And yet, he's not unsympathetic for all his flaws and fuckery. He's human and complicated.

True of so many of the characters.

Yeah, they are all energized by it. And Don probably the most out of it. It's crazy that it happened with the timing it did in his life, but he was about to be completely unavailable to the family with his complete engagement in this new agency.

Trudy & Pete are so interesting. At the start of the show, they were like the little proto Don & Betty's, playing at being a married couple. But that little glance that Don gives Trudy is so telling. And yet, he's about to be so happy with the work he's doing.

Again, I love that I never have any idea where this show is going. It's so wild how it ended up where it did, but it's also so organic that it did. Lots of storytelling payoff.

Trudy and Pete's marriage is this really intriguing, rather odd thing. But I like it, and her character's growth.

It is. I liked the way he listened to her and took her advice the last couple of weeks, and watching them watching the assassination news unfold on TV was almost sweet. I would possibly start to like Pete if he hadn't become a rapist this season.

One thing I like about the show, and I occasionally see contravened in various blog comments, is the intimacy of the work relationships. Obviously, work and sex bleed together in Mad Men.

But...I like that Don's best relationship with Peggy is a work relationship. And I think also that Roger's best relationship with Joan is at work.

I work-ship those characters. I love seeing them in scenes together. But I don't want them to get married. I don't want them having sex and being involved. I want the intimacy of collaboration, and respect between them.

Which, curiously, I also see and like in Pete and Trudy. But I like them best when they're working Pete's career.

I really liked this ep. I am very disappointed that it's the end of season! Don was forced to come out from behind his charm and be honest and real and it worked for him.

I was really hoping that Sal would walk in the door, didn't even grok what Lucky Strike would mean. I'm hoping that they say to hell with it and hire him at Sterling Cooper Draper and Price. SCDP, baby!

Two thoughts:

1) Does being fired negate the non-compete clause? Damn if I know, but I'll bet Don, Rodger, Bert and Price don't either because they are all too used to winging things to check. Confirmed by the way it came up. Don saying to Price "you have the absolute authority to fire us if you choose". Really in the spirit of "Gang, why don't we put on a show?".

2) Betty: yeah she is unpleasant, but also trapped. She drank the too much of the Koolaid for way too long because Koolaid was all that was on the menu. At this point even if she was offered champagne she'd choose Koolaid, because that is all she knows to recognize. And yeah, agency and all that, but it would have taken one hell of a strong character to turn out better than Betty did in the circumstances she found herself in.

Interview with Matt Weiner on S3:

[link]

Somehow, I had totally missed they were at the Pierre. I think that's the only time I've ever stayed in a NY hotel. Way back in high school. In a suite next to Cher! Good times.

I've eaten at the restaurant there (nom nom nom) but I've never stayed in any of the rooms. It is swanky.

At the time, I didn't give much thought to it, it was just where my friend was staying, but it was very nice.