This was, without a doubt, one of the weirdest episodes of Mad Men to date.
At least Roger and Jane got to enjoy the last night of their relationship.So, all that just happened.
This was, without a doubt, one of the weirdest episodes of Mad Men to date. Once again, this week's episode, "Far Away Places," focused on a small group of characters, and it was that much better for it. We witnessed Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) take most of the day off, watched Roger's (John Slattery) marriage disintegrate, and we got to see Don (Jon Hamm) and Megan (Jessica Paré) fight (again).
Things did not start off well for Peggy, who we caught up with in the middle of a morning fight with her boyfriend, Abe (Charlie Hofheimer). Things didn't pick up much from there. She arrived to work to a crowded office, only to have Megan taken away on a trip with Don, leaving Peggy to have to face the Heinz meeting only with Stan (Jay R. Ferguson). The presentation was a payoff for the small hints we've seen coming from Peggy so far this season. She is annoyed at Don for not being involved in the work anymore, and she clearly thinks she is ready to step into his shoes. Although, considering how poorly the meeting went, she hasn't learned how to walk the fine line between convincing a client of what they want, and belittling a client in frustration. It was good to then see Peggy simply leave the office and participate in some immoral behavior at the local theater. Good for you, Peggy!
It isn't until she returns to the office that the true nature of this episode revealed itself. Peggy receives a call from Don, simply asking if she had gotten any calls. We could see that Don was clearly shaken up, and Megan-less, but we weren't given any information beyond that. If that brief scene didn't hook you, you are definitely watching the wrong show.
The episode then proceeded to flash back to the previous day, and pick up with Roger. Thus began the second of three different timelines in the same episode. It was a cool little twist on the typical formula of a Mad Men episode, but in hindsight, it feels pointless. It would have been more interesting to use this narrative technique to show what the different characters did surrounding some big historical event. Why did all of these storylines have to take place in the same time period? Does it change anything if they all took place on three separate days? The answer, unfortunately, is no.
Anyways, back to Roger and Jane (Peyton List). We've known that they are unhappy together for some time now, but that really became the focus of the first half of this episode. They went to a dinner party which ended in the couples dropping acid, which naturally led to some funny moments. I'm not a huge fan of drug use in any movie, mostly because I don't think it can ever be depicted in a way that isn't just plain goofy, but I thought it was portrayed as adequately as the best I've seen in this episode. The fun moments of watching Roger open a liquor bottle, only to have music blare until he closed it, or watching his cigarette shrink as he inhaled, were cool quirks that stand out in a show as straight-faced as this one. Of course, the drugs actually served a purpose here, allowing Roger and Jane to air out their differences in a peaceful and honest manner. It all ended in a mutual split that was sad to see, but necessary, because how often can we watch a couple fight? Right, guys? Guys?
I don't like Megan. I've said it before, but this episode once again filled my head with that single thought. She is potentially more frustrating than Betty (January Jones) was, but we haven't spent enough time with Megan to have developed that level of hatred. Don't worry, if things continue down this road, it won't take long. Megan was upset that Don pulled her away from work to go on another excursion, this time to a laughably nerdy Howard Johnson's. I think Megan was completely justified in being upset with Don, and I didn't even dislike how she crossed the line when she brought up Don's dead mother. Let's be honest, Don isn't the shining example of a great husband right now.
But does every exchange between Don and Megan have to end with her in tears, and with both of them lying on the floor of their apartment? How many times will they fight before people get sick of it? I already am. We aren't accomplishing anything with these spats between the couple. They ultimately kiss and make up every time, and neither character grows at the end. Mad Men is essentially a show about unhappy people, but they are all interesting in their unhappiness. Don and Megan are not, and the writers can't leave us in the same place with them after every fight.
I was a huge fan of the swift kick in the rear Bert (Robert Morse) gave Don at the end of the episode. It seems like we'll get back to the advertising side of things starting next week, which is something this season desperately needs. As it stands, this was a pretty good episode where we learned a lot about some characters, and saw more of the same from two of the most important ones.
As always, please leave a comment below with your thoughts on the episode. Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you next week!