From potentially the best episode of Mad Men ever to a very disappointing result on Top Chef, you had a lot to say in the comments this week. As is our fairly new tradition, we picked out our favorites and highlighted them below. Keep up the commenting, and yours could be here next week!
Mad Men:
“I too didn’t see this episode as the beginning of a romantic relationship; I think the connection between Don and Peggy is too deep to be cheapened by emotions that don’t hold much meaning for either. They both love work, they both hate dating, sex isn’t highly valued by either of them except as a way of release. I don’t think they’d ever waste this connection on something so fleeting.†—cosmosaurus
“I am surprised no one has commented on the fact that Ali-Liston is occurring in real time during the Don/Peggy Struggle. Ali — a history game changer of an individual and you must remember the historical context — and then Peggy struggling with Don and prevailing and personifying a changing America as well. Ali won ‘fair and square’ and Peggy (who did not sleep with Don) also is rising ‘fair and square.’ Peggy is a bridge to a modern America and Ali fits into her context (she even tells Don that — paraphrasing — he is not supposed to like Ali). Don is freer with Peggy than with any other character because in Peggy’s America the whole Whitman/Draper duality is laughable. … I could go on. Peggy and Ali are the changes occurring in 1965.†—FieldingYost
Rescue Me:
“The blame’s pretty obvious. Lou vented the window in the fire when he wasn’t supposed to because he was working against doctor’s orders. Which in turn caused them to have to evacuate and made the fire on the floors above burn hotter. He then got pinned because he couldn’t move fast enough. IMO, it’s completely out of character for him. Not only does he have more outside interests, as you rightly point out, he seems concerned about the collective group. I can’t see him endangering his fellow firefighters because he’s not ready to quit.†—toooldforthis
Rubicon:
“Hey reviewer, I’m with you. What the hell happened to Katherine Rhumor’s children? Didn’t she have, like, four or five boys playing in the snow in the first episode? When her husband shot himself in the study? Is it that those weren’t all her children and she’s just one of the cool moms that everybody on the block flocks to because she let’s then eat sugary treats and has a mean curveball? What gives? Wouldn’t you pull your children closer to you in times of grief? Isn’t there a lot of ‘splaining to do about Daddy’s death?†—skyfox
“To quote an old saw: look up constipation in the dictionary and it will say “rubicon.†This series is turgid beyond belief. I think the Boyz II Men reference was supposed to be an inside joke, one that’s as lame as Rubicon is turning out to be.†—brooknosht
Top Chef:
“Are we not going to talk about the lovers quarrel between Bourdain and Ripert? They were flirting with eachother like 14 year olds. “The fish was boring.†“What are you crazy? The fish was amazing!†I half expected them to jump up and start making out all sloppy on the table surrounded by lamb and Buzz’s laughter.†—lemonslemonslemons
“I loved when Bourdain said he was a slut for fish sauce. I have missed him so much this season. Also, after Angelo’s insane little “making love†discourse, Ripert did this tiny, subtle eyebrow pop that was the perfect French WTF face. I honestly want those two to have their own show together. It’s not enough for me to watch No Reservations and Avec Eric back to back, I need them together at all times, like Siamese Franco-American chefs.†—sarrible
Jersey Shore:
“I completely understand JWoww’s rage. You know that feeling that comes over you as you’re watching the Sammi/Ronnie shitshow for the umpteenth time? Imagine living with that, man.†—GrapeKoolAid
“To avoid JWOWW punching you, you have to watch out for her tell-tale signs: repeating something three (or more) times and hand gestures on your face. Also, I would imagine the dinner the girls made tasted like SoCo and tanning lotion. It just wouldn’t surprise me.†—GipsyQueen
Project Runway:
“This episode was a blast. All Michael C. is doing is making clothes, and everyone else is having fits. I’m so, so glad he does not stir the drama by confronting anyone. That’s why they are going crazy! They want to hate him so bad they have to make up stuff about him to get angry because all he’s actually doing is his work. And Ivy and Gretchen and the others better watch it. If they make this show about beating Michael C. and cutting him down, they will lose. Once you make the show about someone else and not about your own work, you’ve written your own ticket home. I still think one big reason Kara Saun lost her season was because she cared more about cutting down Wendy Pepper and beating her, whereas Jay stayed out of it and spent all his time on his clothes. Same with Laura Bennet. She spent so much time staring at Jeffrey’s clothes trying to find proof he cheated rather than putting that time on her own collection, whereas he spent all of his time solely on his collection.†—nelsphighberg
“Peach hon, your designs were the pits.†—fortysomething