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.

I like Kinsey, but it may be that I'm predisposed towards fat, bearded, pot-smoking blowhards.

And I agree that Betty's a terrible mother and generally a terrible human being. Maybe I've been overly critical of her, but man, she hits some buttons with me: narcissistic, devoid of empathy for her own flesh-and-blood, childish, overprivileged, snobby in that small-minded upper-middle-class way. I mean, I'd like to think that her remarriage would lead to happiness, but I don't think she's capable of happiness. She's not unaware of the proto-feminist issues swirling around her (per her reading of Mary McCarthy a few weeks back), but she's incapable of imagining herself as anything more than an object of desire. She's tragic, definitely, but still my least-favorite character on the show.

Which isn't to say that I think January Jones is anything less than amazing while playing her, nor that I hate any of the time we spend with her. I mean, all of the characters are a little hateful, but she and Pete are the ones I hate. And even Pete's grown on me a little.

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.

Me too. Everytime I want to feel bad for her the fact that she is such an awful mother gets in the way. Although, I suppose in a different world she would have had the option not to get married and have children.

devoid of empathy for her own flesh-and-blood

This is the big thing I can’t forgive in Betty, and as bad as Don is, his own childhood allows him to at least feel moments of empathy for his children when they are upset and in pain.

Yeah, you guys are all me w/r/t Don v. Betty. Don's boorish behavior not exusable, and Betty's utter disdain for anyone not herself is deplorable.

At the same time I can see why Old Gene, her father, could look at Betty and tell her that she could have been so much better. For goodness sakes, she could go to Italy after however many years and speak fluent Italian.

Although, I suppose in a different world she would have had the option not to get married and have children.

Yup. Growing up in the time and place she did, "wife & mother" was pretty much the only door open to her. And she's just not any good at either role.

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.

Ooh, good call.