Let's see... Betty was 28 at the outset of S1 and I THINK that Sally was six and Bobby... four? Maybe five? So that would make Bobby now about seven and Sally nine or so.

So if Bobby did go to Vietnam, it would be at the very tail end, but that's cutting it close.

he seems too young acting to be 8. but I could be wrong. I thought he would miss the Vietnam War unless he volunteers for it.

Bobby is 5 and Sally is 8 (umm... someone said it earlier this season, but I'm not curled up at home on my comfy couch with all my Mad Men eps because some assholes got me stuck working on a holiday totally unnecessarily, which is another story for another place, but anyway.)

Bobby will be too young to go to Vietnam. I don't think they'll pursue that angle.

But Sally's definitely being set up to be the rebellious hippie era teen.

...let the sunshine in

But Sally's definitely being set up to be the rebellious hippie era teen.

That's actually kind of a disappointment if only because it seems so predictable. I think the way they handled this whole Sally/Grandpa Gene story has been a bit heavier on the cliché which is unexpected from Weiner & Co.

I wonder if she'll run away to California.

Worked for her dad.

Can I note once again the pleasure I take in the many faceted relationship of Joan and Peggy?

In her own mildly resentful, alpha bitch way Joan does keep trying to help Peggy. Somewhere down the line I hope Peggy will step up for Joan.

Similarly, I love how Don is giving Sal the same kind of opportunities he gave Peggy. He knows Sal is talented, and he knows that illustration and storyboarding are losing ground so he helps him transition to commercial directing.

I think the way they handled this whole Sally/Grandpa Gene story has been a bit heavier on the cliché which is unexpected from Weiner & Co.

I'm surprised they cut it short. And I think the cliche would've been more that he was abusive to her. I'm not sure what the after effects are going to be on Sally.

I hope Peggy will step up for Joan.

I agree. Joan is considerably more with it than 75% of the people working for Sterling Cooper. And she apparently is a great ant killer.

And I think the cliche would've been more that he was abusive to her.

Yeah, I know. I honestly go back and forth on it. I know that part of the tension last week was we kept waiting to see how Gene would react to Sally having stolen the money and of course, the sheer inappropriateness of having her read the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

I think maybe you're right though, Hec, that part of my feelings of it being treated like a cliché was the fact that it was cut so short-- like here's the mechanism by which we can see Sally blossom with the attention that no one else gives her and how she'll fall apart once it's taken away.

Really, what this also possibly sets her up for is to become involved in an abusive relationship.