Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A | 2 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Indian Giver
By Couch Baron | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 08.03.2008
Bertram! I missed him. Roger is in the coot's office when the secretary buzzes that Duck is there. He tells his bosses that someone should tell Don to pull the Mohawk ads, not-so-subtly trying to sell the idea that Don needs supervision, and then informs them he just had a conversation with an old business associate of his who's now at American, and it's complete chaos over there -- they have no idea what happened to crash the plane, and they're going to need to make a fresh start. The significance of that expression isn't lost on Roger and Bertram, although they fail to steeple their fingers and give a Mr. Burns-esque "Eeeeeexcellent." For future reference, I would have forgiven the anachronism.
The phone call is now coming to light, as Pete tensely wraps it up and looks dismayed as he pours himself a drink...
...and then he steps out and looks around uncertainly. After a few moments, he steels himself by downing his drink and heads into Don's office, ignoring both Hildy's and Lois's querulous attempts to get his attention. Don looks up questioningly, and Pete tells him that he just found out from his brother that their father was on the American Airlines flight. (Side note: The actor who played Pete's dad, Christopher Allport, tragically passed away in an avalanche in January.) Don, of course, offers cautious sympathies, but when Pete goes on that he doesn't know what to do, Don gets up and closes the door. Now, we all know that Pete has had a love/hate hero-worship fascination with Don for a long time, but I think, interestingly enough, it's Pete's knowledge of Don's secret past -- knowing that Don is so good at keeping up a front, at acting the way people are supposed to act rather than how they actually feel -- that's drawing him to Don now. Either that, or he figures Don's got the best booze in the office and the occasion calls for a swig of something expensive. Speaking of which, Don pours him a drink as Pete asks what he should do, and Don tells him he should go home. Pete muses that he doesn't even know how old his dad was, and wonders, with scientific dispassion, if he's going to cry. Don, as sympathetic as you could imagine him, given the circumstances, says that Pete just had a shock, and he should go home and be with his family. Pete, looking straight into Don's soul, asks if that's what he would do, and Don says yes, which, given what happens in the rest of the episode, is probably supposed to be the first indication of his new family-man status. Because of that, I'll refrain from pointing out that Don probably danced a merry little jig when his own father bit it. Pete looks genuinely intrigued to hear that Don would in fact go home, and, in a bit of a trance, notes that everything is exactly the same. Well, I'd imagine your sense of self-worth will go up over time, Pete. Don reiterates that Pete should go home, and Pete snaps out of it as Don tells him he'll cancel the meeting they have later. He intones, "There's life, and there's work." Seems like he should have reversed those thoughts for the effect he's going for. Whatever the thinking, however, the conversation is over, and Pete leaves, but not without passing guys who are still making light of the tragedy. Lois tells Don that Bertram would like to see him...