To the extent that Seven Twenty-Three was about the caging of Don Draper, I think there's a case to be made that he is harshest to Peggy and Betty not only because he can get away with lashing out at women who are to varying degrees dependent on him, but also because he really thinks they are the two who should be his allies. I'm not defending Don's outbursts, but note that there may be an element of "you always hurt the ones you love" in them.

When I read that, it struck me that Peggy is really a lot like Don.

She hasn't developed professionally to his level of course, but think of it: Don isn't Dick Whitman, he isn't even Don Draper really.

Biologically, he's a parent, but in many ways, he's quite detached from that aspect of his life. And, ever since taking on Draper's identity, it's been a continual process for him, of defining/finding out just who he is (or is becoming).

In a way, Don has experienced a tremendous amount of loss, as well. As the show has unfolded over nearly three full seasons, we've learned about this and I hope we can start to learn more about Peggy's backstory.

I think Don sees a lot of himself (or, the process/journey of becoming one's self) in Peggy. More often than not, in the course of the show, he has been supportive to her because, on some level, I think he can relate to Peggy.

Yes, he did come across as "harsh/cruel" when Peggy approached him about being on the Hilton account, but I don't think it was personal or deliberate – more like something that arose out of a bad moment and his not thinking before speaking.

EM: That’s awesome, I love that. I totally agree. I think that’ s an acute observation. With the marijuana, with the one-night stand, with asking Don the things she shouldn’t be asking for, with sticking her nose out about Bye Bye Birdie; she’s seeing where the edge of the cliff is and putting her foot over and living a little bit dangerously.

Given the running debate about Don's (mis)treatment of Peggy in that scene, I tought it worth highlighting EM's comment about Peggy's asking. It doesn't make Don any less cruel (as EM notes) or any less sexist (as I'll note). But one of the great things about the writing throughout this series is that Matt Weiner usually ensures that there are two sides to a scene. People can win arguments despite being wrong. People can behave badly and still be at least partially right. Events in one part of a person's life affect what goes on in the other parts, often to bad effect. It's a big part of what makes Mad Men stand out from almost all other TV dramas.

When I read her comments on subtext, though, I immediately thought of Ingrid Bergmann's advice to daughter Isabella Rossellini about acting. I am paraphrasing here, but Bergmann basically said that if you don't know what to do as an actor, just let your face go blank, the audience will fill in for you, with the help of the music.