The thing is, if Don had custody of the kids, they'd still wind up being mostly raised by a nanny. He's a better parent than Betty in the emotional support sense, but he's also had the luxury of being able to pick and choose exactly how much time he spends parenting. He's only ever done the fun stuff - he gives advice and hugs and takes the family on picnics, but he's not there for the day-to-day.

I still feel between mostly being raised by the nanny and having more emotionally available Don around some of the time is better than being raised by the nanny and then having emotionally manipulative Betty around them.

I didn't like Don laying his hands on Betty during their disagreement, but I thought he had a right to be angry. Did she really think Don wasn't going to find out about Henry Francis?

I think Don gave up the right to be angry about his wife's affairs because of all of the affairs he has had, and I think that scene very clearly showed the difference of how infidelity was looked at differently coming from a man or a woman.

You know, I see Roger getting re-energized by this -- he's been bored and useless and floundering, trying to find happiness in a trophy wife. But now he'll be focused, doing something NEW -- he's never started a business, or had to really scramble, and he's really got the talents needed for this, plus he's come to the realization of how much he's screwed up his life and family.

Yes, very much this.

I think Don gave up the right to be angry about his wife's affairs because of all of the affairs he has had, and I think that scene very clearly showed the difference of how infidelity was looked at differently coming from a man or a woman.

I agree and slightly disagree (which is too strong a word for it - I think the emphasis is on something else entirely, but same result) with this assessment. Don's anger at Betty had more to do with Don's (wrongheaded but common) thinking, "My affairs were never had to break up my marriage or my family - they were simply there to satisfy an Urge. Yours, whether or not it was consummated did just that." Therefore Betty = Bad in Don's mind. DOES NOT justify his manhandling her at all, let alone with their infant in the room.

Yeah, that was definitely the macho impulse that drove him to manhandle Betty. That said, considering the wish fulfillment on display in last night's episode (and I'm not complaining about it - a show this bleak needs some moments of transcendence), it would have been nice to see someone plant a fist in Henry Francis's face.

I agree and slightly disagree (which is too strong a word for it - I think the emphasis is on something else entirely, but same result) with this assessment. Don's anger at Betty had more to do with Don's (wrongheaded but common) thinking, "My affairs were never had to break up my marriage or my family - they were simply there to satisfy an Urge. Yours, whether or not it was consummated did just that." Therefore Betty = Bad in Don's mind. DOES NOT justify his manhandling her at all, let alone with their infant in the room.

I was in no way trying to justify the manhandling, ftr, which was totally over the line. And I agree that that probably went into Don's thinking, but it still shows an inequality between the sexes.

"My affairs were never had to break up my marriage or my family - they were simply there to satisfy an Urge. Yours, whether or not it was consummated did just that."

But this attitude is part and parcel of the wife/whore dichotomy & men-have-needs bullshit that ALL the alpha males on the show buy into to justify their cheating.

Setting aside Don's myopia regarding his own affairs and Betty's new relationship, I think he actually had a point about Betty wanting to appear so perfect all the time and above reproach. I'm not at all defending Don's manhandling, but I think his sharp words about Betty's passive aggressiveness hit the mark for me.

They never really understood each other. Betty had a functional family (more or less, her mother sounds like a trip though) and doesn't really understand what Don is losing.

I want Betty to find happiness, but I have a visceral, negative reaction to her character based on how she treats her children. I don't think my negative feelings will go away anytime soon.

Through this divorce, here's hoping Don has some increased self-awareness (him having to be as honest as he could be to Roger, Peter, and Peggy will help in long run, I think).

I'm not at all defending Don's manhandling, but I think his sharp words about Betty's passive aggressiveness hit the mark for me.

Oh, definitely! I almost forgot that part.

I want Betty to find happiness, but I have a visceral, negative reaction to her character based on how she treats her children. I don't think my negative feelings will go away anytime soon.

Agreed. She is really a terrible mother. That said, I think Don's good Daddy role would be tested were he to have custody of the kids. He likes his freedom too much.

Loved last night's ep! For me, it was an uneven season that really ramped up about the time of the lawn mower incident. Can't wait to see where this new agency goes. I'm not sad about those they left behind either (Paul and Ken). I have nothing against Ken really, but Paul has been rubbing me the wrong way for a while.

Also, where does Duck work? Is he at McCann?

Duck is at Grey -- don't know how that relates to McCann.

Pete mentioned he'd just had an interview at Ogilvy that day -- they were a young and coming up firm at the time who did a lot of game-changing.

Trudy continues to impress me. I would love to see her end up working support at the new firm, because she has the right instincts to be a proto-Joan.

Duck is at Grey -- don't know how that relates to McCann.

My main thought was that with Duck *and* Sterling-Cooper-Draper-Price both unofficially working out of the Pierre, Peggy's affair isn't going to stay secret for very long.