Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A | 4 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT If You Love Someone, Shoot Them With A BB
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 9 | Aired on 09.12.2007
In the main area, Don walks purposefully up to Roger's office and asks his secretary if he's in. Cut to inside, where Roger is eating what looks like Jell-O. Roger, you're supposed to slurp it out of little plastic cups. Roger lightly says he's not doing a great job of keeping Pete down, much as he'd like to, and jokes that he might ask Don to take Roger with him. Don, however, has made up his mind to stay, although he wants a raise to forty-five grand, a request at which Roger doesn't bat an eye. Roger asks without asking why Don is staying, and Don tells him he likes the way Roger does business. He does say he won't sign a contract, but promises that if he leaves SC, it won't be in pursuit of advertising, but "life being lived." Awesome little development -- it's just another illustration of the fact that Don will always be an outsider, even a maverick. The really interesting thing, though, is that Betty is showing signs in this episode of becoming the same, and it would be fascinating to see them share that status. Roger says he's seen men like Don, and they'd happily pitch until their dying day, but Don says he's done that. "I want to do something else." He leaves.
On the way back to his office, Don instructs Peggy to connect him with Hobart. When we cut inside, Hobart's under the impression that Don's calling to accept the offer, because he thinks Don wouldn't have sent Betty for the job otherwise. Don disabuses him of that notion, however, and says that while he knows McCann is "Yankee Stadium," it's not for him. He adds that giving Betty the job under false pretenses wasn't exactly "a big-league move," although I'm sure there are many Yankee haters out there who would disagree. That comment does induce a small flinch from Hobart, but he recovers to say that it's a pity to lose both of them. He tells Don that he's lucky to have landed Betty, and then disconnects, leaving Don to look worried.
Joan comes into the break room and asks Peggy what's going on with Don. Peggy offhandedly says that even if she knew, she wouldn't tell her, and Joan approvingly responds, "Very good." Heh. Peggy gives Joan the dress she borrowed, which she had dry-cleaned, but Joan, after a pause, offers to let Peggy keep it. "Have it taken in here and let out there." Peggy doesn't get it, so Joan switches tacks and calls it a good idea that Peggy's drinking hot tea (as opposed, I guess, to something with calories). Peggy still has no idea, and Joan's eyes soften as she explains that Peggy is falling prey to a very common situation for new girls, and asks if she wants to do well there. Peggy proudly says that she's the first girl to do any writing for the agency "since the war," but Joan is in disbelief the writing was an end in itself -- she thought Peggy was just doing it to get close to Paul. Huh. I wouldn't have thought Joan would have missed Peggy's attraction to Pete, as well as she's hidden it from everyone but him. Joan tells Peggy that she was being considered for an account because the client's wife saw her and thought she'd be okay for her husband to work with, and Peggy finally gets it, or stops pretending not to get it, snapping that Joan's not exactly a stick herself. Joan easily admits that, but says she knows she's hot. "You are hiding a very attractive young girl with too much lunch." Damn, girl. You sure know how to make a compliment taste bitter. Peggy snits that she knows what men think of Joan: "You're looking for a husband, and you're fun. And not in that order." Joan, proving she can take what she dishes out, evenly says there's no money in virginity, prompting Peggy to tell her she's not a virgin. Joan, softly: "No. Of course not." Peggy realizes that Joan thinks she's being helpful, and Joan sincerely tells her she's trying. Peggy touches Joan's arm in a reasonably friendly way, and says she's going home. She leaves the dress. Another powerful, understated, unpredictable scene, one that gives Joan a lot more depth.