While the entire "Mad Men" series focuses largely on the ever-complicated world of Don Draper and the many colorful characters therein, Sunday's episode centered nearly exclusively on our protagonist, chief antagonist to himself, as he continues his search for new meaning and stability in the wake of divorce and career renewal. There were infrequent streaks of levity in the episode, mixed with further loss for the man now living in the bed he's spent three seasons making for himself.
What appears to be a transitional installment is, under the layers, rife with meaning and narrative progress, despite the limited range of characters involved. A startling power shift comes full circle in delicious karma as Joan requests extra time off to spend with Greg, who has hospital duty over the break, and is flabbergasted when Lane Pryce denies her. "I understand that all men are dizzy and powerless to refuse you," Lane says," but consider me the incorruptible exception." Adding, "Don't go and cry about it."
Joan leaves, diminished and incredulous, but returns to fire when she brutally axes the secretary whose error resulted in her receiving a bouquet of "I'm sorry" flowers intended for Lane's wife. The wife got the "Forgive me Joan" note with her flowers, which we learn is the final straw in the Englishman's long-struggling marriage.
Joan's in a struggling situation herself, desperately worried that her husband will be shipped off to Vietnam any day and concerned that her two previous abortions may have affected her childbearing abilities. It's a rare moment of vulnerability we're able to savor when she breaks down in tears as Greg is stitching a small hand wound. The stoically beautiful and razor-sharp Joan, hiding a frantic desire to get pregnant before her husband leaves on what's surely a suicide mission, is full of a color and gravitas we're only able to glimpse in most episodes. Here's hoping another season won't pass before she gets a full front-burner story arc.
Taking leave of Madison Avenue for half the episode, Don returns to California on what's expected to be a 24 hour layover before vacationing solo in Acapulco for the New Year. Yet he never makes it to tropicalia, his plans derailed upon learning of his dear friend Anna's terminal cancer diagnosis - which her family is keeping a secret from her so she can enjoy her final days.
“I know everything about you, and I still love you’” she takes his hand and tells him as he paints her living room in his boxers. Don's appreciation for her unconditional love is expressed with a genuinely sweet, uncharacteristic gesture— he signs “Dick + Anna ‘64” on her wall. It seems likely that her condition is the way the Dick part of the story is being put to bed, and Don's barely-held composure as he said goodbye lends weight to that theory.
The importance of Anna's diagnosis can't be overstated, as she was his one sanctuary of truth, the one place he could truly be himself - even in name. The diagnostic discovery is devastating to Don, who knows full well the value of what's possibly the only woman he's ever been fully truthful with. This makes it all the more difficult not to break the news to her - so troubling, in fact, that Don winds up leaving prematurely despite his earlier decision to prolong his stay. His expression of listless contemplation of the complimentary party hat on his return flight speaks volumes.
This brings us back to New York on New Year's Day, where a restless and lonely Don decides to play cheer savior to Lane - who has no home to return to for the holidays after the send-off from his wife. Cooped up in the stuffy office while the rest of the world enjoys their hangovers, Don tempts Lane off to a full-throttle night on the town. A drunken trip to the cinema moves on to a restaurant, where the newly-untethered Lane comes appropriately unhinged. After all, he's been a married man for time untold, and the English nobility is wearing thin on such an informal, off-schedule evening - even for him.
So, to our surprised laughter, Lane turns a steak into a belt buckle and drunkenly heckles a bad stand-up comic before Don - ever the connected man - makes a call and arranges for two classy escorts ($25 apiece... high end prices in the '60s!) to meet them. Lane awkwardly fumbles as he contemplates the official leap into singlehood he's about to take, and as the sorority-girl hooker steels herself for the upcoming minutes on the clock we find ourselves actually caring about this man we've previously only enjoyed watch used as a punching bag or, at best, necessary annoyance in the office.
The new layers we peel back on Lane deeper our immersion into the lush character world of "Mad Men," allowing for a greater sense of membership in such a comprehensively convincing - and captivating - production.
Check out a review of last week's episode, 'Thank You For Bringing My Keys'.
