Mad Cap: "Favors"

Jon Hamm
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 11
"Favors"


"He can't spend the rest of his life on the run."
- Don Draper (Jon Hamm)

Plot:

Pete Campbell's (Vincent Kartheiser) mother stops by and mistakes Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) for Tudy. As a result, she opens up to her about her relationship with her gay therapist. Peggy tells Pete and things go from there. Further into Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Sylvia Rosen's (Linda Cardellini) affair, she reveals that she has a son who could be drafted. She seeks Don to talk to somebody to fix this. He does. Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm) has trouble with his family and getting respect from his peers. Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka) hangs out with her friends and finds out by accident about her father's affair. Pete talks to Bob Benson (James Wolk) about his friend and when he reveals that gays aren't that bad, Pete reconsiders his thoughts. Don tries to cover up his affair with Sylvia in a conversation with his daughter. Peggy tries to get rid of a mouse and seeks help from her boyfriend, who also has another relationship going on. 


Rating: 4 out of 5

MVP:
Don Draper (Jon Hamm)

Always trust a man with power. Don is called upon to be a hero for Sylvia in a way that many will find baffling, but he does because he loves her. He wants her to be able to have a long and lasting relationship with her son. Plain and simple. He is smooth and knows how to get his way. The only flaw is that Sally doesn't believe him anymore. She saw the affair going on and bolted away. Her faith is ruined and things are only going to get more complicated between the two. However, Don's hold on his daughter lasts for most of the episode, only being briefly shattered towards the end. While this could be a side effect from the fact that he has seemed burned out on his life lately, it also just comes as a sign that he has given up on having his secret identity be so secret. He used to have great reasons for his small mistakes. What does he have now? That's a really good question.

Kiernan Shipka
Best Scene

It isn't the flashiest of scenes in this understated episode. However, in a moment where Don is celebrating a victory, he finds a new thing to overcome: his daughter's knowledge of the affair. While she has come to accept Megan Draper (Jessica Pare) as his new wife, there's little to believe that she accepts Sylvia as a new spouse. The incident itself is very bizarre and one that would rattle any child's world. Followed by the dinner incident in the next scene, the world of Sally Draper has officially been rattled in an uncomfortable way. There's uncertainty of how things will go from here. However, it is heartbreaking to see her lose faith in her father, who was the only person she supported to begin with. What's poor Sally going to do now?



UP NEXT: "The Quality of Mercy"

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