Mad Men, Episode 3, 'My Old Kentucky Home'

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Mad Men, Episode 3, 'My Old Kentucky Home'

POSTED: Monday, August 31, 2009, 9:06 PM

Filed Under: TV | Mad Men Watch

AMC

"So, do you and Trudy practice that
choreographed dance routine?
"Every night, Don, every night."

(I skipped last week due to a late night viewing of District 9 ' worth it! ' which prevented me from catching the ep until later in the week, so I'll try to weave in some second episode details for discussion.)

The boys are caught up in the auditions for the Ann-Margaret-alike contest for the new commercials for Pepsi's Patio ' a diet soda aimed at women who want a girl similar to the Bye, Bye Birdie starlet to anchor their campaign. Peggy still doesn't seem too pleased with the concept, despite last week's revelation that her sexiness is intangible and she has control over it (which led her to love and leave the poor young'un she met at the BK club). During auditions, Pete and Ken come to tell Paul, Pegs and Smitty (who we haven't heard much from this season) that Creative will have to toil for Bacardi over the weekend, rather than attend Cooper and Jane's soiree with the rest of management. Needless to say, they're pissed.

Despite being married to Dr. Douche, Joan's still at work, much to Jane's glee. The meet in the halls and play power dynamics, until Jane caps it off, asking Joan to have 'one of the girls' attend to her driver. Good thing too, 'cause had it gone on any longer, Joan would have most likely clawed Jane's face off, getting blood all over that beautiful black and white diamond dress. Looks like Peggy's got a new girl as well ' Olive ' who is noticeably less hot than Joan, as are most women.

Last week, the Drapers invited (read: forced) Betty's dad, Gene, to stay at their home. Gene decides to spend some quality time with his granddaughter by having her read The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and essentially telling her the apocalypse is coming. Later, Sally steals $5 from dear, ol' grandpappy, which everyone blames on Gene because he's old and curmudgeonly.

Joan and Dr. Douche set up for a cocktail party. One of the reasons Mad Men is lauded for being so tightly written is that you aren't treated to superfluous scenes. Joan and Dr. Douche got married but we never saw it because we didn't need to see it. Same with Sal and his gal. Instead, we as viewers are only given the bare bones of what we need without all of the bullshit small talk, much like Don Draper himself. Joan spouts off Emily Post-isms but truly rues the day when Dr. Douche says, 'I don't want to fight anymore.' Joan comes back with 'Well, then stop talking.' God, did I mention I love Joan? Oh wait ' there's more ' JOAN PLAYS THE ACCORDION! Any idea whether that was Christina Hendrick's voice singing 'C'est Magnifque'? Either way, this whole shebang's a ticking time bomb (why did one of the dinner party guests tell Joan not to have a baby yet? And why didn't Dr. Douche tell her about a botched operation at work?!) I'm just waiting to see who lights fuse.

The boys and Pegs are having a tough time of it with Bacardi and Smitty suggests grass to spark their creativity. Paul calls a Princeton bud to purchase some bud and they get high, sans Peggy, who busts in and confidently says, 'My name is Peggy Olsen and I want to smoke some marijuana.' And she does. And that's the moment, out of all moments, I want to hop into my television and give Peggy a high five.

Cut to'

Roger Sterling in motherfucking blackface singing to his (very) young bride. Don's clearly bored and wants to leave but Betty insists on staying. So Don heads to bar and expertly makes Old-Fashioneds (swoon!) for Eddie Harris from Major League as they both reminisce about how they used to be on the other side, serving the drinks rather than taking them. Also, Don/Dick used to piss in the trunks of people's cars, only serving to up his badass factor. While Don walks down poor folks' lane, Betty gets her bulging belly felt by a random man at the party, who we later learn works for Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. She gives him a sly smile. The minx even flirts when she's knocked up! Hell yeah, Betty! Meanwhile, Trudy and Pete show off their choreographed dance routine, which seems to infuriate' Harry Crane's wife ' the former phone company worker whose husband just happened to become management. She doesn't have Trudy and Betty's upper crust grace and Harry seems ignorant to the fact that she's only treading water around the other two ladies. Where's this going? Any ideas from the peanut gallery?

Back at the office, Creative continues to blaze, which leads to Kinsey getting pissed at Princeton Pal for making fun of his low status, Joizy accent and dismissal from the Tigertones (!!!!!!!!!!), his college a cappella group. As any a cappella fight will certainly lead, Paul and Princeton Pal make up via duet and Peggy ends the scene with, 'I'm so high.' Me too, Pegs, me too.

Gene and Draper maid/babysitter/cook/surrogate mom Carla go head-to-head about the missing money. I really like the Carla character and, while I understand why she's kept in the periphery like most people of color on the show, I think a Carla storyline would be pretty interesting, especially involving Don. But, did you see that dude make an Old-Fashioned? Anything involving Don would be interesting. Sally pretends to find the money, telling one of those lies that only a child finds so believable, and Gene just looks at her blankly.

Apparently, Paul's a paranoid stoner, convinced that Cuba's going to attack and kill 'em all, while Smitty wants to go on the roof, which inspires Peggy to think of an ad for Bacardi in which there is a hammock strung up between two clotheslines above the cityscape. She leaves the boys, with Smitty gazing at her as she leaves, saying 'I'm in a very good place right now.' Do I smell a Smitty-Peggy love story? Sure, Princeton Pal hit on Peggy, but it was Smitty who told him to cut it out. This may be a cause of watching too much CW but I'm taking what I can get.

Back at the party, Jane's trashed and blurts out that she knew Betty and Don would reunite, no matter what the problem was. Betty storms off and Jane accosts Don. 'You don't like me, do you?' she says. 'I'm a nice person.' But you don't follow the rules Don has laid out, dear, and therefore you're inconsequential. Sterling confronts Don about their crumbling relationship, saying he's simply too happy. 'No one thinks you're happy," Don says. "They think you're foolish." As he leaves the club, he sees Jane and Roger slow-dancing together. Maybe they are happy? He approaches his own wife and they embrace.

No shocks and awes during this one but I'm thinking that 'My Old Kentucky Home' was one of those set up episodes that Matthew Weiner is so good at. He's planting the clues; we just need to find them.

So what did you guys think?

greennogo

Posted 2009-08-31 17:04:44

Best. Episode. Ever.

ApeLaw

Posted 2009-09-01 07:08:53

Does anyone proofread these things? There's a typo in almost every sentence.

Piedmont handyman

Posted 2009-09-05 01:58:58

I too noticed typo in almost all sentences.I do not really know why this much errors came.

Posted by Molly Eichel" @ 9:06 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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