Live Blogging Mad Men: When Don Met Sal and Dean


“. . . and I shambled after as I’ve been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles.”

Yesterday was the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Kerouac’s On the Road—what fortuitous timing for those of us caught up in Don Daper’s mad world.

Several weeks ago we met Don in 1960, three years after he would have read Gilbert Millstein’s now-famous, glowing book review in the New York Times:

“The ‘Beat Generation’ was born disillusioned; it takes for granted the imminence of war, the barrenness of politics and the hostility of the rest of society. It is not even impressed by material well-being (as distinguished from materialism). It does not know what refuge it is seeking, but it is seeking.”

This is such a clearly articulated understanding of the new postWar consciousness. What would Don have thought of such a pronouncement when it stared him in the face in black and white?

Fans of Mad Men, among whom I don’t count myself, would say that the series is in fact the answer to that question—-and that at the root of the answer is fear. Don and his ilk are afraid that there is a new energy afoot that threatens their worldview, as seen in the older ad guys’ disgust that Kennedy doesn’t wear a hat and Betty’s “I HATE Kennedy” line. (They may also be afraid that they are missing out on something.) It’s a good thought—-I just don’t feel that the narrative is strong enough to actually deliver that idea.

Tonight’s episode is “The Hobo’s Code.” Hobo is not a word of our time, but I just saw it in John Leland’s new appreciation called Why Kerouac Matters in reference to Neal Cassady: “Raised on Denver’s ski row, the son of a hobo, able to quote Schopenhauer and steal cars, Cassady was a fantasy they couldn’t act out themselves.”

So tonight the Beats are going to further rub up against Don’s life through his mistress Midge. Maybe Draper will get to shed the straightjacket of his perfect life to be with “the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live . . . .and burn, burn, burn.”

Isn’t it pretty to think so?

Come back at 10:00 p.m. when the cats will be assembled. Oh yeah.

9:55–just a little more of Millstein’s perceptive review while we’re waiting for Pierce Brosnan to get off Dante’s Peak:

“Just as, more than any other novel of the Twenties, “The Sun Also Rises” came to be regarded as the testament of the Lost Generation, so it seems certain that “On the Road” will come to be known as that of the Beat Generation. There is, otherwise, no similarity between the two; technically and philosophically, Hemingway and Kerouac are, at the very least, a depression and a world war apart.”

I cannot get over how dead on his assesment is. It reads like an appreciation from many years later, not from within the moment.

Bartlett’s daughter always seems like she’s in a bad version of “Our Town”

The silhouette–that was nice

All right, bring in Objectivism. Now the picture is complete. Don as John Galt. I love it.

Kabuki. Jesus. Don doesn’t look drunk at this moment, but I can’t follow what the heck he’s talking about

Yea. The Beats are in the house.

Oh, Thank God, a flashback

Renovation–who knew it was code for gay friendly?

Ah, Peggy is new world order, Pete is old. They will not meet over Chubby Checker–

Sal–how can you say no to that guy? He looks great

Man, do not mix your metaphors–ants in a hive. No.

Interesting parallel experience: Pete realizing that his wife really is the right person for him, and Don realizing that his family is more important than a mistress.

That was certainly the most enjoyable episode to date. Rich in many of the storylines, and visually the most inventive. The storytelling is still a little oblique–what exactly is the whore child about, and what did Don’s dad do to earn the hobo’s “dishonest man” symbol? Updated: I see, it’s the coin that Mom was going to give the Hoboman, and Dad withheld.

Maybe it takes a second viewing to catch all the riches. Its storytelling is still a little too impressionistic for me, but the feel of a crescendo is compelling.

The series is dwindling down to a few precious episodes. I hope everyone will let us spend them, with you.

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September 6th, 2007
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