Tale of two cities

Just 'cause, I've started using a random number generator to select episodes of Mad Men. I stole the idea from the guys who do the Creek of the Week podcast. I got Episode 10 from Season 6, A tale of Two Cities. It's fitting to start with this one, Season 6 is easily the worst season of Mad Men and this episode is well, pretty meaningless. That's pretty much what you'd expect from random selection.

The big time cue on this one is the August 28 riot at the Democratic convention of 1968. It's hot, it's late summer and lots of drugs are being consumed. The skirts are short so we get to see lots of actresses legs but the fashion is ugly. The point of the episode seems to be that times are changing, the existing authority structures are crumbling and there is nothing you can do about it. Ginsburg is going crazy and that's good because I always hated that guy. Bob Benson is thriving and that's good because I always liked him. I thought it was a great tragedy when they let him go, Bob was one of a very small number of good things in season 6.

Anyway, one of the great advantages of things being out of control and nobody can do anything about it is that you don't need a plot arc to make the point. A bunch of stuff happens, Don and Roger both respond with their usual cynicism, Roger is more fun than Don about it, until Roger gets sucker-punched in the testicles and Don nearly drowns in the pool. We get lots of clichéd 1960s shots involving parties, swimming pools, riots and drugs. And one of Don standing on the edge of the pool contemplating his own seemingly drowned body.

In California, Roger starts wearing double-breasted jackets with an ascot. It's a good look. I may steal it.

And ... really, there is nothing to say about this episode. They shouldn't have made it.