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| Left to right: Christina Hendricks and John Slattery |
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 4, Episode 5
"The Chrysanthemum and the Sword"
"The man is shamed by being openly ridiculed
and rejected; it requires an audience."
- Don Draper (Jon Hamm)
Plot:
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is about to deal with a Japanese client which sends Roger Sterling (John Slattery) into a xenophobic outrage. He hates the Japanese after fighting them during World War II and doesn't want anything to do with them. Meanwhile, Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka) is considered a pest for cutting her hair and "playing with herself" at a friend's house. This leads Betty Francis (January Jones) to consider getting her a therapist. Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) is getting cocky and believes that he can save the Japanese client after Sterling botched the deal. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) decides to cut their deal short when he realizes that it won't work. Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) is growing worried about her husband, who is set to go off to war very soon. Betty gets a therapist, though is told that it would be a great idea if she went to one herself, as Sally's defiance could be a sign of desperation after her grandfather died and her parents divorced. Don continues to see other women and is concerned about his kids.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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| Kiernan Shipka |
MVP:
Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka)
While one could probably give up hope on Bobby Draper (Jared Gilmore) being an interesting character, Sally is continually upping the ante. With her parents' divorce and mediocre thoughts on Henry Francis (Christopher Stanley), she has become a rebel of sorts by trying to carve her own personality. It started simple with hair and slowly moved to masturbation (well, an innocent form of it). Is she misunderstood in her actions? Sure. However, Sally's reaction to her parents over the past few seasons have been part of the show's best moments. Here's hoping that in the midst of a new found psychiatrist that we'll get an even more engrossing, unique portrait of the daughter born of a myth and a model.
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| Left to right: Christopher Stanley and January Jones |
Best Scene
How do you know when your daughter needs therapy? Well, it comes pretty obviously in this episode when Don, Henry, and Betty butt heads after Sally is caught "playing with herself" at a friend's house. The action seems barbaric and Betty admits to considering doing it herself. However, the differing views show that despite Don being very much a polygamist, Betty is hung onto the idea that she is better because she has one suitor: Henry. It isn't about the kid, it's about who loves who and who has the moral high ground. In the end, it seems like both are equally flawed individuals and thus leave question on if Sally wasn't messed up because nobody paid attention to her when she was normal. It sure seems like it.
UP NEXT: "Waldorf Stories"
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