Mad Cap: "Collaborators"

Left to right: Linda Cardellini and Jessica Pare

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 6, Episodes 3

"Collaborators"

"Who the hell won the war?"

- Pete Campbell

Plot:

Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) is learning to treat her employees with respect. Meanwhile, Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) begins to have an affair at the house that Trudy Campbell (Allison Brie) let him have in town. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is also having an affair, though one that seems very much power based. Megan Draper (Jessica Pare) reveals that she had a miscarriage to Don and her friends when she felt it was interfering with her career. Trudy finds out about Pete's infidelities and decides to get a divorce. Don kisses up to a client in order to maintain their satisfaction much to Pete's chagrin. Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) gets visited by a man who flirts with her with hopes of getting some attention. There's also glimpses into Dick Whitman's back story in which he lived in a brothel as a young child. Don remains dismayed about what to do with his life.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Vincent Kartheiser

MVP:
Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser)

There's some points in the series where it seems like Pete is heading down the same path as Don. This is one of the more blatant examples. He may be more liberal with his approach to advertisements, but he still manages to have affairs and work with clients to get their money. It isn't necessarily an awful thing. However, when it all becomes clear when an intruder makes Trudy question Pete's motives for the house, things begin to go south for him. He has to deal with a lot of the same problems that Don and Betty faced in the first two seasons. Wherever he goes from here will be very interesting, as he seems like he is a less likable version of Don, but also has enough business sense to undermine him in the process.

Best Scene

What kind of woman is Megan Draper? Well, it seems like she is an overabundance of progressive confident who wants to make a difference in the world. Still, her brief pregnancy scare lead to an interesting road in which she sacrifices a child to forward her life. This is the first time that a major character has done this. Don has had this happen a few times and now to hear Megan drop the news to him that she doesn't want to have another child, things become very clear what type of woman she is. She chooses career over family, at least in the current moment. She seems like a perfect fit for Don. As tragic as the moment is, it is sandwiched between Don's promiscuous and Megan's fear of career failure. It is the perfect example of taking the easy way out to get what you need.

UP NEXT: "To Have and to Hold"