Mad Men - season 6 (US Pace)

Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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So, season 6 of Mad Men started on AMC in the US on Sunday night, with a two-part premiere: "The Doorway".

Things have moved forward 8 months from the end of season 5, to the end of 1967 / start of 1968.

I liked it, although I thought there was too much Betty and not enough Joan :(

Also... how could Don cheat on Megan! :( Well, OK, because he's always been a cheating bastard, but still... Megan!

Roger was awesome, as always.
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  • slats7slats7 Posts: 79
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    I'm beginning to question Don's taste in women, because the doctor's wife was hardly a raving beauty. I wonder what the significance of the lighter was. It seemed to rattle Don mightily. Maybe it evoked the horrors of Korea or something. Sally needed to be slapped for her unrelenting shitty attitude. At least her mother displayed a rarely seen capacity for empathy in her pursuit of the teen runaway. If only she'd killed those hippies...
  • Mrs_Stig24Mrs_Stig24 Posts: 4,167
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    Matt D wrote: »
    Roger was awesome, as always.

    I loved Roger's storyline, the wake scenes were some of my favourite in the episode. :D

    Found the episode a little disjointed, would have liked more scenes in the SCDP office. I don't mind Betty as a character but I thought that scene with her and Henry in bed together when she was talking about "spicing things up" was quite bizarre and out of place.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Really didn't like the first episode. Can't put my finger on it. Just found it a bit boring.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    it was very slow moving and Don just seemed 'off' in all of it. When he smiled, he looked in pain or bemused.

    But I think its setting the season up, I think we are back to an unhappy and un settled Don :) Too much Betty agreed apart from being a supporting character for the more grown up Sally I don't see the point of Betty anymore.

    I saw the comments on FB about how bad and boring it was, but people have short memories as they said the same about the start of season 5 - I think it will come good as it did last season.
  • nw0307nw0307 Posts: 10,888
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    I found it very disjointed too. And I was actually quite surprised it was only a few months on from the last episode of last season. It actually seemed like it had jumped 2 years for me. Everyone in SCDP seemed to have had a complete hippy 60s makeover - the art department looked like a spoof sitcom about the 60s and Stan looking like a tramp. And worst of all was Harry. The guy was always a bit of nerd and now he suddenly looks like he's been dressing up in a Beatles costume box. Only Ken and Joan looked normal.

    It also looked like it had jumped way ahead with Don and his new mistress - it looked, to me, like it had been going on for some time. And with Megan now being some up and coming star - how quickly that came to fruition. It was almost as if they've dropped the impeccably done time lines and drama, and adopt more comedy mixed with bizarre stuff like the bedroom scene with Betty and her husband - I really couldn't understand that!!

    Hopefully it will just settle back in to it's normal pattern but I really find Harry distracting!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    I think they might have overdone the symbolism and 'connections' in the episode.

    It started with the weird resuscitation of the doorman by the doctor. We see Don reading the book suggested to him by his mistress (who happens to be the doctors wife) We see the door man being chirpy and alive and Don being drunk and questioning his death experience and Don asking how the doctor deals with life and death and being friendly to him and then Don getting all weird over a vietnam soldier and his lighter (which I think eludes to him getting weird over Korea and being Dick maybe as the lighter had the guys name on it)

    I'm guessing it was all saying something about Don unravelling, but I'm not sure it made the point it wanted to. Maybe that will come in the season.
  • nw0307nw0307 Posts: 10,888
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    I think they might have overdone the symbolism and 'connections' in the episode.

    It started with the weird resuscitation of the doorman by the doctor. We see Don reading the book suggested to him by his mistress (who happens to be the doctors wife) We see the door man being chirpy and alive and Don being drunk and questioning his death experience and Don asking how the doctor deals with life and death and being friendly to him and then Don getting all weird over a vietnam soldier and his lighter (which I think eludes to him getting weird over Korea and being Dick maybe as the lighter had the guys name on it)

    I'm guessing it was all saying something about Don unravelling, but I'm not sure it made the point it wanted to. Maybe that will come in the season.

    I thought the lighter scene was about Don losing his identity and having a panic about it. Isn't one of the reasons he chose Don Draper's id in the first place was due to Dick and Don's lighters all those years ago getting mixed up after chatting together? And then he stole the Don's dog tags. Losing that lighter which probably had Don's name on it probably forced his thoughts about Fake Don finally losing his identity and his time's up hence all the death symbolism.
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    nw0307 wrote: »
    I thought the lighter scene was about Don losing his identity and having a panic about it. Isn't one of the reasons he chose Don Draper's id in the first place was due to Dick and Don's lighters all those years ago getting mixed up after chatting together? And then he stole the Don's dog tags. Losing that lighter which probably had Don's name on it probably forced his thoughts about Fake Don finally losing his identity and his time's up hence all the death symbolism.
    Very much so.....and the way he just throw it in the Bin, only for it to return....which then got him to try and find the Man.

    I always find the start of MM a bit hard to get into, maybe not enough of the Office {this time} and the New Stairs to accounts and that new guy, is he trouble.....Did like how they all had their photo taken on it.

    Don back to his old ways.....I feel sorry for Megan....and the skiing Doc.
    Betty wondering, and with a New Hair style, is she needed in this anymore, or is it to keep Sally in the picture....{a JJ Fan}
    Peggy in charge at her new agency.....New Years Eve, and they're to scared to go home....she was taught by the Best.

    Roger Cry's and I nearly do to...powerful stuff....loved his secretary telling him the news.

    And the Holiday snaps brought back memories of the Carousel Pitch to me........"Good luck at your next meeting"


    "Don't get out of Bed yet"
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    I loved the way Don spoke to the doctors wife over dinner. The old Don is back :)
    And Joan facing the bloke and Pete! he just doesn't have Don's talent for cheating does he?

    Defo shaping up to be an interesting season!
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    Only one brief Joan scene again :(

    Don... I both like him and hate him.

    Pete... I just hate him.

    Oh, and... Go Trudy! :D

    Peggy... Just how stupid is she? "You can't do that. It was a private conversation!" Really? Then you should not have blabbed it to your boss, your boss who happens to head an ad agency and be a rival of Don.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    What has happened to this season. It's awful.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    flagpole wrote: »
    What has happened to this season. It's awful.

    everyone thinks that for the first couple of episodes, its the same every year.
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    Matt D wrote: »
    Only one brief Joan scene again :(

    Don... I both like him and hate him.

    Pete... I just hate him.

    Oh, and... Go Trudy! :D

    Peggy... Just how stupid is she? "You can't do that. It was a private conversation!" Really? Then you should not have blabbed it to your boss, your boss who happens to head an ad agency and be a rival of Don.
    Big Fan of Trudy:
    I refuse to be a failure. I don't care what you want anymore. This is how it's going to work.You will be here only when I tell you to be here. I'm drawing a 50-mile radius around this house and if you so much as open your fly to urinate, I will destroy you. You understand?


    Not the most joyful episode of MM but it still had it's moments.
    Loved Don sort out the Jag account.
    Peggy having problems with her Team.
    "When you want them to be funny, they're useless"

    And Bob....what does he do again?....;)
  • Mrs_Stig24Mrs_Stig24 Posts: 4,167
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    Trudy for the win! :cool:

    I hope that's not the last we see of Alison Brie, I really like her.
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    Mrs_Stig24 wrote: »
    Trudy for the win! :cool:

    I hope that's not the last we see of Alison Brie, I really like her.
    Pete & Trudy did have their moments.;)
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    I think that this season has been quite patchy, but this week's episode saw it back on form. Best one this season - and not just because Betty wasn't in it.

    Great stuff with Roger and his little plot with the stewardess... brilliant timing too when he turned up at the office.

    "I have good news and bad news."

    "Don just fired Jaguar."

    "OK, I just have good news."



    I loved Joan snapping at Don.

    And I love to hate Pete. The weasel.


    And just when it looks like they're screwed (no Jaguar thanks to Don, no Vicks thanks to Pete, plus they've already lost Heinz), Don joins forces with Ted to get the Chevrolet account... by merging the firms!

    I wonder how that will work, though...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    that was an excellent episode - right from Joan telling Don what for (she was so correct) to Peggy's interesting crush... (how will that turn out? such a shout at the TV moment) and then the merger? and Roger being all devious to get them the account.

    I didn't see it building up to any of that.
  • petelypetely Posts: 2,994
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    Matt D wrote: »
    I think that this season has been quite patchy,.

    Up until last week's episode (MLK) I get the impression the series has just been treading water - nothing of any consequence has really happened - unless you were Pete :cry:. That episode really took off and this one sounds like it's getting back on form.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    but the last 2 seasons were slow burners. Its a slow show.

    Last year there was all the same outrage about how rubbish it had got, lost its magic etc And then everyone was back to loving it by the end.

    I think and I'm included that after watching shows like GOT's and Walking Dead, we expect drama and action in every episode - but Mad Men is more about the set up of the characters. If Peggy had of kissed Ted in episode 1 would it have had the same impact? I really don't like Don's affair and friendship with the Doctor and his wife, seems to have little relevance apart from she 'gets' him, but its pretty boring - but I suspect its going to be major part of what ever happens to Don this season.
  • player1player1 Posts: 2,518
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    it may be we have to endure the slow burn nature of the show to fully appreciate the explosive episodes when they come along.

    This weeks was stunning with SCDP furtive public offering attempts, Ted's reaction to his partners cancer acting as a catalyst towards merger, Pete's father in law pulling the rug from under him, and Peggy's face when she learned that Don was back in her life, Roger's airport antics .

    The depth of storyline and character developed so painstakingly adds to the enjoyment of the pivotal episodes, of which this was one as a new story arc appears from leftfield
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 176
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    totally agreed and very well put Player1!
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    Had to feel sorry for Joan this week....and Trudy, again.

    But what is the name of the new agency going to be.....:eek:
  • ListentomeListentome Posts: 9,804
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    slats7 wrote: »
    I'm beginning to question Don's taste in women, because the doctor's wife was hardly a raving beauty. I wonder what the significance of the lighter was. It seemed to rattle Don mightily. Maybe it evoked the horrors of Korea or something. Sally needed to be slapped for her unrelenting shitty attitude. At least her mother displayed a rarely seen capacity for empathy in her pursuit of the teen runaway. If only she'd killed those hippies...

    To be honest I think that's the point. He's cheating on Megan because he can, not because the woman he's seeing is beautiful. Its also convenient because she is a neighbour and it makes the risk factor higher.
  • SXTonySXTony Posts: 2,910
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    that was an excellent episode - right from Joan telling Don what for (she was so correct) to Peggy's interesting crush... (how will that turn out? such a shout at the TV moment) and then the merger? and Roger being all devious to get them the account.

    I didn't see it building up to any of that.

    Although Don was the only one against her doing what she did.

    I can't really get to grips with Pete being a bit of a "swordsman" he's too much of a weasle. It was annusing to see him running around being outraged this week.
  • miss buzzybeemiss buzzybee Posts: 16,427
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    Where can I watch it online?
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