Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A- | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT You May Not Like Pete...
By Couch Baron | Season 2 | Episode 5 | Aired on 08.24.2008
Bobbie's working on making up her eye when Peggy comes in, and Bobbie thanks her for her hospitality. She then carefully asks if Peggy's aware of the value of her service, and cautions that people might take advantage of her. Peggy replies that she knows what she's doing, but Bobbie counters by asking what she wants. "You have to start living the life of the person you want to be." She looks Peggy straight in the eye and counsels her to start treating Don as an equal. "And no one will tell you this, but you can't be a man. Don't even try. Be a woman. It's powerful business when done correctly." She puts a kind hand on Peggy's shoulder and asks if she understands, and Peggy gives a small smile in return as she says she thinks she does. The lesson imparted, Bobbie puts her brassy mask back up and asks how she gets to Grand Central. Peggy offers to walk her to the subway, but Bobbie decides to call a car. Bobbie has certainly grown on me -- it's hard to dislike anyone who's kind to Peggy, and it's also a lot easier to respect her when she gives such valuable advice. Also, I think I finally see the theme of the season -- women starting to assert their power, while last season it seemed like it was more about men trying to come to grips with their gender identity. Betty, Peggy, even Francine -- they're all doing it, and Bobbi fits perfectly into the story. I still hate her and Don together, but really, if she weren't married to such a douche, we might actually get somewhere. Great work from Melinda McGraw, anyway.
Pete arrives home and greets Trudy with the news that "Duck called Bert Petersen a Mongoloid. What a leader of men." The good thing about Pete being such a scumbag is that if he's offended by something, it's worth taking notice. Trudy informs Pete that Dr. Stone's office called with the news that Pete's sample was "quite viable." Predictably, Pete pays no mind to the thought that this might be difficult for his wife, instead crowing about how his boys can swim. Trudy attempts a brave face, but when Pete suggests a toast to viability, her expression cracks, and she notes that now they know it's she who is the problem. Pete's like, "Exactly!" He says that now the doctor can work his fertility magic on her, but she doesn't want to hear it and stomps off. Finally aware that his wife isn't thrilled to have been tagged with the "barren" label, he half-yells after her that she had to know this was a possible outcome, and orders her to get back in there. She returns, sits down, and apologizes. Well, every theme has an exception. This only gives Pete an opening to suggest that maybe they don't need to have a kid at all. "I was having a great time. Weren't you?" He goes on about all the things that having a kid will prevent them from doing, but she thinks this attitude is immature, and suggests he express some concern for her "and stop talking about how you're going to miss seeing Cape Fear for the third time!" Well, he's got to make sure he has all his ideas in order. In his defense, I will say that the news of his father's fiduciary irresponsibility can't have helped his enthusiasm for the prospect of paying for a child. Pete starts to stomp out himself, seething that he sure wouldn't want a kid there to "watch this donnybrook," and tells her to work through her feelings or to keep them to herself. She begs him to stop and apologizes again, and heartbreakingly straight-up tells him that she just really does want a baby. "What is all this for?" Pete admits that he doesn't know, and Trudy, seemingly spent and broken, asks if they can eat now. Pete tells her not there, and to get her coat.