TV Talk: MAD MEN Episode 5.09 “Dark Shadows”

- EPISODE #: 5.09-

- EPISODE TITLE: DARK SHADOWS (A CROSS-PROMOTIONAL TIE-IN! TOTALLY KIDDING... RIGHT?) -

- FAVORITE QUOTE: "YOU ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT." -

- OVERALL IMPRESSION -

UNLIKE LAST WEEK WHICH DELVED INTO SOME EXTREMELY HEADY TOPICS, THIS WEEK THRIVES OFF SIMPLY BEING A WONDERFULLY DIRECTED EPISODE OF TELEVISION. MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CONCEIT LIES AROUND THE NOT-SO-REVOLUTIONARY IDEA THAT WE CAN GET WHAT WE WANT AND STILL NOT END UP HAPPY. IT'S ABOUT THE SPECTRAL WAYS WE CAST SELF-CREATED "SHADOWS" THAT FOLLOW US THROUGH LIFE (ALTHOUGH THERE WAS PROBABLY SOME REFERENCE HULK MISSED AS TO WHY THE EPISODE IS SPECIFICALLY CALLED THAT. HULK MISSES STUFF LIKE THAT). BUT CENTRAL CONCEITS ASIDE, SOMETIMES IT'S OKAY TO REVEL IN THE FACT THAT WHAT ALWAYS MAKES MAD MEN SO WONDERFUL IS THE WAY THE WRITERS ARTICULATE THEIR IDEAS. HULK MEAN, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH HAPPENING IN EVERY GIVEN SCENE.

WHAT ELSE WOULD WE EXPECT AT THIS POINT? SO LET'S GET INTO IT...

- DON -

DON HAS TWO CENTRAL GOINGS ON THIS WEEK.

THE FIRST IS PROFESSIONAL. HULK KNOW. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. IT STARTS INNOCENTLY WITH DON BEING SHOWN ART TO SELECT FOR SOME SORT OF BEST OF THE YEAR KINDA THINGY. HE LOOKS OVER ALL OF THEM, SELECTS BASED ON TASTE AND AFTERWARDS HE REALIZES HE'S SELECTED ALL OF GINSBERG'S WORK. THEN, LATER ON DON LEAVES THE HOUSE TO GO INTO WORK ON THE WEEKEND, THUS LEAVING MEGAN, IN ORDER TO DO... NOTHING THAT IMPORTANT. THIS REVEAL IS OUTRAGEOUSLY IMPORTANT. IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE SEE HIM FALLING BACK INTO HIS OLD WORK HABITS AT THE EXPENSE OF FAMILY AND CERTAINLY THE FIRST TIME WITH MEGAN. SO HE GOES IN. HE STANDS AROUND. HE DRINKS. AS HE'S LEAVING HE SEES A LIGHT ON IN PEGGY AND GINSBERG'S OFFICE. AS HE SHUTS IT OFF, HE POKES A LOOK AT GINSBERG'S FOLDER. THERE'S GOOD WORK ON SNO-BALL... REALLY GOOD WORK. SO ALL OF SUDDEN, DON STARTS WRITING. AND BY DON WRITING, WE MEAN THAT IT'S NOT HIS BRIEF ALCOHOLISM JOURNAL, BUT INSTEAD THAT HE BREAKS OUT HIS RECORDER AND STARTS THINKING OUT LOUD.

NEXT COMES THE MEETING WITH THE COPYWRITERS. DON WAITS TILL THEY MAKE THEIR PITCHES. GINSBERG'S IS THE STRONGEST, AND THEN DON MAKES AN AWKWARD-AS-FUCK PITCH WHERE HE DOES THE DEVIL VOICE. WHAT MAKES IT AWKWARD-AS-FUCK IS NOT MERELY THAT WE'RE SEEING DON ENTHUSIASTIC WITH A PITCH (WE SEE THAT ALL THE TIME)... BUT THE FACT THAT DON ISN'T CONFIDENT AND TRYING TO SELL IT ANYWAY. WE SEE THAT DON WAS DESPERATE TO SELL THEM. AND IT'S WEIRD. AND WAS THE IDEA HORRIBLE? NO. BUT GINSBERG'S WAS CLEARLY THE RIGHT IDEA FROM THE GET-GO. AND TO WATCH THEM ALL NAVIGATE AROUND THE FACT THAT 1) DON'S WRITING AGAIN 2) THEY HAVE TO PUT ON THEIR "OKAY BOSS!" HATS AND 3) THEY HAVE TO BE OKAY WITH DON'S REGULAR-FINE IDEA, WELL, IT'S JUST SO INTERESTING TO WATCH. AND THUS IT SETS IN MOTION A SERIES OF INTERACTIONS WHERE DON STRONG-ARMS HIS IDEA AS THE WINNER AND LEAVES GINSBERG'S ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAB. GINSBERG LATER CONFRONTS HIM IN THE ELEVATOR. GINSBERG IS OBVIOUSLY DEVASTATED, BUT BACKS IT UP WITH HOW HE HAS "A MILLION IDEAS." HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE TRUMPED. IT BUILDS AND BUILDS UNTIL DON COMES BACK TO GINSBERG'S "I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME" WITH "I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT YOU AT ALL." AND WALKS OUT.

BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT DON DOES THINK ABOUT HIM. DON'S BEEN THINKING ABOUT GINSBERG FROM THE START OF THE EPISODE. HIS WORK IS GETTING EVERYWHERE. HE'S SHARP AND ON POINT. THIS IS AT A CERTAIN POINT ABOUT TERRITORIALISM. AND DON HAS OFFICIALLY STRONG-ARMED HIS FIRST PIECE FOR PERSONAL GAIN OVER THE BEST IDEA (WHICH HISTORICALLY, WAS HIS). THIS IS THE FIRST MOMENT DON HAS LOST OBJECTIVITY AND IT COULD BE CRUCIAL. IT COULD ALSO BE THE THING THAT RE-ESTABLISHES THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS AND PUTS GINSBERG RIGHTFULLY IN HIS PLACE.

THE LARGER IDEA FOR HULK IS THAT THEY'RE ALL WOLVES AT THIS MOMENT. EVEN BURT COOPER IS STRUGGLING TO FIND A LEAD. THE BUSINESS AT LARGE HAS BECOME LOST IN THIS STATE OF INDIVIDUAL RELEVANCE AND TRANSIENCE. WHAT HULK WANTS YOU TO REMEMBER RIGHT NOW IS THE EARLIER DAYS OF STERLING COOPER IN THE FIRST SEASON. THINK OF HOW EVERYTHING OPERATED AS A FRATERNITY. HOW IT WAS A CLUB WITH TIERS AND GROUPS AND A MASSIVE HIERARCHY. NOW THINK ABOUT HOW INDIVIDUALISTIC AND SEPARATED EVERYONE SEEMS. THINK ABOUT HOW SCDP BUSINESS OPERATES COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF CHARACTER IS A COMPLETELY ACCURATE REPRESENTATION IN THE SHIFT OF THE MODERN BUSINESS IDEAL FROM INDIVIDUAL-AS-CONGLOMERATE TO INDIVIDUAL-SHIFTING-IN-CONGLOMERATE.  AND IT'S TRULY REFLECTIVE OF THE EMERGENCE OF THE "ME GENERATION."

THE SECOND THING DON HAS GOING ON IS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUNG...

- SALLY DRAPER -

A FEW WEEKS AGO AT THE CODFISH BALL (WHICH HULK THANKFULLY LEARNED FROM DEVIN WAS NOT THE NAME OF THE EVENT ITSELF) WE GOT A FEW TEASES OF SALLY "THE YOUNG WOMAN." THERE WAS THE OUTFIT. HER ADULT BANTER WITH ROGER. THE FACT SHE SAW SOME DIRTY STUFF. AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO GET A LOOK THE EVOLUTION OF ANOTHER SIDE OF HER YOUNG WOMANHOOD; NO LONGER IS SHE THE REACTIVE, ILL-TEMPERED CHILD. INSTEAD SHE'S SALLY DRAPER: MASTER TACTICIAN. IT STARTS SO BEAUTIFULLY WITH MEGAN TEACHING HER HOW TO FAKE CRY FOR HER ACTING CLASS. AND OF COURSE THE LESSONS OF "PRETEND" ACCELERATE FROM THERE. BUT THINK ABOUT ALL THE WAYS THIS EXPRESSES ITSELF. NOT JUST WITH HER PUT ON ANGER. NOTICE SHE'S DRAWING A FAMILY TREE THAT IS BUILT ON SO MANY LIES (OF COURSE SHE GETS AN A GRADE). NOTICE THE WAY SHE ACCUSES ALL THE ADULTS IN HER LIFE OF PRETENDING. IT'S ALMOST AS IF SHE'S DISCOVERED THE NATURE OF LYING AND IS BOTH ENRAPTURED BY ITS POWER AND HORRIFIED BY ITS FREQUENCY AND ABILITY TO HURT.

HULK'S SAID IT BEFORE. SALLY DRAPER IS HULK'S FAVORITE CHARACTER. THE WAY SHE'S EVOLVED FROM BEING A CHILD IN SUCH A SPECIFIC WAY WHERE THE ORDER GETS MIXED UP. THE IDEAS CONFUSING. IT'S SO NOT CLEAN AND THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU SEE IN MOST TELEVISION. IT IS ARTICULATED PERFECTLY BECAUSE IT'S A COMING OF AGE IN GLIMPSES. . AND THE WAY SHE NAVIGATES THIS EPISODE SO IN HALF-CONTROL OF HER WORDS IS A BRILLIANT WAY OF PORTRAYING THAT AGE. LUCKILY FOR EVERYONE, SHE COMES BACK DOWN TO EARTH A BIT AFTER DON OPENS TO HER AND IS HONEST ABOUT ANNA. BUT SALLY STOPS PLAYING THE GAME FOR THE MOMENT, BUT NOT BEFORE GETTING ONE LAST GOOD ONE IN ON...

 - BETTY -

LET'S JUST ALL AGREE ON SOMETHING: FAT BETTY IS AWESOME. HULK'S ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FAN OF THE CHARACTER (AGAIN, ALMOST EVERY COMPLAINT HULK SEE CAN BE COUNTERED WITH A "REMEMBER WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH IN SEASON ONE AND LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF HER CHARACTER BEFORE BEING REDUCTIVE"), BUT HULK LOVES THAT HER APPEARANCES THIS SEASON HAVE BEEN BOTH INTERESTING AND UNIQUELY FUN. LIKE SHOOTING-BIRDS-WITH-THE-CIGARETTE-FUN. SO WE RETURN TO BETTY IN A SLIGHTLY LESS-JOWLY STATE AND SHE SEEMS WELL INTO HER WEIGHT WATCHERS BATTLE. ONE OF THE THINGS HULK LOVED ABOUT THE USE OF THE WEIGHT WATCHERS IS HOW IT SEEMS TO DOUBLE AS HER NEW THERAPY. THERE'S EVEN A BIT OF A WHOLE BUDDHIST MENTALITY GOING ON WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT THE WAYS WE CAN CONTROL THINGS AND THE THINGS WE CAN'T CONTROL. SERIOUSLY, AT ONE POINT BETTY STANDS UP AND SEEMS THE MOST AT PEACE WITH A TOUGH EMOTIONAL SITUATION THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN HER... KEY WORD BEING SEEMS.

IT ALL STARTED WHEN BETTY HAS TO GO UP TO DON'S APARTMENT. FROM THERE, SHE GETS TO PEAK INSIDE. SHE SCANS THE ROOM. DIVORCED COUPLES MAY KNOW THE REALITY ALL TOO WELL. IT'S A COMPLETE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE LIFE HER FAMILY WENT ON TO HAVE WITHOUT HER. AND IT CAN BRING OUT THE CHILDLIKE CURIOSITY OF ANYONE. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF SHE HAS TO SEE YOUNG MEGAN CHANGING (LOOK AWAY BETTY, LOOK AWAY!) WHICH OF COURSE IS DIFFICULT GIVEN NOT ONLY THE SITUATION, BUT HER CURRENT STATE. BUT BETTY DOES HER BEST TO BE SOLID ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. TO ARTICULATE AND NOT INTERNALIZE HER STRUGGLE.

BUT ALL IT TAKES IS ONE SLIP UP. AS SALLY IS MAKING HER FAMILY TREE AND INCLUDING HENRY AND MEGAN, BETTY SEES A NOTE DON WROTE TO MEGAN ABOUT HER BEING HIS LIGHT AND... WELL... HULK JUST HAS TO MENTION THAT THIS WAS THE EXACT KIND OF PERSONAL BIT OF LOVE SHE NEVER RECEIVED FROM HIM (AT LEAST THAT WE KNOW OF. WE ONLY GOT TO SEE THEIR LATER MARRIAGE. WHO KNOWS WHAT HE TOLD HER IN THE EARLY DAYS. AFTER ALL DON "ONLY LIKES THE BEGINNING OF THINGS"). SO BETTY DECIDES TO STIR THE POT. SHE TELLS SALLY ABOUT DON'S FIRST WIFE ANNA DRAPER AND TELLS HER TO ASK MEGAN MORE ABOUT IT (THINKING SHE WOULDN'T KNOW). IT ALL CAUSES SOME TEMPORARY HAVOC AND THEN IT ENDS UP COMPLETELY BACKFIRING AGAINST HER.

HULK'S BEEN GOING BACK AND WATCHING A BUNCH OF SEASON ONE LATELY AND HULK JUST HAS TO KEEP REMINDING PEOPLE HOW DIFFERENT THE CHARACTERS ARE NOW. SHE WAS REALLY IN A HORRIBLE, CLOSED-OFF PLACE WHERE DON WAS DISAPPEARING FROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CHEATING FOR DAYS AND HIRING A THERAPIST TO LISTEN TO HER. DID SHE EVER ACT OUT AGAINST HIM? NO. SHE DID IN THE WAYS SHE COULD IN HER OWN CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, BUT SHE NEVER SAID A WORD TO DON. AND NOW SHE'S SOMEPLACE ELSE. SHE'S AT WAR WITH HIM IN SOME WAYS AND YET SO INCREDIBLY JEALOUS, AS WELL. SHE WANTED TO HAVE EVERYTHING AND THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT SHE WAS GETTING WHEN SHE GOT REMARRIED, BUT AS HENRY FRANCIS SUGGESTS WITH HIS OWN CANDIDATE, "HE BET ON THE WRONG HORSE." INSIDE BETTY WONDERS WHY DON COULDN'T CHANGE FOR HER. WHY COULDN'T SHE BE HIS LIGHT? IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE BREAK-UP SCENE IN SEASON THREE IT'S WHAT SHE WANTED. BUT NOW HE'S SOMEONE ELSE'S. SOMEONE CHANGED HIM. AND NOW SHE HAS TO TELL HERSELF SHE "HAS EVERYTHING SHE WANTS."

HULK THOUGHT THIS WAS ONE OF JONES' STRONGEST EPISODES TO DATE - NEVER MORE EVIDENT THAN WHEN SHE SITS DOWN TO EAT THAT HORRIBLY PATHETIC THANKSGIVING SERVING AND ALL THE EMOTIONS ON HER FACE SPILL ACROSS: DELIGHT IN TASTE, DISGUST IN LIMIT, MULLING OVER HER WORDS, MULLING OVER HER STATE... IT'S ALL THERE. AND EVERY POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEELING IS EQUALLY HORRIFYING TO HER.

AND YES, BETTY DOWNIN' THE REDDI-WHIP WAS FUCKING HILARIOUS.

- MEGAN -

MEGAN HAS A BRIEF CONFRONTATION WITH AN ACTRESS FRIEND OVER THE FACT THAT SHE HAS DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK A REAL JOB, BUT HER MAJOR ISSUE IS NAVIGATING THE TRICKY WATERS OF SALLY-REARING. THE TWO OFTEN DO WELL TOGETHER, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST MOMENT WE SEE SOMETHING SPECIFIC GET ARTICULATED. NOTICE THE USE OF THE WORD "FRIEND" AT THE END. HULK ARGUES THIS IS IMPORTANT. MEGAN KNOWS SHE HAS TO BE A PART OF SALLY'S LIFE. SHE COOKS FOR HER AND DOES MANY MATERNAL THINGS, BUT IF HULK'S DOING THE MATH RIGHT... ISN'T MEGAN CLOSER TO SALLY'S AGE THEN SHE IS TO DON'S? OR AT LEAST SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE? BEYOND ANY PROXIMITY OF AGE, SHE'S IN A TRICKY POSITION. SHE HAS TO BE A MODEL OF ADULTHOOD FOR SALLY (AND SHE'S OFTEN THE MOST MATURE ONE ON THE SHOW TO BE HONEST), BUT THAT MIGHT MEAN BEING A CONFIDANT SOMETIMES RATHER THAN A MATERNAL FIGURE. THE "SECONDARY PARENT" IS ALWAYS AN INTERESTING ROLE AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET RIGHT. MEGAN IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN, BUT THE WORD 'FRIEND" IS VERY TELLING.

- ROGER -

BURT COMES TO ROGER WITH A NEW GIG FOR BRANCHING OUT WITH MANISCHEWITZ (!!!) AND SO ROGER DOES THE ONLY SENSIBLE THING. HE HIRES GINSBERG TO DO SOME WORK ON THE SIDE (BTW, REMEMBER DON'S LINE IN SEASON ONE ABOUT NEVER HAVING A JEW WORK FOR THEM? YEAH, BET YOU FORGOT THAT). ANYWAY, ROGER AND GINSBERG'S CONVERSATION INVOLVES TWO GREAT LINES. THE FIRST = ROGER: "CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?" GINSBERG: "NO." AND WHEN GINSBERG MAKES HIM PONY UP HIS ENTIRE WALLET (THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED) PROMPTING ROGER: "I HAVE GOT TO START CARRYING LESS CASH." GOD HULK LOVES THE WRITING ON THIS SHOW. THAT'S NOT EVEN ALL THAT CLEVER, BUT IT'S JUST SO ON POINT IT MAKES YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD.

BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PROFESSIONAL SHINDIG WORK, ROGER HAS TO IMPLORE JANE TO COME TO DINNER WITH HIM AND PLAY UP THE FACT THAT HE IS MARRIED (IMPENDING DIVORCE OBVIOUSLY NOT MENTIONED) TO ONE OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. JANE AGREES, BUT ONLY IF ROGER GETS HER A NEW APARTMENT. WHY THE NEED? TOO MANY BAD MEMORIES. ROGER AGREES. THEY GO TO DINNER, ROGER SELLS THEIR MARRIAGE, ROGER SELLS GINSBERG'S (REALLY GOOD) IDEA, AND ALL THINGS SEEM GO.

AND THEN ROGER TAKES JANE TO HER NEW APARTMENT AND THEY HAVE A... PHYSICAL RELAPSE. SURE, JANE SEEMS TO FEEL THE PASSION OF THE MOMENT TOO, BUT HAS OBVIOUS RESERVATIONS. SHE ASKS HIM TO WAIT. HE PAUSES. THEN GOES IN AGAIN. THE NEXT MORNING JANE IS INCREDIBLY SAD. SHE SAYS SHE WANTED A CLEAN BREAK BUT THE NEW APARTMENT HAS BEEN TAINTED. WHAT COULD AT FIRST BE SEEN AS A CHILDISH BIT OF SENTIMENT REVEALS ITSELF MORE EARNESTLY WHEN SHE TELLS HIM "YOU ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT."

AND THAT IS WHAT IS CAPITAL T-TRUE OF ROGER. SURE HE HAS TO GIVE UP MONEY, AND TIME AND NEGOTIATE. BUT HE ALWAYS DOES GET WHAT HE WANTS IN THE END. HOW DID THE WHOLE RELATIONSHIP BEGIN WITH JANE? YUP: "I WANT WHAT I WANT." AND THEN HE GETS TO EXIT EASILY AND GIVE UP A BUNCH OF MONEY HE NEVER REALLY CARED ABOUT. ROGER HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICH AND WILL STAY RICH BARRING DISASTER. SO THEN HE GETS TO WALTZ IN AND HAVE JANE IN HER NEW APARTMENT THAT HE BOUGHT FOR HER. EVEN IF IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT, ROGER ALWAYS GETS EVERYTHING HE WANTS.

HE EVEN USED HER TOOTHBRUSH.

- PEGGY -

PEGGY AGAIN SPENDS A LOT OF THE EPISODE IN THE WINGS, BUT SHE HAS TO WATCH SOME THINGS HAPPEN WITH A LOT OF HEARTACHE. THE FIRST IS GINSBERG'S IDEAS TAKING OFF. THE SECOND IS FINDING OUT ROGER WENT TO GINSBERG FOR WORK ON THE SIDE (SOMETHING SHE DELIGHTED IN WHEN SHE DID FOR HIM). SHE HAS THIS GENUINE MOMENT OF STARTING TO BE LEFT OUT AND BRAZENLY CONFRONTS ROGER IN THE ELEVATOR (A LOT IN THE ELEVATORS THIS EPISODE).  AT ONE POINT PEGGY WALKS IN WITH BOOZE, NOTICES EVERYONE BEING STRAIGHT-LACED AND LETS OUT A "AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DRINK AND WORK AT THE SAME TIME?" PEGGY'S BEEN DRINKING A LOT THIS SEASON.  SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS, HULK THINKS. OF COURSE, IN THE END PEGGY GETS TO SMILE WHEN GINSBERG GETS HIS PERHAPS-NO-SO-JUST DESSERTS. SHE KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE TO EAT MORE SHIT IN THIS JOB THAN HE'LL EVER KNOW.

- PETE -

PETE ONLY DOES A COUPLE THINGS IN THIS EPISODE BUT ONE OF THEM IS GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH RORY GILMORE...

...

...

... SO THAT HAPPENED. BUT OF COURSE THE SYMMETRY OF THIS FANTASY PLAYS OUT BEAUTIFULLY WHEN PETE RUNS INTO HER HUSBAND ON THE TRAIN AGAIN. HE STARTS BLATHERING ON ABOUT SPENDING TIME WITH HIS OTHER GIRL AND PETE RESPONDS WITH A GOOD OLD "HOW ABOUT YOU STAY WITH YOUR GIRL IN THE CITY AND I CAN GO HOME AND FUCK YOUR WIFE." BALLSY PETE, BUT OF COURSE THE HUBBY THINKS HE'S JUST JOKING. WHICH IN TURN REVEALS THE HUSBAND BEING ONE OF HULK'S FAVORITE THINGS: THE GUY WHO IS CONVINCED HIS WIFE IS FRIGID WHEN IT'S MERELY HIS OWN DE-SEXUALIZING/CHEATING BULLSHIT. SUCH GREAT ARTICULATION OF THAT PSYCHOLOGY WITH ONLY A FEW QUICK SCENES.

LINGERING QUESTIONS/OBSERVATIONS:

-THE EPISODE HAD A NUMBER OF FUNNY SMASH CUTS TO, WELL, NOTHING IN PARTICULAR OR OBVIOUSLY FUNNY, BUT SOMEHOW WERE ALWAYS FUNNY. ANYONE ELSE NOTICE THAT?

-LITTLE SCENE DETAILS ARE ALSO ALWAYS FUNNY. WHEN BETTY GOES TO THROW AWAY THE NOTE IN A BIG HUFF SHE COMPLETELY MISSES THE TRASH CAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER AND STORMS OFF ANYWAY. HULK LOVES THAT KIND OF STUFF.

-WHAT THE FUCK IS JOAN UP TO?

-AND WHAT THE FUCK IS LANE UP TO?

-GREAT EPISODE. LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE AS THE WEEKS ROLL ON.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW... DIG THIS:

-THIS DRAWING BY YANNICK BEZIL AND HULK ABSOLUTE LOVE IT + HIS WORK. HE ALSO DID THE FILM CRIT HULK BADASS AUTHOR ICON THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED ABOUT AND IS DISPLAYED BELOW! PLEASE CHECK OUT HIS WORK HERE AND ASK HIM TO DRAW STUFF FOR YOU: www.yannickbelzil.com

-HAPPY BELATED MAMA-HULK'S DAY!