Mad Men - The Forecast - Review: "Contemplating the Future"

As we are winding down to the end of the series, it’s only fitting that some of our favorite characters start contemplating their futures. Indeed, we find Don in a very contemplative mood in “The Forecast.” When Roger tells him he needs a speech about where the company is going and what the future holds, Don has a hard time coming up with any real direction. At numerous points he approaches Ted, Peggy and even Meredith to try to pick their brains and borrow some of their opinions. (He must be desperate to steal Meredith’s thoughts.) The report mirrors his own search for meaning. But he doesn’t find the answers he’s looking for from his co-workers.

Don first approaches Ted, who’s become a sunny optimist. Ted tells Don that before the company was bought, he wondered what his future held. But now he feels like he can do anything and dream big. Don then resorts to his old tactics of skimming ideas off Peggy. But he doesn’t get much from her, either. Peggy is too idealistic for Don, dreaming of her skyrocket to the top and all the things she is going to accomplish for herself. Don wants more than that. He has been at the top of his career and finds himself contemplating his life more than his job. When Peggy points out her performance review is supposed to be about her job, not the meaning of life, Don suggests the two are related. He also laughs at her desire to create something of lasting value in advertising. He seems to be reaching a point where he feels his work isn’t bringing much importance to his life. But if he’s not receiving meaning from his work, where will he attain it?

As Don dictates his thoughts for the report, he tells himself that even though we know where we’ve been and where we’re at, things are supposed to get better. The real question he’s asking is what is the picture of that better future - the forecast, if you will?

Up to Them to Be More

Don may not have the answers yet. But he’s spurred to think about the man he is and the man he wants to be after he fires a clueless Mathis. The young man says some biting things before he leaves that tug at Don. Mathis implies that Don only succeeded with his Lucky Strike “apology” because Lee Garner Jr. was attracted to him and wanted him there. He tells Don not to kid himself – that he’s handsome but he doesn’t have character. After Mathis leaves, Don seems to take the conversation hard. Is he a man with character?

It’s an issue later addressed with Sally when she angrily tells her dad he can’t help but “ooze everywhere” when someone pays him attention – even a 17-year-old girl. In response Don gives her some interesting advice that proves he has perception, intelligence and wisdom in how he sees himself. After Sally expresses her desire to be different than her parents, Don tells her she is already like them – she’s a very beautiful girl and it’s up to her to be more than that. I was impressed by this speech. In it Don recognizes that Sally will have to contend with the same things he and Betty do as beautiful, charismatic people who have no trouble drawing attention. For people who have it easy with their looks and charms, seeking out what’s truly important can be difficult. Their outward social graces and appearances come effortlessly, but making sure their life has meaning takes work. Don gives Sally advice that also applies to him. It’s up to Don to be more than just the handsome charmer.

A Blast From the Past

As Sally suggests, Betty is another person who is used to receiving attention. And even more than Don, she feeds off it. In fact, she almost needs it. With the return of Glen (yay!!), she has another inappropriate chance to be revered and wanted. But she doesn’t make every choice you’d expect.

I thought the Glen-Betty scenes were standouts. Glen is such a memorable character that it was fun to see him return as a handsome, thin, changed young man. Betty is instantly intrigued. She doesn’t want to leave his sight. She encourages Glen to stay by offering him a drink and giving him all her attention. But she doesn’t make any overt acts of inappropriateness. And despite Betty’s fascination with grown-up Glen, you have to give her credit for diffusing a tough situation when he announces he has joined the Army. Sally gets so upset she swears and yells at Glen before running out of the room. But Betty reacts as the perfect hostess, telling Glen he is brave, shaking his hand and letting him know they will see him when he gets back. She knows his situation is tenuous and chooses to encourage him.

When Glen returns alone, I actually thought Betty was going to give in to her need for adoration. The way she touched her hair set the stage. But when Glen made a move on her, Betty rebuffed his advances. Of course, she does it with mixed signals afterward. She pulls away very slowly, saying she is married. Then she puts her hand on his to comfort him. As he tells her about why he really joined the Army, she feels bad for him and grabs the back of his head. She then makes a purposeful choice to put his hand tenderly on her face, allowing him a lasting memory he can hang on to as he prepares for war. In essence, she indulged his desires without doing anything too wrong.

But all of this pointed to a growth in Betty. While she still loves to be desired and adored, she isn’t making stupid choices. She seems to have a sense of happiness about where her future is headed. And, for once, her actions and comments were not all about her. She was keenly aware of Glen’s situation, and in uncharacteristic Betty fashion, she seemed to be thinking of him and his future. She wanted to reassure him that everything would be okay and that he would make it home safe. She was sincerely worried for him. As soon as he leaves, she looks like she is going to cry. Even Betty who has publicly voiced her support of the war (to a very chagrined Henry) understands the realities and cost of war. She feels for this young boy. While still retaining the core of who she is, she also demonstrated growth and maturity.

Taking a Stand

Another character I really enjoyed watching this week was Joan. I found her to be a foil to Don in many ways. While Don can’t figure out what he wants going forward, Joan seems to have a very clear picture of her desires and dreams. And she is willing to stand up for them. Of course, she doesn’t know if she is going to find everything she wants. But she is happy with where she is. She loves having the job she’s always wanted, and she won’t settle for a relationship that doesn’t work for her family or goals.

So when Richard becomes a cad who doesn’t want a life with a child, she shows her strength. Amidst his anger and yelling, Joan was the epitome of class. She didn’t return his screams. She didn’t beg him to change his mind. She simply told him that he was a disappointment and got up and left, proving she respected herself. When he later tried to apologize, Joan stood up for herself even more. She put him in his place by emphasizing that of course she would choose her son over him. Her sarcasm was poignant – the perfect way to emphasize what was important to her and what she thought of his behavior. Richard got the message.

Even with everything she’s had to deal with, Joan is more in control of her future than ever. She’s in a good place. Her job and her achievements are satisfying. Though she would like to find love, she is drawing her lines in the sand. She knows what she deserves, and she won’t settle for less. She is standing her ground.

Additional Observations

- I love how we briefly saw Don’s patio table and lounge chair (topped with a pillow) in his family room. I could see how his realtor thought it looked very lonely there. He clearly made no effort to get new furniture or change his stained carpet – another sign of an unsure future. But he will have to think about that future soon. Now that he sold his apartment, I’m interested to see where he is going to end up. For a minute I thought he was going to change his mind about the sale. But he made a decision to move forward and embrace the unknown.

- Roger was hilarious, handing off his work to Don. He gets to go to the Bahamas while Don has to write his speech. At least Roger knows his strengths.

- I loved the dynamic between Betty and Sally as they talked about her upcoming trip. Betty was quite proud to tell her daughter she had gotten into trouble on the same trip when she was young. And Sally enjoyed making fun of how long ago that must have been. They had a good-natured lightness and lack of tension that was rare for them.

- When Richard asked Joan if she had mouths to feed, I didn’t see her answer as a lie. The question was following why she needed to work. So when she said no, I saw it as her answer: She wasn’t working because she had to, she was working because she loved her job.

- I thought Joan and Richard had a lot of chemistry. I loved Joan’s playfulness, charm and confidence when she was with him. And it was nice to see someone who recognized what a catch she is. After he realized his mistake and showed up to fight for her, I was cautiously optimistic for the two of them. I liked how Joan was also cautious but still forgiving and hopeful about their future.

- Confident Peggy is now begging for her worth to be noticed. She is tired of being overlooked. I loved the scene between her and Don as she tells him “I’ve had quite a year” and insists he give her a performance review. Here we see a Peggy who is shooting for the world, aiming to be the first female creative director at the agency. She wants appreciation and acknowledgement of her work – or “fame,” in her words. She is tired of people crapping all over her dreams.

- Only Don can get away with the things he does and the way he acts. You knew from the beginning that Mathis was going to screw up Don’s methods of apologizing without apologizing.


***All photos courtesy of AMC.


Did you enjoy "The Forecast?" Do you think Don's outlook is sunny or cloudy? What did you think of Betty's interactions with Glenn? Joan's relationship with Richard? Please join our discussion in the comments below.

About the Author - Tonya Papanikolas

Tonya Papanikolas is an online, print and broadcast journalist who loves covering entertainment and television. She spent more than 10 years as a broadcast news anchor and reporter. Now she does everything from hosting to writing. She especially loves writing TV articles and reviews for SpoilerTV.