Just as Don Draper was becoming more likable ...

"Mad Men" Season 3 episode 7 has an unusual structure for this series, opening with takes on three of the characters: Peggy in bed with a guy, in the morning; Betsy Draper alone and rubbing her hands along her things, lounging, in a summer dress; Don on the floor of a motel room, with a broken nose. Then we go back and see how these three story lines developed (though in this episode they don't converge). This episode, however, despite the intriguing structure, pushes probability a little too far: would Peggy really hop into the sack with the odious Duck, of all people? Would Don be so foolish and self-destructive as to let himself get rolled by two punks? Yes, he is self-destructive, but no fool. Betsy the most credible of the group - she has a brief meet with the gubernatorial aide who'd hit on her at a party, asking for his support for some Junior League conservation project (stop the water tower in Ossining). Obviously they both wanted the meeting to see what sparks would kindle. He leaves her, nothing happens - but she goes back home and has strong yearnings. It's at least the third time she's had these feelings - she's the original desperate housewife - but it will be interesting to see if she acts on them, if she can be as horrible to Don as he has been to her. And by the way, just as it looked as if Don was becoming a more sympathetic character, now in this episode he's mean and condescending toward Betsy and totally nasty to Peggy - driving them both to their own destructive behaviors. It's catching.