Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | 464 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Goodbye, Norma Jean
By Couch Baron | Season 2 | Episode 9 | Aired on 2008.09.28
After a closeup on a fizzing glass of Alka-Seltzer, Peggy comes in to see Don. He gets right to the point -- the Samsonite people loved her, and by the way, Freddy's gone, so she'll be taking over all his business. Peggy, uncertain about this whole thing, asks if he's sure, and Don, by way of answering, says he didn't appreciate being set up for an ambush. Peggy, catching on, says she didn't think anyone had to know about it, and when Don asks if she means him as well, she says no, but... "I love Freddy!" Don is not particularly sympathetic, which is interesting given his own feelings about the firing, and tells Peggy not to be ashamed of being good at her job. Peggy answers that she wishes it hadn't happened this way, but Don tells her it did, and congratulates her. Peggy looks like she's going to be sick, but when she gets outside, there is an awesome, awesome moment from Elisabeth Moss when her sadness suddenly hardens into a Mask of Resolve, and she marches her way past Hildy...
...into Pete's office. She finds him on the couch, and tells him off for tattling on Freddy. Hildy is shocked that Pete blabbed, but Pete kicks her out, and -- rather blithely, considering how upset Peggy is -- tells her that Freddy did it to himself, and "those people" have no self-control. Peggy, losing ground, says that if it weren't for Freddy, she'd still be a secretary, but Pete counters, "If it wasn't for me, you'd still be a junior copywriter." He says they're both going to be better off, and that he'll go first. "Congratulations, Peggy." Peggy, as she always does, adapts to the situation, and returns terse congratulations before hastily exiting. I hope Hildy puts a laxative in his coffee.
Sarah Beth is waiting for Betty, and is instead surprised and pleased that Arthur shows up. They both still think Betty will be joining them, but that doesn't stop them from engaging in some veiled flirting...
...which is just as well, because Betty's not coming. She's home with the kids supervising some baking, but in a moment that you could probably miss if you're not paying attention, she takes the phone off the hook, presumably in case Sarah Beth calls wondering where she is. Marriage, you have an enemy, and her name is Betty Draper.