Episode Report Card Couch Baron: C- | 582 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Through the Looking Glass
By Couch Baron | Season 6 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2013.05.19
Back in the Creative area, the altereds and non-altereds have found a topic of discussion they can all enjoy -- the Cheshire Cat in Alice In Wonderland -- and then Ken goes running by with Don in hot pursuit. Hilariously, Don then appears on the other side of the room and is all "What?" about it, but moments later he betrays his state of mind by solemnly announcing that he knows they're all feeling the darkness, "but there's no reason to give in." He goes on -- in cadence that makes it sound like he learned English phonetically like, Ace of Base -- saying that "this process" will not take years, and their patience and commitment is being tested. The altereds appreciate this speech to the same degree the non-altereds are WTF about it, so I guess I'm at least being consistent in my reaction here. Peggy is like, so your idea is what now, and when Don admits he doesn't have one, she sighs and suggests they order dinner. His "work" here done, Don marches off, but suddenly the Early Forties Megaphone hits, and he sweatily stops in his tracks...
...before we cut back to The Best Little Coughhouse in Pennsylvania. Don's caretaker somewhat languidly tells him he's burning up; then, with more urgency, she says he has to eat something, but he tells "Miss Swenson" he can't. Despite his protests, though, she feeds him some broth...
...and then, back in the present, Don rushes back into the Creative area... only it's clearly the next day. It's barely worth nitpicking, but it's irritating how Don's unreliability as a narrator changes from scene to scene based seemingly on the director's whims; just because a visual concept may have some style doesn't mean it should stay in if it distracts from the story. Did he stand in that spot overnight?
Anyway, in the room are Cutler, Ginzo, Peggy, Harry and a young woman whose peasant blouse and unfamiliarity with conditioner make it no surprise that she's doing some kind of reading. Also, Gleason's funeral apparently happened, and while Cutler offers that it was "rough," the greasy hippie demurs, saying it was beautiful. Lying on the couch, Harry introduces her as "Wendy." The fact that he doesn't even open his eyes suggests that he's not particularly attracted to the demographic. Wendy tells Don to ask a question -- he doesn't have to say it out loud -- and even though his only response is a blank stare, she says that's perfect and throws her coins or whatever on the table. The hippie nonsense apparently being enough to snap Don partially out of his trance, he asks Peggy if she remembers some soup account. Ginzo pipes up that Don asked him yesterday, and he doesn't believe it exists, but Don's like, did not! I'm not sure how realistic it is for no one to pay attention to the fact that Don is, if you'll forgive a scientific term, tripping balls. Falling-down drunk, that's a different story. He asks Peggy if she'll check the archives, but Ginzo pipes up that he already looked, so why is Don asking her now? Given Don's mental state, I suppose this is neither here nor there, but Roger, Bertram, or Joan would be able to give a definitive answer on this off the top of their heads.