843 replies to this topic

[TWoP Sun]

From amctv.com:

A surprise visit; Sally is spooked; Joan gets some unexpected news.

[superpole2000]

Top notch episode. I loved it. Roger's "foot in the door" comment made my day.

Joan, come back!

[JCScantling]

"Bang your head against a wall." Betty Drapper should have written a book about raising children. I would read it.

Edited by JCScantling, Sep 20, 2009 @ 10:04 PM.

[Wildhorsesnall]

How would Chekhov put it...guy drives in on a John Deere in Act 1, it better be running someone over by Act 3. Damn.

I felt so bad for Joan (no surprise), but I also felt so bad for Roger...I think he's finally feeling how obsolete he's becoming.

Bang your head against a wall." Betty Drapper should wrote a book about raising children. I would read it.

Right up there with "she's a child, she'll get over it."

Edited by Wildhorsesnall, Sep 20, 2009 @ 10:05 PM.

[revolva]

Wow! A lot happened in this episode, but I have to say my favorite bit was the nice scene between Don & Joan in the hospital waiting room. Those two have so much chemistry together- wish they had more scenes together.

[Midge]

What the heck are they going to do with Joan? Will she have to come back in the steno pool?

Edited by Midge, Sep 20, 2009 @ 10:06 PM.

[GeoBQn]

Oh dear G-d! This episode is going straight into the Scarred for Life thread. I knew nothing good could come of Lois on the lawn mower. Joan's line, "He must've woke up today feeling great" is something close to what I think about when tragedy strikes.

The ending with Don, Sally, and the baby was wonderful, though. "He's a baby. We don't know who he is or what he's going to be. And that's wonderful."

[KidL]

It's going to take some time to process everything. All I can say is "Wow" about Pete losing his foot. I was so not expecting that!

[sopreppypink]

I'm sorry, I'm still processing the whole "being run over" thing. Just...what a bizarre sequence of events.

[Zif]

"Bang your head against a wall." Betty Drapper should have written a book about raising children. I would read it.

As would I. I'm also fairly certain my mother used the "Only boring people are bored" line on me more than once in my childhood.

I was pleased to note that Smeeth hasn't yet been fired, although Smitty may not be long for Sterling Cooper after the John Deere fiasco.

Seeing Joan, who is normally so composed, break into tears in front of the entire office when toasted by Guy Mackendrick, was incredibly affecting. Christina Hendricks killed it in this episode. She can't leave, though; she's far too badass.

I may have clapped with glee when Pete caught a fainting Peggy, contrivance or no. Ahem.

The John Deere accident was so blackly hilarious. The closest thing I can think of is the kid accidentally getting his brains blown out when the car hits a bump in Pulp Fiction. I will miss Lois, though (assuming she gets canned after the incident).

Nothing will ever come of it, but I was feeling the Don/Joan chemistry tonight. They would have been the hottest couple alive.

I love that Betty is still packing a little baby weight. It's realistic.

Edited by Zif, Sep 20, 2009 @ 10:10 PM.

[PolkaDotty]

So Granpa Gene had been "dropping in" on Sally in ghostly form, or had he been "dropping in" on Sally in human form. (OK, it needed to be said.)

The Dr. Pepper Bottle top in the hospital waiting room said "10 2 4" That was their slogan, you need a Dr. Pepper three times a day: at 10 am. 2 pm, and 4 pm.

I'm not sure Betty gave Sally a Barbie doll. The one with dark hair was Barbie's friend Midge (ooo, Midge from Season 1?)

[AnansiGirl]

That was the most hilariously gruesome thing I've seen on TV in a while. I didn't even process it for a moment, when I saw the spray of blood on everyone's clothes.

And Joan is so badass in a crisis. She should be the surgeon.

[bbob]

Joan can't go! (By the way, was that a "telling" look between Don and Joan in the waiting room at the hospital, or what?)

Don is a good dad! (He's just a baby.) At first, I was going to go easy on Betty when she gave Sally the Barbie, but she just went back into normal Betty-mode.

Was the lawn-mower scene suppossed to be very dramatic or very funny? I sided on very funny. I was hoping that Joan would parlay her great decision-making in that scene into keeping her job at SC.

Did Don screw the pooch by not being more forward with Connie Hilton?

[Roclafamilia]

With the issues Peggy has been having with her secretary, maybe they are setting up Joan to return to Sterling Cooper later on in the season as Peggy's secretary.

[pigeoninthepark]

Watching the re-air to see what I missed while watching the Emmys.

Ken riding a John Deere. That has fanfic written all over it.

[kindest demon]

On the one hand, poor grieving, coldly-mothered Sally. On the other, what a freaking weirdo.

Joan seriously needs to liberate the shit out of herself. That woman could rule the world if she put her mind to it.

And that, kids, is why you don't drunk drive on a lawn mower. At least, not indoors. I love that Chekhov's motor vehicle not only played such an unexpected role, but that Lois's incompetency at pretty much everything is what pulled the trigger.

Edited by kindest demon, Sep 20, 2009 @ 10:10 PM.

[lynnaea]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Joan was meant to be the doctor and not her husband.

She was so full of win this episode. Someone please tell me that this isn't the end of her on this show!

[ddben]

Wow!!!
What an episode! I am still trying to figure out all the ramifications but so much happened tonight.
My first overwhelming question and reaction is: "Why bring in the new head from England to get rid of him the next day?" What dramatic purpose was served?

Also, props to those who recognized Connie from the party scene and called his re-appearance!

It just gets better and better......

[PolkaDotty]

It's going to take some time to process everything. All I can say is "Wow" about Pete losing his foot. I was so not expecting that!

It wasn't Pete, it was the Don Draper-lite, Guy. That's why they said at the end that they had to re-evaluate everyone's positions.

[Allie5687]

Don Draper holding a baby makes my ovaries go all a-quiver.

[queeniethebold]

Re: the doll that Betty gave to Sally -- it was/is a Barbie. They made Barbies with blonde hair and dark hair. Midge had reddish hair and freckles and was much more tomboyish looking; I know, because I had one! My mother didn't like the enormous boobage on Barbie, and so I got a flat-chested Midge.

Edited by TWoP Sun, Sep 21, 2009 @ 3:52 AM.
capitalization

[quickychick]

Loved every minute of it. Roger continues to get the best lines...but Hooker teasing Paul about the beird was great, too. "Who are you people?" And "look at him, he just brought in a mastadon." Awesome.

Joan was the best at everything she did, even crying with authority. Pllleeeease come back Joan!

Betty--well, there's a whole lot to say there but I'm sure one of you will say it better than I could.

Just now realizing this on the encore that Roger tells the story of the lost limb at the beginning. Then Hendricks loses his foot; Joan's husband's career is effectively amputated, too. Ouch.

[Kirblar]

My first overwhelming question and reaction is: "Why bring in the new head from England to get rid of him the next day?" What dramatic purpose was served?

It tied into the "quick change of fortune/expectations" theme that was going throughout the episode.

[where is truth]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Joan was meant to be the doctor and not her husband.

I sort of thought they'd hint that he lost his foot because Mr. Joan is about as good at surgery as Lois is at operating a lawnmower.

I may have clapped with glee when Pete caught a fainting Peggy, contrivance or no. Ahem.

I detest Pete and that still made me happy. What's happening to me!?

I could use more of a few things:

Don and Sally
Don and Joan
Roger making completely gruesome jokes
And Roger realizing how completely useless he's made himself

[alynch]

Thanks to the Spoiler thread, I knew that lawnmower incident was coming, and I gotta say, knowing it was coming made this into one of the funnest viewing experiences I've ever had. Every second Guy spent walking around made me chuckle.

Question though, so did 1960s lawnmower not have a way of being driven with the blades turned off, or is the SC staff just really, really stupid?

[AnansiGirl]

It wasn't Pete, it was the Don Draper-lite, Guy. That's why they said at the end that they had to re-evaluate everyone's positions.

Right, because Pete caught Peggy when she fainted after the incident. And that kinda explains the ep's title...and makes it even funnier.

[rosjaq]

Joan reminds me of the women of my mother's generation who she described as being very smart but making all the wrong choices when they count. She handled the accident with cool efficiency and I hope she decides to become her own anchor. Being Mrs. Harris hasn't exactly brought her much happiness.

Don is such a warm father. Betty's an interesting character to watch, but Don's much better at empathy. I hate the distance she's letting grow between Sally and her, which probably mimics the same relationship she had with her own mother.

So much to process. Damn good episode all around.

[unclewiggly]

I think the conversation between Don and Betty at the kitchen table is the most comfortable we've ever seen them together. In fact, I think that night, while Don considered his (presumed) growing importance & rising prospects was the most contented we've ever seen Don.

Should have known that would be short-lived.

The interaction between Joan and Greg was both not what I expected and absolutely pitch perfect. Joan in Alabama?? As *if*.

[Skullcrusher]

That episode was amazing!

Roger had about 20 great lines.

Joan was just incredible the whole episode. From bantering with Hooker to being in the waiting room with Don.

It's a good thing Sally had Don for a father cause Betty is one lousy mom.

The mower scene was just incredible. I just thought she'd bump into someone and break their leg - I was thinking it was going to be Joan - but running over a foot was just all kinds of awesome. Black humor at its best.