I think the structure of this season did Betty the most disservice of any character. With the focus shifting from Don's home life to the new office, she was in so few episodes that there wasn't really time to show nuanced character development, so every time we checked in with her it was "Yep, still a bitch. Yep, still unsatisfied. Yep, still emotionally stuck at age 14."

Worse he has a fantasy of who he is when he is with Megan.

Sure, and it doesn't help that it all happened in California, where he is so different from Work Don, but some of the difference is fake-it-til-you-make-it, I genuinely believe. Stuff like the reaction to the spilled milkshake. It really is possible to create a more pleasant life for yourself if you can prevent yourself from getting mad about stuff like that.

I don't know, I think it could be fine. I'm not saying he won't screw his next secretary.

she shrugged off Henry's irritation and put Gene where he belonged at that moment, in his father's arms.

I don't think that was really being a good mother/happiness, that was more smug satisfaction at her having a family and him not. It's not being gracious when you're only doing it to show your superiority.

I don't think that was really being a good mother/happiness, that was more smug satisfaction at her having a family and him not. It's not being gracious when you're only doing it to show your superiority.

Yeah, I always got a very wealthy casting crumbs to the poor vibe from that scene. The fact that they showed Don standing off to the side by himself, still isolated, in the midst of the party atmosphere, was very telling.

I didn't think Betty was particularly gracious in that scene, but I did see a little bit of wistful in her smug as well.

You know what I want to do right now? Go watch that scene between Peggy and Joan again.

"That's bullshit!"

Hmmm, a lot of my favorite moments this season were Peggy related.

Her scene with Joan.
Peggy riding the scooter around in circles in the empty studio.
Peeking over the wall to spy on Don.
Don putting his hand over hers in "The Suitcase".
Laughing off Joyce's attempt to nibble her neck.

MM: A must have! [link]

David - that's very true. Peggy had an excellent season.

Glamcookie: bwah!

My grandma was that crazy.And that devoted to a fake image like Betty's, only she didn't have it and never could afford it.Some of it might have had a gender basis, but Grandma...well, she was so not okay that when my mom watched Dr. Melfi tell Tony Soprano that Livia had borderline personality, the way my mother grew up snapped into place. If that wasn't Weiner's intention with Betty, it seems that he might have overplayed his hand by quite a bit. Of course, I've barely watched any of last season's episodes so...

The EN-LH dialogue that David posted is really interesting.

There's a newish Vulture interview up now, with Rich Sommer, who plays Harry Crane.

[link]