MadMen Episode 4 Review

In this episode of MadMen we primarily follow Pete Campbell, one of the men working in the finance department at the ad company. Pete's wife surprises him at his work and takes apartment shopping, which he is put off about since she decides to go for a property outside of their means. He goes to get financial help from his family but that goes nowhere and later on his wife gets her family to support them in that way. Pete doesn't like that she is taking control of things and getting what she wants but he doesn't know what to do about it. Also, Pete tries to make an impression by pitching to one of the ad companies customers behind his bosses' backs. This ends with him being very nearly fired, but thanks to his families very reputable name he gets a second chance at the company.

MadMen has been plagued by the issue of alcohol since the first episode, something that is definitely evident in the historical period that this show is based in. Alcohol is used constantly in this show as a  means of coercion, coping, and relaxation. There is alcohol involved in every major scene in this show and Pete is constantly drinking throughout this episode. When he gets "fired" for a moment he immediately goes to his office and starts drinking right away. There is so much alcohol abuse that its just surprising that no one has gotten hurt, or killed by it yet, and we're only four episodes in.

This show also shows the disconnect between men and women in this society. The entire time that Pete is with his wife are together you see just how much one of them is trying to get something from the other. Pete's wife wants to have the life she's dreamt about forever, probably, and Pete just wants a better job and an obedient wife who dos what he asks of her. Neither is getting what they want exactly but they don't know how to communicate their needs.

MadMen Episode 3 Review

This episode of MadMen begins with Draper on the train going to the office. There he someone addresses him to another name and acts as if he were an old friend. At the office Pete has returned from his honeymoon and is greeted by the office with a gag that runs the length of the office scenes of this episode. Peggy has a run in with him again and says their encounter never happened because he's married now. Draper and his team meet with the Jewish lady who owns a store again and the agrees to see her at the store that evening. While meeting with her he has a run in with her where they kiss and he admits that he's married, after which she asks to be moved to another adman. Draper spends the following day at home with his family because it's his daughters birthday. The part involves a lot of liquor for the adults and fun for the kids, but Draper is already drunk. When he goes out to get the cake for his wife he doesn't come back until really late and she is very upset with him.\

This episode brings up the issue of racism with the office gag played on Pete. Pete is escorted by the whole office en route to his own office and finds a Chinese family in it. From that moment forward the office is filled with derogatory jokes about Chinese people. All of the characters that we have met in this cast bring up some sort of negative statement about them, even Draper, who usually stays neutral. The lack of control on his part shows just how deeply rooted this issue is in the culture they are a part of.

This episode also displays wonderfully shows the foolishness of man. This entire episode there are derogatory things said about other people and places just as it is in the past couple episodes. However, this episode definitely shows how both men and women are living some sort of fantasy in their heads with each other. Draper is recording the party with his camera, watching the kids as they play and horse around. The kids say silly things, make fun and even break things accidentally throughout the party. Draper also tapes some of the adults interactions and watches as they drink, gossip, mock, flirt, and make fools of each other. He is outside watching the kids, very drunk, when he remarks to the new resident on the street, a single woman, that they kids and the adults are acting the same.

MadMen Episode 2 Review

This episode, like the first, follows Don Drapper and Peggy. This episode is different from the first, however, in that Don's wife is the major issue of his day. There is a meeting dinner between Don and his wife with his boss and his wife. From there we begin to see how little Don and Betty connect and just how little Betty knows about her husbands past. It's almost like he married a total stranger over the internet and one date. Betty gets in an accident and Don comes home worried about what is going on with her and her anxiety issue that is becoming apparent. She goes to see a psychiatrist and in the end, after telling her husband the meet went good Don calls the doctor and receives another report. Peggy is in much the same situation as last time, being hounded on all day by the men at the office because she's new and she's a woman that there's an opportunity to sleep with. Betty is picked up on by one in particular, who she kind of leads on in my opinion, and then snaps a bit at one of the other secretaries in the office about men hounding her. I think the ironic thing is she slept with one of the worst ones in the office last episode.

The first and largest theme that stuck out to me is the disconnect between men and woman in this show. It's really quite ridiculous how little either side understands one another. All of the guys in this show are either trying to figure out what woman want, like Don, or they are doing their best to ignore that they have no clue. Don clearly has no idea what to do with his wife and her anxiety issue, trying to find out why a girl who has 'everything' would need to see someone if she's happy. Betty obviously has a major issue, being nervous about every little thing and getting into a car accident too. Peggy is also dealing with this disconnect, especially since men are just trying to get into her pants the whole time and she's leading them on incidentally. She snaps on her friend about how she doesn't understand why she can't just get food with one of the office guys.
The second issue that was quite disturbing was the roles assigned to men and women. Once again this show has displayed just how divide the roles are for men and women in this world. Either you work as a secretary or have a supporting job to the big men in charge or you're bare foot and pregnant/a trophy wife. Betty and Peggy deal with this the most in this episode, between being the stay at home mom that needs to be perfect and the office girl who needs to make her way in the ranks of men and women.