'Mad Men' season four: Why Betty is already bugging me

By Jen Chaney



Betty Francis: looking upbeat and easygoing, as always. (AMC)

Let me start by saying this about Betty Francis, formerly Draper of TV's "Mad Men": I have, on more than one occasion, carried a measure of sympathy for her. Betty is a product of the era that preceded her current one, a simple housewife of the '50s attempting to move through the '60s in impossibly flouncy skirts and high heels. She has no sense of self and an existence stifled by the daily suburban grind of backyard parties, cocktail hours and, at least when she was with Don, a perpetually adulterous husband. I have felt for her. I really have.

But with just one episode of the fourth season of "Mad Men" behind us, one thing is clear: Betty is really starting to bug me.

Betty's chilly incompetence as a mother has already been well-documented by a number of sources, including January Jones, the actress who plays her. Oh, and also this widely distributed New York Magazine video compilation dubbed "Ugly Betty":

But her behavior in Sunday's "Public Relations," as I describe below in list form, takes things to a new level of self-absorption-dressed-up-in-Grace-Kelly clothes.

Annoying Behavior No. 1: She actually married Henry Francis. It was pretty clear from the season three finale that she would follow through with her plan to leave Don and become the wife of Gov. Rockefeller's PR man. But how disappointing. All she's done is run from one man who tried to control her to another one who, potentially, could be even more controlling. (Didn't he advise Betty not to seek any alimony or financial support from Don in their divorce? In the words of Seth and Amy: Really, Betty? Really!?!)

Annoying Behavior No. 2: The sweet potato force-feeding. Sally Draper doesn't care for sweet potatoes. You know what? Last I checked, Sally Draper lives in an America of yesteryear. And in that America of yesteryear, that little cherub-cheeked girl doesn't have to scarf down some marshmallow-and-yam mush if she doesn't want to. But does Betty realize this, let it go and not worry if Sally's rejection of her Thanksgiving meal will reflect poorly in the eyes of the Francis family? Of course not. Instead, she forces her to eat those potatoes, prompting poor Sally to essentially barf them right back up on the table. Betty, let that be a lesson to you. If you love someone, set their eating habits free. Otherwise, it's all going to come back to you, in the form of borderline potato-vomit on a crisply-pressed tablecloth.

Annoying Behavior No. 3: Severing Sally's phone call with Don. Betty chose to leave Don. Some might say she had good reason, what with Don cheating on her right and left and maintaining an entirely secret life and all. But that's no reason for Betty to prevent her daughter -- the same girl undoubtedly still suffering trauma due to the aforementioned sweet potato incident -- from talking to her daddy on Thanksgiving, even if her daddy is very busy getting slapped by a hooker.

Annoying Behavior No. 4: Preventing Don from seeing baby Gene. At the mere suggestion from Henry that perhaps the baby should stay with Carla so the two can have a night out, Betty follows through, thereby preventing Don from seeing the infant when he drops off Sally and Bobby after a visit. Henry is manipulating Betty, and Betty -- mindless, malleable, man-dependent Betty -- is letting it happen. I know, I know: Betty's inability to think for herself and be unselfish is society's fault.

Annoying Behavior No. 5: Refusing to vacate the premises: Betty will not move out of the Draper home, despite the fact that Don is still covering the mortgage. She says she doesn't want to cause any more instability for the children, which is understandable. Or it would be, if she wasn't busy snapping at the kids and shoving grub in their faces every other second. In truth, it seems Betty just wants to hang on to the life she once had and has simply inserted Henry into the role Don once played. And let's be honest: she doesn't know the real Husband No. 2 any better than she knew the real Husband No. 1. And that may be the most annoying thing of all when it comes to Betty Francis-Draper: that she invariably gets frustrated about being kept in the dark yet refuses to shine a genuine light on the people she supposedly loves.

Am I being too hard on Betty? And, in a related question, is it possible she'll get even more annoying as the season continues? Weigh in with a comment. But please, don't make anyone eat any potatoes if they aren't hungry.