I found Betty more sympathetic than I have in a while in this one. Not for manipulating Sally, obviously, but a lot of this episode she seemed to be really trying to be a responsible adult. Failing, sometimes, but trying.

Betty is no more venal than a lot of people on this show--I think Jones' lack of acting depth means that we are on the outside with her always, whereas Don and Pete let us glimpse the fear and the guilt and the need underneath the facade.

I think Weiner or the casting folks made the same mistake Don did and picked her cause she had a nice ass...Don got over faster than the writers(so far)

Betty is a tragedy in SloMo -- but a very unsympathetic tragedy because she's bitchy and willing to grab onto the idea that everybody but her is responsible for her unhappiness.

She reminds me a lot of my mother. I suppose that makes me want to be more sympathetic than normal towards the character.

The whole episode I kept thinking: Weight Watchers ain't going to do it. She really needs a psychiatrist.

The thing about Megan (and why she took the abuse from Sally) is that when she went to Disneyland, she was really good with his kids. She has cousins (right?) and spent a lot of time around young kids. Sally's behavior was really terrible, but it is to Megan's credit she took that shit in stride. I think she had appropriate perspective about Sally's behavior, but Sally should not get away with behaving like that though.

In Megan's defense, she's the step-parent and it doesn't look like she's been given or taken the authority to discipline Sally. She told Sally that she was her friend, and that's probably how she sees her role. More like an older cousin.

a very unsympathetic tragedy because she's bitchy and willing to grab onto the idea that everybody but her is responsible for her unhappiness.

I thought Betty was making real progress during her conversation with Henry (when he was worried that he'd "backed the wrong horse" with Lindsey). She seemed quite mature in that brief moment, telling him that they needed to, and would, solve their own problems.

I thought Betty was making real progress during her conversation with Henry (when he was worried that he'd "backed the wrong horse" with Lindsey). She seemed quite mature in that brief moment, telling him that they needed to, and would, solve their own problems.

That conversation to me sounded like she was repeating something she'd read in a WW brochure, not something she came up with on her own and actually believed.

I imagine it was something she learned at her meetings. Still, at least she's trying?

That's what I thought, too, Jon. She hasn't really internalized it, but she's working on it.

Eta: I guess the part Megan's friend got was on Dark Shadows? Nice timing!