The third part of Mildred Pierce gives us a much better picture of what the writers intended. The problems of the series are not economic, since the restaurant becomes popular near instantaneously, but of identity and class distinction. Veda is still as horrible as ever, with her stupidly snooty attitudes, and Mildred seems to recognize that several times. Monty turns out to be a money-grubbing loser who reinforces and even adds to Veda's ideology.
What we see in personal interaction is that however good Mildred is at running a business, it doesn't matter one bit. She is berated, befuddled, and ultimately succumbs to Veda and Monty, despite her incredible ability shown in the beginning of the episode. One could say that the illogical actions and contradictions of Mildred are merely contrivances to generate melodrama--and I would agree to an extent because some of it is way over-the-top--but it is also part of the allure of Mildred, seeing her struggle with everything confronting her.
Score: 8.8/10
