In possibly the best episode of the season yet, “The Forecast” delivers some startling revelations about many supporting characters in the show.
First, we finally get an update on Sally, who at this point is the most interesting character on “Mad Men.” We’ve watched Sally grow up throughout the last seven seasons, and in this episode we see her grow even more. Sally’s about to go on a trip with a few of her classmates across 12 states, and she’s most excited about it because it means she can get away from her parents, as she reveals toward the end of the episode. But it’s not the regular teen angst that’s driving her away–she’s disillusioned with how selfish her parents, Betty and Don, are. But, Don tells Sally in her final scene in the episode, she’s just like them, and she has to learn to show both the beauty and the brains. Sally shakes it off and walks away, but you can tell she listened to Don.
Next we hear from Glen, Sally’s pen pal and former neighbor. In past seasons, Glen has had a weird relationship with Betty, almost a postponed romantic relationship, and now that he’s grown up, Betty seems like she wants to take action. But, she says, she’s married, and when Glen tries to make a move on her, she backs off. It’s more complicated, though. Glen is going off to Vietnam. He’s failing school, and he wants his stepfather (and Betty) to be proud of him. Sally is angry with Glen because she thinks he’s going to die overseas. The sad part is, she’s probably right.
Mathis, who’s been working at SC&P for years now, has a confrontation with Don that stems from a mistake in an account meeting, in which he takes Don’s advice and gets snarky with a client. The advice didn’t pan out, and Mathis is eventually fired, not because SC&P probably lost the account, but because Mathis stands up to Don about how he is able to get out of every situation because he’s a pretty face. This is significant because no one’s stood up to Don like this in a long time, so Don fires Mathis rather than dealing with the situation. But it’s obvious Mathis’ comment affect Don because, when he sees Sally off at the bus station before her cross-country trip, he tells her that looks will only get her so far, and she has to be smart as well.
Joan also gets a little love in this episode, literally. While on a business trip to California, Joan meets a man whom she has a brief relationship with. The man finds Joan in New York and wants to continue the relationship, but when he finds out she has a son, decides he doesn’t want to be associated with her anymore. He wants to be free, he says. All of his children are grown and he’s divorced, and he wants to travel the world. But Joan can’t, so he casts her off. Joan is, understandably, hurt by this and doesn’t press the issue. Eventually, though, the man finds Joan at the office and says he’s changed his mind. Joan, again, has a chance at the love she’s been after for years.
While many storylines were tied in this episode, we’re still left with a few large questions that only have four more episodes to be answered. What’s the deal with Don’s mysterious new love interest? What’s going to happen to Peggy? Will she find love/ever be satisfied? What about Don? Only time will tell.
