After a rousing Easter afternoon of croquet, tasty treats and wonderful friends yesterday, we went to the Hollywood Theatre for their weekly screening of Mad Men.  For the evening I wore a butter yellow ribbon lace dress by Sophisticated Miss, with wonderful open sleeve detail.

Hostess Nico Bella saw me in the lobby and called me “a vision in yellow”.  The Best Dressed contest was down one from last week, leaving three, including myself.  I lost out to a dapper man.  Which I should look upon as a good thing, since lord knows men especially need to take a fashion hint from Mr. Draper and the rest of the SCDP boys.

Outfit
Dress: Buffalo Exchange, Portland
Purse: Antique Alley, Portland
Earrings: Coburg Antique Fair
Bracelet: Gift
Shoes: Hollywood Babylon, Portland

Other Episode Outfits
501/502, 503, 505, 506, 507, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513

Okay, now let’s talk about the episode… including spoilers! So, heads up!

As for the episode, it was a much improved over last week.  The episode, entitled “Mystery Date”, had a very cinematic horror film feel to it.  Set against the backdrop of the Richard Speck Chicago nurse murders, we see Joan battle it out with her recently returned from Vietnam hubby and Don’s past, coming back to haunt him, only to lead to a fever dream in which he strangles one (of way too many) of his past sexual partners.  I sat there during the scene next to my friend Stephanie, my hands clapped over my mouth, thinking “No, this cannot be happening.  Mad Men is jumping the shark!” and Stephanie uttering “No…no…oh my god…” Thank goodness it was only a dream.  Another horror filled moment was when Peggy, staying late at the office, hears a noise, and steps out into the dimly lit office floor, scared out of her wits, only to find Don’s African-American secretary sleeping in Don’s office.  Later, Sally stays awake, reading the paper she dug out of the trash, about the nurse massacre, and eventually comes into the living room, giving her grandmother a bit of a fright.  Later her grandmother only adds to Sally’s fears in recounting the events.  We then see Grandma Francis wield a large knife, calling it her “burglar alarm”. During the episode it is revealed that the singular survivor of the nurse massacre hid under the bed, and this becomes a small motif in the episode, with Don hiding the body under his bed, and later, Sally asleep under the sofa.

Other highlights of the episode included Joan’s long over-due mention of when Greg raped her.  When Joan becomes upset that her husband chose to go back to Vietnam, she begins to reflect on their relationship, and eventually tells Greg to leave and never come back, and brought up the rape.  This moment brought loud cheers from the audience.  Finally! Some man was getting told off for his utterly horrid behavior and actions!  Also we have another great scene between Peggy and Roger, in which Peggy wins out, and I can only hope that she comes up with a great campaign for Mohawk and gets the credit.  The idea of violence and sexual violence at that, doesn’t just end when the credits roll, no, the idea is still there since the credits are accompanied by the Phil Spector arranged number “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)” sung by The Crystals, and inspired by events of singer Little Eva, who was abused by her boyfriend and claimed it was because he loved her.  Little Eva babysat for legendary song writing duo Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who penned the song.