Okay, let's talk about Mad Men, season 5, episode 6. You know, the one with the title that sounds like it’s for a travel brochure? 'Far Away Places.' But trust me, these places weren't exactly exotic beaches and umbrella drinks. Unless your idea of a far-away place is the deep, dark recesses of your own existential dread.
This episode. Oh, this episode. It was… a lot. And I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it might be one of my favorites. Yes, I know. Unpopular opinion incoming. Hold onto your hats, folks.
So, we've got our usual suspects, right? Don Draper, looking perpetually like he’s just woken up from a very expensive nap. Megan Draper, the glamorous wife who’s trying her best to be… something. And then there’s the whole crew at SCDP, buzzing around like bees in a very anxious hive.
But this episode decides to take us on a journey. Not a literal one, mind you. More like a psychological detour. We start with Don and Megan. They’re supposed to be on a romantic getaway. A second honeymoon, maybe? Something to rekindle the spark that seems to be perpetually flickering like a dying cigarette. Instead, it’s… awkward. Super awkward.
They go to a restaurant. Fancy, of course. Because everything in Mad Men is fancy, even the misery. And they’re supposed to be connecting, right? Sharing stories, gazing into each other’s eyes. But it’s like watching two strangers try to have a polite conversation at a really dull party. You know that feeling? The one where you’re desperately trying to think of something, anything, to say? Yeah, they’re living that.
And then, the big moment. The one that had me leaning forward, popcorn in hand. Don asks Megan what she wants. And her answer… well, it’s not exactly what he was expecting. It’s honest. It’s vulnerable. It’s terrifying. And I loved it. Because finally, we’re seeing past the facade. We’re seeing the real person underneath the perfectly coiffed hair and the designer dresses.
But it’s not just about Don and Megan, is it? No, this episode has other stories to tell. We’ve got Pete Campbell. Poor, perpetually stressed Pete. He’s on a business trip, trying to secure a new client. And of course, it doesn’t go smoothly. Because nothing ever goes smoothly for Pete Campbell. He’s like a magnet for professional disaster.
He ends up in a hotel room with a client, and things get… complicated. Let’s just say it involves a lot of whiskey and some questionable decisions. It’s the kind of situation where you want to look away, but you can’t. It’s train wreck television, but somehow, you still feel a pang of sympathy for the guy.
And then there’s Peggy Olson. Our brilliant, underappreciated Peggy. She’s trying to navigate her own complicated relationship, and she’s struggling. She’s working late, she’s stressed, and she’s just trying to get a moment’s peace. And who can blame her?
This episode is all about these little moments of isolation. These pockets of loneliness that exist even when you’re surrounded by people. It’s about the gap between what we want and what we have. The distance between our idealized selves and our messy, real lives.
And I think that’s why I loved it. Because it felt real. It wasn’t about grand gestures or dramatic plot twists. It was about the quiet struggles, the internal battles. It was about the moments when you’re staring out a window, wondering where it all went wrong, or if it ever went right in the first place.
People might call it slow. They might call it boring. They might say nothing happens. But I disagree. So much happens. In the pauses. In the unspoken words. In the looks that linger too long. In the moments of profound, gut-wrenching realization.
This episode is like a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. It’s not something you gulp down. It’s something you savor. You let it warm you from the inside out. You let it seep into your soul.
So, if you’re one of those who scoffed at 'Far Away Places,' I urge you to reconsider. Give it another watch. Because sometimes, the most profound journeys aren’t the ones that take you across continents. They’re the ones that take you into the heart of human experience. And this episode, my friends, this episode takes us there. And it’s a place worth visiting, even if it is a little uncomfortable.
