Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A- | 545 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Strange Bedfellows
By Couch Baron | Season 6 | Episode 6 | Aired on 2013.05.05
Chaough sends the girl out, and after Cutler trails after her with a silly line -- he really is a low-rent Roger -- Gleason informs Chaough that he has pancreatic cancer, adding that he already told Cutler and he figured he passed the news on. Chaough reels from the news, and is even more blown away when Gleason starts to talk about the company's financial future, pointing out that now that they don't have the financial security Alfa Romeo provided them, when he dies, the monetary interest that will revert to him will cripple the company unless they land Chevrolet. After Chaough has a moment to process, though, he leans forward with his usual can-do attitude, saying he needs to stop talking about money, as they're going to get Chevrolet, and as a result, "you're gonna build a wing at Sloane-Kettering and beat this thing." Gleason is glad enough of the pep talk, but after they walk to the door and Chaough asks if Gleason will tell Cutler he shared the news, Gleason lets Chaough not he's not really fooling anyone: "He'll see it on your face." I realize you need a nap, Gleason, but comments like that aren't helping Chaough hold it together.
Daisy calls Roger and, sotto voce, tells him that she "has one," and his flight's even delayed. Just like that, Roger is grabbing his airline go-bag, out of which he removes a few copies of Sterling's Gold before leaving. If there's any early indication of how much more sensibly Roger is making decisions now, that would have to be it.
Megan and Marie return from shopping, and in the elevator, two young women tell her how much they love her show, even delaying getting off to secure an autograph. Marie looks like she doesn't hate this as much as being called "Grandma," but it's close.
Across the lounge, Daisy smiles at the mark, a rather portly middle-aged guy who's quite taken with her, and then a different angle reveals Roger there with her. After the two lovers exchange a conspiratorial smile, Roger starts chatting the guy up about how they're both going to Detroit (okay) and how he should have driven. "I'd live in my car if I could." God, even in 1968 I can't imagine how tricked out it would be if that were the case. Roger Sterling seems like the poster child for "boys with toys." Roger then shakes hands with "Mikey" before offering to get them drinks, and after Mikey requests a Jim Beam, Roger returns to Daisy and tells her to get him "a glass of water with an onion" and a double Jim Beam. Hee. If therapy is bringing Roger back to the level of competence at his job he once enjoyed, it's just another reason for Don to give it a try. (Real therapy this time, because I can only imagine that his quasi-sobriety journal committed suicide a long time ago.) Roger also orders Daisy to get him on Mikey's flight, and I certainly hope that he buys her something nice for this. But no travel -- busman's holiday and all.