Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | 319 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Surprise?
By Couch Baron | Season 5 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2012.03.25
It's time for the Heinz presentation, and Peggy explains that they're proposing to use microphotography and a new high-speed camera to depict a "bean ballet." Stan, handling the storyboards, hilariously starts humming a background waltz as Peggy explains the beans will spin toward each other before landing in sauce contained in a can of Heinz. She's completely into the idea, but there's no way I can make it sound anything less than completely Smurfy on the page and the look on the Heinz guys' faces agrees with me. The lead guy defers saying what he thinks of the presentation by asking questions about the photography, but eventually he cuts to the chase -- beans aren't photogenic, at least not on an individual basis. After beckoning Don with her eyes that it's time to join them, Peggy smiles mirthlessly at the client and then Don enters and tries to sell the idea that they're being bold, like the guy wanted. Clearly, Peggy is expecting Don to bring this on home, but when the client sticks to his guns ("It's got no message," he says, and Peggy looks stung), Don lets him babble about how he wants the younger generation to be excited about beans before saying they'll work on it. Peggy and Stan exchange a side-eye as the client goes on about kids with picket signs clamoring for beans, which I suppose has a message, ridiculous though it may be, and Don's like, leave the ideas to us grandpa. After Ken takes Heinz to the elevator and Stan likewise makes himself scarce, Don asks Peggy if she's got anything else, and she admits what she pitched was her best idea so far. Don opines that it's not surprising "that man" doesn't have a taste for ballet and when Peggy counters it was a joke on ballet, Don replies, "And you can't be surprised he doesn't have a sense of humor!" Heh. Peggy, trying to stay measured but with an edge nonetheless, admits that she thought Don would come in and tell the client how great the idea is, but Don patiently responds that this is business that "wandered in over the transom," not that they pitched, and as such they can expect to have to work for it. Peggy somewhat bitterly says that if she'd known that, she would have saved this pitch for the second round, but Don assures her they'll hook them next time. Once Don's gone, Peggy takes a seat in frustration...