This season, the show’s treatment of Megan has been near-worshipful. Every shot of her at the office shows her at her typewriter, deep in thought, staring at her copy, always striving to make it better. This chick is so not eye-candy! Competitiveness is the ultimate upper-middle-class virtue, and Megan has it, in spades.
But what’s the deal with her quitting to go on stage? Is she an “artist,” or, as Joan says, a rich man’s wife, dabbling her way through life, cheering herself up with a shopping spree every time she loses a part, and perhaps, in a few years, taking on a protégé to pass the time? Weiner loves to wrong-foot, and occasionally no-foot, his audience, and he may be up to his old tricks once more.
And, also, what is the deal with making Don so supportive and understanding these days? For my money, the ultimate Don Draper moment came when Betty’s new husband demanded that Don come out to the house and pick up all his stuff. Don comes out, picks up all his stuff, and tosses it all in the nearest dumpster. The past, man? The past is shit. A man is a shark, always moving forward. The past is shit, the past is what you ate last week. A man worries about what he’s going to eat this week, not what he ate last week.
Special feature: Doin’ the Zou Bisou Bisou
Why did Megan go bisou bisou? Not, I think, for any plot reasons. Actors are generally performers, not just actors. They can sing and dance, but they generally don’t, because real show business is not much like Glee. But they appreciate the chance to do so, and Matt Weiner seems to enjoy indulging them. Megan’s little talent show is a lot like the snappy dance routine that Pete and Trudy Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser and Alison Brie) put on at Roger’s wedding. It’s almost like they were professional dancers! Which they kind of are.
