Ramblings from the Pacific Northwest: May 2012

Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) beginning her career as
copy writer at Sterling Cooper. Source: Google Images

For nearly five seasons we have followed the professional and personal journey of Peggy Olson, played by the much under-rated Elisabeth Moss, on "Mad Men".
Peggy started out as the fresh-faced young woman, straight from her parents' home in 1960 Brooklyn to the bright lights of Manhattan as secretary to Don Draper, ad executive at Sterling Cooper. A young woman, with a girl's wardrobe trying to fit in a male-dominated industry as well as navigating the straits and narrows of the secretarial pool. Wide-eyed and pony-tailed, ready to face the world, sort of.

Who can forget Peggy's first day at Sterling Cooper ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), as she is being coached by the worldly Joan Holloway (now Harris) who informs her to "show a little leg" and arranges a doctor's appointment to obtain contraceptives. The slight boost in confidence Peggy achieves from just being in this new environment, leads her to presume what her role is to be at Sterling Cooper in relation to what Don would expect from her. She misguidedly puts her hand on Don's; he removes it and says "I'm your boss, not your boyfriend." Thus sets the tone for what would become a complex relationship between them, especially as she moved from being Don's secretary/copywriter in only 5 episodes.

At the beginning of season 2 (1962-1963), Peggy is now solely a copywriter and ready to show Don that she can play in his sandbox. People speculate as to how she rose through the ranks so quickly; we later learn in the episode "The New Girl" that Don visited her in the hospital when she had Pete Campbell's baby, who she gave up for adoption. Don told her to move forward and forget this ever happened. This is also the episode that she bails Don and his latest conquest out of jail after they are in an accident. By the end of season 2 ("The Mountain King"), she has moved into Freddy Rumsen's office, who was fired, as Roger Sterling said "You young women are very aggressive." I would say 'assertive'.

Peggy's coming into her own in season 3 (1964). She has moved to Manhattan, much to her mother's dismay, and is asserting herself more at work. In the episode "The Fog" she and Pete are wooed by Duck Phillips who wants to create his own ad agency. He tells Peggy "You're a freewheeling career gal with great ideas," Duck later tells Peggy. "This is your time." When she later meets with Don and asks for a raise, she is quickly rebuffed Peggy tells Don she wants a raise in pay equal to the men. “It's not going to happen,” Don says. He's fighting for paper clips these days. "I look at you and I think, 'I want what he has,'" Peggy replies. "You have everything and so much of it." Her request denied, Peggy departs, asking, "What if this is my time?" By the end of season 3 ("Shut the Door, Have a Seat") another exchange between Don orders Peggy to have work completed by Sunday, she says "You just assume I'll do whatever you say." "I'm not gonna beg you," Don says. "Beg me? You didn't even ask me," she says, declining the proposition. Don later visits her at her apartment and apologizes for regarding her as an extension of himself. "Will you help me?" he asks. Peggy suggests that should she refuse, Don will never speak to her again. "I will spend the rest of my life trying to hire you," he counters. He brought her with him to the new company Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (SCDP).

Season 4 (1965) starts with the Sugarberry Ham publicity stunt, which somewhat backfires on Peggy and Pete, Don is not amused and lambastes Peggy, "all we want to do is please you" she retorts. By episode 6 "Waldorf Stories" Peggy pats herself on the back with her involvement with the Glo-Coat commercial and accurately predicts that it will win a Clio award. Don gives her no such affirmation, instead orders her to get along with the newly-hired male copywriter and sends them to a hotel room to work on the Vicks campaign.

"The Suitcase" is among my favourite episodes of "Mad Men". This episode is perfection. Much of the episode involves Don and Peggy working together on the Samsonite campaign. The episode is one of revelations; both Don and Peggy revealing inner secrets and creating an understanding between them. Don is dealing with the death of Anna Draper, his friend and who was the wife of his namesake whose identity he assumed after the Korean War. The tipping point is a rather harsh exchange of words between them: Peggy complains about receiving insufficient credit for her Glo-Coat contribution. She gave him "a kernel" that became a commercial, Don argues. "You never say thank you," says Peggy. "That's what the money is for!" he shouts. Peggy retreats to the bathroom crying. Don tries to make amends and asks Peggy to come back into his office under the guise of listening to one of Roger Sterling's memoir tapes.

They commisserate about both having lost their fathers at a young age over dinner; later over drinks Peggy tries to elicit whether Don finds her attactive - "like it's so funny because the possibility was so remote." It's not that she isn't attractive, Don explains, but he has to abide by rules at work. Peggy alludes to Allison (Don's most recent former conquest/secretary). "You don't want to start giving me morality lessons, do you?" he asks. Then he asks her if she knows who the father of her baby is - of course she does, she doesn't say who. Back at the office, Don has overindulged and runs to the bathroom; he later passes out on Peggy's lap in his office. He dreams of Anna and when he awakes makes the dreaded call to California which will confirm her passing. He dissolves into tears, Peggy comforting him as he cries he describes Anna as "the only person in the world who really knew me." Peggy rubs his back. "That's not true," she says. Later when she has had some rest, she returns to his office to check on him. Don holds Peggy's hand for a moment. "Go home, take a shower, and come back with ten tag lines," he says.

Peggy has a bolstered confidence going into the next episode "The Summer Man". She encounters sexual harassment towards Joan and brings it to the attention of Don. "You want some respect?" Don asks. "Go out there and get it for yourself." The perpetrator refuses to apologize and thusly fired by Peggy. In the following episode, Don asks Peggy to present the Playtex pitch "I'm counting on you". She makes a successful presentation safe for the lipstick on her teeth, which a male co-worker failed to bring to her attention. In "Blowing Smoke" Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is in financial difficulties and Peggy offers Don a suggestion to help their bottom line recalling something he said in the past "if you don't like what they're saying, change the conversation." Don takes out a full page ad as an open letter denouncing big tobacco when they lose the Lucky Strike account. Peggy's response to Don asking her why she has not commented on the ad "I thought you didn't go in for those kinds of shenanigans" and smiles. He had admonished her PR stunt re Sugarberry Ham.

Season 4 ends with Peggy landing the Topaz Panti-hose account, the first new client since the agency lost Lucky Strike. Her news is upstaged by Don's news that he is engaged to his new secretary, Megan. Privately, Don tells Peggy that Megan has "the same spark" she does, and that Megan admires her "as much as I do." Peggy visits Joan in her office to complain. Joan tells her to not get all her satisfaction from work. Peggy thinks this is BS as they both laugh. Peggy has gained confidence in her work and also achieves some recognition by Don for a job well-done. Her questions in "The Suitcase" as to whether they will ever be anything but colleagues, is answered when he becomes engaged to Megan at the end of the season.

It is 1966, season 5, begins a few months after the previous season ends. Don is remarried. Peggy is pitching Heinz Baked Beans, she is finally working on major accounts. However, her pitch is nixed by the Heinz people and Don says they will come up with a new approach. Peggy complains that he didn't fight for her idea. So basically, the more things change; the more they stay the same. Don's new secretary, Dawn, is an African-American woman (big change); Peggy hires a new, talented male copywriter (again); Peggy complains to Dawn later that copywriting is tough, especially for women (same).

In episode 6 "Far Away Places" Don leaves on a business trip with Megan and leaves Peggy in charge of pitching the new Heinz campaign. “Home is Where the Heinz Is.” The client says the concept is too sentimental and asks if Don signed off on it. Peggy replies that yes, he has, and furthermore, that the client likes the idea but doesn’t realize it. “It’s young and it’s beautiful, and no one else is going to figure out how to say that about beans,” she declares. After the presentation, Pete informs Peggy that she’s off the account at the client’s request.

The following episode "At the Codfish Ball", Megan comes to Don with a concept for Heinz, a mom is serving beans to her son through the ages “Heinz beans, some things never change.” Heinz is pleased, Don credits Megan. Peggy congratulates Megan and asks why she isn’t more celebratory. “I should be jealous, but I look at you and I feel like I’m getting to experience my first time again,” Peggy says. “This is as good as this job gets.”

It is clear in the episode "Lady Lazarus" that Megan, however, is not keen on the advertising world. She sneaks off to an audition without telling Don, who calls Peggy as to whether she knows Megan's whereabouts. Peggy follows Megan into the washroom and confronts her. Peggy encourages Megan to stick with advertising, but Megan says it might not be “what I’m supposed to be doing.” “There are people killing to get this job,” Peggy snaps. Earlier, Megan and Don had play-acted a skit for Cool Whip campaign, which went very well. Peggy was visibly irritated watching the two, she will now replace Megan as they present the pitch. In the Cool Whip test kitchen, Peggy botches the tagline during the “Mr. and Mrs. Draper” bit. Peggy and Don argue about Megan until Peggy proclaims, “You’re not mad at me. So shut up.”

This brings us to the most recent episode "The Other Woman", which for me ranks as a close number 2 to "The Suitcase" in genius. For the past few episodes, SCDP has been working on the much-coveted car client, Jaguar - with the exclusion of Peggy. As it is explained, car people don't want a woman working on the account. Don is stressed about landing the account and when Peggy asks him to sign off on another project, he snaps and tells her she is in charge until Jaguar business is over. To add insult to injury, she watches as the creative team is served a lobster lunch on silver trays.

Peggy fills in for Ginsberg on the Chevalier Blanc conference call meeting and saves the account by pitching a "Hard Day's Night" theme with Lady Godiva on a horse saving the hero from a horde of screaming women - changing the setting from London to Paris. Later, her triumph is brought to the attention of Don. Don says Ginsberg will take over once Jaguar is finished, prompting Peggy to snap, “I guess I’m not in charge of everything.” Don flings cash in her face and barks, “Here. Go to Paris.” Ken tries to comfort Peggy, saying that Don is just upset about Jaguar. “I don’t care,” she responds. I knew that this was the breaking point for her and had this feeling of dread as to what the outcome would be...can this relationship be saved? The next scene we see Peggy have lunch with former colleague Freddy Rumsen, he advises her to leave SCDP.

Peggy meets Ted Chaough, an ad exec. from a rival agency and Don's nemises, to discuss job opportunities and he praises her work. She writes her job requirements, “Copy Chief $18,000/year,” on a piece of paper and slides it across the table to him. Chaough crosses out $18,000 and writes $19,000 – “If this is your last meeting.”

Later, she asks to speak to Don. We all know what is coming but it is heartbreaking nonetheless. She tells Don that she will be forever grateful for the opportunity to work with him, her mentor. Don thinks she’s asking for a raise and attempts to negotiate salary, but Peggy tells him it’s not about money. She holds back tears as he kisses her hand - and he is holding back tears. Peggy walks out of the office and smiles as she waits for an elevator. HUGE CHANGE! Hopefully, we will see Peggy go toe-to-toe with Don in future episodes, now as his true equal and rival.

Peggy as she waits for the elevator after resigning from SCDP.
Source: Google Images

Loki, half-brother of Thor, played by the awesome Tom Hiddleston
Source: boxofficemojo.com

"Avengers assemble!" And assemble they did, to the tune of $486,369,000 domestically since "The Avengers" opening on May 4, 2012. The movie is quickly becoming one of the highest grossing films to date, just over one billion dollars worldwide.

I saw it on opening weekend, people in the audience whooped, hollered and clapped several times at key scenes. It is a rollicking good time.

The screenplay was co-written by Joss Whedon who also directed the movie, if you are familiar with Joss' work such as the television version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" you will know that his writing is witty, sarcastic and full of pop culture references - this movie is no exception. I have never had such a good time at an action flick since "Armageddon" where my friends and I hooted and hollered with laughter throughout but it wasn't supposed to be funny...I still don't know why we weren't kicked out of the theatre, one of the best movie-going memories ever!

I didn't expect to like "The Avengers" as much as I did, much of its success lies with Joss and the screenplay, like so many good/great movies, it all starts with the writing, and there is a lot of great writing. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, delivers some of the most awesome one-liners. Tom Hiddleston is terrifically camp as Loki, half-brother of Thor. Truth be told, I have only seen the Iron Man movies so you do not need to be familiar with Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow, etc. to enjoy this movie.

For the next installment, and there most definitely will be, all I will ask is that it must include Tom Hiddleston's Loki. I have seen the movie twice so far and contemplating a third viewing, it is that good.

Ramblings from the Pacific Northwest

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Roger Waters The Wall Live in Vancouver May 26

Breaking Free - Peggy's Journey on "Mad Men"

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Aaron Sorkin's "The Newsroom"

Stars on Ice, May 18, 2012

Taking a Vacation in Your Own Town

"The Avengers"

Supermoon - May 5, 2012

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