The Chrysanthemum and the Sword

Wait a minute! If this is supposed to be 1965, then why are the Draper kids watching Top Cat in Prime Time, which was taken off Prime Time in 1962. This is so fakey. Other than that, this episode deals with prejudice on several different occasions. In one such instance, Roger Sterling does not want to deal with a Japanese client, because he is angry about what Pearl Harbor and WWII. Historically, many Americans held hostilities against the Japanese long after the war ended. (Other examples in this episode include Selma, and discussion of and television viewing of Civil Rights marches during this hectic decade.)

January Jones, who plays Betty, gets a lot of criticism. Some criticize her character, which in turn makes them criticize her. However, this episode shows that even though Betty Draper is cruel and cold-hearted to an extent, it does not go without reasoning. Betty Draper's conflicts have come from the pain that Don has caused her. Neither are to be blamed while the other goes without complaints. Both Don and Betty's lack of attention for their daughter Sally is causing her to go overboard, and this will in time affect the other children. Of course, the two parents will only notice too late, if ever they do notice, but January Jones is proving that she is perfectly playing the part of a mentally-abused mother in the 1960's.

I can't beleive Betty forced Sally to see a shrink, and only because Betty felt embarrassed in front of another mother and how the town would talk about her. Then she had to audacity to send her maid to take her there. What the heck did Betty have to do that it as more important that this??

So it turns out January Jones ended up getting the Anna Gunn Skylar White treatment even before... it seems that whenever a fictional wife has a problem with a charming yet monstrous fictional husband, the fans are no longer fans: which is stupid because Jones is a great actress, and her character is very realistic...

It's hard to, at this time, deal with the fact your daughter has such a crush on David McCallum that she can't keep her hands to herself; or wait, Sally DID keep her hand (singular) to herself... Which is borderline pushing-it having that kind of story centered on a little girl... Then again this show really does push the envelope...

Also includes the story where WW2 veteran Roger can't deal with dealing with the Japanese, his former enemy... For the first time the most likeable and steady character is falling apart, but this, too, is realistic, and this episode, while a bit nerve-wracking, is pretty good...

One great character is the new secretary, Don-proof since she's old; the mother from Karate Kid is brilliant here.