Mad Men: The Doorway

Yaaaaasssss!!!!!! Don & the gang are back!

So, right out the gate someone is getting CPR and Megan is yelling like the batsh*t crazy woman that we have come to know. From the way she's hollering, you would think Don is the one getting mouth to mouth but is it him, someone else, or just a dream sequence?

Cut to Don and Megan on a beach in paradise. Don is there on business and, of course, he took Megan with him. Doesn't she have an audition that she could be at?

Why is she still on my screen? Can Don hurry up and hook up with someone else? I don't like this chick and I still haven't forgiven her for this ish...

While at the bar, Don meets a young G.I. celebrating his last hours or bachelorhood. PFC Dinkens has 6 months left in Vietnam and is marrying his girlfriend because she thinks married soldiers are less likely to die.

He eventually asks Don to play the roll of father and walk his bride down the aisle. Odd, yes, but the soldier sees his future self in Don and maybe Don sees a little of the young soldier he used to be in PFC Dinkins. Don agrees to do the honors and the soldier and his bride are married in a beautiful ceremony on the beach.

Thanks to that little encounter, Don will be thinking about death for the rest of the episode.

Over at the Francis house, Sally is still a smart ass, Henry's mom is still a pain in the ass, and Betty is still trying to get her old ass back.

Sally has a new friend and her name is Sandy. Sandy is a phenomenal violinist and has told everyone that she's going to Julliard next semester. Is it just me or does this child look like a sister wife starter kit?

Later, Betty playfully tells Henry that she saw him giving sweet eyes to Sandy while she was playing the violin and suggests that he have his way with her. Really, writers?! Really?????

It doesn't take long before we find out that Sandy has issues. She's been miserable at home since her mother's passing and she didn't get into Julliard, like she's been telling everyone. Oh, and she smokes. All she wants is to go to New York and escape her current life. Betty tries talking some sense into her but I doubt she'll listen.

Sandy ends up running away and Betty feels compelled to go looking for her. Betty's search brings her to an abandoned building in the middle of the city. Betty finds Sandy's violin and one of the squatters claims she sold it to him before leaving for California.

Peggy might be with a new firm and have new responsibilities but there are some things that haven't changed. She is still getting calls to put out fires in the middle of the night on a holiday.

It looks like Peggy is the only one in that office that knows her head from her patoot. When we finally get to see her with a client, we see just how much she has grown: The perfect mixture of Don's salesmanship and Peggy's finess. Oh, and she is punking her minions and telling them they can't go home just like Don did her back in the day.

Don & Megan come back from their trip and Jonesy the doorman collapses right in front of them. Then again, maybe he didn't because Don blinks his eyes and none of what he just saw happened.

Back at the office, everyone is jealous of Don's tan. Pete is still a little snot and Joan is still that chick. Bob Benson, a new guy that works in accounts, makes a point of introducing himself to Don.

Even though they've left Hawaii behind, Don can't forget about PFC Dinkins. Somehow, Don has ended up with his lighter and no matter what he does to get rid of it, the thing keeps popping up like a Elf on the Shelf.

Roger's mother has passed away and his secretary is more upset about it than he is. In true Roger fashion, there are fireworks at the funeral. Don pukes, Bob Benson from accounts sends a few surprise party platters, and Roger goes ham on his ex-wife's new man.

Can someone please explain to me how EVERYBODY gets put out of a funeral? Roger doesn't know how to deal with all the emotions that have come with his mother's death. He's got a lot of guilt about disappointing the women in his life. Maybe he would be able to sort through all of this a little better and not need a shrink if he had Joan by his side.

After the funeral, Roger has a conversation with his daughter. Since Nana didn't leave her any money in the will, she asks Roger to help fund her husband's new business venture: Refrigeration. This new technology will enable fresh food to be transported all over the country and may just revolutionize the world. They need to get in while the getting is good. Roger, like most father's has a soft spot for his little girl and agrees to talk with Brooks.

You would think that Roger would have shed a tear when his mother died but it's not until he learns that the man that shined his shoes has died unexpectedly, do we see him finally show some emotion.

Just in case you thought Don might be having an epiphany and is ready to change his ways, we get to watch him get it on with a woman that he's not married to....and just happens to be the wife of his new friend and neighbor Dr. Rosen.

Until next time...

Downton Abbey 3.07 : Trapped In The Closet

Bates is free, y'all!!!!!!

He and Anna couldn't be happier and neither can anyone else at Downton...except Thomas. Bates' exoneration isn't a good thing for Thomas, considering he was only promoted to footman because they needed to fill the gap left when Bates was imprisoned. It also doesn't help that Bates is a favorite of Lord Grantham's.

Lord Grantham is so happy that Bates is out of the pokie that he offers to find a cottage for he & Anna since he feels it is no longer suitable. Lord Grantham also promises that the situation with Thomas occupying his position will be sorted out very soon.

Uh oh!

As if we didn't need any more proof of just how much Bates is loved and appreciated, Lord Grantham suggests that he stay in bed, read books, and not worry about working for the foreseeable future.

Suck  it, peasants!

The editor in London is still very interested in having Lady Edith writing for him and has asked her to come to London to meet with him. Lord Grantham is still insisting on being a complete turd and tries, yet again, to discourage her. Thankfully, Edith has no plans to listen to him.

Edith wants this so bad that she asks the Dowager Countess to talk with her father. She lets Edith know right away that she agrees with Robert. When she suggested Edith find something to do with her time, she expected her to paint watercolors not become something as common as a journalist.

But, in true Dowager style, if it's something she can use to her advantage, she will. She agrees to go to bat for her as long as she does her a favor.

This change in stance is so out of character for the Dowager that it prompts Isobel to ask if she has switched her pills.

It works and Lady Edith takes her trip to London where she meets with the editor. Things go very well for her and he asks that she make up her own mind regarding the opportunity. He seems to be smitten with her and Edith decides to take the job.

The Dowager Countess decides to pay Isobel a follow up visit from the luncheon she hosted for Cora & the girls. The Dowager was not pleased at all with Isobel's decision to hire Ethel and only stayed in support of the girls when Robert demanded that they leave. In fact, she thinks that Isobel's new pet project is bringing scandal upon the family.

Alfred finally gets up enough nerve to ask Ivy out to a movie. Apparently, it's improper for them to go alone so Mrs. Hughes only gives them the thumbs up if others go along.

They have a great time but Ivy only has eyes for James and Alfred can't persuade her to think otherwise.

Alfred can't win with the ladies and he can't win with the guys either. Thomas and James have taken a liking to busting his chops. When Mr. Carson chastises him for his teasing, James thinks he's playing favorites.

While Isobel has been treating Ethel with the utmost respect, everyone else is giving her hell. Not only is she being heckled but business owners are refusing to serve her. While it's something that she says she's gotten used to, Isobel isn't OK with it. She doesn't think Ethel should ever get used to being mistreated and vows to take their business elsewhere.

Isobel is none too pleased when she learns that the Dowager has placed an ad for someone to replace Ethel. The Dowager uses Lady Edith to talk up the idea as a good think to Isobel. Now we know what favor The Dowager expected from Edith.

When Isobel still won't budge, Mrs. Hughes is enlisted. She agrees that it's best for Ethel to find some place where she can truly start over without the stigma of her past. Now that she has worked for Isobel, she will come with a recommendation. Isobel is a bit angry but agrees to talk with Ethel about it.

Matthew is eager to get the ball rolling on changes that need to happen at Downton but Robert still isn't happy about it. When Matthew is finally able to coordinate a meeting with Robert and Jarvis, everyone is butting heads. Neither of them is willing to give Matthew the respect due to someone who just kept the estate from going bankrupt. Both think that there is no way Matthew can know what he is talking about because he is so new to their way of life.

This causes Matthew to finally reach his breaking point and he reads them for filth! He reminds them of the state that Downton was in before he invested and that Robert's been bailing Downton out with Cora's money for years.

Matthew tells them flat out that the old way of doing things will no longer work. Downton must be self-sustaining to survive. Jarvis admits that the past isn't a model for how to run Downton & resigns when he feels he's been accused of mismanaging the estate.

Lord Grantham gets the joy of trying to figure out what to do with Thomas now that Bates is back. Luckily for Thomas, Cora is there to urge him to have Carson find a position for him, rather than just giving him the boot.

Robert is also wondering when Branson will leave. Why he is in such a rush is beyond me. Cora reminds him that they have an obligation to Branson now that Sybil is gone. If Branson leaves, so does their grand baby.

Branson is busy trying to be a father to baby Sybil and trying to find a way to move on with his life. He has already made arrangements with the local Catholic church for the christening. Mary and Matthew are the only ones he expects to be there since they are the only ones who have supported him. He shares a really sweet moment with Lady Mary when he asks her to be the baby's godmother.

Commercial Break:

Branson has plans to move on from Downton soon and move to Liverpool. His brother has a garage there and has asked him to help run it. He has also asked him to be baby Sybil's godfather so he is invited by Lady Mary to stay at Downton during the christening. When he shows up, he wants to hang out with the servants and no one thinks this is proper. Branson is quick to put him in his place in front of everyone downstairs. He's way more rough around the edges than Branson and even Mr. Carson has to acknowledge this. Carson is very impressed with the amount of respect for the family Branson has shown in that moment.

Matthew and Branson go over the plans he has for Downton and asks his opinion about them. Branson agrees with what he wants to do with the place. His grandfather was a sheep farmer so he knows a little about land and making it profitable. Once again, someone is acknowledging that Branson is a human being so Lord Grantham isn't pleased.

To every one's surprise, Branson would like everyone to be at the christening because it is what Sybil would have wanted. For once, we have something that Robert can't argue against.

In a surprise move, the Dowager suggests that Lord Grantham keep Branson on as overseer. After all, he knows his way around the land better than any of them and they owe as much to Sybil.

Thomas is concerned about his job security while still jonesing for James. While he's doing that, O'Brien is sitting back in the crack plotting her revenge.

She gets into Thomas' head by telling him that he and James make a cozy couple and tells the lie that Alfred says James goes on and on about him. Thomas tells her that he thinks Alfred is making all of this up but deep down he's buying what O'Brien is selling.

Thomas decides to sneak into James' room & kisses him while he's asleep. Alfred walks in as it is happening and James wakes up.

Both men are beyond pissed and the ruckus wakes up Mr. Carson. The next day, you can cut the tension with a knife and the entire staff is wondering what is going on. O'Brien, in the relishing in the final phase of Operation Annihilate Thomas, decides to put the final nail in the coffin and encourages Alfred to speak up. She tells him that Carson will be mad if he finds out about it from anyone other than him. Needless to say, Mr. Carson is not pleased at all.

Mr. Carson forbids Alfred from speaking of it and tells him he will handle it. When Carson confronts Thomas he admits everything.

It seems that this type of thing is a criminal offense and Thomas is lucky that James hasn't gone to the police. Carson sends him off while he figures out what to do next. I wonder what that will be.

Until next time...