Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B | 214 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT We're Not Gonna Take It
By Couch Baron | Season 6 | Episode 3 | Aired on 2013.04.14
Pete and Benson are taking care of Herb (Benson has to remind Herb that they've met before; also, Herb is a sweaty mess from climbing one set of internal stairs) when Don enters, whereupon Herb gets down to business: He knows SCDP is going to make "some fancy-schmancy" TV spot, the bill for which is mostly going to be footed by the dealers. Don: "That's how it works." Heh. Unfazed, Herb goes on that he needs foot traffic, and as such needs something that's a little more targeted to his actual dealership in Englewood rather than toward Jaguar in general. Don points out that Herb, as well as the factory guys, have already contractually approved the work and the media buy, but Herb tells them he'd like some retail radio in there as well that will include the phone number of his dealership in spots local to him. Pete's like, great, how much more are we talking here, but Herb, with a tone you'd use on a slow child, tells him there will be no increase - they can just adjust the proportions to, say, 60 percent local radio instead of national. Pete protests that that would take a real bite out of the national campaign, and I'm surprised he's not seeming to sense just how sleazy this guy is, but Herb's like, well, I don't know about that, but it's not really relevant, because SCDP is going to be the one to push for the change, because "you're so damn persuasive." Don stares at Herb like he'd sic a spooked horse on him if he had one handy, but Pete, recovering his usual oily demeanor, assures Herb it'll be taken care of. Herb shakes Pete's hand but probably senses that trying to do the same with Don would be a good way to lose at least a finger, so he grossly tells Benson to show him "the sights," adding that he must be like "a kid in a candy store around here." God, if they let this guy run around loose, SCDP's going to have to take on every woman in the company as a partner, and even Benson looks terrified at the prospect. Don expresses further frustration, and then, getting only Pete's placating platitudes in reply, snaps, "I wish you'd handle the clients as well as you're handling me." And we've found the sentence to deflate Pete's smug, self-important smile. THANK GOD. I didn't think anything could, given that his receding hairline apparently failed.
Peggy's pouring herself a drink in her darkened office as she makes a phone call, and Stan's voice replies, "Jimmy's Condom Warehouse, where the rubber meets the road. Jimmy speaking." Hee. Peggy laughs, but soon she's confessing to Stan, who's toking up, that everyone hates her at CGC. Stan: "Well, that was bound to happen." Hee. Peggy doesn't flinch at that one, and then Stan gossips about "Raymond J. Beans"'s visit and all the drama with "Ketchup" (that's how he refers to Tim, heh), adding a part we didn't know, which is that Ken apparently spent two weeks crowing about Timmy coming in. Peggy giggles, but covers and gets off the phone when she sees Chaough appear in her doorway. Chaough affably tells her she's allowed to make personal calls after five, particularly ones that make her laugh, but when she reveals that her former co-worker was telling her a funny story about an old client, she fails to see the cartoon dollar signs that appear in Chaough's eyes as he asks what happened. After Peggy gives him the nutshell version, you can see the possibilities swimming in his mind, but he doesn't linger, merely leaving with a comment about how nice it is to hear things have gone badly after you've left. Oh, Peggy. I wouldn't begrudge it in the literal sense, but if you end up metaphorically screwing Stan I may never forgive you.