Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A- | 5 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT "I Demand Satisfaction!"
By Couch Baron | Season 5 | Episode 5 | Aired on 04.15.2012
...as next door, Peggy comes in to see Joan, who shushes her and beckons her to listen; she whispers that Lane and Pete are fighting and then something hits the wall hard enough to jostle a table. Through the wall, we hear Pete seethe, "You want some more? Mr. Toad?" Heh...
...but Lane soon gets the last laugh with a couple of well-placed hits to the face, he sends Pete tumbling to the floor. Roger rushes over to check on him, but he claims he's fine and Lane strides out, head held high with these words: "Consider that my last piece of advice." It's starting to be hard to remember what this show was like without Jared Harris and a higher compliment I don't think I can bestow. Pete disgustedly shoves Roger's helping hand away and gets to his feet with embarrassment, betrayal and anger all over his face, but Don offers, "You'll be fine," and at least he knows of what he speaks, given the drunken ass-kicking Duck gave him last season. Pete stares uncomprehendingly before exiting with a handkerchief over his nose and Roger knows a set-up when he sees one: "I don't know about you two, but I had Lane." Hee. Joan and Peggy judge it safe to stick their heads in, at which point Bertram intones, "Reschedule the meeting." And let Vegas know when! Joan quickly withdraws, while Peggy hilariously looks around for answers and then apparently decides there are none to be had. Girl, at least you can say you were there.
Lane is lying on his couch, not looking as triumphant now that he's alone, when there's a knock on the door. He calls that he's busy, but when Joan announces herself, he gets up and lets her in and she gingerly enters, ice bucket clutched to her chest, and asks what happened. He gratefully sticks his hand in the ice and takes a moment before wondering what he does at SCDP and of course it makes sense that Pete's words hit him so hard because he fears they're true, as he expressed in different words to Joan the last time they were sitting here. Joan, however, firmly tells him he does something essential and "if they've tried to make you feel like you're different than them, you are. That's a good way to be." An interesting statement, given that the "they" in question includes Don, for whom she has great affection and Roger, whom she certainly once loved. Lane, his brain possibly not functioning properly, takes Joan's kindness as something else and unceremoniously kisses her; she doesn't pull back, but she does that thing with her hands where it looks like she doesn't know where to put them, which is all you need to know that she's not reciprocating. When they break apart, they regard each other for a moment and Joan's face is so inscrutable that when she gets up from the couch, I really did think on first viewing she might be locking the door, as I wasn't sure how they left it. But instead, she opens it and Lane's face collapses, thinking he's ruined things, but he underestimates Joan's humanity and sympathy for his state of mind, as she turns and sits down once again. Lane sighs that there's no end to his humiliation today and says he's sorry, but Joan is ready to erase it from history: "About what? Everyone in this office has wanted to do that to Pete Campbell." Truer words, I'm sure. Lane nods in comprehension...