member for 1 year 25 weeks
Last week I watched my favorite television series, "Mad Men," it
is some of the finest acting I have watched, next to "The
Sopranos." The main character Don
Draper has been carrying around some pretty heavy secrets about his past.
He has spent his life running from where he has come from and who he is.
His biggest fear is that someone will find him out. I have to be honest,
after hearing about his past, I would have changed my identity too. But, in
spite of this, he has managed to create an image and persona for himself that landed him partner
at a top advertising agency. His deepest fear is that he thinks he will lose this if anybody discovers who he
really is.
This past episode, one of his co-workers, Peter Campbell, discovers his
secret. Don had only recently been promoted to partner, when his best friend and
boss has a heart attack and is unable to come back to work. Hearing this
news, Peter Campbell, a little power-hungry 
spoiled brat who hasn't
worked for anything in his life, decides he deserves the promotion and will do
whatever he has to in order to get it. After snooping in Don's office and
opening up a package, he discovers Don's past. Peter
informs Don that he knows about his secret and if he doesn't promote him, he will go and tell the
owner, Mr. Cooper, who Don really is.
Don has worked really hard to earn the respect of his peers and is incredibly likeable, not to mention extremely intelligent and the backbone of this advertising firm. He is loyal but knows what he wants too. He is well loved and admired by his bosses, clients and the firm. When he hears about Peter's discovery, Don gets really scared and considers running and leaving town. He is afraid of what might happen, not to mention the embarrassment, shame and humiliation at the truth.
After thinking about it, he goes back into the office and decides to let the
crumbs fall where they may. He hires the original candidate for the
position, Duck. Like any entitled person would do, Peter storms into his office and
threaten
s that he will go straight to Cooper. Don completely surprises him and beats him to it. He refuses to let Pete hold this over his head and
they both head for Cooper's office and barge in. Don informs Cooper of
his decision to hire Duck and then Peter makes a bad judgment call and tells
Cooper about Don and the deepest secrets of his identity.
I was on the edge of my chair, awaiting the response of Cooper. I LOVED his response. He was quiet, and then he looked at Peter and said, "WHO CARES! I can assure you, Peter, that Don Draper is standing right here in front of me and that is all that matters." He let Peter know in so many words or less that he didn't care. That he didn't want to know, and he wanted to hear no more about this silly little made up fiction Peter invented. Don just stood there with his mouth dropped open, and then he lights a cigarette. He is speechless and dumbfounded at Cooper's response. Don's worst fears have been realized and the outcome wasn't anything he suspected it would be. After Peter exits the room, Cooper informs Don that he can go ahead and fire him. Classic. If only we all acted so generously toward the people we know well and hold dear to our hearts. As a result, Don walks out of that office at bit more humble, yet confident at his boss' support of him.
Kudos for Cooper! What a rebuttal to a pathetic attempt to hoard over someone bullshit because he was jealous and couldn't get what he wanted. I admire Don's strength for not allowing this man to hold this over him. I admire Cooper for not allowing some punk to skew his admiration and respect for his partner and employee. Oh, if more and more people would behave in such manners, much unnecessary gossip would be curtailed. In my opinion, it truly is a gift to be able to see people at their best or who they are really striving to be, instead of always trying to lay them flat with their faults, mistakes and past.
WHO CARES? - This is my new comeback when someone wants to shed bad light on someone else.
If you have Comcast, you can watch many of the previous scenes commercial free through ON DEMAND, under AMC. In addition, this Thursday is the season finale.
