Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | 649 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Equal Opportunity Idiot
By Couch Baron | Season 5 | Episode 2 | Aired on 2012.03.25
Joan turns up to SCDP, in a curvy dress that accentuates her GIANT BAZOOMS, and struggles with getting Kevin's baby carriage through the heavy door as the blonde on the desk remains oblivious. Already feeling a little tart from the lack of help, Joan introduces herself, adding in clipped speech that she's been on leave. "Meredith" digs deep in her pea brain and eventually recognizes the name, mollifying Joan a bit by telling her that it's hard to believe she just had a baby. Still, her misgivings, already strong from the presence of a new girl, are only furthered by Meredith's explanation that Scarlett is now covering Pryce's desk so she can do the books with Clara. And I don't know if we've met Scarlett, but Clara doesn't seem like she could balance the books with a scale and weight set, so that can only be adding to Joan's displeasure. Sensing she's overshared, Meredith apologizes and asks Joan not to tell anyone about her big mouth, as she's perfectly happy being nobody at SCDP. Joan: "I know a girl who had your job who ended up with everything."
Meredith escorts Joan in, and Joan gives Clara a fairly frosty reception but Caroline a much warmer one, as you'd expect. Don is the next to appear-and-greet, it says something about how charming Joan finds Don that he makes a joke about not hiring and she positively melts in response. If Clara had tried that there's be a sticklike body standing there with no head attached. Megan then walks into view, and since no one notices at first she tries to make an escape, but hilariously runs into Harry and has to double back, at which point Joan catches sight of her and calls a hello. Megan does not have much of a poker face, as she walks over and gives Joan a stilted greeting, and when Joan apologizes for missing the party and asks how it was. Megan ignores the question in favor of saying how adorable Kevin is. She happily holds him for a bit as Don casts an appraising eye in her direction, and Joan singsongs that it's just a matter of time. Of course, this is not the time to discuss such things, so Megan scurries off; if anyone notices how steadfastly she failed to acknowledge her husband (the only one I'd expect to catch that is Joan), they wisely keep the observation to themselves.
Clara asks when Joan is coming back, and she says she was planning on three weeks -- she just needs to hire a girl. Peggy then appears, followed by Roger, who takes Kevin and gives him a long look, probably searching for his own features. Pryce then buzzes impatiently for Scarlett, so Roger hands Kevin back to Caroline and answers in falsetto that Mrs. Harris is there to see him. Pryce, taken aback, asks for Joan to be sent in, and then Roger commands Caroline to do something, so Peggy gets to practice her receiving skills as Caroline hands Kevin to her. Peggy looks panicked, but there's nowhere to hide, and at least Pete doesn't choose this moment to make an appearance.