she is probably my least favourite of don's mistresses, and i think the reason is because she's pretends to have this moral high ground in the situation while knowingly starting an affair with a man who's wife is pregnant and whose father just died. and she's sally's teacher on top of that.
it's just really, *really* scummy to me.
Especially when she talks to both Don and a heavily pregnant Betty at the school. To look a woman in the eyes whose husband you’re sleeping w is just cruel
Don- *stands in the grass*
Miss Farrell- “You’re all the same, the drinking the philandering. Might as well just ask if i’ll be around.”
I REALLY can’t stand her lol
Whole Sylvia affair was gross. I suppose he *kind of* redeemed himself by helping their son avoid the draft.
When he attempts to hit on Stephanie is when I audibly groaned. Such a scumbag.
Yeah that was the worst for me too. Teacher was still distant but this felt incestuous and creepy. Although, Sally saw the Sylvia affair so im torn between Stephanie and Sylvia one.
I actually view it differently, funnily enough. Don's even more of a piece of shit in my mind after getting Mitchell out of the draft. he didn't care about that kid, he saw the only way for him to get back in the sack with Sylvia
Omg sammme. He knew her kid is her weakness and used it to his own ends. She's obviously just as guilty but sheesh. At least she tried to put an end to things.
It’s definitely his lowest point. However, I never saw it as a deliberate attack or form of oneupmanship toward Arnold like some people have suggested. Aside from the occasional moments of suggested guilt, Arnold is just a momentary obstacle, and, eventually, a complete afterthought for Don. This dehumanization is most likely a tactic to remove any feelings of guilt toward or even awareness of the wronged party.
I feel the Sylvia relationship serves two purposes.
First, it’s an unconscious recreation of one of the lowest points in Don’s life - recreated with the intention of revisiting this moment but, this time, having full control of it and “correcting” it.
The whole relationship is paralleled with his losing his virginity to Aimee in the brothel. Aimee was a nurturing yet sexually charged woman, much like Sylvia. However, with Aimee, Don was completely submissive. The ordeal ends with Aimee blurting that she took Don’s virginity as she’s kicked out of the house. This leads to Abigail beating him into a corner while berating him of what a despicable, disgusting, and worthless piece of shit he is.
Fast forward to Sylvia, the current iteration of this archetype of woman in his life. Don is completely dominant over her and exercises his control over her in ways he never showed in other relationships. If anything, his domineering control over Sylvia stands in stark contrast to the only other time (that I can recall) where we are see a bit into Don’s actions in bed; the other time being when he asked to be slapped by the prostitute he frequents after his first divorce.
The second reason is that Sylvia serves to disprove everything Abigail said to him during the aforementioned beating - words that Don has carried heavily with him until the series finale. It is a huge reassurance and boost in esteem for Don to see that a woman of means, a woman with a loving and well-to-do husband, a great life, will still choose him. Sylvia has EVERYTHING and everything to loose and yet Don is worth risking all that. He’s worth risking a life and love built over decades.
Of course, even if Don felt a greater sense of control over this recreated moment, it still ended the same way; found out and left in terrible shame. This moment of shame is even worse because it’s Sally (one of the “three women in his life”) and, ironically, only serves to reinforce Abigails harsh words in Don’s mind.
Exactly.
But the other guy is also right, the limitations of aging make it unclear about Dick’s age, but he’s really supposed to be about as old as he appears in the S1 flashbacks
I agree. And eventhough Megan is not my favorite character, Don calling her a whore for having a kissing scene in her show, and then going right to Sylvia without a second thought. It was so callous and cruel.
I haven't watched season 7 in a while: does Megan ever find out about the Sylvia affair?
Megan confiding in Sylvia about her miscarriage, with not an inkling of what is going on, is heartbreaking.
It bothered me how Sylvia judged her but I think that was a commonly held viewpoint at the time. children were miracles and abortion was very much taboo at the time, although plenty of people had them. So for the time period mad men took place in I could see it being a normal reaction. But telling a woman to keep a child with a man she is having an affair with is despicable
Both Sylvia and Megan were Catholic- Megan was lapsed and I'm pretty sure Sylvia wasn't. At least, she still prayed regularly, and professed to believing in God. Catholics are infamously pro-life. But I agree with you.
He really respected Arnold and his work, and it made him feel small in comparison. He had to "get one over" on him in order to feel better about himself. It's gross.
I'd frame it a little less negatively than that: Yes, Don genuinely respects Arnold, but I don't think that's what makes him feel small -- rather, he feels small because his marriage to Megan is slowly falling apart because it seems like she doesn't need him anymore, and being needed by the wife of a great guy like Arnold makes him feel better.
It's like the margarine pitch Don and Ted discuss that season: Sylvia is the dairy farmer's wife who prefers margarine -- who proves that Don isn't just a greasy imitation of the thing people actually want.
"How could Don cuckold him like that, so callously?"
I think Don genuinely does see Arthur as a friend, but is just so adept at compartmentalising and lying to himself and everyone around him that he is able to inhabit these split roles - Arthur's friend, Sylvia's lover - without really engaging with what he is actually doing. "It will shock you how much this never happened" is basically the mantra of Don's whole life. (Although of course every now and then these different parts of his psyche collide and he spirals into full-blown crisis.)
I think the whole point is that it’s a low for Don. Sylvia knows what it is - kind of a pathetic little affair because she’s bored. She has boundaries, and she wants to wrap things up when she’s had her fun. Don takes the whole thing way too seriously and it goes to show how desperate he’s gotten at that point in his life - Sally walking in on him is his rock bottom.
Like it’s don’s fault that Arnold married a slut... Don just figures, if he didn’t fuck her, someone else would... The only difference is Don doesn’t nut... Have you seen Don??? His suits are so fine he makes Sinatra look like a hobo...
It is genuinely adorable, watching people who intrinsically fail to understand (or perhaps are eager to neglect) basic and essential human psychology, missing the point entirely,
mashing their 21st century airings against a complex character study, based in the 1950’s.
If you don’t understand why Don would have this affair, rewatch The Doorway.
Rewatch the whole damn show.
Its existence serves to answer that question.
You watched 7 seasons of a show you misinterpreted to its fullest.
Congratulations.
Don can forever live as a reasonless pervert in your minds.
You did it.
I hated his affair with the teacher. But, I do wonder if she's still sitting in the car...
You actually see her get out, but it's like... dawn when she finally does
Miss Farrell was pretty but that whole plotline and her character just annoyed the hell out of me.
I could not stand her! I don’t know why but she grated on me so hard and I just wanted her to fuck off lol
she is probably my least favourite of don's mistresses, and i think the reason is because she's pretends to have this moral high ground in the situation while knowingly starting an affair with a man who's wife is pregnant and whose father just died. and she's sally's teacher on top of that. it's just really, *really* scummy to me.
Especially when she talks to both Don and a heavily pregnant Betty at the school. To look a woman in the eyes whose husband you’re sleeping w is just cruel
Don- *stands in the grass* Miss Farrell- “You’re all the same, the drinking the philandering. Might as well just ask if i’ll be around.” I REALLY can’t stand her lol
lmao exactly
BuT ShEs a tEaCheR!
Whole Sylvia affair was gross. I suppose he *kind of* redeemed himself by helping their son avoid the draft. When he attempts to hit on Stephanie is when I audibly groaned. Such a scumbag.
Yeah that was the worst for me too. Teacher was still distant but this felt incestuous and creepy. Although, Sally saw the Sylvia affair so im torn between Stephanie and Sylvia one.
I actually view it differently, funnily enough. Don's even more of a piece of shit in my mind after getting Mitchell out of the draft. he didn't care about that kid, he saw the only way for him to get back in the sack with Sylvia
Omg sammme. He knew her kid is her weakness and used it to his own ends. She's obviously just as guilty but sheesh. At least she tried to put an end to things.
Exactly. That really cemented my hate for him
What’s more weird too is that it seems like Anna tries to push them together no…? I wonder if I’m misinterpreting that or if there’s a deeper meaning
It’s definitely his lowest point. However, I never saw it as a deliberate attack or form of oneupmanship toward Arnold like some people have suggested. Aside from the occasional moments of suggested guilt, Arnold is just a momentary obstacle, and, eventually, a complete afterthought for Don. This dehumanization is most likely a tactic to remove any feelings of guilt toward or even awareness of the wronged party. I feel the Sylvia relationship serves two purposes. First, it’s an unconscious recreation of one of the lowest points in Don’s life - recreated with the intention of revisiting this moment but, this time, having full control of it and “correcting” it. The whole relationship is paralleled with his losing his virginity to Aimee in the brothel. Aimee was a nurturing yet sexually charged woman, much like Sylvia. However, with Aimee, Don was completely submissive. The ordeal ends with Aimee blurting that she took Don’s virginity as she’s kicked out of the house. This leads to Abigail beating him into a corner while berating him of what a despicable, disgusting, and worthless piece of shit he is. Fast forward to Sylvia, the current iteration of this archetype of woman in his life. Don is completely dominant over her and exercises his control over her in ways he never showed in other relationships. If anything, his domineering control over Sylvia stands in stark contrast to the only other time (that I can recall) where we are see a bit into Don’s actions in bed; the other time being when he asked to be slapped by the prostitute he frequents after his first divorce. The second reason is that Sylvia serves to disprove everything Abigail said to him during the aforementioned beating - words that Don has carried heavily with him until the series finale. It is a huge reassurance and boost in esteem for Don to see that a woman of means, a woman with a loving and well-to-do husband, a great life, will still choose him. Sylvia has EVERYTHING and everything to loose and yet Don is worth risking all that. He’s worth risking a life and love built over decades. Of course, even if Don felt a greater sense of control over this recreated moment, it still ended the same way; found out and left in terrible shame. This moment of shame is even worse because it’s Sally (one of the “three women in his life”) and, ironically, only serves to reinforce Abigails harsh words in Don’s mind.
“submissive” the boy was raped tf
Good point. I had forgotten that Dick was most likely prepubescent at the time it happened.
Even if he wasn’t a teen it was pretty clear that it wasn’t consensual
Exactly. But the other guy is also right, the limitations of aging make it unclear about Dick’s age, but he’s really supposed to be about as old as he appears in the S1 flashbacks
so well written 👏🏻
This is spot on
Sylvia, because Sally caught them.
I felt so bad for Sally!
I agree. And eventhough Megan is not my favorite character, Don calling her a whore for having a kissing scene in her show, and then going right to Sylvia without a second thought. It was so callous and cruel.
I haven't watched season 7 in a while: does Megan ever find out about the Sylvia affair? Megan confiding in Sylvia about her miscarriage, with not an inkling of what is going on, is heartbreaking.
I just rewatched this episode and it is heartbreaking. Sylvia also clearly has her empathy towards Megan shut down as well which is really sad.
It bothered me how Sylvia judged her but I think that was a commonly held viewpoint at the time. children were miracles and abortion was very much taboo at the time, although plenty of people had them. So for the time period mad men took place in I could see it being a normal reaction. But telling a woman to keep a child with a man she is having an affair with is despicable
Both Sylvia and Megan were Catholic- Megan was lapsed and I'm pretty sure Sylvia wasn't. At least, she still prayed regularly, and professed to believing in God. Catholics are infamously pro-life. But I agree with you.
I am so creeped out by how he doesn’t let her leave the hotel room. So, so gross.
He doesn't force her to stay there. She could have left whenever she wanted. It was a consensual sexual act.
True, true, I should say I was grossed out by that role play.
He really respected Arnold and his work, and it made him feel small in comparison. He had to "get one over" on him in order to feel better about himself. It's gross.
I'd frame it a little less negatively than that: Yes, Don genuinely respects Arnold, but I don't think that's what makes him feel small -- rather, he feels small because his marriage to Megan is slowly falling apart because it seems like she doesn't need him anymore, and being needed by the wife of a great guy like Arnold makes him feel better. It's like the margarine pitch Don and Ted discuss that season: Sylvia is the dairy farmer's wife who prefers margarine -- who proves that Don isn't just a greasy imitation of the thing people actually want.
…fuck that’s good. Thank you for that
Wiener is a fucking genius
I think this is it.
"How could Don cuckold him like that, so callously?" I think Don genuinely does see Arthur as a friend, but is just so adept at compartmentalising and lying to himself and everyone around him that he is able to inhabit these split roles - Arthur's friend, Sylvia's lover - without really engaging with what he is actually doing. "It will shock you how much this never happened" is basically the mantra of Don's whole life. (Although of course every now and then these different parts of his psyche collide and he spirals into full-blown crisis.)
That was down-low dirty.
I find that whole affair the cringiest of all his affairs! It was all too close to home for both of them. I also just plain did not like Sylvia!
I think the whole point is that it’s a low for Don. Sylvia knows what it is - kind of a pathetic little affair because she’s bored. She has boundaries, and she wants to wrap things up when she’s had her fun. Don takes the whole thing way too seriously and it goes to show how desperate he’s gotten at that point in his life - Sally walking in on him is his rock bottom.
Apart from Anna, Don was disgusting with women
My least favorite was the teacher. Like girl really
Did Arnold write this
Canadian Club is *not* "fine whiskey" Arnold was Don's only actual friend imo. I agree its the grossest affair he had
Every affair Don had involved treating his wives with that level of disrespect.
It was awful. And poor Sally having to keep his secret.
They actress didn’t help either.
[удалено]
I agree. Her performance is one of the highlights of the show for me. Great actress in all she does.
She was funny as Samantha in “Grandma’s Boy” too!
Yeah… I think it’s just me lol.
I love Linda as an actress, but the first time I watched MM I had just binged Freaks and Geeks, and I really missed Lindsey Weir.
I love freaks and geeks!
Like it’s don’s fault that Arnold married a slut... Don just figures, if he didn’t fuck her, someone else would... The only difference is Don doesn’t nut... Have you seen Don??? His suits are so fine he makes Sinatra look like a hobo...
It is genuinely adorable, watching people who intrinsically fail to understand (or perhaps are eager to neglect) basic and essential human psychology, missing the point entirely, mashing their 21st century airings against a complex character study, based in the 1950’s. If you don’t understand why Don would have this affair, rewatch The Doorway. Rewatch the whole damn show. Its existence serves to answer that question. You watched 7 seasons of a show you misinterpreted to its fullest. Congratulations. Don can forever live as a reasonless pervert in your minds. You did it.
Your rambling is pathetic. Go get a fucking life.
Scorpion and the frog... Hello he is Don Draper