Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A- | 415 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT There's That Past, Informing the Present Again
By Couch Baron | Season 4 | Episode 5 | Aired on 2010.08.22
At Benihana, things are also not going so great, as Bethany complains about the lack of intimacy in the setting, especially given that it's only their third date in five months. "Don't think I don't know why." I'd guess he's just periodically checking to see if you've moved someplace that's less strict when it comes to male visitors, but given this episode she probably thinks it's because of feelings or something. Actually, I think she does know it's about sex, or lack thereof, and the evening continues its downward slide when Ted Chaough appears and makes himself known to Don, and...oh, I didn't place him on first viewing with his hair not all over the place, but Ted is played by Kevin Rahm, who has been in a ton of stuff but whom I remember most from a brief stint when I was addicted to Judging Amy reruns. Yes, you can laugh.
Anyway, Ted introduces Don to his wife, and then throws some veiled barbs about Clearasil and Honda while Don looks like he wants to give this guy what I'd refer to, with much pleasure, as "a Jimmy Barrett special." When they part ways, Ted's wife is none too happy with his business-oriented dickish ways, while Don explains to Bethany that Ted is "some fly I keep swatting away." He adds that CGC hasn't done half of what SCDP has, but "the minute they declared themselves the competition, suddenly we were equal." Bethany has to work at it, but draws Don out of his reverie. He does, however, ask her to teach him how to use chopsticks, and across the room, Ted is watching Don with Manson Lamps so intent I'll have to be careful not to start referring to him as "the new Pete Campbell."
Don comes home and gets the bad news from Phoebe, including the part where the rescue operation was not a success and he'll need to take her to a salon. He angrily informs her that he's in for "a river of shit" from Betty, and insists that she take her fee as severance. She starts to say something, presumably about why Sally might have done what she did, but Don firmly tells her he's not interested in her advice, and kicks her out. On the one hand, I hope that's not all we see of Nora Zehetner, but I am kind of glad she didn't end up in bed with Don. Although I think she'd handle it better than Allison, not that that would be difficult.