I know this post is incredibly late, so I'm going to keep it simple. Sound good? Good.
While Bridget and I are incredibly happy that Mad Men is finally back so that we can get back to our weekly Mad Men Cocktail Hours and Viewing Parties, we've had to modify slightly this season. Bridget has to get up very early for work, and since AMC does not offer me an East Coast feed, starting at 10:00 simply isn't feasible. Which means, we're On Demanding it on Monday nights. It also means I try to steer clear of any possible spoilers on Mondays...let me tell you, sometimes that's not an easy task!
So last week, I was browsing through the cocktail options on the Mad Men site and the Greyhound jumped out at me (see what I did there?!?). I decided that simple was good and that a highball was the way to go. Not a Highball, but a highball - a designation of drinks which are made with a spirit and a mixer. Simple, tasty, what's not to love? For some reason, while I knew what a Greyhound was, up until last Monday, I'd never had one. And let me tell you, now that I've had one, there are more than a few more Greyhounds in my future!
Greyhounds are simple. Grapefruit juice and vodka over ice (though there are some people who use gin and I can't find that that combination is called by any other name, which is super odd because...) if you choose to salt the rim of the glass, it is called a Salty Dog. So, a new name with the addition of sprucing up your stemware, but no new name if you use different ingredients. Makes absolutely NO sense. Since evidently we can add whatever we want to it and still have it be a Greyhound, we decided to add a little color for the photo by adding a maraschino cherry. I'm guessing it is because the drink is so simple, that there isn't really much history to find. The only thing I could find was that the Greyhound was first published in the Savoy Cocktail Book dating back to the 1930's. The book was written by the barman at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, who used many original recipes. It's quite possible it is here that this refreshing little gem got its start.
Now that we've wet our whistle, let's get to the evening's entertainment. Mad Men. There was no post for the second episode because we failed to try a new cocktail (I'm ashamed of us too). And the episode was completely uneventful. That REALLY got me mad. How can you only give us a half a season and then give us a whole episode where really nothing happens??? Why Matthew Weiner, why? Episode 3, well, that made up for the debacle that was the previous episode and has gotten me really excited. Things are starting to happen. Big things!
Don gets a call from Megan's agent who asks Don to talk some sense into her and calm her down. She's lost much of her confidence and has been doing things that could jeopardize her career. So Don flies out and surprises her. The joy of the surprise is short lived once Megan realizes that he's talked to her agent and Don tells her to "stop acting like a lunatic." The argument quickly escalates to his infidelities, which he denies, but he tells her about being placed on leave and tells her that he's cut back on the drinking. "So with a clear head you got up every day and decided that you didn't want to be with me. This is how it ends." And she sends him home.
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While I personally think it's about time, Don goes back to New York and realizes that he does not want that to happen. Megan, on the other hand, takes his call and his apology, but does not want him to visit and does not tell him that she loves him after he tells her. Not sure where this leaves them exactly, but not in a great place to be sure.
We hadn't seen much of Betty until this episode and she is still trying to prove that she is a good mother and volunteers to be a chaperon on Bobby's school field trip. It's pretty comical since they go to a farm, but my favorite part is when you see the old Betty surface. They sit to have lunch and Betty goes to wash her hands. When she gets back, she finds that Bobby has finished his sandwich and has given hers to a girl who forgot her lunch. All the girl had was candy which she gave Bobby and because she wanted to a bitch, Betty forced Bobby to eat all the candy. Later, she cries to Henry that she's a terrible mother and her children don't love her. True and true.
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As with the other episodes this season, there is drama at SC&P and I want to defenestrate Lou. Such a waste of space as Creative Director and really a terrible person! Peggy may not be a saint, but it seems that he's trying to make things as difficult for her as possible...and mostly at the cost of making really terrible decisions with the campaigns. The drama escalates when Roger tells Don to come back to work but neglects to mention it to anyone else. Don gets to the office and no one is expecting him and no one seems to want him there. I felt absolutely terrible for Don because everyone was just being a jackass. This man and his ideas built the company and now everyone treats him like a leper. Really? Are people worried about their own jobs if Don returns (Lou DEFINITELY should be)? Maybe. But that still doesn't excuse their behavior.
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The two biggest surprises were Joan and Peggy who were adamant about not wanting Don to return. Obviously Cutler and Burt Cooper weren't big surprises, but Joan and Peggy? Just what has happened since Don's been gone that turned these characters who were so loyal for the last six seasons against him?? In the end, the partners offered Don the opportunity to come back. With a few RIDICULOUS stipulations. He will no longer be allowed to be alone with clients, he will not be allowed to go off a pre-approved script in meetings, there will be no drinking in the office, and will be reporting to Lou. WHAT!!? If he didn't accept the offer or if he didn't comply with the stipulations, he would be terminated and forfeit all his shares.
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I was absolutely floored when he agreed to the terms! Does he feel a loyalty to this company that he helped build even after all this? Does he want an excuse to not consider firms in L.A.? Or does he have a plan that makes such a ridiculous agreement simply a means to an end? I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I know it will be good!
Looking forward to the fourth episode! If you are watching tonight, PLEASE don't spoil it for me!
Hoping you're as optimistic about this season as I am!
XOXO!!
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