Diary of a Mad Men Virgin – Do I feel sorry for Pete?

The first season of Mad Men has finally come to a close. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t grow on me a bit in these last couple of episode … though, not because Bob told me to put down the computer and stop being distracted while I was watching them. Maybe, just maybe, the episodes got better in the end, no? A quick programming note — this particular Virgin Diary will be taking a hiatus until later this month, when Mad Men finally drops on Netflix. My goal is to get through the second season this summer.

“Indian Summer” Season One, Episode Eleven

Don finally has the promotion to go along with the substantial raise. But if the whole thing really is at Roger’s expense, that’s just bad pool. Roger Sterling is a relatively good guy (keeping in mind that all of these guys are scumbags, so it’s all relative), and has (hypothetically) done his part to make Sterling Cooper successful. I hope that Roger is still able to be involved in some way.

Peggy, too, seems to be slowly moving up in the world. To go along with the “new account,” she’s able to talk Don into a raise, and help covering while she’s working on. The date with the local yokel didn’t work out, but at least she has her little black box to turn to.

Betty is less and less likeable as every episode passes. I mean, I’m not saying that I liked the way Don handled things, but her reaction to the whole situation, both with the salesman and her husband was just odd (On a related note, I’m not sure I could have ever lived in a world without central air … I’m just made of weaker stuff when it comes to room temperature I guess.).

Speaking of unlikeable characters, we now turn to Pete Campbell. First, he criticizes everyone for talking up Don. Then he goes hardcore sycophant on him. But sneaking into his office, and then stealing his mysterious package was just too much. A bad end is coming for Pete, sooner rather than later I hope.

“Nixon vs. Kennedy” Episode Twelve

Pete sure did step in it with Cooper, didn’t he? I’m sure when he walked into the boss’s office, “who cares” was the last thing he expected to hear. But, really, who does care? Even as we see the real story behind the Dick Whitman/Donald Draper swap, I’m not sure it is that big of a deal to anyone but the Army, and whoever Ma and Pa Draper are. I’m surprised, though, that Cooper didn’t call out Pete’s blackmail. Giving Don a green light to fire him wasn’t enough.

Peggy needs to get over herself. Yeah, no one likes a straight-laced party-pooper (years of hands-on research in my youth taught me that). And should she be surprised that the most likely candidates for snatching her three bucks wouldn’t even be suspected. She still has a lot of growing up to do, and street smarts to pick up, before she’s ever going to be successful in this world.

It is nice to see some of Don’s crew get just a little bit more of a storyline for a change. I hate to admit it, but other than Sergio, I really couldn’t name any of the rest of the crew … Is it bad, though, that I do know Hildy’s name (Because she’s played by SGU’s awesome Julie McNiven). But Harry (see, NOW I know it), has always seemed like too nice of a guy to cheat on his wife. I’m curious to see where this goes, hopefully it isn’t abandoned as time goes on.

Oh, and SPOILER ALERT: Kennedy won.

“The Wheel” Episode Thirteen

I had expected a lot more out of the finale, but then I remembered Mad Men is all about “less is more.” That is a sentiment I understand, but don’t necessarily agree with.

It is hard to look at Don’s realization as anything meaningful. Some of that might because I’m watching this four years after it aired, and know that the reputation of Don Draper hasn’t turned into a model of a modern day family man. Mainly, though, it is because people don’t change, at least to the extent that this ending would have us believe, without something significant happening to them. The Kodak meeting was a powerful event (It even made Harry cry), but it wasn’t that powerful.

Speaking of Harry, would a “Sure, Don, let me grab my pants first” have killed him?

I’m getting to the point where I feel sorry for Pete. Between his parents and his overbearing in-laws, plus the constant pressure from Don, he can’t catch a break. I’m not saying he deserves a break, but still.

The latest attack by Don on Pete’s sanity was the promotion, and assignment to Pete’s account, of one Ms. Peggy Olson. Considering the physical pain and suffering that women go through to bring children into this world, I always find TV story lines where the mother didn’t realize it until the last minute so incredibly hard to believe. I’ve suspected it for a while, with Peggy’s weight gain and all, but I can just never buy into this particular chain of events.

Take a look at previous entries in my Mad Men Virgin Diary.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Jul 05, 2011 @ 09:00 EST5EDT