"I don't love you anymore". Wow. She seems heartless to me, and I know Don was worse, but the show is based around Don, so you are naturally inclined to sympathize with him. When he went upstairs after her confession, you could see the his pain.

I guess the one thing I was confused about was that Betty seemed to show genuine compassion for Don after his admission about who he really was. I thought everything might have been saved. Now all of that was replaced with "he's been lying to me for years!" Huh?

I think that her buddy Henry Francis is a snake. She doesn't realize he's just like Don was.

Agreed, King.  Sometimes I think the presence of another writer on an episode or a change of writers can really be felt.  Although having said that, it's certainly possible to lose your love for someone and still feel compassion for their circumstances. Betty seems like a zombie, but always has (to me).

King_Stannis,

Care to elaborate on your gut feelings about Henry F?
He gives me creepy vibes for sure, but I can't pinpoint what exactly makes me uneasy about him other than his socially inappropriate interest in Betty's pregnancy and continued "interest" in her.

Well, you sort of nailed it there with the general creepy vibe. Plus, and there's probably no way to say this without offending someone, but I will nontheless...A guy who messes with another guy's wife is just sleazy. Don's lowest point was when he was with the comedian's wife, and I actually thought it was very cool when he told Don off.

I know women who mess with other women's husbands aren't absolved from scorn, they're homewreckers for sure. Men who do it, though, are not only homewreckers but they violate a sort of code of conduct men have that generates strong a resentment in guys who have any semblence of morality.

It's something you just don't do.

Sorry if that appeared in any way chauvanist, but it is honest and from the heart.

King_Stannis,

The morality code applies both ways.

In theory, of course it does. In reality is sometimes a different story.

I really felt for Don this episode.  Way to rip off the Band-aid, Betty!  But I have to say that he dug his own grave.  He seemed to have turned a corner after she found out his secret: helping with the baby, etc.  But he's improved before and then gone back to his old ways.  If she hadn't discovered his lies, he would still be doing the teacher.  She's been pushed too far and so has her trust.

Yeah, the other shoe definately dropped last night. Right on Don's head.

I agree with the sentiments about Henry Francis. Very oily, and cruising pregnant women at garden parties? Gad. His daughter was almost Betty's age, and she seems to have his number. And he says he wants to marry her and take care of her after only two kisses??? I doubt it. What about the kids?
Also, he mentioned that he was busy working on Rockefeller's '64 presidential campaign. When it goes to Goldwater, I wonder if Henry's fortunes will change?

Great shot though, of Betty coming out of the restroom and both men waiting for her, expectantly.

I am new to this site and after reading many of the comments, I gather many people do not care for the character of Betty.  Yet, somehow they find Don fascinating.  To me, the cheating is one thing - it can happen but, what really makes me hate Don is the way (especially during the first season), he projected his mental confusion onto his wife. He seemed to take every opportunity to belittle and shame her because he was feeling insecure and ashamed of himeself.  I find it perfectly reasonable that she doesn't love him anymore.  Don's reaction was probably due less to pain than it was to surprise that his wife finally had the guts to stand up for herself.  Yes, Betty can be snotty and wimpy but she's put up with a lot of crap from an immature, self-loathing creep.  Don't know if Henry is cut from the same cloth, but it's always a mistake to run from one relationship to another before you have to time to learn something about yourself from the first.

King_Stannis:  Right or wrong, you are correct about the male morality code.  The adultery commandment in the Ten Commandments is about property. When you commit adultery, it is not against your wife because you own her. You commit adultery against the man whose wife (property) you are messing around with.  If you are messing around with a single woman, it is not adultery.  However, if it is discovered, you will have to pay a fine to her father because she is no longer worth as much to sell to a husband.

King_Stannis and jackspratt,
Bingo! The Judeo-Christian double standard was fully alive and well in the Mad Men era.

I've tried over and over to sympathize with Betty, but she is just an empty shell of a human being. So cold to her children (Sally had to put an arm around her during the Kennedy news. She never returned the gesture). Beauty only goes so far. Shallow, vain, simplistic, and depressed just isn't a great combination in a mate. Don's paramours always seem to have more going on upstairs.

I think Betty is far from an empty shell of a human being.  To me, she is the perfect portrait of a woman trapped by a marriage built on lies.  It would be difficult to be in a relationship where you can feel that something is amiss but you can't figure out what's wrong.  More difficult when you have a partner who is actively hiding the missing pieces of the puzzle.  Betty is also trapped by limited expectations of the early 60's and by the fact that she was brought up to think her beauty was the most important fact about her as a person.  Sometimes she seems like a little trapped animal to me.  When she spilled her guts to the little boy Glen because she couldn't admit to her friend that the facade of her domestic life was cracking, I felt enormous sympathy for her, even in spite of the fact that it was wildly inappropriate. Sometimes I wonder what she will be like when women's lib gets going.  Could she break free to become a more self-realized, more complete person?  How would Don deal with her then?

In my opinion, Betty was never asked or expected to be more than Don's mannequin.  She has been unhappy throughout the entire series, so it's nice to see her finally admitting it. As for sympathy- I wanted to feel sorry for Don, and I did, but from her point of view, how do you forgive someone for a lie that big?  His cheating pales in comparison.  I think her character is an expression of the women's movement, we're seeing the beginning of it now!

I am not unsympathetic to Betty's plight. How could I be?  She's what women's lib was all about. But she never shows any warmth or love, and that's why I called her a zombie.  A couple of weeks ago, when she was rubbing Don's arm and telling him he was working too hard, it seemed so false, so phony.  She's a terrible mother, cold sister, daughter, friend, and sometimes just plain weird.  Remember when she went outside and started shooting the neighbors' birds?  I have often thought January Jones might be the problem.  Brilliant actress?  Or one of the worst ever?

Heh, I think you might be onto something there, Becky. And you're forgetting the creepiest thing of all - her parking lot conversation with the divorcee's little son. She was talking to him like he was her psychiatrist. That was one of the truly weirdest things I'd seen in the show.

Well, that and the guy getting his foot taken off by the John Deere.

I hear you, and I almost feel guilty for not liking Betty more. I think honestly  it's in how she deals with the kids on screen. I just recently got my wife to start watching MM, and she does like it. But whenever there's a scene with Betty and the kids, my wife blurts out "go to bed", even if it's in the daytime. And I have to laugh, because there's some truth in there.

Betty always makes me think of Jack Nicholson's speech to Michelle Pfieffer in "Wolf". Essentially, he nails her M.O. perfectly when he tells her (and I am going by memory here and am blocked from IMDB at work) "you want the world to see beyond all that beauty and see the real you inside. But the truth is that aside from that beauty, nobody would want to have anything to do with you. In a way, you're your own worst enemy."

Betty's parking lot conversation with Glen has been mentioned a couple times, and it's one of scenes that still creeps me out about her. It's one of the weirdest facets of her character, that she'd reach out to make a connection with that small boy. Both damaged, and both seemingly about the same mental age. I actually felt pity for the little weirdo for  being trapped by her depressed diatribe.
I think this was shortly after his mother told Betty that it was inappropriate for a grown woman to be giving a lock of her hair to a neighbor boy, and got herself publically slapped in the face for it.

It's been postulated on another board that there may be a significant underlying reason for Betty's desire to divorce Don. Not only that he was lying about his identity this whole time, but that once she found out who he really was, she couldn't live with that reality.
Perhaps this beautiful, priviledged, debutante, teen model Betty (who easily could've been the inspiration for Barbie), and who married rising star Don Draper, just can't stand the thought of being married to Dick Whitman, dirt farmer "whore-child"?

That makes complete sense but for the fact that she seemed genuinely compassionate after seeing how shaken he was. It was the first time in the series I actually liked her.

Perhaps I should have written, ...Upon reflection, just can't stand the thought...

Betty needed to be chided for wearing a bikini...as mentioned, she had the odd relationship with the little boy...

Don even referred to her @ 1 pt. as a "child."  And if memory serves, he was getting those reports on the sly from her shrink.

Don may have cheated a lot of those times b/c Betts is not on his level mentally.  The teacher is a free thinker.  The hippie chick...free thinker.  Bobbie Barrett...free thinker.  The Jewish chick...very accomplished, smart, independent...

Betts lacks all those things.  Total ice queen.  This Henry Francis doesn't see Betty...he is just so excited to see any chick give him the time of day who is that much younger and more attractive than he is.

Don would be lucky if she walks.  She has her dad's house in Md.  Betts isn't gonna be in a position to expose Don and send him to jail or any of that crap.  It's like the lawyer told her...he'll get the house, the kids, everything...

I for one, hope he does.  Betty fits the fairy tale for Don...not real life.  And if she tries to press this Dick Whitman thing...the chick w/one leg in Cali isn't about to screw Don, and the psychiatrist will say whatever Don needs him to say.  She'll be the one proven an adulterer, not him.  She already tried to play that game and found nothing.

All teflon don said was "I wasn't respectful to you."  Let Ms. Draper take that to court.

You're right, crackbillionair. 

Betty is a total ice queen.  She's absolutely not at Don's intellectual level, nor is she mature, which is probably why Don gravitates towards the women we've seen him with, who are all more or less independent, albeit flighty broads.  Which is why Don has kept coming back to Betty.  She has always been predictable.  Until now, that is.

If cornered, Don may have to do something drastic.  He could totally murder Betty and make it look like a suicide.  Her psychiatrist would confirm her depression; her family doctor would say how she was despondent and very distraught over news she pregnant with Gene; her neighbors would testify to erratic and unpredictable behavior, what with her penchant for seducing neighborhood pre-teens and shooting at pigeons.  And now, with the sudden news of a national tragedy like Kennedy getting his head blown apart, why -- that just might push a frazzled little housewife over the edge.  I think I'd peg Betty as a Champagne and sleeping pills kind of girl, wouldn't you?

White Bread - YIKES!. you are scary.  I would be more afraid of being married to you than Don.

Don doesn't cheat because Betty is not on his level mentally.  He cheats because he is trying to fill an emptiness within himself.  He is confused about who he is and who he wants to be.  I don't think I'd peg Don's behaviour as much more mature's than Betty's.  Don't forget that he was perfectly willing to dump the family without a moment's hesitation to run off with the department store lady.  Thank God she was mature and had her head screwed on right. 
Also, Betty is not the complete little idiot people seem to think she is.  After she found out that her shrink was reporting directly to Don, she went in and began to talk about her husband's cheating.  I think the idea was to let the shrink report that back to Don, indirectly letting him know that Betty was aware of his behavior and that it was at least, part of the reason for her sadness.
By the way, why did Betty need to be chided for wearing that bikini?  She had a cover-up on and she looked great.  I totally thought that was Don trying to shame her again.  He may cheat on her like a weasel in heat but he doesn't want her to get any attention from other men.

James - Oh, give me a break. I think I'm capable of some pretty thorough insight from time to time, and who knows, maybe I've hit the nail right on the head with this one?  I mean, Don obviously cares a great deal for Betty and his children, and I don't think he'd want to do anything to hurt them; but if pushed, do we know whether he's clinging to his lies at this point because he's concerned for Don Draper (or the concept of Don Draper), or does he truly love the people and things Don Draper has acquired over the last ten years or so?

We've seen him shuck his family before when given an opportunity.  They were a bunch of dirt bags, sure, but they were the only family he had, weren't they?

saskatoonberry, I hope you don't take offense, but sometimes I try to read people and...well, I was wondering if you're a lesbian?

Any existential problems Don may or may not be grappling with could just as easily be contrasted with Betty's.  As a young housewife with three children, she clearly feels bogged down with responsibilities her upbringing simply hasn't prepared her to deal with; so yes, with her limited education and completely sheltered past, I don't think there's any arguing that she's intellectually and emotionally deficient.  The difference, though, is that while you'd probably excuse or dismiss her brewing infidelity, you're more than willing to line up and throw stones at Don, along with every other female contributor to this forum, it seems.

This isn't to say Don's affairs aren't irresponsible, but besides being a smokin' ex-model, Betty isn't exactly yin to Don's yang.  I mean, it's easy to say Don's cheating is due to his own inadequacies, but who's to say Betty couldn't do more to keep him from dipping his yang in every Manhattan hardbody that crosses his path? 

Oh, and Don's perfectly happy about Betty getting attention from other men: he gave the green light for her to resume her modeling career; he told her to dress up nice for the party they recently attended, saying he wanted to "show her off"; he even played the voyeur on their trip to Italy and delighted in watching that group of men pine for Betty's attention.  The situation you're talking about is completely different, since she was taking the children un-escorted to a public beach dressed in a very sexy two-piece.  She did look great, yes, and that would have certainly attracted attention from other men.  He didn't overreact.  He was protecting Betty and was right to do it.  With Don not there, she could have been assaulted or harassed, and she'd be pretty much powerless to do much about it.

Oh, White Bread if I were a lesbian, I'd proudly and loudly declare it to be so but no, I am not.  Do I think Jon Hamm is good looking?  Of course, he wouldn't have been hired for the role of Don Draper if he wasn't.  He's also a very good actor.  It's just that I don't think his character is deserving of all the sympathy he's given.  As for Betty doing more to keep him from cheating, you can't stop a spouse from cheating if that's how they choose to deal with a situation.  One spouse can drive the other away from the relationsip but the choice to seek out a third party is a decision for which that person is solely responsible.  In the case of the Drapers, the one aspect of their relationship that seems to be working is their sex life.  I like that they write Betty as sexually responsive and sometimes the initiator within her marriage. I also like that Don enjoys these things. 

With regards to Don allowing Betty to resume her modelling career, he was well aware that it was directly related to the other company's attempt to woo him away from SC.  It didn't take much largesse for him to allow it because he knew it wouldn't last long. It was however, kind of him not to throw it in her face when the gig ended. That was caring.  I agree that Don doesn't mind showing Betty off but I do think he has to be present to enjoy it and control the circumstances. 

I would guess that most people who watch MM like the Don Draper character.  For me, he has his moments.  His relationship with his kids when he is fully present is lovely.  Of course, he's brilliant, charming, always seems to come out on top of every situation.  Being a man of few words, and most often the right ones at the right time, makes for a compelling portrait.  It's simply that I happen to find the female characters on the show more compelling because of the constraints of the times and the barriers they have to break through just to get themselves to an even playing field with the men in terms of the value assigned to them by society.  I strongly identify with the struggles I watch them go through. (Though I don't for the life of me understand Betty getting out the gun. WTF was that?)

Yeah, I realize the guy was trying to reel Don in by first getting Betty on the hook with the modeling work.  But it being a temporary gig for her doesn't really detract from my point, now does it?

The show is nuanced and layered and complex.  I appreciate all those complexities and bring my own baggage to bear on all situations, at home and in the workplace.  But.  But.

The reason I watch, the reason I stay up that late, is Don Draper.  He is the guy "falling" in the graphic.  It's his show and his story.  All the rest is subplot.  Do I "like" him?  That's not even relevant.

Whitebread, it seems to me you're off on the way Don sees Betty.  She is a possession and an ornament.  She shows off his alpha male status.  He wasn't protecting her with the two piece lecture.  Men might give her attention apart from her proper context of being "taken" by him.  He's fine with men giving her attention when he is "showing her off."  It's a deeply sexist attitude, which, as you know is one of the show's main themes.

I remember Don saying to Betty that their children were so lucky to have a beautiful mother like her.  He said he always wished he had had such a mother.  Some episodes later, when they were going out to the dinner (the one where he said he wanted to "show her off"), he said to the kids, "see how pretty your mother is?" or something like that.  You could argue that Don wants Betty to be his mommy too. Or that he has created the Draper household much as he creates scenarios and ad campaigns at work--beautiful but false.

I think Jack and Becky are both correct in that Betty is a possession, and part of a false/fantasy life that Don has created for himself. He compliments her on her beauty when it is presented for him alone to benefit from. When she did things that threatened his world, he scolded her like a child. For instance, when she let in the air-conditioning salesman, "You let a strange man into MY house?" Not "our" house.

By telling Don that she doesn't love him, she's starting to gain a small measure of independance (if not maturity). She's still not a fully formed human being capable of taking on the world on her own, though. She's simply weighing her options as to being taken care of by Henry vs. Don. And the kids don't even seem to figure into her equation. Carla may as well be Gene's mother, for all the attention she gives him. This doesn't engender any respect for her from me.

I don't think Betty is innocent of the fantasy-driven life she shared with Don. She's an adult and accountable for her actions, if she didn't cared enough for Don's background, she holds some responsability for it too.

The kids are the only innocents here.

I didn't even considered Henry being another faker like Don. That's a good observation of you guys and, if it happens to be true, a great work from the cast and crew also.

James - Oh, give me a break. I think I'm capable of some pretty thorough insight from time to time, and who knows, maybe I've hit the nail right on the head with this one?

White Bread -  I’m not questioning your accuracy in predictions/analysis.  I am acknowledging your very thoughtful, thorough and methodical methods for disposing of your loved one.  I fear for Mrs. White Bread’s safety.

When thinking of the fight/flight instinct for dealing with conflict I think Don’s flight instinct is so strong it would overcome any thoughts of violence against Betty.  He had his chance to threaten or even harm Pete when he attempted to blackmail him.  The only physical action we’ve ever seen him take was him sucker punching Jimmy who was a foot shorter than him.  He can’t even bring himself to spank his son and despite signing on with the military, basic training and the potential of being a war hero via fighting on, he opted to get out.

Don is incapable of true love because he doesn’t love himself.  At the start of the season when it looked like he and Betty turned over a new leaf we saw them dancing in the living room and all lovey snuggles together.  I don’t think anyone found Betty odious or stupid.  She was whimsical and fun.   

She has a healthy appetite for sex with Don and household appliances, keeps a trim figure so why step out?  I think Don is a sex addict who rather than look at porn (which was hard to come by in 1963) or see hookers, he rises to the level of what his good looks and charm will allow him to indulge.  Even though most of his mistress as stated in other posts would have seemingly have been a better match for him, Don would not have been able to be faithful particularly holding on to his big lie about himself being a faker.  Knowing Don is a cad, Betty is shallow, Pete is a brat I still care for them and would not put any of them in an evil person category.  They are all very much victims of their upbringing.  How much of their past they have they overcome is in correlation to how appealing they are.  So far, despite all his short comings I give the most credit to Don, although Pete is now running a close second.  Funny how the income of their parents doesn’t equate into level of abusiveness of their respective upbringings and subsequent damage it has caused to their development.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's a great post right up there, James.  I'd say Don is no threat to murder Betty, but you got to appreciate White Bread as a man with a plan.

Don is more the type to hurt you with words, intellectually...like he did to Duck.  Don may not have put a hand on Campbell, but obviously, Campbell is very afraid of him, going so far as to warn Peggy not to speak to Duck for Duck's benefit.

I don't think Betts has ever really been a good lay, to be frank.  She is picturesque, but we all know that Joan, who was never his mistress, and all the other chicks that were, were exciting to Don in a sexual way as well as being appreciated for being independent thinkers and free spirited.

In fact, last season, Don wasn't really keeping his dick up for Betts and she was like 'just tell me what to do' but that wasn't working.

Betts is too naive, too cloistered...and that's partly due to her being a product of her environment.  But also, she modeled and lived in Manhattan and didn't know her friend was a hooker...

Riding a horse doesn't make one wordly.  As for Don, I agree that he can't love himself.  But he does love his kids.  He seems to love them more than Betts who is often downright mean to them, lobbying for spankings and whatnot...

I don't like Betty.  I don't like how she treats the kids.  I don't feel sorry for her.  She's extremely privileged.  I'm sure they are not gonna break up their signature couple, but I'd love it if Don got out this marriage.

And one more thing addressed to someone above...this show doesn't take place in 2009.  In 1962, wearing a bikini @ the club sent the following message: I am a whore.

If she is too stupid to know that, which she is, then she is too stupid, period, and Don can't be happy with what that implies about their relationship.

I don't really think Don is about to murder Betty, but I thought I'd throw that imagined situation out there, just for the heck of it.  It wouldn't work for a number of reasons.  For one, we've seen how Don avoids confrontation at all costs in the past, what with him not fighting in Korea, attempting to bribe his brother rather than deal with him, not spanking Bobby, his "everything will be okay" refrain, etc, etc.  I'm just saying, if he were to do it, he could get way with it!   (And if he does happen to do it, that'll be one hell of a prediction!)

crackbillionair, I like how you're often very frank about what transpires on the show.  I'm often very annoyed at the posts I read on this forum, since a great deal of the contributors are obviously feminist women with huge chips on their shoulders.  I often read how so-and-so "HATES" Don.  Like, relax!  Then there'll be a list of the dozen or so politically incorrect things that were said in that week's episode. 

You can call it chauvinist behavior if you want, but that's the way things were.  I don't know who it was who mentioned the time Don yelled at Betty for letting the air-conditioning guy in and saying that it was his house, but let's be realistic here: that is Don's house.  He paid for it and everything in it.  You can't even defend Betty for being much of a homemaker, since she's got Carla to do most of the work.  She gets up, makes the kids some eggs or pours them some cereal, and after they've caught the bus, she'll either drink wine and smoke cigarettes with "Cut-throat Bitch" from House all day (Francine, is it?), or she'll go out and spend the money that magically appears in her checking account. 

I guess I'm a little defensive of Don because I like him as a character and see him take a lot of shit from the people here.  I mean, yeah, he's a liar and he's clearly a sex-addict, but he's also a provider, a loving father, and a guy who's cool and kickass at his job.  Despite his shortcomings, it's a lot easier to defend him than it is Betty.  The paradox of Don's character is that he's achieved everything an American male is supposed to want in that era, and yet he feels unfulfilled.  But hell, he built himself up from nothing - twice - and at least he delivered.  Betty's problem is that she was GIVEN everything she's supposed to want, and yet she still wants more.  What does SHE want?  Some slippery politician twice here age, evidently.

I gotta say those are great points, White Bread.  I love Don, as gay as that sounds.  He IS the show.  Betts is a huge hassle.  She's got the life.  Many are unfaithful in today's age--back then it was the norm.

Don makes it all happen.  If she was an independent woman then she'd work and have some say.  As such, she's like another kid of Don's, and the quid pro quo is that he is gonna give her the Equestrian lifestyle and she is gonna shut the f*ck up while he grabs some strange on the side.

Oh boo hoo...Betts is whining about Don again to the b*tch from House who was also a big bitch on House and I loved when they killed her off on there!  And it's not like Betts won't bang a random idiot in a bar in the city and therefore, she is delusional to think she is better than Don.

Once you do it too, you can't say with a straight face, "I only did it b/c you did it 1st."  While that may be true, it is still morally objectionable.

Bottom line, they're both cheaters.  But Don at least loves their kids, is the most dynamic star on any dramatic show of note, and therefore, to the victor shall go the spoils.

And you are right about the air conditioner guy.  Who the f*ck would be stupid enough to let some strange dude in their house?  My 2 yr old daughter knows not to do that.  She won't even let me in...LOL...

" (Though I don't for the life of me understand Betty getting out the gun. WTF was that?)"

I am assuming you are referencing “Shoot” that also happens to be my favorite episode. 

In the first scene Betty watches the birds fly away from her front lawn.  Free to go, un-tethered into the blue sky.  The she has her almost escape from housewifedom with her short lived modeling comeback, sulks in her house for a few days contemplating her fate.  The next door neighbor who threatened to kill the Draper’s dog  in front of Sally and Bobby has it coming ( I am almost ashamed to say I would have done the exact same thing) but Betty shooting the birds is more than just revenge against the a-hole neighbor.  She has resigned herself to being grounded to her limited role as homemaker and is going to symbolically kill off her dreams of ever flying away. Plunk plunk

To make the episode even greater is on the DVD extras one of the female writers says the bird shooting was a real story and the shooter was her own mother. 

The reality is that no one could actually shoot down a moving/flying pigeon with a Red Rider BB gun so no animals were or could have been harmed in the filming or in real life.

Well, I think the sheer number of comments here shows that Betty is not a one dimensional character.  Like her, dislike her, shallow or complex, anytime theres more than one way to read a character, there's definitely something there.  I had forgotten about her and the little boy, but now that I'm reminded of it, has anyone ever noticed how cold she is to her own son?  Why do you suppose that is?

James - It's true that Betty probably couldn't have hit those pigeons in mid-flight with the BB gun, but it remains kind of ambiguous as to whether or not she did.  I think her goal was to give her neighbor a scare and to let him know that she wasn't going to be fucked with.  I mean, threatening to kill their beautiful golden retriever because it mauled one of his flying rats?  Get real!

I will add that it is possible to take down a pigeon in mid-flight with one of those things, though.  Betty probably has little to no experience with guns, but I happen to have lots, and when I was a little kid I would sit on the end of our cottage's dock and shoot at the dragon flies that helicoptered an inch or two above the very still surface of the lake.  The cottage is by a peaceful inlet and a lot of those things seemed to zip around there catching water bugs and mosquitoes...I'm assuming.  Anyway, it would take a couple hundred shots or so, but eventually you'd hit one about five or ten yards out.  Good fun.

My younger brother even shot a sparrow out of the sky with his BB gun while it was in mid-flight one time.  These are one in a thousand scenarios, but...it can happen!

infinitemess - I really don't think people are weighing in on the complexities of Betty's character (I don't think there are any) as much as they're debating why they do or do not like her.  I like that she's a good looking woman, but not much more than that.  She's mean to her kids, likely because her own mother was mean to her; she's not only childish, but obviously mentally unbalanced; plus, she's vain and wants everything done for her.  Remember when her car broke down and the tow truck guy came along and told her it was going to cost more than she had?  She simply figured she could sweet talk her way into him installing the part for whatever it is she had in her change purse.  Sure, it worked, but ten or twenty years down the road when she can't rely on her looks anymore, what will she do in that situation?  My point is, Betty has very few redeeming characteristics, and the ones she does have are soon to fade.  Seriously, if Betty had to go it alone, what would she do?  What job is she suited for?  The only title I think fits her is "socialite."  The only income she could possibly generate would be in today's society, where she could probably attach her name to a fragrance or a clothing line and hope other rich idiots buy it.

It's interesting to consider that she's also quite opportunistic in that she will grab at any opportunity to improve her own situation.  We just saw her tell Dick Whitman that she doesn't love him anymore, but only because there's been a perceived shift in the power dynamic.  Do you really think she'd have told Don Draper she didn't love him?  Hell no!  Don Draper's a mover and a shaker.