What I’m Watching: Mad Men

Mad Men: Season 3, Episode 11 “The Gypsy and the Hobo” (B+)

It’s hard to believe that Don actually responded to Betty’s questioning and came clean with everything. His tearful recounting of his past brings to mind the notion of it being difficult to see a grown man cry. Don is one of the toughest TV characters out there today, and to see him so visibly ripped apart after he moseys into the office day after day and takes out his rage on his co-workers while venting other frustrations with his many mistresses is pretty humbling. Betty obviously isn’t pleased, but she should at least be somewhat satisfied that she got the secretive man to divulge so much to her. Don’s breakup with Miss Farrell is reminiscent of Don’s first attempt to really try and make his marriage with Betty work, though look at how well that turned out. Another couple that’s trying to move on despite some rough patches is Joan and Greg, whose statement that she doesn’t know what it’s like to work so hard for something and lose it all causes her too to really break down and lose it for the first time on this show. Don and Joan really are the staples of togetherness and putting on an act in this series, and to see both of them reduced to so little at the same time is staggering. Roger’s jealousy serves well to remind that he is still an active character on this show capable of oozing more than just laziness and superiority. It’s also a good way of keeping Sterling-Cooper involved in an episode that’s really not office-centric.