This is the kind of show will have folks pop in and pop out just when you forgot about them. I was confused a couple of weeks ago when they showed the previously on MM at the beginning to see the Lucky Strike meeting from the very first episode. Of course Lucky Strike Junior showed up in that episode and got Sal fired. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Priest again or any character that has been in any episode no matter how small.

Yup, Duck's gonna be back next week (per the previews)...dum dum dum.

January Jones out-acted the **** out of Jon Hamm in their penultimate scene in this latest episode. It's too bad he is so limited. Overall, though.. a superb episode

I may not get a chance to post tomorrow, so let me say in advance: tonight's episode was/will be one of the best ever.

(I'm feelin' optimistic.)

Lol, exact opposite. It was a 45 minute sobfest. I knew they were going to do the Kennedy Assassination tonight but I was hoping they could spin it to make it more interesting. It was literally 45 minutes of people standing in front of televisions crying.

Very disappointed. They better make up for it with the finale.

My predictions:

hobby,

I guess I missed your reply. Its been a while since I've seen it now. I could see the humor in it. Maybe it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. Maybe I excepted too much. Maybe I am too young. I need something new to watch, I will probably check it out again.

I'm too young to remember Kennedy's assassination, but I thought they did an amazing job of portraying the shock of the nation. It also rings true that an event this big can make people stop and take stock of their own lives. I think we're in for an awesome season finale.

Season 3: Episode 12 - The Grownups

I dunno quite what to think of this episode. So much happened that I'm having a bit of difficulty processing it.

I don't really know much about the Kennedy assassination but the way they portrayed it on the show ran a bit hollow for me in the sense that the show suggested that it had some huge and immediate impact on people - particularly Betty - when that just doesn't seem all that realistic to me. Wouldn't it take people a couple of days to process before they start flipping out and acting out? I liked the little touches they did to show the impact it had on character's lives - ie, all of the phones ringing in the office, Don comes out of his office and questions why no one is answering the phones and then eerily all the phones stop - then the way they had some of the main characters react. A reaction like Pete's wherein he just blew off his job and social obligations (Roger's daughter's wedding) seemed realistic to me - especially in light of the fact that Cosgrove got promoted over him, which seemed to be the real source of his rebelliousness from work more than the President's assassination.

Betty's about-face with Henry kind of bothered me...it seemed so abrupt and not built-up enough in the show as last episode Betty seemed to fully accept Don's shocking revelations and his attempts to make amends. Yes, she rebuffed all his attempts to comfort and console her this episode but I just couldn't quite see how the Kennedy assassination finally drove her to her actions...especially what she said to Don. Damnit Betty - your actions made me feel some sympathy for that lying womanizer and I don't want to! :P And all of the sudden, Henry wants to marry her? Where did that come from - it seems to be just a line that he's using so Betty will have an affair with him imo. When we see Don's reaction to Betty's rejection next week, I don't think it's going to be very pretty.

I loved how they handled Roger's daughters wedding and the assassination. I like Mona's character too...the way she handled her daughter when she was on the phone with Roger was too funny. Roger and Joanie FTW!!!!

All in all, I'm just kind of perplexed by this episode. A lot happened in mulitple story arcs and some of it felt a lot more forced than others...so parts of this episode I liked, but some parts of it I really didn't like.

I was just a kid (4th grade I think?) but I don't recall the huge and immediate impact myself. Another thing that bugs me is that EVERY television set on Madmen has a very bad/fuzzy/blurry picture with extremely glitchy horizontal hold. Every TV in 1963 wasn't like that

This episode was all over the place. Betty storyline kind of stunned me here. She and governor's man don't really know each other at all and he wants to marry her? And she's considering it? This seems kind of screwy and out of left field to me.

Based upon my conversations with people who lived through the assassination as adults, I believe that this was extremely realistic.

That's one of the best qualities of this show: how it leads you alternatively to dislike and sympathize with various characters.

I can't yet tell whether Henry is sincere, but I think he is. I have no idea what Don is going to do, except stoically soldier on for now.

I don't know who played that daughter, but I want to see her again. She was hysterical.

Guess I'll add that my only objection to this episode is the same I've had with this season: too much focus on the Don/Betty relationship.

I like more office intrigue, personally.

The impact was immediate. I was in junior college. The assassination was at 11AM PST. By noon the school was shut down and everyone was sent home.

I don't remember what I was doing during the MLK, RFK, or John Lennon assassinations.

I think Betty's bewildered, "What is going on?!", (said twice I believe), nailed it.

Didn't we pretty much feel the same way 09/11?

I agree here too. The office stuff is what makes me laugh, Roger Sterling has overall been my favorite character I think.

I like everybody's story to a certain extent, I know Don and Betty are featured, but I kind of prefer it to be a bit more brief. Like Pete Campbell, I like his story but if they expanded and covered him more I probably would not enjoy it as much.

HH: I would have thought that people would be more emotional and confused right after the assassination, and start to calm down after a few days.

Betty's reaction (like most of her reactions) bothered me, but in a good way. I also found the whole thing with Henry a bit unbelievable, but I'm sure next season they will work Henry's backstory a bit more and maybe we find out he's just purely obsessed with Betty. Her actions are more believable, as she is erratic, to put it gently.

I thought the season final episode was great. I really like the concept of them all bolting and starting over. Don and Roger will be friends again, Joan will be back in the fold and just maybe next season will focus more on the office and work stuff rather than Don and Betty. It will be interesting to see who else eventually joins them.

This season had its ups and downs for me but I thought it both sarted and ended strongly. The middle? ehh

I will miss it and am defintely looking forward to next season.

I basically agree with all of this. Last episode was quite well done, and I too like the plot developments.

Supposedly Weiner is saying that the Draper marriage is "unambiguously over" .... hmmmm.

I really liked the finale. It was quite exciting...I was reading a blog where it was saying that the finale had a "caper movie" feeling to it and I agree...and I really have no idea where they're going to take it in the 4th season. How many years ahead are they gonna be next? It would be a shame to miss out on all the growing pains of their new business if they jump too far ahead. So I'm confused about one thing - is or is not Pete a partner now?

Also, I feel like Betty's new situation is not going to turn out well for her...and did she really just ditch Sally and Bobby for 6 weeks AT CHRISMAS TIME?

That was my understanding; he is a partner, but not a "named" partner.

My wife pointed this out to me, and she also wondered why Don even had to move somewhere else if Betty is now away.

I must say, I was glad when Don made a crack at Betty about being a bad mother.

I agree with you that Betty is not going to find bliss in her new situation.

By the way, for some reason, I keep remembering and laughing at the way their son asked whether he and his sister had done anything wrong, right before Don and Betty gave them the news. Don said they had not done anything wrong, and the kid remarks, "then why are we in the living room?"

I really like that kid.

This is the way I took it as well. They told him he had to deliver by Sunday and he did. I liked the way Draper had to suck up to both Pete and Peggy. I usually can take or leave the Draper character but I really liked him in this episode. Having Betty leave him for another man sorta de-villifies him in my mind. I like his reminisances with his father as well. And with the new firm I think I will start to like this character even more. Over the past half season he seems to have become much more human.

Hi,

I've been bored lately and looking for a good serie to watch so thought I'd check out this forum to see what people like.

Thanks HobbyHorse, Madmen is indead a great serie. Just watched Season 1 and started reading your reviews. Real nicely done! I'm just sorry to see you skipped 1.5 season after Episode 6!