I went a little nuts with the screen capturing while watching the latest Mad Men, so I’ve got an extra post this week: it’s the Mad Men themselves, and their fabulous furniture, props, and dogs — all that which didn’t fit into my Mad Women post.
Let’s start with this small dinner party scene:
If I Had that Scotch and those Curtains, I'd be a Happy Lady
I can’t be bothered to remember the name of the smiling man here, but I can tell you that, fed by whiskey and sitting in close proximity to those fabulous floral curtains, I’d be smiling like a goober, too.
Let’s move into the Sterling Cooper offices, then, shall we? Here’s Don’s office, which I’ve posted before, but I couldn’t resist this image:
The Iconic View from behind Don's Chair
I love the scene of the SC crew talking ideas on Don’s couches and chairs. The boys are all lined up on the sofa, Peggs is sitting pretty in her Special Ladies’ Chair for Ladies, and Don, naturally, is perched in his armchair in that iconic pose. I love that chair SO MUCH you do not even know. What I would give for such a chair!
Moving over to Don’s desk, where he is usually hard at work fielding calls from ladies or giving orders to his secretaries, we see his lovely desk lamp.
I Love Lamp
The punched-tin coronas atop each shade make me quite happy. Also, kindly note his emphatic gesture! Don means business! (Except when he means pleasure, which, just, well, I can’t even discuss. Oh, Don. Stop being so royally fucked up, and then call me.)
Duck’s office! (More on Duck later.)
Lovely Sofas
Gorgeous sofas, am I right?
And the royal chamber of solitude for any man, the bathroom:
Oh, Dualities Expressed by the Judicious Use of Mirror Shots!
Let’s appreciate the lovely sink, the pretty hexagonal black and white floor, and the not-at-all-overused visual device of mirrors. (I chide, but I can say in all earnestness that the art direction and cinematography on this show do not cease to impress me.)
Finally, Chauncey the Dog:
Chauncey, Sweet and Noble Chauncey!
Oh, Chauncey! Wonderful Chauncey, the Dog of Duck. I snap these screen captures as the episode is playing, and this entire episode was ripe with wonderful Chauncey scenes, but this particular scene was what made me hit the pause button, and, eyes all misty, capture the image. Little did I know! LITTLE DID I FUCKING KNOW! If you have seen the episode, you will know why I am SO MAD at Duck right now.
Raveling Out 
i too was angered by duck! chauncey looked at him like he could ssee into his soul and duck couldn’t take it. fucker.
also, is that an old school stand up ashtray next to don’s chair?
that was a funny scene with sally in the bathroom. still not sure exactly what to make of it. i don’t understand all the philandering, january jones is so hot!
was it this or the last episode where we saw don visit peggy at the hospital when she was all crazy and told her to get her shit together? it’s interesting how he is kind of her mentor and they are both so full of secrets. also, her interactions with pete are so wrought these days. they always make me want to punch him.
Yeah, I love that ashtray! I have a close-up of it here: http://media.zemblangrammar.com/2008/08/03/mad-for-mad-men/
As for the bathroom scene, I think the immediate interpretation of it is that Don is feeling tortured about his deceptive double life — but, on the other hand, I don’t know. It’s not like he’s going to change. The big epiphany of last year’s finale didn’t last long, anyway, right?
And also, Amen to everything you said about Don and Peggy’s parallel secret lives. And Pete. FUCKING PETE, he is so annoying. I don’t think you watched Angel, did you? He was UNBEARABLE on that show, too. The only redeeming thing about Pete on this show is (as I was telling C. the other day), the show seems to hate him as much as the viewer does. His tiny humiliations and comeuppances are so pleasurable for the audience! (Side note: C. and Philly are watching the first season now, so once they get caught up we can all dish! YAY!)