The Good News (Mad Men)
Encyclopedia
"The Good News" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Mad Men
, and the 42nd overall episode of the series. It was written by Jonathan Abrahams and series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner
, and directed by Jennifer Getzinger
. It aired originally on the AMC channel in the United States on August 8, 2010. The episode contained guest appearances by, among others, Melinda Page Hamilton
as Anna Draper, and Samuel Page
as Greg Harris.
In the episode, Don Draper
(Jon Hamm) makes a trip to California to visit an old friend, where he receives bad news. Back in New York, he takes Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
) out for a wild night on the town. Meanwhile Joan Harris
(Christina Hendricks
) is having problems both at work and at home.
Advance copies of the episode were not sent out to critics because of Weiner's fear of spoilers
. Once the reviews came out, they were split on the value of the California story line, but more in unison in lauding the comedy of Don and Lane's adventure.
(Jon Hamm) is planning a holiday trip to Acapulco
. On the way, he has a 24-hour stop-over in Los Angeles
, to visit Anna Draper (Melinda Page Hamilton
). He finds Anna – the wife of the man whose identity Don stole – on the sofa with a broken leg. Anna's sister Patty (Susan Leslie) comes over to help with the chores, with her daughter Stephanie (Caity Lotz), who is in college. Stephanie stays behind when Patty leaves, and the three go out for dinner. In the evening, Don drives Stephanie home, and makes a pass at her in the driveway. She turns him down, and instead tells him that Anna has cancer, and does not know herself. The next morning, Don angrily confronts Patty about the secrecy, and says that he will pay for any possible treatment. Patty replies that they have already consulted experts, who all agree that the cancer is terminal. She asks him to stay out of the family's business. Don reluctantly decides to acquiesce. He tells Anna he has to leave, going back to New York instead of Acapulco.
Meanwhile Joan Harris
(Christina Hendricks
) consults an Ob/Gyn
about the possibility of getting pregnant, in spite of two prior abortions. He assures her there should be no problems, but is puzzled by the timing, since her husband Greg (Samuel Page
) will soon be shipped off to Vietnam
. Back at the office, she asks Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
) for time off in early January, since Greg is on duty over Christmas, but Lane rather brusquely refuses. Later, Joan is highly provoked to receive roses from Lane with a note saying: "Darling, I've been an ass. Kisses, Lane." He assures her that the note was intended for his wife, and that the mistake was made by his secretary, whom Joan promptly fires. At home, Greg tells Joan to take the time off anyway; the two argue and he storms out. Later they make up, and Joan is won over by his bedside manners when he stitches up a cut in her finger.
Back in New York, Don meets Lane in the office, and takes him out for a movie
and dinner. Lane tells Don that his wife has left him, and Don persuades him to come along and meet a couple of call girls. Back at Don's apartment, Lane spends the night with one of the girls. In the morning he thanks Don for the "welcome distraction", and leaves. Back at the office, the executive staff convene for a meeting. Joan opens with the words "Gentlemen, shall we begin 1965?"
, in his television blog for Time magazine
, called AMC and Weiner's handling of the matter "insane". The channel released a promotional clip from the third episode containing a major plot detail, so in Poniewozik's opinion, they were contradicting the spoiler policy they were trying to force on others.
In an interview with TV Guide
given prior to the screening of "The Good News", actress Christina Hendricks revealed that her character Joan would figure more prominently in the fourth season than she had in the third. Hendricks saw Joan as someone who experienced "a lot of conflict at home", but still managed to put on a cheerful exterior at work, and be a stabilizing force in the often tumultuous workplace. She also believed that the new office layout reflected the importance of the office manager, where she was positioned in an office with glass walls on the middle of the floor, with a full view of everything going on.
, gave it a grade "A", calling it a "wonderful, tonally dexterous episode". He especially appreciated the "heartbreaking" scenes between Anna and Don, and the "fucking great" scenes with Don and Lane. Mark Dawidziak, of the Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer, also found the episode both "heartbreaking and humorous". He pointed to the scene with Don and Lane in the movie theater as the funniest one, and Don's goodbye to Anna as the most heartbreaking. Slate
' s John Swansburg was less impressed, writing "For the first time this season, Mad Men bored me." He found the return of Anna and the entire California story line not very appealing. On the other hand, Swansburg also enjoyed the "truly hilarious night of debauchery" Don and Lane enjoyed. Matt Zoller Seitz, writing for The New Republic
, was even more scathing in his criticism, calling "The Good News" "The show's first truly bad episode." He further termed it "easily the most awkwardly written, clumsily paced and disposable hour it has ever aired." Though he did enjoy some parts of Don and Lane's night out, he found this also ultimately awkward, while he believed Christina Hendricks was not given enough screen time and good dialogue to fully play out the drama of her situation.
Devon Thomas, reviewing the episode for CBS News
, called the episode "strange", but appreciated the return of Joan to the story line. James Poniewozik of Time magazine acknowledged the fact that viewers had previously been divided on the episodes of the show that have taken place in California. In this case, however, he appreciated the contrast, echoing Lane's words of "a welcome distraction". He also enjoyed seeing Jared Harris, in the role of Lane, having the chance to display a different side of his character. The New York Times
' Ginia Bellafante felt that the episode was not as "thematically tight" as the show at its best, but reflected the view of other critics that it contained some of the most humorous scenes in the show's history. Bellafante, like Poniewozik, also commended Jared Harris for his performance. Meanwhile Ben Kenigsberg pronounced himself a fan of the show's "Los Angeles interludes" in a Time Out Chicago review. He also enjoyed the "comic balance to the tragedy of the Anna announcement" provided by the night out in New York, as well as Joan's husband's "first non-loathsome scene".
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
, and the 42nd overall episode of the series. It was written by Jonathan Abrahams and series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner is an American writer, director and producer of television drama. He is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and show runner of the AMC television series Mad Men. He is also noted for his work on the HBO series The Sopranos, on which he served as a writer and producer...
, and directed by Jennifer Getzinger
Jennifer Getzinger
Jennifer Getzinger is an American director and script supervisor of film and television.For much of her career she worked as a script supervisor on number of notable films namely The Prophecy , Phantoms , Clay Pigeons , Requiem for a Dream , The Devil Wears Prada as well as script supervising for...
. It aired originally on the AMC channel in the United States on August 8, 2010. The episode contained guest appearances by, among others, Melinda Page Hamilton
Melinda Page Hamilton
Melinda Page Hamilton is an American actress. She played a supporting role in the 2004 film, Promised Land, and the leading role in the 2006 film Sleeping Dogs Lie. She is a frequent guest star on several present-day television programs which include: Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami,...
as Anna Draper, and Samuel Page
Samuel Page
Samuel Page is an American actor. He is credited under the name Sam Page.-Early life:...
as Greg Harris.
In the episode, Don Draper
Don Draper
Donald "Don" Draper is a fictional character and the protagonist of AMC's television series Mad Men. He is portrayed by 2008 Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm. Until the third season finale, Draper was Creative Director of Manhattan advertising firm Sterling Cooper...
(Jon Hamm) makes a trip to California to visit an old friend, where he receives bad news. Back in New York, he takes Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
Jared Harris
Jared Francis Harris is a British character actor, well known for playing the obnoxious Mac McGrath in the Adam Sandler film Mr. Deeds, and for his portrayal of Lane Pryce on the AMC series Mad Men.- Personal life :...
) out for a wild night on the town. Meanwhile Joan Harris
Joan Holloway
Joan P. Harris is a fictional character on AMC's television series Mad Men. She is portrayed by Christina Hendricks.-Fictional character biography:Joan was born on February 24, 1931....
(Christina Hendricks
Christina Hendricks
Christina Rene Hendricks is an actress known for her role as Joan Holloway in the AMC cable television series Mad Men, and as Saffron in Fox's short-lived series Firefly. Hendricks was named "the sexiest woman in the world" in 2010 in a poll of female readers taken by Esquire magazine.-Personal...
) is having problems both at work and at home.
Advance copies of the episode were not sent out to critics because of Weiner's fear of spoilers
Spoiler (media)
Spoiler is slang for any element of any summary or description of any piece of fiction that reveals any plot element which will give away the outcome of a dramatic episode within the work of fiction, or the conclusion of the entire work. It can also be used to refer to any piece of information...
. Once the reviews came out, they were split on the value of the California story line, but more in unison in lauding the comedy of Don and Lane's adventure.
Plot
It is the end of 1964, and Don DraperDon Draper
Donald "Don" Draper is a fictional character and the protagonist of AMC's television series Mad Men. He is portrayed by 2008 Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm. Until the third season finale, Draper was Creative Director of Manhattan advertising firm Sterling Cooper...
(Jon Hamm) is planning a holiday trip to Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
. On the way, he has a 24-hour stop-over in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, to visit Anna Draper (Melinda Page Hamilton
Melinda Page Hamilton
Melinda Page Hamilton is an American actress. She played a supporting role in the 2004 film, Promised Land, and the leading role in the 2006 film Sleeping Dogs Lie. She is a frequent guest star on several present-day television programs which include: Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami,...
). He finds Anna – the wife of the man whose identity Don stole – on the sofa with a broken leg. Anna's sister Patty (Susan Leslie) comes over to help with the chores, with her daughter Stephanie (Caity Lotz), who is in college. Stephanie stays behind when Patty leaves, and the three go out for dinner. In the evening, Don drives Stephanie home, and makes a pass at her in the driveway. She turns him down, and instead tells him that Anna has cancer, and does not know herself. The next morning, Don angrily confronts Patty about the secrecy, and says that he will pay for any possible treatment. Patty replies that they have already consulted experts, who all agree that the cancer is terminal. She asks him to stay out of the family's business. Don reluctantly decides to acquiesce. He tells Anna he has to leave, going back to New York instead of Acapulco.
Meanwhile Joan Harris
Joan Holloway
Joan P. Harris is a fictional character on AMC's television series Mad Men. She is portrayed by Christina Hendricks.-Fictional character biography:Joan was born on February 24, 1931....
(Christina Hendricks
Christina Hendricks
Christina Rene Hendricks is an actress known for her role as Joan Holloway in the AMC cable television series Mad Men, and as Saffron in Fox's short-lived series Firefly. Hendricks was named "the sexiest woman in the world" in 2010 in a poll of female readers taken by Esquire magazine.-Personal...
) consults an Ob/Gyn
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
about the possibility of getting pregnant, in spite of two prior abortions. He assures her there should be no problems, but is puzzled by the timing, since her husband Greg (Samuel Page
Samuel Page
Samuel Page is an American actor. He is credited under the name Sam Page.-Early life:...
) will soon be shipped off to Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Back at the office, she asks Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
Jared Harris
Jared Francis Harris is a British character actor, well known for playing the obnoxious Mac McGrath in the Adam Sandler film Mr. Deeds, and for his portrayal of Lane Pryce on the AMC series Mad Men.- Personal life :...
) for time off in early January, since Greg is on duty over Christmas, but Lane rather brusquely refuses. Later, Joan is highly provoked to receive roses from Lane with a note saying: "Darling, I've been an ass. Kisses, Lane." He assures her that the note was intended for his wife, and that the mistake was made by his secretary, whom Joan promptly fires. At home, Greg tells Joan to take the time off anyway; the two argue and he storms out. Later they make up, and Joan is won over by his bedside manners when he stitches up a cut in her finger.
Back in New York, Don meets Lane in the office, and takes him out for a movie
Gamera (film)
is a 1965 daikaiju eiga about a giant turtle named Gamera. The film is similar in nature to the popular Godzilla films, and is also the first in a series of films about Gamera...
and dinner. Lane tells Don that his wife has left him, and Don persuades him to come along and meet a couple of call girls. Back at Don's apartment, Lane spends the night with one of the girls. In the morning he thanks Don for the "welcome distraction", and leaves. Back at the office, the executive staff convene for a meeting. Joan opens with the words "Gentlemen, shall we begin 1965?"
Production
After sending out advance copies of the season premiere to the media, Matthew Weiner was angered by what he considered spoilers in subsequent reviews. As a result, advance copies were not issued for later episodes. James PoniewozikJames Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
, in his television blog for Time magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, called AMC and Weiner's handling of the matter "insane". The channel released a promotional clip from the third episode containing a major plot detail, so in Poniewozik's opinion, they were contradicting the spoiler policy they were trying to force on others.
In an interview with TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
given prior to the screening of "The Good News", actress Christina Hendricks revealed that her character Joan would figure more prominently in the fourth season than she had in the third. Hendricks saw Joan as someone who experienced "a lot of conflict at home", but still managed to put on a cheerful exterior at work, and be a stabilizing force in the often tumultuous workplace. She also believed that the new office layout reflected the importance of the office manager, where she was positioned in an office with glass walls on the middle of the floor, with a full view of everything going on.
Reception
Scott Tobias, reviewing the episode for The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
, gave it a grade "A", calling it a "wonderful, tonally dexterous episode". He especially appreciated the "heartbreaking" scenes between Anna and Don, and the "fucking great" scenes with Don and Lane. Mark Dawidziak, of the Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer, also found the episode both "heartbreaking and humorous". He pointed to the scene with Don and Lane in the movie theater as the funniest one, and Don's goodbye to Anna as the most heartbreaking. Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, was even more scathing in his criticism, calling "The Good News" "The show's first truly bad episode." He further termed it "easily the most awkwardly written, clumsily paced and disposable hour it has ever aired." Though he did enjoy some parts of Don and Lane's night out, he found this also ultimately awkward, while he believed Christina Hendricks was not given enough screen time and good dialogue to fully play out the drama of her situation.
Devon Thomas, reviewing the episode for CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, called the episode "strange", but appreciated the return of Joan to the story line. James Poniewozik of Time magazine acknowledged the fact that viewers had previously been divided on the episodes of the show that have taken place in California. In this case, however, he appreciated the contrast, echoing Lane's words of "a welcome distraction". He also enjoyed seeing Jared Harris, in the role of Lane, having the chance to display a different side of his character. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
External links
- Official episode guide at AMC