOUNG MR. GINSBURG WHO SEEMS TO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TALENT. THEY BRING HIM IN... AND HE'S PRETTY MUCH FUCKING NUTS. BUT JUST NOT-NUTS ENOUGH TO KNOW WHEN HE'S LOSING SOMETHING. HE'S ALL OUTSPOKEN NEUROTICISM AND SHABBY PRESENTATION. PEGGY WAS EVEN READY TO JUST DITCH THE GUY, BUT ROGER PUTS THE FAST-TRACK ON HIM FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT. AND THEN THE YOUNG MR. GINSBURG ACTUALLY MANAGES TO EDIT HIMSELF NICELY IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH DON AND GETS THE JOB... AT THIS POINT, THE WHOLE THING JUST FEELS SO WEIRD AND AWFUL AND WORRISOME...

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE YOU HAVE TO TRUST MATTHEW WEINER AND COMPANY. THE KID COMES OFF SO STRONG AND "BIG" IN THE FIRST SCENE, BUT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE END OF THE EPISODE WE START TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHO THIS PERSON IS - AND MORE IMPORTANTLY - WHY HE IS. AND HIS LAST SCENE, WHERE HE COMES INTO HIS TINY, SCUZZY APARTMENT AND IS GREETED BY HIS GLOOMY FATHER WHO WANTS TO ORDER THEM BOTH HOOKERS? WELL... THAT SAYS EVERYTHING.

SO HULK WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THIS GUY, BUT NOW HULK SIMPLY WANTS TO KNOW MORE. ALWAYS TRUST IN THESE WRITERS. THEY'VE YET TO LEAD US ASTRAY WITH A SINGLE CHARACTER ON THIS SHOW.

- ROGER & PETE -

ROGER'S OVERT AND SILLY ATTEMPTS TO STAY RELEVANT HAVE WORN A LITTLE THIN. BUT IN A SEEMING EFFORT TO PLACATE AND LAND THE MOHAWK ACCOUNT, PETE PUTS ROGER IN CHARGE OF THE ACCOUNT BECAUSE THEY ALL MAKE GOOD DRINKING BUDDIES. ROGER FEELS A HINT OF SWAGGER COMING BACK, BUT OF COURSE WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEY GOT THE ACCOUNT, PETE LOUDLY PROCLAIMS HE BROUGHT IT IN AND ROGER WILL MERELY BE RUNNING THE "DAY TO DAY."  PETE PLAYED IT BEAUTIFULLY, CRUELLY HANGING IT OVER ROGER'S HEAD BEFORE SNATCHING IT UP. IT'S TRUE-BLUE VINDICTIVE STUFF. THE POWER IS NOW IN PETE'S HANDS AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO BRANDISH IT.

SO THIS NATURALLY LEAVES ROGER COMPLETELY TICKED OFF, WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO A QUASI HEART-TO-HEART BETWEEN ROGER AND DON. A FEW MOMENTS IN, DON PREMATURELY LETS THE BETTY CANCER NEWS FLY AND IT SEEMS TO HIT ROGER REGARDING "ACTUAL LIFE AND DEATH" AS HE PUTS IT... BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS ISN'T ABOUT REAL MORTALITY. ROGER HAS HAD HIS BLOWS WITH ACTUAL MORTALITY AND DOESN'T REALLY GIVE A SHIT. HE'S MORE CONCERNED WITH HIS PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND THAT'S THE REAL "DEATH" HE FEARS. HECK, FROM EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN, HE'D BE HAPPY TO DIE AS LONG AS HE WAS A TOP ACCOUNT MAN AND HAD A MARTINI IN HIS HAND. BUT BEING COMPLETELY WORTHLESS? A SHELL OF HIMSELF? THAT'S SOMETHING HE CAN'T CONTEMPLATE, LET ALONE HANDLE. THAT'S THE DEATH ROGER SPEAKS OF. HE SAYS IT ALL WHEN HE LEAVES THE ROOM: "WHEN ARE THINGS GOING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL?"

OF COURSE, THEY NEVER WILL. NORMAL IS LONG GONE. 1960 IS NEVER COMING BACK... AND THE OLDER GENERATION DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

ALSO, DID ROGER LOOK AT LITTLE TAN IN THIS EPISODE?

- HARRY -

OH HARRY. YOU'VE BECOME SUCH A WONDERFUL IDIOT. PEOPLE FORGET HE STARTED AS A BLABBERMOUTH AND A BUNDLE OF NERVES, BUT HIS TRANSITION INTO TELEVISION (JUST AS TELEVISION EXPLODED) PROVED RATHER FORTUITOUS. AND NOW HE'S JUST A BLABBERMOUTH WITHOUT THE REAL SENSE OF FEAR. HE CAN'T HELP IT. HE PUTS HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH AND BARELY CARES TEN SECONDS LATER. HE'S SO EASILY SEDUCED. SO EASILY RATTLED. SO EASILY RIGHTED. AND HIS NIGHT OUT WITH DON, WHO IGNORES HIM AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY, IS JUST WONDERFUL. IT'S LIKE HARRY HAS BECOME COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF HIMSELF... AND HIS EATING ALL TWENTY WHITE CASTLE BURGERS IS AN ALL-TIMER.

-RANDOM THOUGHTS -

-IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ANY SHOW TO TOP THE DREAM SEQUENCES OF SIX FEET UNDER. HULK KNOW MOST PEOPLE TOSS OUT THE SOPRANOS FOR THAT ONE TOO, BUT HULK BELIEVE IT WAS ALAN BALL'S PUNK MELODRAMA THAT WAS MOST AT HOME WITH THE PAINFUL REALITY OF ABSURDITY. AND THAT'S THE REAL PLACE WHERE DREAMS MADE SENSE.

-THERE'S A LOT OF SUSPICION ALREADY ON TWITTER ABOUT HOW THE NATURE OF JANUARY JONES' PREGNANCY LED INTO THE DECISION OF HER CHARACTER THIS SEASON. THIS IS PRECISELY THE SHOW WHERE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS DON'T MATTER. THEY CREATED A TEXT AND STORY THEY WERE INTERESTED IN TELLING. THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT. EVERYTHING ELSE IS CIRCUMSTANCE. AFTER ALL, THERE'S NO OTHER REASON TO USE PROSTHETICS OTHER THAN TO TELL THE STORY YOU WANT TO TELL.

-ALTHOUGH THAT BEING SAID, HULK WONDER IF THEY USED THE SAME ONE THEY USED ON PEGGY.

-HULK WANT MORE SALLY DRAPER.

-WITH THAT, HULK HAS AN ONGOING THEORY THAT MAD MEN IS SECRETLY ABOUT THE BIRTH OF FEMINISM. THAT MAY SOUND LIKE IT'S OVERSTATING, BUT LET'S KEEP WATCHING AND SEE.