See, I've always read the show as rehabilitating the repressed image of the fifties/early sixties.
There's never been the kind of nostalgia for that era (at least among
the kind of people who watch Mad Men) as for the late sixties
"liberation" from it.

"I thought betty would revel in the fact she's dying a sad romantic death."

"They played for me." The Rolling Stones, Don!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who pegged Roger for a potential suicide at the end of Season Four: After Lucky Strike went down, he had no value at the firm, and Joan turned him away. He even told Joan he was going to kill himself.

Taken as a whole, Lex Lisbon, I absolutely agree. There were what, 70-something references on that list? Most of them obviously ridiculous. But there were two or three items specifically that referenced falling from a window that made me think "Yeah, I can see that." Then there's Pete moving into Harry's office with…

Harry Crane's failure to recognize that the band he just signed to represent Heinz beans isn't the Rolling Stones is the most Harry Crane move ever.

I thought Henry's retro Romney burn felt a little on the nose.

It appears that Megan, too, has been lying about her age, even more so
than Don: She initially told Don last season she's 20 (Betty also
mentions that Megan is only 20 tonight), and now we discover she's
actually 26. Another bond in deception.

A couple of conspicuous additions tonight to the Pete Campbell Walrus Watch (http://www.salon.com/2012/0…, both courtesy of Roger: When he's staring out the lobby window with the new copywriter, Roger notes that they were both thinking they had something they'd like to throw out of it. Later, after Pete humiliates him…

On a similar note, did anyone else take Roger's line about being "over" issues of life and death a response to critics who complain that the stakes on this show are too low?

The writers are just toying with the Betty haters at this point. They could have at least played out the cancer scare over two or three episodes, just to give some of y'all a glimmer of hope … and then dash it against the rocks, again.

re: Don as The Man:

If we ever get to see Don Draper's tombstone, I hope the epitaph says "I have to make sure I look like The Man."

Don't worry: Now that Duck Phillips is on the case, the mystery will be wrapped up in three weeks, tops.

Watching this show is a business of sadists and masochists. And I know which one I am.

I suppose I'd have to slot Carla between Mona Sterling and Anna. I also left out the incompetent secretary who – after being fired from Don's desk and revealing the pending merger with PPL – took the John Deere on its fateful joy ride over a Britisher's foot.

With a show like this, it pays to wait for the plot to unspool a bit before judging any particular episode. I enjoyed this episode as a scene-setter, and there was (as always) plenty of engaging subtext roiling below the surface, but the extra running time was clearly devoted to the texture of the characters' new…

Apologies for re-posting something from another thread, but just so it doesn't sit languishing on the eighth page of the episode recap… the definitive "Women of Mad Men" rankings:

A couple other contenders: The Casting Session Twins who make out with Don and Roger after-hours in season one, Betty's riding partner in season two, Roger's high-class hooker in season two and Joan's roommate in season one.

1. MISS FARRELL: Throughout the dramatic Don/Betty confrontation at the end of season three, all I could think was "Your new life is waiting in the car, Dick."
2. JOAN HOLLOWAY/HARRIS: With all due respect, the glorious hillsides are beginning to look their age.
3. KITTY ROMANO: Sal, you bastard.
4. JOY: The finest piece…