Jackie Kennedy? Or Marylin Monroe. Every woman in America is one of them.
– Paul Kinsey descibing his idea for Playtex If only it were that simple.
Am I reading too much into that final scene? Don Draper in only a towel, ala Atlas. The weight of the world crushing him. Sitting in The Thinking Man pose. Trying to deal with the man he wishes he was, the man others seem him as, and the man he actually is.
This episode almost seemed out of sequence. The Don Draper we saw in the first few episodes of this season, seemingly had righted the ship. He was coming home to dinner, he and his wife were frisky,and there appeared to be balance in his life. The lesson he had taught himself during the Kodak Carousel presentation was very apparent. Now, it is gone.
Pete can’t control Peggy. Don can’t control anyone. Duck can’t control the firm’s accounts or his ex-wife. Peggy can’t control the men. Sal can’t control his sexual orientation. And nobody on this show can control their emotions.
Many pivotal character moments showed up in this episode, but were trumped by another Don Draper, punch-in-the-gut moment. In a single episode we went from rooting for Don, to hating Don and his choices, to rooting for him, once again. We also watched as man’s best friend, Duck’s loyal dog, Chauncey, was set free into the Manhattan streets to wander aimlessly.
A lost dog on the streets of Manhattan. Maybe Chauncey isn’t the only one.
