‘Mad Men,’ season 6, episode 8 review: Don Draper and ‘The Crash’ of the titans

Every week on “Mad Men,” Don Draper manages to sink ever further down the rabbit hole. We don’t have any real idea how the man does it, but his descent into being the most pathetic man who has ever lived, despite having so much power and money, is almost a remarkable thing to watch.

Of course, we’re not talking about him receiving a vitamin shot to the rear while at the firm this week. Instead, we have to sit here and wonder why in the world the man would be so desperate to throw everything in his life away that he would stand outside of Sylvia’s door, listening to her on the other side, in hopes that she would come out at some point and take him back. The problem? She didn’t want anything to do with him. She told him going in that she didn’t want to fall in love, but unfortunately for him, his lines were much more blurred with love on one side and lust the other.

We can perhaps trace most of Don’s issues with women back to his past, where he did grow up in the company of some questionable people, whether it be ladies of the night or bad mother figures. Without knowing how to be cared for, he cannot care for others … or even himself. This was proved even more by his refusal to go home from work, even while his kids were sitting at home, getting themselves robbed by a woman claiming to be their “grandmother.”

When it comes to the end of the episode, when Don literally passed out as the break-in was being explained to him, we have no idea just what happened. Why didn’t the police take heed to the 911 call? It’s understandable if they had suspicions, but it makes no sense at all that they would ignore it. We also cannot figure out if the elevator scene at the end was a scene that Don had moved forward from his relationship with Sylvia or not. It is possible that the break-in shook a little bit of sense into him, as he learned that family may be more important than a car company that sucks the soul out of his professional career.

What your take on “Mad Men” this week? If you want to read more news in regards to “The Crash,” you can do so over at the link here.

Photo: AMC