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
Don learns from Miss Blankenship that he did get a package, but it turns out only to be a taunt from Chaough, which sets off another round of bickering that culminates in Pete putting his hand over his heart: "I'm expecting a child!" Heh. I'm guessing the principals are going to be pretty sick of that line before nine months are up. For his part, Don is not quite ready to commit hara-kiri; he instead suggests they shoot something "outrageous" and "graphic" to get Honda's attention. Pryce, however, points out that the conditions limit them to boards and copy -- "no finished work" -- and besides, the budget they're limited to precludes anything like what Don's talking about anyway. Don wants to go out of pocket, but Pryce tells him doing a spec commercial will severely hinder their ability to pitch new business for the rest of the year, and Pete adds that he'd be willing to take that risk if he didn't think they were already dead in the water. With a baleful look Roger's way, he adds, "But we are," before heading out. Chastened, Roger follows with Bertram in tow, and as we go to commercial I can't help but wonder what Don and Pryce are going to do with each other in the face of this news. Maybe they'll get drunk and go to the movies again!
At home, Don is sitting up on his bed reading The Chrysanthemum And The Sword, and since he's projecting such an air of competence this episode I'll note that this is the first one this season in which he hasn't been guzzling booze like Prohibition is about to be reinstated. The phone rings, and it's Betty calling from the study, which is cute, given that's where Don used to make all his communications of a sensitive nature. Not that "sensitive" is necessarily the right word for Betty's leadoff, as she sarcastically asks if she's catching him alone, and Don, waist-deep in Japanese contradictions, is in even less of a mood for her even than normal. Betty says she would rather have told him about this in person, but it's "our feeling" (Don predictably bristles at this) that Sally needs to see a psychiatrist, and she's found one through the school. I'm no big fan of his, but I think without Henry Sally would be on her way to setting the house on fire, which is what Don wonders if she did. Betty informs him of the incident, adding that it was "in front of a friend," which isn't the whole truth in the sense that the friend was asleep, but I don't believe that detail was made clear to Betty, not that she would particularly care if it had been. Don is taken aback, but asks if the friend was a boy or girl, and Betty snaps, "Jesus, what's the difference?" Well, a lot, potentially, but she's right that it's kind of beside the point for the purposes of this conversation. In any case, she tells him the shrink will need to interview the both of them individually, and Don asks why she's even telling him if she's made up her mind. Rather than repeat the part she just told him about the shrink meeting him, Betty snarkily says that Sally's out of control, and she thought he'd be concerned. Don still isn't clear that she needs therapy, and asks if Betty can't talk to her, but Betty says she doesn't know what else to do, and adds that Sally's aware of a lot more than Don thinks -- "she understands a lot of things, thanks to you." Don retorts that Betty's the one that brought another man into Sally's house, but she counters, "One man, Don. How many have you had in your bachelor pad?" If he's had a lot of men over to his place, I'm calling for an immediate shake-up of the editing department here. Betty goes on to wonder whom the "girl" watching the kids the other night was, and adds that she's married. Don: "Jesus. You ever hear yourself?" Well, that's a good question with which to bring the discussion back to a more constructive, amicable...oh, wait, no. It's the complete opposite of that. Agreeing, Betty tells him she'll just give the information to his secretary, and he's so irritated that he doesn't even anticipate what a loudly projected disaster that rates to be. After he slams the phone down, he throws the book across the room, and Don, I understand your frustration, but to fix the damage Roger did, I think you're going to need all the studying you can cram in.