newcritics - Latest Comments in Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

Rosie — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:10:08 -0000

What is this? Critics are surprised that Jon Hamm lost the Best Actor Emmy to Bryan Cranston and are now trying to justify why he lost by comparing his acting skills - to his detriment - to James Gondolfino? What hell is this? Sometimes, the media really astounds me. And sometimes they are full of crap. Like now.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

Jim — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:54:00 -0000

Won't the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Kennedy Assassination play a part in upcoming episodes? I remember walking to high school in October 1962 wondering whether I would be alive to come home in the afternoon. And Kennedy's assassination left many of us feeling like we were falling into the abyss, our young father figure murdered. Shaken and shocked. Who knew this was playing itself out earlier in the lives of Don, Betty, and the others. Perhaps Don will go into the music business and have something to do with the Beatles. Perhaps Elizabeth's baby will be adopted by Vincent and his wife. "Honey, the baby looks so much like you, it's scary.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

Steve Paradis — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:28:43 -0000

Want plot? Watch "The Days of the Week". Ditto for dialogue. I don't care anymore. Tableaux vivants based on the ad pages of LIFE and LOOK--with something a little sad around the eyes, like they've been sitting there a bit too long.
This is Sirkland; they are all staring into the abyss, and looking damn fine doing it.
I keep hoping Don will come one morning and find Hope Lange manning the desk at his door, white gloves peeping out of her purse.

Next week? "Duck's off!"

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

JamesS — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:06:23 -0000

This was an entropy episode, with the story threads falling apart. I'm sure they will stitch it back together next week.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:03:14 -0000

Matt is no longer doing the filmed post-game fill-in-the-blanks on the plotting and themes. I'm thinking it would be helpful if those tags came back.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

chan — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:02:04 -0000

Maybe he'll get killed by the KKK (in a Marxist sense).

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:00:36 -0000

As the light of a new day shines on our anti-hero's face---in a haze of smoke, of course--we can look forward to Don in LALA land next week.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

randomdeanna — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:00:26 -0000

wahaha

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

tomwatson — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:59:58 -0000

And stare wistfully into an uncertain future....

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

James Wolcott — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:58:16 -0000

Maybe this show should simply dispense with dialogue and simply have all of the characters sit/stand around smoking cigarettes.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:57:36 -0000

Betty giving advice on mothering? Now we're in farce. Oh I don't know where we are--

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

James Wolcott — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:56:23 -0000

Throw his white, pontificating ass off the bus!

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:54:32 -0000

Crazy Betty--how did she not pick up the phone the minute she found Glen?

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

James Wolcott — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:52:53 -0000

That kid is creeping me out.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:52:20 -0000

Are Betty's kids ever coming home?

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

tomwatson — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:51:17 -0000

Is this supposed to be a series of mini-episodes - like sketches - one unconnected to the next?

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

JamesS — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:40:34 -0000

Was that Douglas Sirk's specter hovering over the scene with January Jones &
the housekeeper?

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

tomwatson — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:38:24 -0000

the lining is the best part

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:34:21 -0000

You are so right---creepy casting

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

name — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:31:34 -0000

Method schmethod. Look at that plaid jacket.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

tomwatson — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:30:19 -0000

And January Jones a young Cindy - whoa, he just went for her....

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

James Wolcott — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:29:05 -0000

John McCain's wife looks like Claire McCaskill--now I'm really confused.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:22:43 -0000

The episode title is "The Inheritance." Sounds vaguely Henry James-like. Would that the writing was even glancing in that direction.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

tomwatson — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:22:34 -0000

Elisabeth Moss in the Madonna role....quite the advertising tie-in.

Re: Trapped in a Rat Pack Suit on a Soundstage, Looking for Grit

MaPeel — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:16:33 -0000

Dad still sharp where it counts.