Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B- | 6 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Don's Ghosts, Coast To Coast
By Couch Baron | Season 6 | Episode 10 | Aired on 06.02.2013
Joan is at a table in a decent-looking restaurant with a middle-aged man (played by total Hey! It's That Guy! character actor Spencer Garrett), and we learn that Kate, Joan's friend from a few episodes back, did indeed get the job at Avon and set up this meeting. When "Andy" mentions his (ex-) wife, Joan's reaction is enough to tells us she expected this was a date, but no -- Andy's the head of marketing at Avon and is clearly fishing for a new agency. When it becomes obvious that Andy expects her to pitch him, she's only momentarily taken aback before rolling with it, drawing on her media experience (remember that stint she had as Harry's script-vetter and how great a fit she was for it) to sell [NAME]'s prowess in that department. Andy throws her another unintentional curveball by asking what Joan's role is in the company, and I think she's as much thrown by the way he interacts with women in a business setting as anything else, although it makes obvious sense given his employer. Again, though, she impresses him, this time by saying that she's in charge of "thinking of things before people know they need them," and while that's uncomfortably close to Helen Mirren's character Mrs. Wilson's description of a good servant in Gosford Park, Joan certainly has a knack for anticipating people's needs. The check comes, and Andy reaches for his wallet, but Joan, like any good Accounts person would, grabs it instead. "This is what I get paid to do!" Andy looks appreciative of Joan yet again, so his character is off to a fine start.
Benson rounds a corner and finds Cutler staring out the window, and you'll forgive me if this makes me wonder whether this means two people are going at it in an office across the street. Benson, looking uncomfortable, tries to explain that he only interfered in the Ginzo argument because he hates disrespect, but Cutler, after a moment, says he doesn't know what Benson's talking about. I think this is his way of dismissing what happened, but he's characteristically enigmatic, so I don't blame Benson for responding, "Neither do I." Heh. Cutler tells Benson that he believes in him, but he's untested, so he'd like to put him on Manischewitz to see if he can handle the parties involved, and Benson is live to the situation: "[Ginzo], or the clients?" Cutler: "I don't see much difference, do you?" Benson accepts the assignment, but after he takes a few steps away, he uncertainly looks back at Cutler, who responds by turning to resume stiff-backedly staring out the window again. He's the only one on this show who seemed no weirder when he was altered.