Comments on: Sneaking Sally through the Alley

By: Hudsunn

Hudsunn — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:35:35 +0000

Sally is probably the most believable and dimentional child character to be in a tv series. She is in a dysfunctional family, though that phrase what not used in the Mad Men time period. Dysfunctional parents raise dysfunctional children. Sally is angry and lonely, I think, and as was common in the sixties, television is considered an adequate babysitter. I remember those days well. Just as nobody worried about children bouncing all over the seats of moving cars, nobody worried too much about the fragile psyches of children or about their self-esteem. The child-centered home came later. It was not quite the old "Children are to be seen, not heard," theory, but in the sixties, kids were not the center of the parental universe.

By: workingmom

workingmom — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:33:41 +0000

Let me be the first to “get” the Robert Palmer song reference! (Sorry, Samantha, Robert Palmer did it first in about 1975.)

I think they’ve done so much more with Sally because they have a fine young actress in Kiernan. Her scenes with Grandpa Gene, and in reaction to his death, were so great.

One thing seems clear, and that is that Betty doesn’t understand Sally’s spirit or nurture it in any way, and that’s sad.

By: Meowser

Meowser — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:30:34 +0000

BTW, am I the only one who's thinking of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" by the Jaynetts? It was a hit right around this particular time of MM.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:41:18 +0000

(love the phish reference)

By: Pamela

Pamela — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:44:51 +0000

In my family, I'm the eldest daughter. Theres only my younger sister and I…and heh, my sister was the one that tore my mother apart.

I'm not putting myself on a high horse, I have my fair share of chaos I've caused my mother but my sister and her have butt heads.

With Sally, I just see her as a smart person and what we've yet to see is her sharp perception which she may use later on in life. She'll see the way her parents are, her brothers, peers, late Gene…hell, she might one day find her father looking at/speaking with a certain way with Miss Farrell…in which she probably won't ignore.

By: Roberta Lipp

Roberta Lipp — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:36:53 +0000

Thanks Deb.

By: Donny Brook

Donny Brook — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:17:28 +0000

I'm the second daughter, 3rd child, and my poor sister was the one who had to "break in" mom. I have to remember to thank my sister again; I owe her a debt I can never repay.

By: dancewosleeping

dancewosleeping — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:40 +0000

Eldest daughters and mom can really take it out on each other.

Oy.

By: Zouli Pious

Zouli Pious — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:39:44 +0000

Eldest daughters and mom can really take it out on each other.

I have no idea what youâ€™re talking about.

Me either.

By: LuLu

LuLu — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:14:18 +0000

Not only is Sally the eldest girl, she is the only girl among three children. This adds a whole new dynamic. There is no sister, no partner in crime, no one else to share mom's expectations or frustrations. As the only girl among four, I echo your point, Donny Brook. "Eldest daughters and mom can really take it out on each other."