Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | 234 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT The Grass Is Always Greener
By Couch Baron | Season 6 | Episode 4 | Aired on 2013.04.21
Joan has made it into work, and she passes Harry and Scarlett with a neutral "Good morning," but, with a bit more venom, Harry amends it to "Good afternoon." Heh. When Dawn sees Joan enter her office, her smile fades, but she sucks it up and goes in to see her. Joan's face is initially uninviting, but Dawn, after closing the door, launches into a heartfelt apology before telling Joan that she thinks it would be fair for her pay to be docked to make up for Scarlett's lost hours. Joan dismissively asks who it would be fair to -- Scarlett? Dawn uncertainly suggests it would be fair to the company, and given that Joan earlier talked about the company footing the bill for Scarlett not working, it's no surprise her face softens here. After a moment, she gets some keys out of a drawer and hands them to Dawn, saying they open the supply closet and time-card housing, and Dawn's in charge of them now. Dawn's stunned expression quickly gives way to a smile as she thanks Joan, and while Joan assures her it's a punishment, there's no way she'd give this responsibility to someone she considers untrustworthy. Dawn heads for the door, but she turns back to tell Joan that she doesn't care if everyone else as SCDP hates her as long as Joan doesn't. Joan replies, "We'll see," and I only hope that's true.
The SCDP team has repaired to a bar, and Pete is trying to bright-side that it's only one other firm, and one as small as they are to boot. Don, however, glumly points out that he only pursued Ketchup because it was supposed to be completely secret, so he obviously knows that the Raymond hammer is extremely likely to fall. Don's day only gets better when Chaough and Peggy enter, with Chaough asking if they can "join the Lonely Hearts Club." Heh. He adds that Heinz bought J. Walter Thompson's ("the biggest agency in the world") pitch in the room, and Pete can't believe it: "We paid for that room!" I have to agree that that's pretty tacky, but we've got bigger, whinier fish to fry, as Ken enters and sarcastically announces that he just got off the phone with Raymond, who told him they were at the Roosevelt pitching Ketchup, "but I said that was impossible because how could that happen at my firm without me knowing?" Don replies, with a look askance at Pete, that no one was supposed to know, and it's kind of hilarious that this flameout is happening in front of Chaough, who I'm surprised isn't ordering some popcorn to go with his drink. Pete tries to say he'll straighten it out, but Ken tells him not to bother, as Raymond has already canned them without even the customary ninety days exit period. "There's nothing better than being known for your loyalty." He storms out, leaving an equally disgusted Pete to tell Chaough that "Vinegar, Sauces, and Beans is available. Help yourself -- it's a gold mine." Instead of piling on, though, Chaough chooses to try to commiserate about how tough the small agencies have it, but Don doesn't want to play and heads out himself. Pete tells Stan it was worth the risk, but Stan's eyes go to Peggy, after which he passes by her, his middle finger outstretched. She doesn't look like she takes the gesture too seriously, and all I can say is that I hope she's proven right.