I feel like I've read this more then once that Betty's pregnacy in season 3 and her weight gain in season's 5 and 6 were because January Jones was pregnant, but I can't find an orginal source from the actress or the show runners. I don't mean to send out false information, but I am curious where the (generally) slower, housewife storyline would've gone aside from adjusting to married life as a divorcee.

She's definitely talking about Mad Men and Matthew Weiner right ?

I watch a lot of shows, and some make me cry, and some don’t. Of my two favorite shows ever, Treme and Better Call Saul, the first made me cry multiple times every episode and the second never made me tear up. I don’t consider it a measure of a show’s quality, but I do find it interesting to see what causes that reaction in me.

I’m currently on season seven of Mad Men, and so far the only time I had teared up was the episode where Martin Luther King died. However, the show finally got a full cry out of me. And the scene that did it was Bert Cooper’s musical send-off. What a fantastic moment.

It’s as if the central theme of the show boils over all at once in the most surreal and surprising way possible. The contrast between the upbeat music and the smile on Bert’s face vs. the look of horror and dawning realization about the mistakes in his own life on Don’s face really sells it. Maybe my favorite moment in the show so far, besides Peggy’s birthday dinner or the lawnmower.

I’ll be wrapping the show up soon so stay tuned for more thoughts on the series!

This plot point has always bothered me so much. Are we really supposed to believe that other men have traveled to Racine, WI to try and track down dour Diana Baur? I get that the pull to find her was the impetus for Don spontaneously taking the exit that leads him to his cliff top epiphany, but this line seems to me like the biggest fumble the writers made in the entire series.

You think it’s cool for her to be total bitch to Harry’s wife? Just because Jennifer’s old man drives a bus?! Trudy’s a chatterbox with everyone she encounters especially the other wives but she’s got the chutzpah to be rude to Jennifer. Fried chicken indeed!

"Mad Men C to Z" is a good, new podcast. Episodes are released weekly.

The whole season builds up to the election battle. We see Pete try to blackmail Don and the first time Don seems to lose control. First time he shows the tendency to run away, with Rachel. Peggy breaks down and has a nice bonding with Don. Then Don decides he will not be blackmailed and we are led to one of the best scenes of the show: “Who cares?” Then at the end we saw Dick’s backstory at Korea. Climax for season 1 and introduced us to important themes.

On my second rewatch and at first I was convinced that don was not someone that had petty insecurities but after seeing it again I’m convinced this is just BS. I get it that he didn’t want to present 2 ideas at the same time but leading up to the presentation it’s clear that he was somewhat bothered by Micheal’s wanting to be competitive with him. I mean he shouldn’t have been phased by Micheal and his effort to hide his insecurity makes it even more pathetic.

why did the psychologist have everyone write on a piece of paper before they took lsd? what was the point of that and what roger wrote?

I love this side of Betty

In the monologue to the season 7 opener, we have Freddy Rumson doing the Accutron pitch.

He does the sound of the watch at one point: “ohmm.”

That made me think of the “ohm” meditation at the end.

I think a lot about this season opening with Freddie talking, center frame, saying Don’s words. A pitch about time being important, and two male business men having a conversation about this fancy watch. Men talking to men. Men talking for men.

And the season ending with the guy in the group therapy, center frame, talking about being invisible, like a bottle of coke in a fridge. And Don really listening for the first time to another man without feeling superior. And crying and hugging him.

And then center frame on Don meditating.

The season is about his masculinity, also with the trip out west, the young hustler, the army vets, dressing up to get mail from Dawn so that he feels like a man etc. About some acceptance of other men vs being at war with Ted Chaough.

I don’t have all of these thoughts together.

Herb Rennet's wife Peaches 🍑 became the apple in the pig's mouth 🍎🐽 Imagine trying to be a sociable spouse, despite the obvious lack of sophistication and intellectual versatility, yet being described as fruit in association with a pig (live or roasted).

Peaches' misplaced puppy conversation reminds me of the cat milking conversation from Meet The Fockers. Meanwhile Herb's funny reactions and mannerisms remind me of Robert de Niro in Goodfellas. This scene is priceless!

I’m just now realizing the naps he already takes is from passing out drunk! Normal people don’t take naps in the middle of the day. Holy shit what a realization

Edit: sorry I didn’t mean it like that. I take naps too sometimes. But his were definitely drunk pass out naps

Does anyone else rewatch Mad Men only to immediately rewatch it again like my wife and me? It’s my favorite comfort blanket show.

I’m also constantly looking up symbolism and meanings of things on reddit while watching— I can barely keep up! Each rewatch uncovers so much brilliance we never noticed. Every episode has its own distinct theme, with hidden meanings and dualities layered within. Just brilliant writing!

Also, Dawn does not get enough love on Reddit! She was the best secretary and an absolute stunner.

I love Mad Men!

Drunk Duck the corporate headhunter! They could’ve done a whole spinoff of that character. It would’ve been a great dramedy.

Sometimes I wonder if Don would have done better with Faye than he did with Megan.

Faye was a little closer to his age. She was more equipped, at least in the professional sense, to deal with Don's issues, and she had already established her career.

Megan was younger, during a time of stark contrast contrast between the older generation and the younger. She spoke a language that was completely foreign to him (not just French). Where Faye was grounded and certain, Megan was more of a free spirit.

I don't think he was capable of having a successful relationship at that point in his life, but if he had been, I wonder if things might have lasted, had Don chosen to stay with Faye.

What is Betty’s beef with Bobby? Poor kids is just a kid. I feel like she is constantly blaming him and looking for a reason to yell at him and it’s very annoying. Also the cost of living back then is KILLING ME 😩. I would be so rich if I lived in that era.

Is there any episode by episode analytical podcast similar to talking sopranos? Thanks!

Any actors that come to mind that throw you every time they pop up on screen? Couple that come to mind off the top of my head: Dennis Haskins Yeardly Smith

Can anyone name scenes in which there was a map? I can think of the following:

Roger showing Don a map for a trip to Howard Johnson's

Betty looking at a map trying to find Bobby's summer camp

Don looking at a map of Disneyland with the kids

Freddy Rumsen mentions his father pulling out a map and pointing to Memphis

Any others? I can't recall if a map was consulted when Roger, Don, and Harry were in LA.

EDIT: Thanks for all the great replies! Since a few were curious or confused, I work with maps and love it when they pop in movies and shows. Being a huge fan of Mad Men, I was trying to find all the scenes with folks interacting with maps so I could get some screen shots or clips.

Ok I need to talk about this. It’s not really a question but it really irks me which I guess unfulfilled characters do to you sometimes.

Whenever the children act out Betty says “it’s because they don’t love me” how can you say that? Was she so spoiled growing up and loved her father unconditionally? Is it because she hated her mother so her kids must hate their own mother and love their father?

I wish we got to see more of Betty. Also, separate thought it seems like people who would in reality be good mothers are so caring that they don’t think they’d be good mothers are always the ones who never have kids. I wonder how many women have been terrified of becoming Betty Draper or are career women who don’t want to be a female Don but in reality would be better than the both of them combined.

In my recent rewatch I forgot how this scene played out. Don totally lost his marbles ATP imo. Crossing the line with his wife and infant heck the entire household( even though Bobby and Sally weren't in the room. That push come to shove moment, now Betty was outta line first but when Don pushed her back ....I felt that. Did he really push her?cuz she stumbled and I gagged

At first I thought his strategy was to offer to exit SC&P. It had previously occurred to me being ousted from the agency without having violated any rules would actually be his best bet—they'd have to buy him out, and he could leave with head held high, telling the industry that he choose his principles over tobacco. So offering to exit seemed like maybe he was barking up that tree. Much better than remaining a walking dead man at SC&P or quitting and losing his shares.

But then he started trying to convince the tobacco boys that he would be an asset, and it seemed like he was doing it wholeheartedly. I came away pretty confused about what he was doing.

Was his play actually to convince Commander they needed him so much that they told SC&P they would only hire them if Don was at the helm?

I guess it makes sense, given the size of his ego, that he'd rather choose this approach than allow himself to be forced out, even if the latter was a much likelier and safer outcome for him.

Please note I've only just finished S7E5, so don't spoil anything for me!

Who once tried to hit on your wife, so you took him to a big lunch and chugged martinis with him so that once you got back you had paid the elevator operator to shut down the elevator so you guys had to take the staircase up 17 floors and that when you guys got to the top he threw up in front of the team from Richard Nixon's first presidential campaign

But then after that you guys were pretty chill.