Apr 262011
So far, we have seen flashbacks of Don’s life and Peggy’s. What event(s) would you most like to see in flashback- a particular character’s first day at Sterling Cooper, a glimpse of a character’s childhood or moments from one of the couple’s courtship? Anything that happened before the series started, occurred between the seasons, occurred between episodes, or missing moments (what occured just before or after a particular scene in an episode) are fair game.
47 Responses to “Flashbacks”
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I’ve been dying to see the moment where Don and Betty meet when she is modeling the furs and he asks her out. Which would lead to seeing their first date hopefully. I’d also like to see their wedding night and the day Sally was born. More Joan flashbacks (maybe of her with Paul) and Don doing just about anything else from the past
Betty’s childhood!!!
Betty Betty Betty
More about Betty’s past and scenes with her mother and father.
I’d also like to see some flashbacks about Bert and Roger. Also, in several episodes, Roger has spoken about his father and seeing some scenes about him would be interesting.
Now, to flash forward a bit — The other night there was a program on PBS about the 1969 raid of the Stonewall Inn, which resulted in an uprising against the NYPD by the patrons, which marked the start of the gay rights movement in America. I wonder if we’ll see Sal Romano slug a cop, once MM gets to that point in history?
I like all of these ideas. Maybe the writers will stop by and get inspired.
@3 SmilerG- You know that older guy at a college bar/club that’s way too old to be there, and is a little creepy? That’s what Sal would be at Stonewall. Stonewall catered to a younger clientele, as well as drag queens. At the start of the series in 1960 Sal would have been rather out of place there, by the end of the decade he would have stuck out like a sore thumb age-wise. Also, I don’t see Sal in a relationship with that large of an age difference. If Sal was going to go to a gay bar, I don’t see him going to something as flashy/flamboyant as Stonewall.
However I do like the idea of seeing Sal’s reaction to Stonewall and the Gay Rights/Liberation Movement in general.
We’ve always talked about Sal and Stonewall. The last we saw of him he was part of the street/pickup scene, so he might very well be in that bar that night, or in the west village.
It was an amazing documentary, btw. I just watched it last night. I hang out in that neighborhood–I knew a lot of the bars and locations mentioned.
I’d like to see some Joan flashbacks. We at least have a semblance as to some of even the minor character backstories, but almost nothing on her.
@3 SmilerG-Thank you for providing inspiration for another post. I will credit you when it is posted.
@6 Talia-That’s a really good point. We know more about Paul’s background than we do Joan’s.
Bert as a young man.
Before the orginectomy…or whatever it was called.
And Mrs.B…the show could do that. Both actors would clean up “young” very well.
And BETTY as a college student.
Flashbacks to Don’s stint at NY’s city college in his quest to become an ad copywriter!
#6 Talia — I’m with you on that.
The closest we’ve come to Joan’s past was Carol and the flashback with Roger. There’s never been one mention of family thus far.
Next to Don, I think Joan would probably have the most interesting story to tell.
Betty’s childhood, definitely. In fact, I think the show really *needs* that in order to create more understanding for Betty, especially among viewers who did not live during that era.
Second choice for me would be Joan. There has to be a lot of good material there. And as a person who learned to play accordion as a child (my parents’ choice, not mine!) I would like to know why she did!
I’d love to see Bert and his sister in their thirties. And Joan — we know so little of her.
I was heartbroken when Season Three started and Joan was already married. I’d at least like to see the wedding dress. Come on now. And if they come back in Season 5 with her have already given birth, I’ll feel cheated without any Joan with baby bump. I’d love to see her pen necklace bounce on it! Lol!
Anything involving Joan’s pre-Waldorf Stories life would be great. I’d love to know if I was right about Joan being a lot mousier and more awkward as a young adult, what her family was like, etc.
Early Betty, yep.
But you know who I’m really curious about, as far as background? Megan. Talk about your blank slates!
Off topic, but I wanted to share this…
Recall Helen Bishop, and her walking around the neighborhood?? Betty and her neighbor commented “where is she going?”
Also, recall that Helen worked on the Kennedy campaign…
Today I came across a tidbit about Kennedy’s push to get people out walking (http://nj2ny50.org/about-big-walk-nj2ny50).
So, the writers did their homework. Thought I’d share…
Can’t wait for S5 to start…
@13 Adam- I hadn’t even thought of that. I wonder who went to the wedding/what kind of wedding it was. I imagine something small, in front of of a judge.
Curious about Betty’s bitterness and from whence it sprung (even before Don’s piccadilloes)…and about Carla, though I think Carla’s had a difficult life.
I gotta jump on the Joan pile, here. Where the hell did she come from, anyways? Why does she hate food near a bed? How did she get proficient in tourniquet tying? Was she always so calm in a bloodbath-type crisis?Hmmmmm?
Don’s progression from 1955-60. In the pilot Don is presented as on top of the proverbial world. How did he grow from the unsophisticated fur salesman to the smooth and polished head of the creative department at SC ? The Don of 55 is completely different than the Don of 60. It was stated by Burt that he and Roger made Don. What did they see in him and what was done to help him along ?
The glimpse of Joan that we saw in WS was ravishing….part Rita Hayworth and part Marilyn Monroe. How did she come into SCDP, snare Roger and then how did she progress ? Where did she come from ? What is her background? We know she had a college education, which for a girl in the early 50′s meant that her family was at least middle class, if not upper middle class.
We met Betty as she was dealing with grief over her mother’s recent passing. We have been given many hints that a lot of Betty’s personality came from her mother. Scenes of Betty and her mother would be interesting.
Looking forward to next March !
“Don’s progression from 1955-60. In the pilot Don is presented as on top of the proverbial world. How did he grow from the unsophisticated fur salesman to the smooth and polished head of the creative department at SC ? The Don of 55 is completely different than the Don of 60. It was stated by Burt that he and Roger made Don. What did they see in him and what was done to help him along ? ”
Exactly. I posted this question in another thread a while ago… how did Don go from country bumpkin to master of the universe? Who taught him etiquette, how to dress, how to carry himself, how to relate to his “betters” as if they are peers? Can you see him at night in his cheap pre-SCDP apartment perusing a copy of Emily Post?
JOAN!!!
megan. Betty?
Based on her treatment of Sally, I don’t know whether Betty’s childhood would be too hard to watch.
We all want to know more about Joan. Pretty much every other character’s background is well mapped out even without flashbacks e.g. Pete – the character is so well-written and acted that you can just imagine his whole life from cradle to where he is now without too much trouble. Joan is all smoke and mirrors and I get the impression deliberately so. She hid her age successfully from the office for years (not to mention her affair with RS) and has no qualms fudging her baby’s paternity. She does with reality what those formidable foundation garments do for her body – determinedly sculpting into what she needs it to be.
I wonder if they’ll have some sort of reveal or payoff with regards to Joan in the next season.
In some flashbacks of Betty’s interactions with her mother, I hope we’d also get some more information about Gene Hofstadt.
I recall Betty’s brother, William, mentioning that he worked for Gene and not being thrilled about it. Also, in one scene in S-3, Gene was in the car with Sally and Bobby and he was commenting about the shingle job on a house they were driving past. Though it hasn’t been stated in the show, I’ve wondered since seeing that, if Gene’s business might have been in the roofing field.
The Don 55-to-60 arc would be gratifying but every one of us can imagine most of it.
Betty, pretty much the same. Predictable Mainline girl with predictable personality issue that can be traced back to Mom. Predictable fifties college life too. The modeling in NY part could hold more surprises.
Joan’s early life, per the reasons already said above, seems to have much more narrative potential.
And Roger’s past, being a boxer in Paris and stuff, could provide a lot of funny moments.
I’d love to some Don/Betty flashbacks to early on in their relationship or when they first met. And Betty in her modelling days, before life wore her down completely.
I was actually hoping we would see flashbacks of Don and Betty in the 50′s (during happier times or Betty interacting with her mother) when their marriage was falling apart in season 3.
Joan. I think we need to see something of her days in Paris.
Sterling Snr in the 30s building up the business and Roger as a child. I think it would be a hilarious insight – No doubt Roger gets his razor sharp wits from his father…
#28- Rockin good idea. And who to play Roger senior? Alec Baldwin? Guy Pierce?
how did Don go from country bumpkin to master of the universe?
And was Betty there to witness the transformation? Or maybe even contribute to it? We already know she married him when he didn’t have a pot to piss in, and he was still pretty awkward at the time he met Roger, at least in manner if not dress; at that point, he didn’t quite have the alpha-male thing down yet, and relied a lot more on pluck to land himself the job than anything else.
Mad Men draws inspiration from mid-century short stories of Cheever, Salinger and Updike. If you’re familiar with Cheever’s fiction, for example, you’ll see how spontaneous and particular the flashbacks are. It’s not a way of creating backstory as much as juxtaposing it with the state of the character in the present. Mad Men takes many cues from that idea: Don has his first flashback, if I am recalling correctly, after he falls down the staircase; later there’s a flashback to his father’s conclave and later death; and the only flashback last season was triggered by a handshake. So yes, while they inadvertently create backstory for characters, I think they do it in a far more interesting way. Seeing a young Pete would be nice, nevertheless.
Linus, that is truly a wonderful and literary observation.
Excellent point, #31 Linus!
I echo everyone’s sentiments about wanting to see early Don and Betty. We got to see a little bit of that in the Waldorf Stories and in young Don’s interactions with Anna. I’d also like to sort of see a little bit of a clearer timeline established in their relationship — their meeting, engagement, marriage and Sally’s birth all seem to happen all within the span of a couple years…?
Also would love to see young Joan, especially during her college days. From what little we’ve seen of her (hating hospital food, being able to apply a tourniquet, always being on her toes), I’ve always subconsciously assumed she may have taken care of an ailing loved one or had some similar bad situation happen in her youth.
Early Don & Betty, please.
“how did Don go from country bumpkin to master of the universe? Who taught him etiquette, how to dress, how to carry himself, how to relate to his “betters” as if they are peers? Can you see him at night in his cheap pre-SCDP apartment perusing a copy of Emily Post?”
Maybe he read “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (1952) without realizing it was satire, or absorbed “The Organization Man” (1956) or maybe the classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
Even before the we saw Roger’s old flame, I’ve always been curious about his past. Priviliged kid who fought in the great war just like JFK, whom he despises. Scenes with Betts’ mom would effectively mean Betty squared. Ooof, — no thanks. Don’t ever want to see flashbacks of Joanie, it ruins her mystery. It makes her majestic. Sigh.
I would love to see Megan, Roger’s daughter and Henry’s daughter have a little coffe clatch…They would talk all about Jane, and Betty!
I love the dirt when women dish. And imagine Henry’s mom pouring the coffee!
Of Course I want to see some Joan Flashback! Maybe the moment when Carol first said “Who IS that?” And if she had any connections to a hospital. Not too much revealed, just enough to satisfy a little and keep up guessing.
A Betty back story? Definitely–I think her parents had a toxic home. (Remember how she said her mother threatened to cut her hair?) I suspect that her mother had a rotten upbringing and put Betty through the same.
And Some Roger, please! I admit, I only want to see him as a seabee so we can can see Roger confuse his Navy days with “South Pacific”, and it would give John Slattery a scene to march along a beach singing “There Ain’t Nothin’ Like a Dame” in a tight, white t-shirt!
@39 Therese-There’s only one thing I love better than a man in uniform, and that’s a man out of uniform. I now have images of a young Roger in dress whites.
Wow…there’s so much I’d like to see:
Betty’s childhood, for sure. I’d especially like to see her mother. We got some hints of their relationship, based on the comments Betty made during her therapy sessions. I think there’s a treasure trove of material there.
Don’s life, in the years between selling used cars in California and when he came to Sterling Cooper.
Don and Betty’s courtship/wedding. I’d like to see their wedding since Gene grumbled there was no one sitting on Don’s side of the church.
Joan’s early days at Sterling Cooper.
Roger as a young man at Sterling Cooper.
Bert as a young man founding Sterling Cooper with Roger’s father. I’m especially curious about Bert’s late wife.
Joan!! I want to know where she came from, maybe she worked in the hospital as an aide prior to working at Sterling Cooper, maybe she took care of an ailing relative, as someone suggested above. I also would like to see flashbacks of when she first started dating Kinsey, was she with him and Roger at the same time, maybe a flashback to one of her abortions, who was the father then, etc.
More of Betty’s childhood, especially interations with her mother.
Peter Campbell starting at Sterling Cooper, Roger Sterling starting at Sterling Cooper, when he got together with Miss Blankenship.
Don’s life at Sterling Cooper from 1955-1960, when did he start to involve Betty with work suppers, etc. Prior to the beginning of Season 1, she had only met Roger 2 or 3 times.
Don & Betty’s wedding day, Betty & Henry’s wedding day, Joan & Greg’s wedding day.
I would like to see the first time Don cheated on Betty. Who was it with? How far into their relationship/marriage did it happen? Was it hard for him to cross that line the first time? What lead up to it? Clearly, it has become a habit but I would love to see the floodgates open…
Interesting thought, Candace.
I could see Don cheating with a rich older woman (as a male escort) to get the $ for young Betty’s mink!
Sort of a George Papar type in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Don’s otherworldly pride would never permit him from taking ‘handouts’ as a gigolo. Being kept by a Patricia Neal type is a psychic pole vault away from his pull yourself by your bootstraps Midwestern ethic. I’d be in interested in how Pete’s very proper father blew through the family stash, and all his side women and hypocrisy. Story of the mid-century upscale American male and all that jazz.
[...] post was inspired by a comment made by Smiler G (http://www.lippsisters.com/2011/04/26/flashbacks-2/). During the past four seasons, Mad Men has covered many real world events, such as the 1960 [...]