Is Don Draper still a philandering rogue and cad? Or is the ‘new’ Don Draper with his yummy Quebecoise wife whom he obviously loves very much, a changed man?
I’m inclined to opt for the latter assessment. Wendy, however, is of a more cynical view and doesn’t grant Don the ability to have changed sufficiently to keep his fly zipped when temptation presents itself.
The series-closing scene of the most recent incarnation of Mad Men showed Don sitting solo in a bar, nursing his drink and (of course) smoking. He is approached by a young attractive female who makes contact. He sizes her up and down in his ‘Don’ manner. Neither he nor she knows that she is a friend of his wife’s.
And that was how it ended. Of course we shall have to wait about 20 thousand weeks before the next series is trotted out just to see what transpires, but Wendy and I immediately went to that aforementioned conversation.
It seems that I, as a male, cut Don more slack and lean towards believing in his newfound integrity and his seeming love for new wife. I mean to say that Betty, his former wife, was kind of a demanding and cold cow so I made infinite excuses for old Don.
This time around, however, he should have no excuses. For example, he could easily bond carnally with the unbelievably built and beautiful-visaged, Joan, but he hasn’t done so. He’s not Roger. And in not being Roger, that speaks volumes of positive things.
He did things in the past that weren’t praiseworthy and for which he should have been ashamed. But, the point is, he was.
So, I have decided that when the new season begins, Don will politely and even charmingly turn the bar babe down. He won’t make the ‘mistake’ that will cost him all he has gained. Some of us have made such mistakes (I understand) and some of us have learned the penalties are mighty dire (I understand).
Regardless of what happens, however, Sunday evening just wasn’t the same without Mad Men.
And I still think so 
I don’t think this a black-and-white cad/nice guy situation. I think Don is damaged and, in the face of this current emotional crisis (his guilt over whatsisface hanging himself and the pressures from within his marriage) he will revert to his comfort zone. He’s a very complex character and think he’s changed, but I also believe that in moments of extreme stress we look to old ways to “soothe ourselves”. There! I actually gave you a straight/serious comment for once!
Been there — done that. But, it doesn’t always have to result in returning to ‘form’ if some lessons have been learned. I’m probably cutting Don too much slack. That was a really thought-provoking comment, Andrea and I think I want to ponder it longer.
I agree with Andrea: when upset, we often go back to what we know, and Don’s a womanizer from way back, so I think he’s going to revert to type in this situation. Or maybe he’s not as stressed as we think he is, so he’ll turn her down. Or maybe it doesn’t even matter and we’ll never know, even next season. Regardless, yeah, I’m suffering from a bit of Mad Men withdrawal, too.
Yep, you and me both. By this point in the season he’d been through a lot of shit, what with the suicide and his wife’s ambitions and so forth. And certainly in the past he would have ‘acted out’. Just not so sure this time. Which is exactly what the show’s creators wanted, I expect.
He will unzip. Oh yeah. And then all hell will break loose because wifey will find out. Actually right after the show Marc and I had pretty much the same conversation. He sides with you. And it seems all the women side with Wendy.
Interesting that gender break down. Women think he’ll continue to be a rat, and men cut him slack. Maybe males ask themselves what they’d do in the circumstances.
As usual, we were the opposite here. My Sweetie says he’ll stray, I say no. To help us come down from our usual Mad Men high, we rented Season 3, disc 6 of “Angel.” It was the first appearance of Vincent Kartheiser on that show and features his screen test. He was in his early 20’s and played a teenager. It was funny to see this demon teen Connor making some of the same faces as Pete Campbell. Also we own all the past seasons of “Mad Men” so can easily get a fix when we need one.
Interesting that you and yours have the opposite take to me and mine, and assorted others that have commented. Guess we’ll just have to wait for Season 6 to see if Don behaves himself — or not.