Sundays has been my favorite night of television for sometime with last night possibly being my favorite night of TV ever. These two incredibly complex shows couldn't be more different on the surface. Mad Men follows the exploits of a 60's ad agency while Game of Thrones explores the mythical kingdom of Westoros. As one delves deeper the shows are about the same thing, power. More specifically how women deal with their lack thereof.
Last night's Mad Men revolved around Joan's indecent proposal. A rather doughy Jaguar exec offers to vote the agency's way in exchange for a night with Joan. With all things Mad Men the show takes a simple concept and places it under a microscope. The men of the firm are more than willing to serve as Joan's pimps(and compensate her handsomely for it). All except Don(of all people) who attempts to ride in on his White horse and save her.
Meanwhile Peggy fed up with Don, decides to leave the agency. Two women in two different roles work with the hands that life has dealt them and come to two very different decisions and outcomes. For Joan her greatest asset is her sexuality, she uses it and ultimately gains a stake in the agency. Peggy's strength obviously is her brain and she uses it to get more money and a better job.
On the Game of Thrones front the much ballyhooed battle of Blackwater takes place. There's an interesting dichotomy within with Game of Thrones fan base, it's divided into two camps; show watchers(haven't read the books), and book readers(who tend to demand the show be exactly like the book).
The book watchers have pointed to the battle of Blackwater as a landmark event. This episode should make the most strident fan happy. It's a spectacle to behold. The battle is breathtaking and overwhelming at the same time.
But it's not the battle that's the most awe inspiring aspect of the episode, it's the character work. Various characters show us different stages of fight or flight. Each one of them has a believable and human reaction to conflict.
The best scenes come from Cersei as she's cooped up in a room full of noble women during the battle, we feel her frustration, helplessness and deeply seeded anger over living in a world where men are the only ones that matter.
Such a fantastic hour of television. It's it possible that the next season of breaking bad can start the moment these two shows end. Sundays won't be the same.
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