Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A+ | 3 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT "Mr. Campbell. Who Cares?"
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 12 | Aired on 10.10.2007
The elevator doors at SC open, and we see Don, who looks at least like he's recovered some of his equanimity. When he enters his office, though, he finds Peggy on his couch, holding a handkerchief to her eyes. She hastily rises so he can chew her out; she starts to apologize, as she thought he wasn't coming back, but she can't finish her thought and breaks down again. And while I'm really glad the show didn't go the "Peggy's pregnant with Pete's child" route, I have to admit that a small part of me would have loved to see the look on Don's face if she'd broken that news to him right here. Don silently argues with himself about what to do for several seconds before telling her to calm down and pouring her a drink; he tells her he didn't mean to yell at her -- it's just that there has to be some semblance of privacy around there. She tells him she had to get away from "them" for a little while, and I'd bet she came into Don's office because she didn't want to be like that one girl who was crying in the bathroom so many episodes ago. Anyway, the sentiment about privacy obviously has a deeper meaning for him, given what happened with Pete, but what he doesn't know is that it echoes Peggy's feelings as well, as she tells him that "Sonny" from the elevator and some unnamed janitor got canned -- when she called Security about her missing things, they ended up taking the fall, even though there weren't even there the night before. Don's not particularly impressed with this story, although he might just be wondering how long the makeup department had to work to give Elisabeth Moss the five chins she's currently sporting. He tells her he needs to be alone, and she starts to go, but turns back to tell him that she tries to do her job and to follow the rules, and people hate her for it. "Innocent people get hurt, and..and other people, people who are not good, get to walk around doing whatever they want. It's not fair." Now that she's speaking his language, he's moved, as he softly tells her to finish her drink. It would have been nice if he'd bussed his own glass rather than hand it to her, but we can only expect so much. When she's gone, he looks pensive...
...and then he heads right into Pete's office. No one appears to be there to stop him, and if that means Hildy took a much-needed day off, more power to her. Pete is creepily sitting on his couch with the lights off, and rises to face Don. Without introduction, Don tells him he thought about what he said, and then he thought about Pete, "and what a deep lack of character you have." Interesting assessment coming from a man who was about to abandon his family, but this is Pete Campbell we're talking about. Pete closes the door and smarmily tries to pass off an air of "hey, it's just business," but when Don, whose righteous anger on Peggy's behalf has steeled him to take Pete on, firmly tells him that he's hiring Duck, he tells him not to make him go to Bertram. Don rightly points out that he's not making Pete do anything, and it's clear the fear is gone as Don echoes Rachel: "You haven't thought this through." I guess Don isn't running off to Los Angeles with Pete, then. Don asks if Pete really expects Bertram to promote him for bringing him this news, "after the way you've behaved?" I more wondered if Bertram would do anything simply because the company needs Don now more than ever, but we're getting really close and I don't want to ruin it. Pete tells Don that he may be right, but he's pretty sure Don won't be working at SC anymore. Don heads out...