Up until I watched last night's Season 4 premiere of Mad Men, I was kind of dreading it. With the exception of Season 3's brilliant "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" (yep, the one with the lawnmower), the show was getting swallowed whole by its own self-importance. But last night's season premiere sucked me back in—I think—by giving all of the characters a good slap in the face.
When we last left these folks, they were brimming with nervous excitement over the formation of their new agency, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, but they were still very much a clenched group, uncertain and stressed over their futures. Now, less than a year later, they've established themselves as a successful—albeit still stressed—upstart and grown comfortable and close with one other. Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is confident and chatty instead of awkward and subservient. She's got a new pal, Joey, to chum around with (who is no Sal, I might add). Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) has learned to compromise and collaborate. Joan (Christina Hendricks) is back where she belongs, keeping everyone in check. This is major progress in the "personality" department!
And while Don (Jon Hamm) has a lot of crap going on in his personal life—he's sharing custody with Betty (January Jones), spending holidays with a hooker, and trying, still, to hide his true identity from his co-workers—he's freer to brainstorm those brilliant ad campaigns that made him so magnetic in the first place. So even though his latest prospective client sadly didn't recognize that brilliance, causing Don to lash out in the office, his lack of restraint was both disorienting and refreshing. It inspired him to open up in a second interview for the Wall Street Journal after completely shutting down during his chat with Advertising Age. And he agreed to a blind date with a woman who was not progressive, powerful, or brunette. She dug him but refused to sleep with him—which, now that I think about it, may have been the cause of that office outburst. All work and no sex makes Don a stressed-out boy.
Betty's new life is equally fascinating and refreshing—she's still miserable when it comes to anything that's related to Don, and that includes her kids. But with Henry, she's playful, confident, and actually kind of pleasant. I can't wait to see where that goes.
All in all, it was a solid season premiere. I'm glad the show didn't go for shock value (save for Don's sexytime "slap," which wasn't even that shocking). Let's just hope series creator Matthew Weiner's ever-inflated ego doesn't explode and shatter my dreams for this show to return to its Season 1 greatness.
I'll leave y'all with my two favorite one-liners from the only character who hasn't changed, Mr. Roger Sterling (John Slattery).
... On AdAge's amputee writer:
"They're so cheap they can't even afford a whole reporter."
... And on Don's upcoming blind date:
"If you hit it off, come Thanksgiving Day, maybe you can stuff her."
What did you think of Mad Men's Season 4 premiere?
Follow TV.com writer Stefanie Lee on Twitter: @StefAtTVDotCom
Comments (8)
How you can think that "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" is the best episode of Season 3 is beyond understanding. It's a brilliant episode, as they almost all are, but it's nothing compared to the three episode run of "The Gypsy and the Hobo," "The Grown-Ups," and "Shut the Door. Have a Seat" that closed out season 3.
Some comments I heard were that the season opener was a bit disjointed, in a temporal sense. I see some of the kink Don expresses, both as a receiver (face slapping) and giving (the scene a few seasons ago in the bathroom when he dominated the comedian's "older" wife, and she liked it), is a spicy add-on. Additionally, Joey is a submissive young lad, isn't he?
"...doesn’t explode and shatter my dreams for this show to return to its Season 1 greatness."
I don't know what you have been watching, but MAD MEN has always been great! My only displeasure with it is Don's wife, Betty. I have never seen anyone so cold to everyone, including her children.
Yay for Peggy
I love the way Cooper talks to Sterling. Although Don was a horrible husband to Betty; I love the fact that her new husbands mother does not like her. I do not want Peggy to become an alcoholic or cheap. I still want her to have some "edge" to her. I want her to make intelligent choices. Even though she gave up her baby; she is my hero.
Good premiere, did you recognize how similar Don's blind date was very childish and in some ways even acted like Betty (though that voice was annoying). I lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee that Peggy has become one of the boys, she was sitting on her desk all comfortable like and i am surprised how comfortably her and Pete are able to work side by side like equals. It is incredible funny and interesting how Don can't seem to flirt with a woman unless he is married. I understand maybe he is not ready to move on but he paid for sex? The date felt awkward and his come on to the girl when they were in the taxi did not seem smooth at all. What are the writers trying to say? sleeping and dating other women is no fun unless you have a wife waiting for you at home? I never liked Don cheating on Betty and i thought he would have more fun now that he is single. Well i guess that is some unsubtle commentary coming from sex-crazed Hollywood culture.moreless
I realized how much I've missed Don Draper. Great TV... Mad Men is off to a great season, I think.Oh, and, Stefanie, I think you're being unfair with season 3. Besides "Guy Walks...", there were other great episodes in it. The last 3-4 episodes, I think, were pure perfection. That's why I had high expectations for this episode, and it delivered.
I was all impressed by the season opener, can't wait for the next episode.