I was reading the Guardian thread on Mad Men S4 (they're up to episode 3, Don visits Anna) and the comments have me thinking about two things.

One, is that the show is framing the year as moving towards Easter. The Time magazine cover in that episode was specifically about Christianity at that point, but talking about culturally being between Good Friday and Easter. Of course, Don also was going to bring the kids out to see Anna at Easter.

So, I'm thinking the season will end S4 around Easter with Don's resurrection/reinvention.

Also, somebody on that thread asked about Joan's background and we don't know much except for her fling with Roger, dalliance with Kinsey and two abortions. Thinking about it, I suspect Joan had a difficult upbringing, lots of pawing men, probably abuse, probably a broken family.

In some ways she works like the child of an alcoholic, somebody always caretaking and trying to control the situation.

In some ways she works like the child of an alcoholic, somebody always caretaking and trying to control the situation.

Her attraction to Roger certainly supports that reading.

Also what college did Joan graduate from. (Her room mate had the crush on her from meeting her in that college.)

I didn't much care for the direction in this episode, but I note that it was directed by Lynn Shelton, who made Hump Day and My Effortless Brilliance, two movies that I liked pretty well.

well. the feces hit the oscillator. I'm not sure what to think about it all.

I'm loving the character, Kale, at least at home. Scanning for bugs, then hiding the sweeper thingie a la Dexter, then settling in to read with a loving hand on his partner. Nice.

I'm going to be annoyed if none of this comes together until the last 15 minutes of the series.

I'm watching Fringe Season 1 on DVD and the threatening guy on the park bench is the same actor who played Olivia's interfering boss whom she charged with sexual misconduct.

Oo! The Walking Dead has that terrific British actor from Jericho.

MM: I really want Don to take Faye's advice and get an attorney and 'fess up. Also: cannot believe (well, except that I can) that Roger didn't tell anyone about Lucky Strike! So, Layne (Lane? Laine?) leaves thinking it's all hunky dory and instead they are on a foundation of quicksand.

Rubicon: I also hope that it all comes together at the end. I really want the thing that Will's team is working on to be somehow connected to the crossword puzzle death thing.

And the threatening guy on the bench was also the Mayor of Jericho (not Super!Skeet's dad - the next one.)

Mad Men: everyone had secrets, it was interesting who decided to tell (and who they told) and who kept things to themselves. The extent of Roger's willingness to hide Lucky Strike's defection surprised me, but not as much as Pete covering for Don - that he took Roger and Burt berating him in the meeting like that was pretty amazing. Especially since Burt knows about Don already.

I was afraid that Don's panic would keep him from taking Sally to see the Beatles.

I am more interested in the thing the team is working on than the four-leaf clover crossword thing on Rubicon at this point. I do think that the insight whatsername had - that the deaths signify that something is in the works rather than happened because of something in the past - may apply to the crossword puzzle suicides as well. I'm thinking more parallel than connected, maybe.

I can't be the only one that found "what's the significance of 4:20" funny, right?

I was afraid that Don's panic would keep him from taking Sally to see the Beatles.

That was stressing me out the entire episode!

I know! Thank goodness his secretary had the tickets sent over.