<p>@Indiana91 - I was watching Match Game '70-whatever a while back and “Bobby” Morse was on the celebrity panel in the top left seat beside Brett Somers. I called S1, who is also a Mad Men fan, in to see it and he couldn’t believe it was the same person. </p>
<p>Mad Men redeemed itself in the last 2 episodes! Jon Hamm, John Slattery and Kieran Shirpka were so good. I think Jon Hamm has been masterful this season, his face shows such emotion. And when Kieran mimicked Betty, wow!</p>
<p>I loved the way they shot the moon landing. </p>
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<p>While I agree that Joan wants the money, I certainly don’t understand Joan better in terms of her sheer nastiness toward Don. It’s repeatedly been made clear that Don is a valuable asset to the agency and any money Joan has is in large part because Don has been far more of a business winner than a loser, even at his most out of control.
Of all the men at SC&P, Don has been the most consistent in showing her respect and that he values her contribution to the success of the business. I’ve always liked Joan but not this season. Could it be that she’s displaced her own self-loathing onto Don as a result of his trying to spare her prostituting herself for Jaguar (and her partnership)? Is she further repelled by his revealing his own personal story as a child of a prostitute who grew up in a brothel? I can’t think of any other rationale for her behavior toward him and her alliance with Cutler and I really hope Weiner clears this up in the final 7 episodes.</p>
<p>Meredith’s move on Don at his “vulnerable” moment was hilarious! Even at his absolute worst, Draper would never have slept with someone like her. Her inability to recognize his total disinterest in her was really funny and I think the actress who plays her deserves a lot of credit.</p>
<p>Finally, even on the phone, Don has so much more influence over Sally than her mother does. She goes from crushing on the “hot” athlete brother and repeating his teenage cynicism over the moon landing to sharing a moment of wonder with the nerdy boy with the telescope (and giving him what was surely his first kiss!) after just a brief reprimand from her dad. I think that Sally will be just fine.</p>
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I think it goes back to Don’s firing of Jaguar last season without consulting the partners. Don shot from the hip and assumed Joan would feel “300 pounds lighter” but she resented him making the decision for her. She thought she finally got her own back when she was in on the decision to put him on leave, and the fact that he is “winning” and battling his way back bothers her. I like Joan too, but she needs to get over it and move on. And while we’re on the subject, remember Joan and the college professor in the first episode of the half-season? I wonder if he won’t make an appearance later on. He was impressed with her knowledge and is one of the few men who went beyond her body and went straight to her brain. He’s older and stable and someone she could love and respect. I’d like to see it. </p>