TV TALK: MAD MEN Episode 5.07 “At The Codfish Ball”

- EPISODE NUMBER: 5.07 -

- EPISODE TITLE: AT THE CODFISH BALL -

- FAVORITE QUOTE: "WINGS, DADDY." -

- OVERALL IMPRESSION -

SO WE HAD TWO ALL TIME CLASSIC MAD MEN EPISODES BACK TO BACK. AND THIS WEEK WE GET, WELL... SOMETHING JUST AS GOOD REALLY.

SERIOUSLY, HOW DOES THIS SHOW KEEP DOING IT? IT'S A VALID QUESTION. AS THE FIFTH SEASON STROLLS ALONG THE SHOW IS GETTING BETTER SOMEHOW. THINK ABOUT HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE. THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION AND FOR HOW FEW SHOWS THAT IS TRUE. THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY'VE REVOLUTIONIZED THE PERSONALITY OF THEIR LEAD CHARACTER THIS SEASON. THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THE SHOW HAS EVOLVED AND YET KEPT OUR INTEREST. THINK ABOUT HOW STALE IT COULD ALL SEEM OTHERWISE. THINK ABOUT THE SHEER LOGISTICS OF PULLING THAT OFF. AND INSTEAD OF THE SHOW WITHERING, IT SINGS.

WHILE THERE'S NO SINGULAR THEME TO REIGN SUPREME THIS WEEK (EMASCULATION DID IN SIGNAL 30), IT STILL HAS A VERY SPECIFIC FOCUS. AND NO, IT'S NOT LIKE STRUCTURAL HOOK OF THREE INTERLOCKING STORIES LIKE LAST WEEK'S FAR AWAY PLACES. THIS EPISODE TAKES A MORE OVER-ARCHING APPROACH TO WHAT HULK WILL CALL GENERATIONAL AFFECTATION. THE IDEA IS PERFECTLY CRYSTALLIZED IN THE HEINZ PITCH ITSELF. MOTHER TO CHILD, SERVING THE SAME FOOD: "SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE."...AND THAT CAN BE JUST AS PROBLEMATIC, CAN'T IT? HOW OFTEN DO THE CHARACTERS IN THIS EPISODE GET "RESET," SO TO SPEAK, RIGHT WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE? HOW OFTEN DOES THE THING THEY WANT PROVE TO BE AN OBSTACLE? HOW OFTEN DOES A PARENT'S PROBLEM INFORM THE CURRENT PROBLEM FOR THE OFFSPRING? NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY, CAN WE GET AWAY FROM OUR TRUE SELVES? BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS ARE FACING THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND THIS TIME THE IDEAS ARE EXPLORED THROUGH MEGAN'S FAMILY, PEGGY'S DORMANT TRADITIONALISM AND THE TEENAGE LIFE OF SALLY DRAPER.

AND FOR EVERYONE, IT ALL ENDS WITH GUT-PUNCHES. EVEN IF THE ENDING  WHERE THEY ALL SIT AROUND THE TABLE MOPING WAS A LITTLE HEAVY HANDED, THE GUT-PUNCHES THEMSELVES WERE STRONG ENOUGH TO WARRANT IT.

- MEGAN -

AND JUST LIKE THAT, MORE PIECES OF THE MEGAN PUZZLE FALL TOGETHER. THIS IS WHAT HULK LOVES ABOUT THE SHOW. EVERY EPISODE PULLS MORE LAYERS BACK ON A PERSON. IN THE INITIAL EPISODE OF THIS SEASON WE WONDERED, WHO IS MEGAN? WHAT MAKES HER TICK?  WHAT DOES SHE REALLY WANT? AND EVERY WEEK WE'VE GOTTEN TO SEE MORE OF HER UNTIL FINALLY THIS EPISODE LAYS SO MUCH OF HER HISTORY OUT FOR US. HER FATHER, THE SOCIALIST PROFESSOR, JUDGING DON'S CAPITALIST EXCESS. A MAN SEEMINGLY RENDERED IMPOTENT BY A LACK OF AFFECTATION, A FAILED BOOK MEETING AND SIMPLY BEING MARGINALIZED. AND MEGAN'S MOTHER (JULIA ORMOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) WHO IS WITTY, FLIRTATIOUS AND UTTERLY LACKING CAUTION IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. THEY ARE A MESS TOGETHER, BUT THEY ARE TOGETHER. AND MEGAN NOTES THAT'S HOW THEY ALWAYS END UP. WHAT IS MOST INTERESTING IS THE WAY THEY EXHIBIT A SHARP HONESTY OF TALKING THAT'S SO FAR AWAY FROM THE WAY DON BEHAVES. AND MEGAN IS AT ONCE THE APPLE OF THEIR EYES AND CAUGHT IN THEIR CROSS-FIRE. WHEN YOU PUT IT ALL TOGETHER THERE'S A WAY THEY JUST MAKE PERFECT SENSE FOR MEGAN'S PARENTS. THEY ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO GAVE HER CONFIDENCE, A SENSE OF PROGRESSIVE THOUGHT, A LACK OF CYNICISM, AWARENESS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, THEY SEEM TO HAVE FOSTERED HER INNATE KINDNESS.

AND WHILE ALL THIS IS GOING ON, MEGAN ALSO HAS A HUGE WIN AT WORK. SHE NAILS A PITCH IDEA TO DON FOR THE LANGUISHING HEINZ ACCOUNT, PICKS UP A SIGNAL FROM THE GUY'S WIFE THAT THEY'RE FIRING THEM, PASSES IT DOWN AND THEN SAVES THE WHOLE DAMN THING. HONESTLY, IT'S A STALWART MOMENT FOR HER. EVEN PEGGY IS SO HAPPY FOR HER AND SAYS IT "THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS." ...AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES MEGAN SAD. SHE WALKS OFF. SO WHAT'S THE DEAL?

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: HERE'S THE DEAL. LATER AT THE DINNER, MEGAN'S FATHER TELLS HER THAT HE'S DISAPPOINTED THAT SHE HASN'T FOLLOWED HER DREAMS. SHE MARRIED DON. SHE'S WORKING COPY. SHE'S BEING CREATIVE AND INTEGRAL. BUT SHE HAD THE ACTING/MODELING BUG WHEN WE FIRST MET HER. SHE WAS JUST STARTING OUT. HER FATHER SAID SHE TOOK THE SHORTCUT AND IT SOUNDED CRUEL, BUT LET US NOT FORGET THAT MEGAN REALLY DID TAKE THE SHORTCUT. AND WHO KNOWS WHERE SHE REALLY WANTED TO GO. AND IT'S TRUE BECAUSE HER "BIG WIN" AT WORK MEANT VERY LITTLE TO HER. SURE, SHE ENJOYED THE MOMENT AND THE CREATIVITY AND WORKING WITH DON, BUT THIS CAN'T BE AS GOOD AS IT GETS FOR HER. IT WORKS FOR PEGGY, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE HER CEILING. MEGAN WANTS SOMETHING ELSE.

WHO KNOWS... MAYBE DON'S GONNA LOSE THIS ONE.

- DON -

DON SEEMS TO SORT OF HAVE HIS EYES BACK ON THE PRIZE AT WORK. (STERLING WALKS IN: "OH... YOU TWO WERE WORKING.") AND NOW HE'S BEING HONORED FOR HIS ANTI-TOBACCO LETTER THAT HE WROTE AFTER LUCKY STRIKE ABANDONED THEM. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, DON IS TAKING A BACK SEAT THIS WEEK... AGAIN. WHICH IS OKAY BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A CATALYST FOR OTHERS. BUT HIS CHARACTERIZATION IS FULLY REALIZED WHEN HE RESPONDS ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO MEGAN'S SOLID IDEA. HE RUNS WITH IT (AND HULK LOVED HOW THE OFFICE WASN'T THAT BITTER ABOUT MEGAN'S IDEA LANDING. THEY KNOW A GOOD IDEA WHEN THEY SEE ONE, WHICH IS TOTALLY THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM BY THE WAY). AND THEN AFTER MEGAN'S QUICK THINKING AT DINNER, HE PUTS HIS PITCH-FACE BACK ON FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL SEASON AND LANDS THE HEINZ DEAL. AND SO? HE CONFIDENTLY RETURNS TO THE FOLD AT HIS CODFISH BALL DINNER AND MAKES NICE WITH ELDER CLIENTS WHO RUN BIG BUSINESS. AND HEY! RAY WISE! HE'S BACK! HULK KNEW THEY WOULDN'T WASTE HIM! ANYWHO, ALL SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL AND DON IS TRYING TO MAKE HEADWAY WITH THE OLD GUARD AND THEN...

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: DON LEARNS THAT HIS TOBACCO LETTER WASN'T THE COUP HE THOUGHT IT WAS AND NOW ALL THE BIG BUSINESSES WON'T WORK WITH HIM ON PRINCIPAL. WHY? BECAUSE HE "BIT THE HAND THAT FED HIM." OOF. SORRY DON.

... AT LEAST YOU STILL LOOK GREAT IN A BATHROBE.

- SALLY -

SALLY DRAPER MIGHT BE ONE OF HULK'S FAVORITE CHARACTERS. HER CHILDHOOD TO PRE-TEEN DEVELOPMENT HAS JUST BEEN ARTICULATED SO WELL THROUGHOUT THE SHOW. AND NOW WE GET ANOTHER GLIMPSE INTO HER LIFE AT THE PRESENT. AND WHAT DOES IT START WITH? TALKING TO GLEN! EVERYONE'S FAVORITE CREEPY NEIGHBOR! WHO SEEMS TO BE DOING MUCH BETTER BY THE WAY, EVEN IF HE IS AT THIS MYSTERIOUS BOARDING TYPE-SCHOOL. BUT THEIR MUTUAL PHONE CONVERSATION MANAGES TO TRIP "BLUTO" AS SHE'S SO AFFECTIONATELY CALLED AND GETS HER AND BOBBY A TRIP TO DADDY'S PLACE FOR THE WEEKEND... WITH THE REST OF THE IN-LAWS. LOOKS LIKE IT'S A FULL HOUSE. THIS OF COURSE JUMP STARTS MEGAN'S GREAT IDEA ABOUT GENERATIONS SERVING THE SAME FOOD (REALLY IT WAS SPAGHETTI, NOT BEANS). AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS TIME TOGETHER IS ALL THE GIRLS GOING OUT SHOPPING AND SALLY BUYING A CRAZY, MODERN SILVER DRESS AND GETTING DECKED TO THE NINES... AND THERE IT WAS.

THE LOOK ON DON'S FACE SAID IT ALL. IT HAPPENS TO EVERY PARENT. THAT ONE SINGULAR MOMENT WHERE HE REALIZES THAT SALLY IS NOT A KID ANYMORE. SHE'S NOT WOMAN YET EITHER, BUT SHE CERTAINLY HAS PASSED THAT POINT OF CHILDHOOD. DON IS DUMBFOUNDED. A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS. HE WASN'T READY FOR IT. NO PARENT EVER IS. AND HE REACTS HALF-SHARPLY, TELLING HER TO LOSE THE CRAZY BOOTS AND THE MAKE-UP (AND YOU CAN TELL HE'S NOT THRILLED WITH MEGAN'S WARDROBE SELECTION FOR HER). OF COURSE, MEGAN'S FATHER SAYS THE MOST HORRIBLE THING POSSIBLE (IN TERMS OF PROPRIETY), "ONE DAY YOUR DAUGHTER WILL SPREAD HER LEGS AND FLY AWAY." / MEGAN: "WINGS, DADDY."  OF COURSE HE MEANT WHAT HE SAID.

BUT SALLY GETS TO COME ALONG TO THE DINNER ANYWAY WHERE SHE PERFORMS ADMIRABLY - MORE THAN ADMIRABLY. IN FACT, SHE AND STERLING ARE, QUITE SIMPLY, FUCKING AMAZING TOGETHER. THEY PLAY OFF EACH OTHER'S JOKES, SHE HANDLES HIS BUSINESS, SHE GOES TOE TO TOE WITH HIM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: AND THEN SHE SEES STERLING GET A BLOW J FROM MEGAN'S MOM. BOOM. ALL THE UGLINESS OF ADULTHOOD HITS HER SQUARE ON. REMEMBER HOW THE SEASON STARTED WITH HER SEEING A GLIMPSE AT MEGAN'S BACK/BUTT CRACK? YEAH. THINGS HAVE ACCELERATED. AND SHE'S NOT CRAZY ABOUT IT. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE UGLINESS, BUT KNOWING THAT WHAT SHE IS SEEING IS MORALLY WRONG AND POTENTIALLY FILLING HER WITH OBSERVER'S GUILT. HULK MEAN, THAT'S MEGAN'S MOTHER AFTER ALL. IT'S ALL TOO MUCH FOR NOT-A-KID, NOT-A-WOMAN TO DEAL WITH.

ALSO STERLING WAS TOTALLY HER DATE.

- STERLING -

HIS L.S.D. TRIP SEEMS TO HAVE ACTUALLY CHANGED HIM. HOW BOUT THAT? OF COURSE IT COULD ALL BE JUST TALK. OKAY, PROBABLY IT'S ALL TALK. BUT THE MAN KNOWS SOMETHING INTRINSIC ABOUT GETTING WHAT HE WANTS. HE DID SAY "I WANT WHAT I WANT" IN HIS PURSUIT OF JANE. AND NOW STERLING WANTS TO BE RELEVANT AGAIN. HE WON'T BE A SAD SACK. HE'S GOING TO KEEP TRYING, JUST LIKE HE SAID. HE'S GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES. HE'S NOT GOING TO "LEARN" WHEN TO STAY DOWN SO TO SPEAK. COUGH COUGH...

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: OKAY, HE JUST GOT A BLOW J WHICH ISN'T THAT MUCH OF A GUT-PUNCH, BUT STILL. IT WAS A BIG BLOW TO TAKE. SORRY, HULK HAS NO IDEA WHY HULK MAKING OBVIOUS BAD JOKES. SORRY.

- BACK TO MEGAN'S PARENTS -

THEY'RE WORTH GIVING MORE ATTENTION. IN JUST ONE EPISODE WE GET A BEAUTIFUL ARC FOR BOTH OF THEM. THE FATHER, RESENTFUL BUT NOT EXACTLY RUDE. HE RESORTS TO SMALL ASIDES, COMMENTS. HULK MEAN, HE'S NICE TO SALLY AND ALL, BUT HE'S GOT AN ARTIST'S HEART, AND AN ARTIST IS JEALOUS, NOT THE TEMPERAMENT FOR REAL KINDNESS. AND THEN IT'S REVEALED HE'S SLEEPING WITH A GRADUATE STUDENT AND ONE GETS THE SENSE THERE'S NOTHING NEW ABOUT THIS. HIS WHOLE BEHAVIOR IS HANDLED VERY HUSH-HUSH WITH OUTBURSTS AND UGLINESS. AND MEGAN'S MOM? GOD THAT HANGING CIGARETTE. IT JUST SAYS EVERYTHING. SHE PLAYS WITH FIRE. SHE COMPETES WITH MEGAN: "SHE TOUCHED YOUR ARM SIX TIMES!" / "SHE'S FRENCH!" IT'S ALL SO WONDERFULLY ORCHESTRATED. AND OF COURSE SHE ULTIMATELY GOES FOR THE MAN WHO HAPPILY FLIRTS RIGHT BACK. THEY EVEN SAY IT RIGHT BEFOREHAND. THE SAME MISTAKES. AGAIN AND AGAIN.

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: DAD - IT MAY NOT SEEM OBVIOUS, BUT HIS JOKE ABOUT DON'S DAUGHTER SPREADING HER LEGS WASN'T 100% SUPPORTIVE. BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT PAINS HIM IN A WISTFUL WAY ABOUT HIS OWN DAUGHTER. SHE WENT OFF AND GOT MARRIED ON A WHIM. AND IN DOING SO SHE GAVE UP ON "THE ARTIST'S WAY" TO BE WITH SOME RICH ADVERTISING SHILL. HER FATHER IS AN IDEOLOGUE. AND SEEING HER WITH DON IS SOMETHING AKIN TO TORTURE. IT'S NOT THAT HE WANTS HER DREAMS TO COME TRUE, IT'S THAT HE WANTS HER TO HAVE A LIFE PURSUIT. AND THE MOM'S GUT-PUNCH? SHE GOT A BIT OF STERLING'S GOLD. UGH. HULK FEEL TERRIBLE JUST WRITING THAT AWFUL JOKE. SORRY. IT LIKE 3:30 A.M... MOVING ON!

-PEGGY -

HULK NOT MEAN TO SELL THIS PLOT-LINE SHORT, IT JUST ALL THE ONES ABOVE ARE INTERRELATED SO IT MAKES MORE SENSE HERE. PEGGY REALLY DOES HAVE A TON GOING ON THIS EPISODE. ABE VISITS THE OFFICE AND HE'S SEEMINGLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY SHE SLINGS AROUND THE GRUFF TALK LIKE ONE OF THE FELLAS. THE NEXT DAY HE EVEN CALLS UP AND DEMANDS THEY HAVE DINNER AT 7 O'CLOCK. FEARING A BREAK-UP PEGGY GOES TO JOAN, WHO SEEMS RATHER BUSY... SO PEGGY ASKS FOR A CIGARETTE. A PERFECT CALL-BACK TO THE SCENE LAST SEASON, WHEN THE TWO OF THEM HAD THEIR FIRST REAL WOMAN TO WOMAN CHAT (ABOUT HOW DON AND MEGAN GOT ENGAGED!). AND SO JOAN REALIZES IT'S ONE OF THOSE TALKS AND ASKS HER IF SHE WANTS TO CLOSE THE DOOR. JOAN'S ADVICE? IT'S NOT A DUMPING, BUT A SET UP FOR MARRIAGE PROPOSAL. AND THEN PEGGY IS SURPRISED TO FIND HERSELF DELIGHTED BY THE IDEA. SHE GOES HOME TO CHANGE AND GET EXCITED. IS THIS SURPRISING? SURE PEGGY PUTS ON A GOOD PROGRESSIVE GAME, BUT THAT'S LARGELY A FUNCTION OF HER BEING DRIVEN, YET CAUSAL. AFTER ALL, IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO THAT SHE HAD "OLD STYLE" SO TO SPEAK.

OF COURSE , ALL OF THIS JUST MAKES US THINK SHE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GET DUMPED. BUT GOOD OLE ABE, HE SPLITS THE DIFFERENCE. HE ASKS IF SHE WANTS TO MOVE IN TOGETHER. STILL A PRETTY PROGRESSIVE THING FOR '65 (THAT'S THE YEAR, RIGHT? HULK BAD AT THESE THINGS). AND AFTER A MOMENT OF BEING LET DOWN, AFTER A MOMENT OF REALIZING HOW EARNEST HE IS, AFTER A MOMENT OF REALIZING THAT IT WASN'T THAT SHE WAS JOKING AROUND WITH THOSE GUYS, BUT THAT HE JUST WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO HER IN THE WAYS THEY HAVE WITHOUT HORNING IN... WELL. SHE SAYS "I DO."

ENDING GUT-PUNCH: THE PROBLEM IS HER MOTHER. THEY INVITE HER OVER TO DINNER. THEY MAKE NICE. THEY LET THE NEWS FLY. AND PEGGY'S MOM IS DESPONDENT, JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT HER DAUGHTER HAS GONE OFF THE DEEP END AND IS NOW "LIVING IN SIN." IT ROCKS PEGGY MORE THAN ONE WOULD ASSUME, EVEN MORE THAN PEGGY WOULD ASSUME. SHE'S STILL TIED TO THIS MOTHER OF HERS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE PEGGY IS LIKE EVERYONE. SHE'S HAD HER OWN HISTORY AND HER OWN MISGIVINGS AND HER MOTHER IS A PART OF THAT HISTORY. LIKE THE AD IS GOING TO SAY: MOTHER TO CHILD, "SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE."

OH AND HULK THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT PEGGY'S MOM WAS GOING TO BRING UP THE BABY. THAT MAY END UP BEING AN ALBATROSS IN SOME WAY, DON'T FORGET.

- COSGROVE -

JUST WORTH MENTIONING FOR THE WAY DON GLARED AT HIM WHEN HE KEPT ALMOST FUCKING UP THE IMPROMPTU DINNER PITCH.

- PETE -

PETE'S IN THIS EPISODE FOR LIKE TWO MINUTES AND NAILS THOSE TWO MINUTES BEAUTIFULLY. HE TAKES A WONDERFUL MOMENT OF CELEBRATION TO CASUALLY REMIND COSGROVE THAT THEY'RE STILL IN THE RED ON THE ACCOUNT; HE'S SUPER NICE TO SALLY DRAPER IN THAT YOUNG-OLD MAN WAY OF HIS, AND OF COURSE: "THAT'S WHAT I DO ALL DAY." FANTASTICALLY WELL DONE.

NOTE: SOMEONE RECENTLY REMINDED HULK THAT IN ALL HULK'S PETE CAMPBELL LOVE, HULK HAD FORGOTTEN THAT HE IS ALSO A DRUNKEN LECHEROUS SEXUAL ASSAULTER. NOT THE WAY JOANIE'S HUSBAND WAS, BUT WE'RE TALKING JUST A SHADE SHY OF THAT (REMEMBER THE SCANDINAVIAN BABY-SITTER?). IT BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT CHARACTER HISTORIES AND HOW WE CAN SOMETIMES FORGET. AND MAYBE HULK WAS CHALKING IT UP TO "THE TIME" WHERE PETE'S BEHAVIOR WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED HALF AS CRIMINAL AS IT WOULD IN THIS AGE (APPROPRIATELY MIND YOU). JUST SOME INTERESTING FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

-RANDOM NOTES -

-MORE JOAN PLEASE. JUST SEEING HER THIS WEEK REMIND HULK HOW MUCH SHE BEEN MISSED THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.

-HULK KINDA NEED A DOSE OF FAT BETTY SOON TOO.

-HULK WONDER HOW GLEN IS DOING IN SCHOOL.

-PEGGY'S NOTE OF THE MEN'S BEHAVIOR ON MEGAN'S SUCCESS: "THEY ACT LIKE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME" IS SO PITCH PERFECT THAT HULK CAN BARELY STAND IT.

-JOAN HAD A SPECTACULAR LINE ABOUT MEN NOT BREAKING UP WITH WOMEN: "THEY JUST IGNORE YOU UNTIL YOU FORCE [A SOMETHING]." HELP HULK REMEMBER IT! (EPISODE WAS RECORDING BUT HULK ACCIDENTALLY DELETED! CLUMSY HULK FINGERS!)

-WONDERFUL DETAIL WHEN HARRY IS TELLING THE STORY AND GETS THE "YOU WEREN'T EVEN THERE!"

-IS IT HULK OR WAS STERLING'S SCENE WITH HIS EX-WIFE KINDA WONDERFUL? AND DID SHE LOOK REALLY GOOD?

-"HOW'S MANHATTAN?"

"DIRTY."