YAY!

Favorite lines:

"So I suppose this young man is coming home in a bag for nothing."
"If he's lucky. You ever read 'Johnny Got His Gun?' No eyes, no ears, no nose, tapping out his last wishes in Morse code with his deformed head."
"...I thought there were going to be girls here."

Roger: "Why don't you sing like that?"
Jane: "Why don't you look like him?"

Roger: "I tried to get Jane to talk to me in that accent. Nothing doing. She doesn't speak French. She doesn't like me."

Jane to Roger about her baby. "He's been keeping me awake. He needs constant attention."

And my favorite...

On Don getting a song from Megan at the party. "I saw his soul leave his body."

So happy it's back even if it was an episode that seemed more about setting stuff up.

Favorite lines:
I agree with Mary

Roger: "Why don't you sing like that?"
Jane: "Why don't you look like him?"

Roger: "I tried to get Jane to talk to me in that accent. Nothing doing. She doesn't speak French. She doesn't like me."

I also liked:
Roger: Well, well, well, there’s my baby. Now move that brat out of the way so I can see her?

Roger: Oh look he got you a cane.

Megan: What is wrong with you people? You’re all so cynical you don’t smile you smirk.

And my favorite...
On Don getting a song from Megan at the party. "I saw his soul leave his body."
Mine too. The delivery and the looks between Joan and Pryce. So perfect.




Edited at 2012-03-26 03:29 am (UTC)

Ooops. Almost forgot this gem from Peggy.

I should not be allowed to drink at work functions or at all, honestly.

Ha, yes, I loved those lines too. The one about "my baby" was priceless.

The "clean up" scene between Megan and Don was a little troubling but also in character for him. Remember how he liked to play little games with Betty?

I think my favorite scene was the one between Joan and Lane. Brilliant and touching. I love how much he appreciates her and how generous he was. You can see why -- her stiff spine, her talent, her skills with money, her composure -- but they never have Lane SAY that stuff -- it's just understood.

It's not Roger but it still cracks me up.

I wish it focused more on just Roger and his little dance.

Those are both great! I hope someone makes one of Lane dancing too. :)

The "clean up" scene between Megan and Don was a little troubling but also in character for him. Remember how he liked to play little games with Betty?
They don't seem to have the best marriage. I feel like we're seeing Roger and Jane the early years.

But that scene felt like the most "Don" of the bunch. He took what he wanted. In the other scenes its like we are seeing a new person. As Peggy said earlier: I don’t recognize that man. He’s kind and patient.

I liked the storyline between Roger and Pete. Pete is an ass, but he deserves respect as it appears that he continues to be the person responsible for brining in the clients. I loved his little power play by inviting the other partners into his office. Seeing all four of those men crammed on the couch was funny.

The thing about the office that made no sense to me is that Harry had a better office. Pete is a partner and bringing in clients. Harry's an ass (and continues to get worse) and he has the bigger office? This makes no sense to me. But I loved that Roger bribed him to switch offices. Though why the hell was Roger carrying that much cash?!

Oh and Pete sending Roger to Staten Island... loved that.

I think my favorite scene was the one between Joan and Lane. Brilliant and touching. I love how much he appreciates her and how generous he was.
I loved that scene. There's so much respect between those two. She's upset because she feels like she was forgotten and has a mother making her feel less than important. He knows exactly what to say to make her feel better.

I also loved how excited Peggy was to see Joan... giving her a huge hug.

While this wasn't my favorite episode, I feel like it was setting us up for the season. I feel like we're going to see more on changes (Civil Rights, politics in the office, Sally growing up, etc) on the horizon.

Also for the record, I would react the same way as Don to a surprise party.

No.

You found Lane dancing! That's fantastic.

Also for the record, I would react the same way as Don to a surprise party.

Hah, I know. I loved that moment where Megan told Peggy.

Peggy:"For Don? .....Men don't like surprise parties."

Peggy realized instantly it was a bad idea but I think Megan had already been practicing with the band, so it was going to happen.

I also loved this, about the invite list: "I crossed off all the clients and people he's fired." Partly because it was so right and partly because I literally just had to do that for our company party.

As you know, ITA about Pete. That whole thing didn't make sense to me. I would have preferred Roger saying, "Harry, I don't know how you got a bigger office than Pete, but that's ridiculous. Switch with him. Now."

Check it out! http://www.vulture.com/2012/03/zoo-be-zoo-be-zoo-mad-men.html?mid=twitter_vulture

Let's try to embed the main video:

My God, it's such fun to new Mad Men to discuss. Stayed up way too late to watch after I got home. The missed sleep was worth it.

The "clean up" scene between Megan and Don was a little troubling but also in character for him. Remember how he liked to play little games with Betty?
They don't seem to have the best marriage. I feel like we're seeing Roger and Jane the early years.

But that scene felt like the most "Don" of the bunch. He took what he wanted. In the other scenes its like we are seeing a new person
Hmm, I didn't see it that way.

Faye Miller may yet turn out to be right, about Don only liking the beginning of things. Don and Megan are obviously in the "can't keep our hands off each other" phase of the relationship, and that can go away.

But Don seems really happy right now, surprise-party mortification aside. I didn't see it as him taking what he wanted as much as, well, make-up sex. A smooth segue from fighting to f ... ;-)

If it hadn't been something Megan had also wanted, that Don sensed Megan also wanted, they wouldn't have had sex. Don is not Greg Harris, ifyouknowwhatImean.

I like the way Weiner established that Megan has shaken things up at SDCP. Yes, they were gossiping about "Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo" -- Lane's "soul" description and accompanying dance were wonderful -- and Harry should know better than to talk about Don's wife that way anywhere in the Tri-State Area, much less in the building.

But the significant part for me is that Megan, moreso than knowing she has an immunity badge as Mrs. Draper, also possesses enough dignity and self-respect to call Peggy on her shit. The Peggy/Don friendship aside, Peggy was out of line to bitch about work to her boss, and she was just plain rude to do so at his birthday party. Megan was offended, she was justified in doing so, and she called Peggy on it. (Yes, it was shaded by her disappointment at Don not appreciating her effort.)

To Peggy's credit, she recognized that Megan was right, and that she, too, wants SDCP to be a place where people have enough respect for each other to apologize for mistreatment. To be not quite so cynical with each other.

ITA about the Lane/Joan scene. Joan's just frazzled enough to think that her mom might be right about the ad; I also love that the joke blew up in Don and Roger's faces as a grand mid-'60s metaphor. And you know how, if you suspect something is going wrong, you can reach the wrong conclusion about everything? (Not that I have any experience with that, you know, at all ...) Well, Joan was doing plenty of that, wasn't she?

Lane may have accidentally told Joan exactly what she needed to hear -- merely stating the obvious that Joan is the glue of SDCP -- but I think not. He appreciates that her high competency is a function of her character; he likes and respects her. Lane is a gentleman in the best sense.

(Even though I know you're both on Twitter and may have already seen this) Linda Holmes: "Am imagining going to my boss's house and seeing his wife do a come-hither, half-dressed birthday dance. Am dying of EVERYTHING AT ONCE."

-- I know we're never going to see a lot of physical comedy here, but VK is outstanding at it. Smashing his nose instantly reminded me of Mrs. Blankenship being rolled out. The subsequent timing and delivery of "What, did she hit you?" from Ken killed me dead.

-- Also loved Peggy's "or at all" line.

Here's an interesting review on Slate: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2012/mad_men_season_5/week_1/mad_men_season_5_motherhood_undoes_joan_.html

In this, they mention Harry's line about the "cheap post-war walls." Which reminds me of something I noticed: Harry's office is very different from the others. All kinds of older, possibly vintage, possibly antique furniture. When they shifted from his office to Roger's, the contrast was stunning (Roger's being soooo modern). I think it's an interesting character point.

I disagree with their take on Harry's "devolution" though. I think he's always been lead buffoon, hasn't he? Mis-speaking a lot, especially in social settings. He was never as canny as Pete or Ken. Very self-conciously "cool." Very defensive about his place at the agency; he didn't pursue the TV position with confidence and foresight, he kinda whined his way into it. (Correct me if I'm remembering wrong.) Anyway, if someone's going to get caught saying something crude about the boss' wife, I totally see that as Harry.