Speaking of which - HOLY FUCKING GOD, PETE, YOU SMUG LITTLE SHITWEASEL.

They were both smug little shitweasels and total products of their environments. Pete was absolutely right that Trudy had assumed that whatever was wrong would be with him and that she could then be Mrs. Supportive Wife and "we'll get through this, dear," but OMG, his utter insensitivity and cluelessness that she might be upset about something being wrong with her just absolutely boggles.

Neither of them has any business raising a hamster, let alone another human. Pete is just selfish enough to realize it.

For me it's not that Pete realizes he isn't fit - it's just that he doesn't want to do it.

Pete was absolutely right that Trudy had assumed that whatever was wrong would be with him and that she could then be Mrs. Supportive Wife and "we'll get through this, dear,"

But you know, at least she had prepped herself to be supportive. she wasn't hoping it was him so she could throw it back in his face with a "Well, sucks to be you I guess!"

Huh. There's a real Don Draper, a working actor in bit parts. This must be weird for him! [link]

Probably not as much as if he hadn't died back in 1990.

But you know, at least she had prepped herself to be supportive. she wasn't hoping it was him so she could throw it back in his face with a "Well, sucks to be you I guess!"

Like I said, product of their environments. It simply wouldn't have occurred to him to be otherwise, although you're totally right that he's definitely the bigger shitweasel.

And was anyone else utterly creeped out by his sudden turn into authoritarian manner? When he told her to come back and she did? Normally, I'm so into the world of the show that I buy into the behavior, but this was one of those rare times when my modern-day feminist sensibilities were sitting there going, "Oh, you're not really listening to him, are you?" I wished she'd dumped the salad on his head, even though I knew it wasn't going to happen. But it was weird, that one moment of her standing up to him, then turning all meek and subservient. Seriously chilling.

I think Hec summed it up perfectly-- horrible and fascinating.

(She didn't look far enough along to me to be able to believably claim twins - the cousins would have been at least a couple of months apart, which at that age is HUGE.)

True. But, I also think that in this era, people would have looked the other way.

Anyone think Betty's not as dumb as she looks and is going along with Don's high blood pressure story to guilt-trip him? The scene with the salt at the end there was a thing of beauty.

"Because we love him." Zing!

Normally, I'm so into the world of the show that I buy into the behavior, but this was one of those rare times when my modern-day feminist sensibilities were sitting there going, "Oh, you're not really listening to him, are you?"

Oh, me too. Their whole vibe is so creepy. I think it's because on the surface, she's the one who should be in control of the marriage because she comes from a powerful family, has more money, etc etc. But she's just not that person. She's terrified of being powerful.

(And the polar opposite of Peggy, who comes from no family and no money at all, but craves power and influence and isn't afraid to work for it.)

Oh, oh! Have we not yet talked about Peggy looking Draper in the eye and calling him "Don" yet? Because that was also awesome. As unappealing as Bobbi is, I'm really glad she and Peggy got a chance to talk.

I can't figure out the Don/Bobbi relationship, but I think a lot of it is that Don's not doing the (metaphorical) driving. He doesn't really want to be with her as an individual, but he wants to be with someone, and Bobbi offers him an easy way to cheat without taking any responsibility for it, since she's the one making all the demands and he just does what he says.

Oh, oh! Have we not yet talked about Peggy looking Draper in the eye and calling him "Don" yet? Because that was also awesome. As unappealing as Bobbi is, I'm really glad she and Peggy got a chance to talk.

That rocked. And I thought it was interesting to see Bobbi as a human, in some ways. As the girl who Peggy once was, in a manner of speaking, except one generation removed and seeing the opportunities that Peggy's going to have available to her in a more legitimate fashion than even she did.

And you know, the Bobbi thing I see in a way as a poor substitute for the Rachel affair. They're both powerful women and I think we're seeing more and more that Don's attracted to that (pity he doesn't recognize the subtle power his wife has, just yet-- or maybe he does, but isn't ready to acknowledge it), but Rachel had an integrity that Bobbi utterly lacks and makes it easy for him-- which is one reason Don will never respect her the way he did Rachel.

And OMG, Rachel showing up and married. Another great, subtle moment.

Yes, that was awesome. I thought that might have had something to do with why Don went to Stonybrook (notice that she said 'I' have a house, not 'we' have a house). I thought it was also interesting that Don said "I feel nothing". I wonder if that's why he keeps having these affairs, because he wants to feel something, and he doesn't with Betty anymore.

I think Hec summed it up perfectly-- horrible and fascinating.

That scene where Pete ordered Trudy back was exactly what prompted that description. Because that scene did not play out according to whatever genre conventions I've been trained to expect out of television drama.

Peggy calling him Don was also great. Particularly since after she picked him up, she said specifically, "I don't want you to take it out on me everytime you see me because I remind you of this moment." Which is exactly what he started to do. And yet, she did feel like she owed him something. That was a really well-written episode to capture the complexity of their relationship.

Loved Bobbi becoming more humanized and wanting to give something to Peggy in return. Peggy's line, "Are you still trying to thank me?" reminded me of her talk with Joan: "I just realized, you think you're helping me."

Peggy has such intriguing relationships with her female mentors. They're so few and far between. It'd be interesting to see her dynamic with women like Rachel or Midge.

Betty cutting off Don's salt had a lot of metaphoric resonance.