When I say "Slightly Rocky," for Mad Men, 8 stars is slightly rocky. So that's how good the show is.
If you were to rank all the episodes of Mad Men as you watch them (which I am doing), this would be a little close to the middle, but at the same time, well below it. There's nothing terrible about this episode. Unfortunately, there's nothing stand-out about it, either. I feel like I'm back in that first stretch (you know, episodes 2-5) in season one. It's fine, it's just so slow.
I'm not hating on slow television I'm hating on a slow episode in an already slow show. The show is, by default, slow! And yet this episode is slow even for Mad Men! That's too much, man.
All in all, if I had to pick a highlight, it would be the whole chunk of episode from the moment the fire alarm sounds, when Don and Salvadore are coital in... different ways.., and Don discovers Salvadore's secret. The eye contact, or lack thereof, between Sal and Don throws the viewer off-balance, and the acting on both Jon Hamm's and Bryan Batt's part is great.
All in all, aside from the ending few minutes, it seems to just be about recovering, rather than moving the plot. Then again, most season premieres of most shows are a lot worse than this one, so I'm favorable.
If you were to rank all the episodes of Mad Men as you watch them (which I am doing), this would be a little close to the middle, but at the same time, well below it. There's nothing terrible about this episode. Unfortunately, there's nothing stand-out about it, either. I feel like I'm back in that first stretch (you know, episodes 2-5) in season one. It's fine, it's just so slow.
I'm not hating on slow television I'm hating on a slow episode in an already slow show. The show is, by default, slow! And yet this episode is slow even for Mad Men! That's too much, man.
All in all, if I had to pick a highlight, it would be the whole chunk of episode from the moment the fire alarm sounds, when Don and Salvadore are coital in... different ways.., and Don discovers Salvadore's secret. The eye contact, or lack thereof, between Sal and Don throws the viewer off-balance, and the acting on both Jon Hamm's and Bryan Batt's part is great.
All in all, aside from the ending few minutes, it seems to just be about recovering, rather than moving the plot. Then again, most season premieres of most shows are a lot worse than this one, so I'm favorable.