It was only a matter of time before the Kennedy Assassination would make an appearance, so it's probably no surprise that I found this to be the most depressing episode of Season Three. That's right, we've actually reached a rating of 5 out of 5 razor blades for the first time. I'm posting this from beyond the grave. (The finale is next week, but I'm confident it won't beat this one out. If it does, I'll... eat the stale ghost Peeps left over from Halloween.)
So. Yeah. The Kennedy Assassination. I wasn't alive in 1963, but it's such an iconic part of modern American history that watching the black and white news reels was enough to get me teary eyed. Add the Sterling Cooper gang's reactions, and Betty Draper's speech to Don that she no longer loves him (BUT WHAT ABOUT ITALY???), and there's really no way to finish this episode without feeling somehow small and demoralized. As troubled and lie-filled and screwed up the Drapers' marriage is, I don't want it to end. That would be wrong.
To contrast the tragedies, we got a few -- um, very few -- moments of levity. Pete was pouting over his hot chocolate and lamenting his perceived "firing," Roger Sterling's daughter went ahead with her wedding the day after Kennedy's death, and I was secretly pleased to see Sterling flirting with Joan on the phone while his too-young wife lay passed out next to him. He and Joanie were good together.
Sigh.
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