Sex.
It was everywhere in this week’s stand out installment of Mad Men. For once, however, it seemed to not be focusing on Don (save for the awkward conversation with Sally’s teacher). Instead, it was the women of Mad Men, particularly Peggy and Betty, who were doing the deed, or at least thinking about it, in this episode.
Betty has always been a strange woman, in my opinion. She knows about Don’s “wandering eye” and in the past has seemed to want to indulge in some extramarital activities herself. She even went so far as to partially confront Don about his past again in this episode, demanding to know why he wouldn’t sign the three year contract with Sterling Cooper. As Don explained, it’s about power, about having people want you, but never being able to have you. Poor Betty took this as a slight against her, knowing that Don always keeps her at an arm’s length.
Like last season, with Arthur from her stable, Betty seems to be having a flirtation with another man. This time around it is Henry Francis, who blatantly hit on her a few episodes back at Roger’s party. It seems that Betty finds him charming. She nearly swooned when Henry blocked her eyes from the eclipse. I’m curious to see if she will indulge herself with him or if she will just lay on her fainting couch and think of him.
Peggy on the other hand, was a little more aggressive than Betty in this episode. I feel bad for Peggy. It seems to me like she just wants to be wanted. I believe that the situation with Pete made her feel rejected, along with her recent, less-than-positive run-ins with Don. As soon as Duck showed a bit of interest, she fell right into his arms. The mere fact that she wasn’t jumping at Duck’s clearly superior job offer showed that she was still young and naive, but jumping into bed with him was a whole other step backward for Peggy.
Of course, I could be wrong. Peggy, like Don, seems to be struggling for power in her life. Perhaps she will use her new affair with Duck to empower herself, or perhaps it’s even the beginnings of a new relationship. Heck, maybe it’s just the type of ego boost she needs to get a little more confidence at work. I’m very curious to see what the future holds for Peggy. Is she going to end up leaving Sterling Cooper?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Sep 28, 2009 @ 19:03 EST5EDT
