Mad Cap: "The Inheritance"

Left to right: Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, and Michael Gladis

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 10
"The Inheritance"

"We're not related by blood and you love me."

- Trudy Campbell (Alison Brie)

Plot:

Betty Draper (January Jones) has Don Draper (Jon Hamm) come over to her parents house for a get together. Betty becomes worried when her father is starting to have memory issues. Don tries to patch things up with Betty, but she refuses to give into his smooth ways. Meanwhile, Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis) and Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) are set to visit Los Angeles for a Rockets Convention. This keeps Paul from having to deal with his black girlfriend Viola's (Aloma Wright) protest march in the south. It also keeps Pete from focusing on his family issues which involves his mother not giving him a share of the inheritance because of his desire to adopt a baby with Trudy Campbell (Alison Brie). Frustrated with his life, Don decides to go to Los Angeles, which kicks Paul off of the list. Paul ends up going with Viola to her protest. Betty spends an afternoon with Glen Bishop (Marten Holden Weiner), who she realizes is very lonely. She defends his amorous and sometimes rude behavior to his mother and the circle continues. Also, with Jane Siegel fired, Don has Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) as his secretary. The episode ends with Don and Pete on a plane heading to Los Angeles.

Rating: 4 out of 5

January Jones

MVP:

Betty Draper (January Jones)

A lot of the moments in this season, especially with the failing Draper marriage, have been focused on Don. In this episode, things get mixed up and Betty is set in charge of showing her side. Things become tragic when her father becomes yet another man in her life to not care much for her, though for different reasons. In an episode all about getting respect from the people who are supposed to love you, there's a lot of disappointment to be had for Betty. She is on her own, forced to take care of kids and find ways to handle her new found single mother responsibilities. She captures the essence when she babysits Glen, realizing that he's fragile and in need of attention. Betty could probably use some love after this episode as well. It isn't that she got hurt in any major way. She simply chose to not fall back into a toxic trap. Great for her, though with nobody getting the respect they deserve, it is quite an episode of disappointing returns. Even Don skips town for a business meeting in order to get out of his rut.

Left to right: Martin Holden Weiner and Jones

Best Scene

It is hard to be sympathetic for Don and his promiscuous ways. He may be cool and a compelling character, but it seems like he's out to ruin a lot of people's lives. With Betty trying to escape that net, she runs into Glen in her backyard. From there, she gets something that she hasn't had in awhile. She hasn't gotten attention and affection from those that are supposed to. Don tries to, but he is more trying to maintain an image for his job than out for actual love. Betty sought the attention of Glen in order to feel needed and thus found some sincere connections with a child who has been a rather creepy, secondary character prior. Sure, they don't do much, but the silent hand holding speaks volumes and paves the way for the conflicts and sadness that Betty is feeling and too repressed to share them with anyone.

UP NEXT: "The Jet Set"