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 7, Episode 6
"The Strategy"
"Does this family exist anymore? Are there
people who eat dinner and smile at each
other without watching TV?"
- Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss)
Plot:
Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) is beginning to worry about her Burger Chef client, as she can't find a great angle for the commercial. She wants to deal with family. She consults Don Draper (Jon Hamm) who helps her out. Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) discovers that Trudy Campbell (Allison Brie) doesn't love him anymore and doesn't want him around, even for the child's sake. Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) is becoming lonely and Bob Benson (James Wolk) tries to console her and become a potential lover. It doesn't work out, as she thinks that Bob makes a better friend. Don and Peggy talk about their vulnerabilities before deciding to make the ad not about mothers, but about families. When Bob informs people of a potential car client, the level of trust begins to change. Also, Harry Crane becomes a partner despite Roger Sterling's (John Slattery) disapproval.
Rating: 5 out of 5
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| Elisabeth Moss |
MVP:
Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss)
It is an episode all about the power of family. For Peggy, that is trying to understand not only the roles, but how they work as a dynamic. A mother doesn't work alone and instead needs children and a purpose in order to have full value. Likewise, she has become a mother of a frustrating project that is taking its sweet time to get off of the ground. She wonders how she can make it work and with help from Don, things begin to make sense. She ties together a strange family of advertisers who want to make others happy. It is crazy, but helps to paint a nice portrait of how despite different backgrounds and beliefs, they can get together and enjoy time together as one unified source.
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| Left to right: Moss and Jon Hamm |
Best Scene
It is a scene that has played out before. A frustrated advertiser trying to make their product work. Peggy is starting to give up on her plan and turns to Don for help. In a scene that mirrors "The Suitcase," she seeks advice while diving into something deeper. Don is a frustrated individual who seems to be growing more hollow as time goes on. Still, he encourages her to follow her own path and get things done as effectively as she can. This results with the two dancing to Frank Sinatra's "My Way." The moment is simple yet beautiful and makes sense of why they have been unified forces for most of the show. They need each other to survive and each provide something very special to a bigger equation of success. It is best symbolized in the dance scene.
UP NEXT: "Waterloo"
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