Following a much needed focus on the past, Mad Men's ninth episode, Shoot, brings in new developments for the present and - possibly - the future, while also adding to the period feel with an unusually unflattering portrayal of JFK and injecting some humor, courtesy of director Paul Feig (the creator of Freaks and Geeks).
The "unflattering" part is due to Sterling Cooper's commitment to the Nixon campaign, which means Kennedy is the enemy and something has to be done about his advertising strategy. While Pete comes up with a plan to turn the situation in the agency's favor, his mistress Peggy has to deal with an unwelcome weight gain. As for Don, he receives a job offer from Jim Hobarth, head of a larger ad agency, who also resorts to tempting Don's wife Peggy with a model gig to win him over, and Mrs. Draper might just take the proposal into consideration in order to get over everyday tedium.
The episode is very rich in detail, both for the eye and the mind, as the visual rendition of 1960 New York remains impeccable and the plotting stays as sharp as ever. In particular, the script deserves praise for how it merges the public (the whole deal about Kennedy) and the private, with the Hobarth scenes allowing for some truly great work from January Jones, the third woman on the show to gradually come in her own, promising many good things to come in future episodes and seasons.
The "unflattering" part is due to Sterling Cooper's commitment to the Nixon campaign, which means Kennedy is the enemy and something has to be done about his advertising strategy. While Pete comes up with a plan to turn the situation in the agency's favor, his mistress Peggy has to deal with an unwelcome weight gain. As for Don, he receives a job offer from Jim Hobarth, head of a larger ad agency, who also resorts to tempting Don's wife Peggy with a model gig to win him over, and Mrs. Draper might just take the proposal into consideration in order to get over everyday tedium.
The episode is very rich in detail, both for the eye and the mind, as the visual rendition of 1960 New York remains impeccable and the plotting stays as sharp as ever. In particular, the script deserves praise for how it merges the public (the whole deal about Kennedy) and the private, with the Hobarth scenes allowing for some truly great work from January Jones, the third woman on the show to gradually come in her own, promising many good things to come in future episodes and seasons.