I was hesitant to watch this week's episode of "Mad Men." I missed last week's installment and I only caught of few minutes two weeks ago. Still, I couldn't resist the urge to tune in -- and really, aside from watching the Vikings-49ers, there wasn't much else on.
As always, I couldn't be happier.
"Mad Men" is one of those shows that, from the very start, takes some concentration to really know what's going on. Even then, you still can't really wrap your head around a season until it's over.
Matt Weiner's writing is a lot like Aaron Sorkin's in a way. Sure, it lacks the quick and rapid-fire witty back-and-forth that was a trademark of "SportsNight," "West Wing" and "Studio 60," but "Mad Men" mimics those shows in the subtle, almost insignificant moments of an episode that turn into a major plot twist several episodes down the road.
Those little quirks make it possible to skip an episode and not feel like your missing anything. You can catch up on the missed episode down the road and fill in the gaps, as opposed to needing the missed episode to explain things later in the series.
A couple of other observations, four episodes into the fourth season:
* I love that Sally is getting some more airtime. I had a hunch early on that she was going to wind up being a major character in this series. From the get-go, I thought that she would end up becoming the "poster child" for the '60s.
* Betty's new husband, Henry Francis, is the epitome of a jackass. He reminds me of Roger Thorpe, a "bad guy" on one of the soaps I used to watch with Oma. There is absolutely nothing I like about this guy and the fact that he'll sleep in another man's home; in another man's bed makes him all the more of a jackass.
* I hate to admit this, but Pete Campbell is becoming more and more likable with each episode this season. He was easily my least-favorite character in the first three seasons, but as we reach the mid-60s in the "Mad Men" universe, he's one of the few characters that seems to "get it." Plus, his wife Trudy is played by Alison Brie who is pretty much one of the hottest actresses on television.
* Can anybody tell me what the hell Bert Cooper and Roger Sterling actually do?
* I had high hopes for Peggy Olsen's evolution this season, but she seems to have fallen into the background for the time being. She's had some moments, but nothing major as I had expected. After all, she was a young, up-and-comer knocking on the glass ceiling at the onset of the social revolution of the '60s.
* Don Draper's demons seem to finally have caught up with him and yet, despite evidence to the contrary, he seems to have it under control. So he likes to get slapped around by hookers; so he's striking out with the ladies ... it happens. There's no way that Draper doesn't come out kicking some butt later in the season.
How about you? If you're a "Mad Men" fan, what's stood out for you so far and what do you think is on tap for the rest of this season? Use the Talkback feature to share your thoughts below.
