Mad Men
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Mad Mencharacters often feel trapped.
This episode is about that sense of confinement, and the potential downsides of escape.
The former model Betty, nicknamed Birdie, is at the center of this episode.
She fantasizes about abandoning domestic drudgery and being prized for her beauty once more.
Just sit and smile and let it go until youre in a box?
Theres no wiggle room in a coffin.
Bettys dream of escape momentarily comes true when she books a modeling job for Coke.
If his Sterling Cooper job is a cage, its a gilded one.
Dons comfortable in it because he built it himself, to let Don be Don.
If I leave this place one day it will not be for more advertising, he assures Roger.
What else is there?
Ive done that, Don says.
I want to do something else.
Dons about-face understandably irritates Jim Hobart.
Hes courteous to Don about the snub, but retaliates by firing Betty.
(The ad director tells her theyve changed direction and are looking for an Audrey Hepburn key in.)
The episode ends with the demoralized Betty in dutiful wife mode, serving Don a green bean casserole.
Angels are pure goodness.
Angels exist to look out for other people.
Angels have no needs of their own.
Pete feels creatively thwarted as well.
Ken Cosgrove got a short story into theAtlantic Monthlybased on its merits.
Petes ended up inBoys Lifeonly because his wife leaned on an ex-boyfriend in publishing.
Pete chafes at being categorized as a glorified pimp.
Harry bonds with Pete over the firms failure to appreciate its fine minds equally.
Bert says, Nicely done, though at first we think hell reprimand Pete or even fire him.
I didnt think you had it in you, Roger adds.
Does Petes scheme count as creative work?
Im the first girl in this office to do any writing since the war, Peggy tells Joan.
Is that what this is about?
I thought you were doing that to get close to Paul.
Youre not a stick, Peggy pushes back, weakly, when Joan belittles her figure.
The abuse directed against Peggy in Shoot includes one notable point of crossover between her ongoing storyline and Petes.
On the soundtrack, Bobby Helms sings My Special Angel.
There is no escape.
Excerpted with permission fromMad Men Carouselby Matt Zoller Seitz.
