Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A- | 488 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT I Went To A Garden Party…
By Couch Baron | Season 3 | Episode 3 | Aired on 2009.08.30
In the break room, Peggy is surprised to find Olive, who says that if Peggy's working, she's working. Wow. Just on the basis of that statement alone, she's shown herself to be more valuable than Roger. Peggy tells her it's really all right, but as she gives the plants some water Olive says she already canceled her plans, so Peggy grabs the blender...
...as Paul's asking Smith if he doesn't seem as important as Ken. Wisely not waiting for an answer, he goes on that he at least gets it with Pete being promoted, but Smith is not interested in hearing Paul's suspect worldview, instead asking him if he wants to get high. Okay, true, Paul's ruminations will probably double in frequency and length under the influence of "grass," but I think it's fair to guess that Smith will be much better able to deal with them if he's altered himself. Smith tells Paul that his contact got married, and asks, "Who's your friend?" Michael Gladis does some nice business there as he hesitates, no doubt thinking of the mixed feelings he has toward the guy, but snaps out of it and digs into his wallet for the number. Happy fun times, here we come, and I'm talking just as much about the viewing audience.
Betty calls for Sally to help her with her dress, and when Sally zips her up and tells her she looks pretty, Betty replies, "I look like an open umbrella." But a small one. I mean, not golf-sized. Sally goes on that Gene told her Betty and Don are going to a soirée, and Betty orders her not to bother him while they're away. Good advice, considering she could get conscripted into chopping up a thousand onions if she isn't careful. When Sally's gone, Betty obsesses some more about how her pregnancy is affecting her looks...
...so she's not around to see Sally go into Gene's room. He calls to her from the bathroom that he's indisposed, and she wastes no time in grabbing the money clip lying on his desk and pocketing a fiver. In fairness, she doesn't get an allowance.
As Greg vacuums, Joan sets the table, as they're having a little get-together of their own. When he's finished, he yanks the plug out from the wall, prompting Joan to chide him that he could break it. Well, his rough manner can hardly be a surprise. And honestly, it's difficult to watch their interactions, for all the obvious reasons but also because the show hasn't given us any indication of how Joan now feels about what happened the last episode they were on screen together. I'm not necessarily complaining about the storyline; I just hope to know more about how the incident has affected Joan, if at all. Greg then takes issue with the way Joan has set the table, saying the Chief of Surgery (Dr. Ettinger) has to sit at the head, but Joan informs him that it's his home, so he needs to take that position, as Emily Post and everyone with good manners knows. Greg, however, says he and "Rick Stolich" will be expected to be Ettinger's "footstools." Joan, however, does not want to give the impression she doesn't know how to set a table, prompting Greg's voice to rise as he says he doesn't want to have a fight right now. Joan: "Then stop talking!" There's our girl. He gets himself under control, and in response she offers a compromise: A buffet, which will be a bit more casual and won't be governed by seating etiquette. Greg agrees, and heads off to take a bath, but she calls him back for a kiss. Ick.