Episode of the Week: ‘Mad Men’ season 6, episode 9, ‘The Better Half’
If we look at all of the weeks in which we are going to do this Episode of the Week feature across the year, this is probably going to be one that is most equivalent to finding a small oases in the desert. Thanks to Memorial Day and that pesky time in between the summer and the fall seasons, there really was not that much this week really to choose from.
But isn’t a win still a win? We’re sure that “Mad Men” and Matthew Weiner will take whatever they can get for a pretty polarizing sixth season thus far.
Episode of the Week – “Mad Men” season 6, episode 9, “The Better Half” (AMC)
Was this the best episode in the history of “Mad Men”? Far from it, but it was at least the first real provocative one of season 6 so far. It’s interesting in that going into this episode, we imagine that Weiner and the writers were possibly hoping that so many of us would sit here and talk about Don and Betty hooking back up. We’re not, mostly because we have a feeling that just about everyone on the planet saw this one coming a mile away.
Instead, we’re talking about the bizarre Megan Draper-as-Sharon Tate theory that has spread like wildfire across the internet, and rampant speculation that the character could die. Also, there is Roger Sterling starting to finally grow up after all of these years, Peggy stabbing her boyfriend Abe (who later dumped her in the strangest way ever), and Bob Benson proving yet again that he may be the nicest person in the history of mankind.
We can’t say that “The Better Half” moved us, but it got us thinking about the nature of change, whether or not some decisions are fated to happen, and also just whether or not certain characters can ever really be happy.
Runner-up – “Orphan Black” season 1, episode 9, “Unconscious Selection” – One of the best episodes of a show that almost no one is watching. If you haven’t seen it, we feel for you. Seriously.
If you want to read even more entries in our Episode of the Week feature, the best way to do so is to head on over here.
Photo: AMC