Interesting to read a perspective that is sad about Betty. I, personally, am so glad to see Betty do ANYTHING real. I'm no fan of hers at all, as I find her to be a spoiled, bored, petulant child who doesn't know what she wants, except that she wants it now.

And this boyfriend of hers (if that's what you can call stringing him along like a big pouty tease with no payoff) is about to get pulled into the insane "Betty trap". I've been laughing that this poor sucker got snared, and Don should be glad to wash his hands of Her Highness.

If Betty's taking a stand and showing a little character, then I say good for her! Write her out for a little while. Let her grow up. Don could use a little growing up too, as his act is getting old.

BTW, has anyone else noticed how THIN Don's looking lately?

DO you think that's on purpose, or do you think the actor's gone too far?

Because Don is not looking like the square-jawed master of his domain that he used to resemble.

I have been a huge Betty apologist this year. She's a spoiled princess and he's a self-absorbed asshole, but I still like both of them, you know? I thought this was a good season for understanding her, and January Jones has been outstanding.

However, she completely broke my heart when she broke Don's heart. I guess it's like Pete's line, "for a minute there it seemed like things were really going to change." They had this great opportunity to re-calibrate their entire relationship, and I think Don and I both thought it was working, and then suddenly she's fantasizing about running off with some guy she's barely even talked to? Don had his little California adventure and came home afterwards, maybe Betty deserves hers. It was just so sad that it was exactly the thing he was most afraid of - she found out who he was, and she didn't love him anymore. Sigh.

Don & Betty's "I don't love you anymore" conversation reminds me of something Don said in the 2nd episode of this season: "If you don't like what's being said, change the conversation." Don tries to diffuse the situation but can't; his business savvy doesn't translate into the real world.

It was heartbreaking to watch Don and Bets, but they had to go there. This is the second to last episode. The writers couldn't wrap it up all neatly with Don and Bets all happy and adjusted to their new life. This seasons' promos with Don being surrounded by rising water were spot on. The finale is prolly going to be awesome, and the cliff-hanger(s) will be drool-worthy. I both love and hate that the next episode will be the last for this season.

Hey in my anti-Betty rant above I almost forgot to mention how much I really am starting to like Pete and his wife! I mean, even as a sniveling rapist, he's one of the most stable people on the show right now.

I just have three major requests for the new season:

More Joan!
More Peggy!
More Pete!

(although if Betty got crushed by a falling safe, that's be pretty alright too...)

Loula, how can Don seriously expect that three weeks of good behavior is going to make up for a lifetime of lies? Betty says she doesn't love him because that is, as you mentioned, what is going to hurt him the most. But, let's also be clear: he didn't reveal his truth out of a sense of honesty, guilt, or respect for Betty; he admitted to his lie FINALLY because he was caught. Betty is making him pay emotionally and make him feel as empty as she has felt over the past three seasons. I feel like Betty should be doing more to grind him into dirt. I'm interested to see what understanding these two come to by the end of the season on Sunday. Thanks for a season of well-written, thoughtful episode reviews.

I know, I know, it's silly. He deserves it. I guess it's two things - one, I'm mad at the show for making me think everything was okay - I wish they hadn't shown them smiling at each other and being a family and all that. And two, the secret ended up being so freaking sad! It wasn't really a secret wife, it was an identity he needed to keep hidden if he wanted to keep his life, including/especially her. He thought she wouldn't love him if she knew, and now it turns out he was right. If she'd found out about the teacher, I'd probably feel differently, but since what she's mad about is that he never told her he was a poor kid whose mom was a dead whore, etc., that's why it's so sad for me. I guess. But mostly because they tricked me, dammit!

It's not like either of them are innocent victims. I just don't want the marriage to end for some reason. Especially not because of Dick Whitman.

Loula -

I just wanted to drop a quick comment to say THANK YOU for recapping Mad Men this season. I love this show so much and I am thrilled that you seem to love it as well and pay so much attention to the little details which I think are the best parts. (frankly, I'd also like to thank AMC for putting a thought-provoking, original, complex show on television!)

I am so beyond perplexed about Betty/Don! One second I think they should work it out the next I think they are better off apart. I try to think with a 1960s-era mindset rather than current day but sometimes my inner-feminist just wants to scream and yell!

Either way, these actors are tremendous and I feel invested in each story-line. I hope they bring back Sal and I hope that we get the Duck vs Sterling matchup!

Have a great weekend :)

I haven't yet read this recap, yet, though I'm dying to hear what your insights are Loula. I just need to say first that I was very much affected by this episode. The scenes of how earth-shattering JFK's assignation was to those of that generation: the phone system suddenly falling silent after Don yells, "What the hell's going on?;" how everyone of all walks of life, stations, races reacted in shock, together weeping; how TV became their cathartic beacon of information, terror, and grief..... bore unnerving parralells to what we experienced on 9/11. It was obviously meant to, but done precisely right by the show. My family and I stayed huddled for two days in front of the TV, unmoving. Don's sociopathic tendencies against that backdrop of emotion was painfully, plainly evident. After, showing Betty he indeed had the ability to display human emotions when relaying the story of his family... to suddenly go back to being incapable of even allowing her to mourn must have been baffling to her. I believe his reaction after she tearfully embraced him of "Why are the kids watching the news coverage?" - which totally trivialized the scale of the situation (it won't go away just because you refuse to watch it unfold) - was the beginnng of the end for their relationship that was already on it's last thread.

Hey Loula, great recap of a great show!! In 1960, you had to be 21 to vote. The 18 year old vote started in 1971. It was the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the constitution. She is still pretty damn young for Roger!!!

Did you know Mona and Roger are married in real life too? That makes me happy for some reason.

If I was a gambling woman, I would have lost all my money betting Bets' discovery of Don's secret would not much change the dynamics of their marriage.

I'm drawn to the fullness of this couple, the good and the bad and my heart broke when Don's worse fear, losing Betty's love because of his lies, came to pass.

But darn it, just when I thought Betty was sharpening up...showing her stuff in Rome and taking no shit when confronting Don, here she goes getting the courage to tell Don she doesn't love him after a meeting in an alley! In an alley, with a man who just a few weeks ago she gave the boot because she didn't want a tawdry affair.

So she doesn't love her husband anymore. Is she moving out? Taking the kids? Is Don leaving? The words "I don't love you anymore" means somebody's leaving. Or seperate bedrooms? What?

Loula always loving your recaps!

And I loved the scene with Roger and Mona on the the phone and Mona translating "dadspeak" like she did that all the time between them. Loved it!

Loved the recap, Loula, as always great job dissecting and interpreting the details presented by this show that's all about the details. I loved the comment about Betty looking at both Don and Francis as if she were deciding between two cute hats (so true!). I too cannot stand the sight of Francis and feel it's all about the tragedy of not pursuing that route and attention that attracts Betty. I feel strangely invested in Betty and Don's relationship and want it so badly to just work out - despite, their faults and his philandering. But, I don't feel that Betty broke Don's heart simply because he finally revealed his secret and she decided she can't love Dick Whitman. I think back to how empty and alone she's felt throughout the whole series, directly as a result of Don being unavailable and guarded with her. It's not about Dick Whitman, it about how her husband, Don Draper, lied to her everyday of their lives together and furthermore never took the care to ensure she'd at least never find out everything from the moment they met had been based on a lie - "I want to scream at you for ruining all this!" He opened up to her because he had no choice, the box had been opened; and the enormity of that lie therefore rendered everything he's ever told her (including his denial of his affair with Bobbi last season and all the late nights or all-night sessions at "work" he’s ever had) as lies as well - don't think she didn't make that connection once she determined he was a sociopathic liar. Don't get me wrong. I was very deeply affected by this episode and my heart broke as Don's did. I literally cried out, "Betty don't! Don't tell him that!" - as if I could stop her from mortally wounding him. It is everything he had ever feared, a fate he always felt he deserved - "I was surprised you ever loved me." Self-fulfilling prophesy, maybe.

Thanks so much for the kind words, really.

carmelicious, exactly. I'm sure you can tell I'm a bit conflicted myself. I don't know why it's so heartbreaking for that marriage to end, but it is! I was inexplicably devastated.

mamatl, for me it was 9.11 and Katrina. The latter was worse because everything was closed, so all we could do was watch TV, and oh my god, it just kept getting worse! I remember feeling just like Betty - "What is going ON?"

kloewent, that is really interesting, and slightly less disturbing. I should have just googled. But still, oh my god!

sheya, yes, it is my firm belief that they are the most criminally underemployed couple in the acting universe. I hope we see more of their interaction post-divorce, too. They keep getting upstaged by all these big Moments but they've been knocking it out of the park.

1woman, I keep thinking about that too. Not loving each other was definitely not a particularly good reason to leave a marriage back then, so I really don't know what will happen. I mean, she cannot be serious about freaking Henry, can she? Whatever happens, we'll always have Rome!

See y'all later this week!

Loula, I have enjoyed your recaps all season-thanks for your insight to a great show. I love all the little bits of foreshadowing placed throughout the episodes. First thing I noticed this week was both Margaret and Jane wearing little pillbox type hats- a nod to Jackie.

loula, you are above and beyond what i could have expected as far as a recapper for this show. it's not often that the recapper feels the exact same way i do (more or less) about a show. this is such a great show, absolutely the best one on television right now and i am truly saddened that tonite is the finale. however i do hope that next season brings us far more joan, peggy, and of course, roger. he has long been my silver-fox crush and such a great actor! does anyone remember when he was on sex and the city and he played some kind of politician that ended up getting dumped by carrie for wanting to piss on her during sex? lol! can't wait for the recap after tonite's episode. loves to you loula, you do such a terrific job!