Episode Report Card Joe R: A | 1632 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT The Winner of the Ham Battle is You
By Joe R | Season 4 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2010.07.25
Don is eager to brush it off and forget about it, and even Roger moves on to joshing about ol' One-Leg. He also says Jane's friend liked him quite a bit, even if he was a bit grabby in the car. "Maybe you should've tried some of that on Peg-Leg Pete?" Don again brushes it off. "I thought you were being modest," Roger levels with him. "He didn't. I'm sorry, but after the year you've had, it's just not appropriate." Looks like Dick Whitman has left the era of disappearing into a life and entered the era of self-promotion.
In Pete's office, Peggy shows up to talk Sugarberry. "Is Joey coming?" Pete asks. "I'm here," Joey announces, then emerges from around the corner." I love that Joey's already found a niche. He's Guy Who Appears, As If From Nowhere. (He doubles as Guy Who Goes Away Just As Swiftly.) Anyway, Pete is in his glory as he recounts the Sugarberry exec's reaction to the (as far as he knows) spontaneous supermarket brawl. At first, they worried about a lawsuit, but then they called back. "He's sorry someone got hurt," Pete says, lapsing into impersonation, "but more people will taste their ham now ... and they'll love it!" Much like Pete and Trudy's Charleston exhibition last season, I find it inexplicably delightful when Pete is exhibiting this much glee. Joey wonders how they can put something like this in their book. "You can't," Peggy no-nonsenses. "You can't even charge for it." But! They can use this as impetus to get Sugarberry to increase their media buy. And then, as Peggy says, they use the publicity to their advantage. "The winner of the ham battle is you," Peggy spitballs, coining what could easily be my favorite unused tagline of all time.
Pete geeks out over Lane's reaction to an increased Sugarberry buy, but Peggy's still working something out: "Our hams are worth fighting for." She envisions a cartoon pilgrim scuffling with an Indian. Pete wonders where a great idea like that was weeks ago -- "it's good on its own." Peggy says a slogan's nothing compared to a good idea. Peggy sends Joey off to sketch up an idea, and he hops to it gladly (Just As Swiftly!). Pete calls to Clara to get the Sugarberry exec on the phone. He asks Peggy to stay for the call -- another sign of growth for Pete and progress for Peggy -- but first, Clara says she's got Horace Cook Jr. on the line. And if that name didn't ring a bell for you, Pete's gregarious phone greeting of "Ho-Ho! How was Tijuana" sure will. Pete waves Peggy off. She has gained level footing in the new firm, but Ho-Ho still represents Pete's boys' club.