Season 5! My favorite season of Mad Men! This was the season for which viewers waited nearly 2 years as contracts were negotiated. Though I hated waiting for so long, it ended up being worth my patience. There are so many great storylines and moments in this season. A couple standouts: Megan's "Zou Bisou Bisou", Betty's cancer scare and weight issues, Lane's issue with back taxes and (spoiler alert!) eventual suicide, and Joan's divorce. Don also tells Sally the truth about his identity, past, and Anna. It's a great season that at the same time furthers the developments of the characters and continues to draw them together in interesting ways. My favorite episode from the season features humongous development for two of my favorite characters.
Episode 11: "The Other Woman"
Joan, Joan, Joan. This was a rough season for Joan. A quick word about her divorce before getting into the episode proper: it's already been well established that Greg sucks. He treats his wife poorly and lies to her. Typical Don Draper stuff, right? But it reaches a whole new level when he commits to a second tour of duty in Vietnam before even coming home from the first. And before consulting with Joan about this choice. This leaves her feeling abandoned with an infant and leads to their divorce, which Greg serves. I will point out- Joan isn't completely innocent in their relationship. After all, the son she is raising is actually Roger's child and Greg is none the wiser. Maybe this is karma?
This episode is the worst of the worst for Joan. A bigwig at Jaguar named Herb (the most appropriate name for a perv) tells Pete and Ken in no uncertain terms that SCDP will lose Jaguar's business unless they can arrange a night for him with Joan. Rightfully, Joan is completely disgusted and offended by the proposal. After a series of arguments and negotiations, Lane uses financial stability for her and her son as a way to convince her to do the deed in exchange for a 5% partnership in the company. He's also looking to increase the financial gains of SCDP in order to deal with his tax problems. And just like that, Joan is literally whored out for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Her evening with Herb seems like a nightmare. He's every bit as gross as you might imagine he'd be.
Don arrives at her apartment to convince her not to go through with it. He's easily the most stand-up and respectable he's ever been as he says he cares more about her than the business. He doesn't want to do business with people that terrible and she shouldn't want to either. Joan is touched by Don's integrity and thanks him for being "one of the good ones", but neglects to tell him she's already slept with Herb. It's so touching to see Don caring for someone so much, as he has a tendency to be incredibly selfish. He's rightfully surprised and disappointed when Joan enters the office for the partners meeting the next morning; he knows that Joan degraded herself. And she does, too. Although it was ultimately her decision to accept the proposal, she was bamboozled by a man to accept the deal. Lane tricked her into thinking he was helping her when he really was trying to help himself. Men in the 1960's, am I right?
What little was left of Joan's dignity is destroyed and her character extremely degraded. The sex appeal she once used smartly as a great asset to both her professional and personal lives has become a currency. It's sad. It's sad because at the same time it both is and is not her fault.
Also in this episode is great development for Peggy. She spends this entire episode basically doing Don's job for him while he deals with all matters concerning Jaguar. Even though Don leaves her "in charge" he steamrolls all of her ideas and insults her work. Oh yeah, and he throws a fistfull of money in her face when she points out he's treating her unfairly. Up until now, Peggy has been willing to take Don's mistreatment because he was instrumental in career development and also helped dig her out the hole she was in after giving birth. All of that seems to have worn off, though. She takes a meeting with Ted Chaough from CGC and accepts a job with his agency. The scene where she tells Don that she's leaving for another agency is just as heartbreaking as watching Joan lose her integrity earlier in the episode. Fortunately, it leaves the viewer with a better feeling. Although Peggy was angry at Don's treatment earlier, she understands that none of this would have been possible had he not taken a chance on her way back when. Don is understandably sad about her departure and does try to counteroffer with a larger salary. Ultimately, they both understand that this isn't personal. It's a sad, but touching goodbye for them.
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What are your favorite moments from this season? Do you think it's the best one? See you next week for Season 6!
Arugalater!
Laura
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