Mad Cap: "Three Sundays"

Welcome to Mad Cap: a daily rundown of every episode of the acclaimed AMC series Mad Men. During this time, I will be compiling my thoughts and highlights as we travel through every moment and season of the Emmy-award winning drama that has come to define modern TV. The goal is to be a refresher on every moment for Don Draper and his band of advertisement executives leading up to the final season. Stay for all of the shocking moments and the brilliant acting performances, and make sure to chime in with your thoughts and criticisms on why the show means something to you.

Season 2, Episode 4
"Three Sundays"

"We hired them to bring in new 

business, not lose old business"

- Don Draper (Jon Hamm)

Plot:

As Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) gets used to going to church, she befriends Father Gill (Colin Hanks), who wants her help with the sermon. Meanwhile, the other Olsen residents become jealous of her as she misses their dinner with Gill and causes one to confess her jealousy. After enjoying the weekend with family, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is called into work. However, this is in the midst of a crisis that sees Betty Draper (January Jones) have to take Robert Draper (Aaron Hart) to the hospital, leaving Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka) in Don's control. Don concludes any intimate issues with Bobbie Barrett (Melinda McGraw). Roger Sterling (John Slattery) is at dinner with his daughter (Talia Balsam) and her fiance, desperate to spend more time with her before leaving.. Herman "Duck" Philips (Mark Moses) calls Don into the office in regards to the airplane client, who is coming early. Sally wanders around the office, noticing everyone's habits. The treatment doesn't go well and everyone's weekend feels wasted. Don returns home, angry about everything to Betty's nagging cries. They both have their sympathetic fight. Don ends up talking to Robert about how his father wasn't the greatest and that he has an anger problem because of his abusive father. Don tries to coax things out with Betty, but there's a sense of tension.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Left to right: Kiernan Shipka and Michael Gladis

MVP:

Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka)

While there are a lot of great plot beats in this story, it does feel like the kids stole the show in this episode. Being forced to deal with the adults in this universe, they bring a sense of innocence to the atmosphere that exploits their curiosities. Sally wins solely because she manages to make a visit to the office into a funny exposition on why the children deserve more screen time beyond typical kids having fun. While the kids haven't been terrible on the series to date, there is a feeling like there should be more story there to counterattack the darker story of Don and Betty's failing marriage. In fact, this episode makes a strong case for why this should have been relevant at points leading up to this. Sally wins because she has the best lines of the episode and somehow coexists in a world that doesn't necessarily want her to be there.

Jon Hamm

Best Scene

Okay, Don, tell us how you really feel. After several episodes that have dissected the man's myth and his dedication to hard work, this episode finally sees him snap. Not on Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) or anyone at the office, but his own wife. Robert has been a pest all day and his frustrations with life cannot stop him from hurling a toy into the wall only to be smashed into a million pieces. Then he yells at Betty, who are both frustrated that they have such complicated lives. However, the moment that works the best is that Robert, vulnerable, opens up to Don about his apologies and desire to be forgiven for his sins. Don ends up consoling him and claiming that "Daddies get mad." It's as simple as that. It wasn't Robert's fault. He was just an arbitrary catalyst. It is a heartfelt moment that balances out the Sally story line and ties in nicely with the Peggy's religious story, which ends with recognizing the little children. If nothing else, this is an episode to remember the little people that look up to you. As important as Don's work in this episode was, it wouldn't work without Sally or Robert.

UP NEXT: "The New Girl"