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It's been a few months: Don and Megan are together and living in the city, with a fantastic mod apartment in which it would seem Sally's taken to Megan like a little lesbian. Roger's as aimless and sad as ever, and Pete's found new reserves of the whiny ambition that powers him. Joan's taken some time off after giving birth to Roger's baby while she awaits her husband's return from the War and her drunkenly helpful mother's eventual absence, but all she can think about is whether any of them at SCDP can survive without her special touch.
Both hours of tonight's long awaited premiere center around the lead-up and eventual fallout from two events: A racist prank at rival agency Y&R, where they drop water balloons on protesters, and Don Draper's 40th birthday party. In the former case, the junior partners at SCDP decide to run an ad touting themselves as an Equal Opportunity Employer -- not in the Want Ads, but in the regular advertising -- as a way of selling themselves as progressive. Which, by the way, they all have decided to be, in that particularly stuttery way of the mid-1960s where they've bought into civil rights but still find themselves stepping in giant puddles of Flannery O'Connor every few minutes.
We spend the first two acts getting into the status quo at the firm, which mostly involves Nader jokes, Peter in charge of the art department and possibly a big-fish airline client, continued financial worries for SCDP, and some awesome new secretaries. Stan Rizzo is thankfully still around, and along those lines we get some rather lovely surprises regarding Megan: First of all, she's moved into Creative, like she wanted. Secondly, she and Peggy get along famously. And third? She knows all about Dick Whitman, totally gets it, and just wants Don to be happy. Even if that means throwing him his Don Draper birthday party, six months after the fact, in their home -- and against Peggy's advice.
After Roger uses his goatish reputation to find out where Pete's taken Mohawk Air for lunch, reschedules so Pete will be late, and then gets drunk off his ass with them, Pete realizes he's going to need to up the ante: Roger's self-destruction has been going on for like a decade at this point, and apparently he will just never accomplish it. That, plus somehow managing to bloody his own nose, puts Pete on the warpath once again.
But it's not just Pete who's getting impatient with the older generation -- remember when Don was Now and Roger was the old guy? -- because let me tell you, for all her affection toward Megan Peggy absolutely hates what happiness has done to Don. After a crappy pitch to rebrand Heinz beans as some sort of Cirque de Soleil of beans -- and Don's calm acceptance of the client's know-nothing ire -- Peggy makes it clear that a happy Don is a Muggle Don... Including to Don's face, after getting stoned -- with the crazily dressed and surprisingly hip Campbells, her own beatnik journalist boyfriend, and wonderful Stan Rizzo -- in a rant about her hard work and his lack of gumption which of course does not faze him (but does inadvertantly piss off Megan).
But that's not the big news for the birthday party: The big news is Megan's pretty amazing performance of some French pop hit that's probably a direct reference to something but just reminded me of Ann-Margret attempting to throw something in the wastepaper basket. It gives all the dudes boners, which seems to be a good thing until the party is over, and Don makes it very clear that this new act -- the super hip-and-cool urban couple with an open floorplan and sunken living room -- might end up being just as exhausting as any of the bullshit Betty ever thought to perpetrate.
Although it's surprising how well these characters fit into this early-model fondue party of a culture: Lane and his wife Rebecca sit easily on the step, trading barbs with Ken and his gal, and giggling at Roger's shticky gimmicky personality, while over here you have Trudy and Pete dressed like Missy Elliott and acting bitchy and kind of awesome toward everybody that walks by. Even after Peggy blearily goes off on Don, you still can't be sure things are going to end up in a shitshow until stupid Harry gives Don a walking stick for his birthday, which is just like yelling YOU ARE OLD.
Which is essentially what Megan does, after he lies in bed whining for a good twenty minutes about absolutely nothing, showing how game and smart she is in the process and how unwilling she is to buy into his bullshit even as she's enabling it... Although all the sunny-side-up adoring indulgence in the world doesn't keep her from stalking out to the balcony once his words slice a little too deep, to stare Frenchly into the night and apply an even smokier eye.
I must admit, in the fifty years since last season ended, my thoughts have been almost entirely of Megan: Who is she? What will she be? Was Faye the one that got away? Is this a midlife crisis? Is this about Anna? Why didn't any of the thousand Fake Betties make it through the vetting process, but this "Frere Jacques"- humming maniac is the one? Is she the new Midge, or that pretty teacher, or what? On what model is she built? Will Peggy like her? (Yes.) Will Joan like her? (Probably not.)
We get two very different answers, over the two episodes, but for the purposes of this first one: The answer is that Megan is exactly what she appears to be. Fun, smart, sexy, a Helen Gurley Brown rather than a Marilyn or Jackie, who just wants to open the shades on Don's life and let some light in. I always thought Don fell for her when the kids spilled that milkshake in California and she didn't immediately pull out a shotgun or riding crop like Betty would have, and I think I was right. She is accepting without being complacent, funny without being particulary goofy, and way more equipped to put up with his Don Draper bullshit than anyone should be expected to be.
And the reveal that she loves Dick Whitman every bit as much? Kinda made me want to marry her too.
hour: The full repercussions of the Equal Opportunity ad are far-reaching; Lane displays the finest soul you could imagine, and more than a little romance to him; Pete and Roger's scheming escalates alarmingly; even Megan's crazy bitch side is still marvelously awesome and appealing. -- Jacob
Read our recaplet of part 2 of the season premiere.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Hello! It has been a long time -- far longer in real time than in show time, which might possibly have helped erase the bitterness of Dr. Faye's unceremonious, capricious, ill-considered dumping... OH WAIT. In that massive stretch of time, though, I did re-watch the whole series and while listing all the wonderful little things I either caught anew or was reminded of would take a recap in itself, I will say this: When Betty found out her father had had a stroke, she confided to Don, "God, you know I've been dreaming about a suitcase?" You're welcome. And let's get to it!
We open on what we will learn is Madison Avenue, with a group of twenty or thirty protesters that are mostly, but not exclusively, African-American (although the only Caucasian I see marching with them is wearing priest's vestments), and whose chants demand equal employment opportunities for them. In an office a few floors up, a group of bored white dudes express their annoyance at what's going on below. One of them opens the window and yells down for the protesters to get a job and if that's his idea of clever irony, I'm guessing this firm's advertising copy isn't on Don Draper's level. One of the dudes then comes up with the idea to pour some water out the window on the protesters and soon they're filling paper bags with water and dropping them on the people below. Their indolence, of course, is irony that actually works, not that they're aware of that...
...and they're soon faced with bigger problems, as a bunch of angry African-American women, with at least one kid and one white reporter in tow, enter the firm's reception area and tell the woman on duty about the infantile bombardment. The receptionist, archly but I believe sincerely, denies any knowledge of it, adding that they're on the executive floor, but said "executives" immediately blow up their own spot by running in from the bathroom with a fresh batch of projectiles ready to be launched. They hang their heads in shame, appropriately looking like little boys as a result, and the whole tableau is just screaming to be rendered as a New Yorker cartoon.
Presumably the day, a plastic alarm clock goes off and I realize time must march on even on this show, but as we move to the later sixties (and I don't think that much time has passed -- I'm guessing we're mid-1966) one of the things I'll miss most is the sleek set design of the era. The deco revival couldn't last forever, I guess. Sally's slow to arise, which at first seems to explain the continuation of the xylophone coming from my television, but the sound persists even though she makes no move toward the clock; instead, she wanders down a rather long, carpeted hallway full of the half-unpacked boxes that signal a recent move. When she reaches the cheap wooden double doors at the end, she attempts to open them but finds them locked. Presently, Don opens up, dressed only in his boxers. I could be wrong, but I thought he used to be more modest around his kids. Perhaps this is meant to be a signal of the more freewheeling attitude of the later sixties. Of course, analyzing why the show would have Jon Hamm in as few clothes as possible threatens to violate Occam's Razor, but Mad Men has earned our trust by now and the place's general disarray backs up the idea that people have generally become less uptight. Anyway, Sally tells Don she thought this was the bathroom, but he points her in the right direction, and given you practically have to squint to see where he's gesturing we can take the point that he spent a pretty penny on this place. Sally makes no move to leave, instead stealing a not-particularly-subtle glance inside, where a Megan-shaped woman is asleep, naked and facing away from them. Don asks Sally if she'd like breakfast...
...and we cut to the semi-open kitchen with breakfast bar, at which a now-robed Don is serving food to young Gene, who looks to be around two and a rather younger friend of Sally's, I'm guessing, who's staying the weeken...oh, that's the new Bobby. Well, it's not the first time this role has changed hands, but this kid really looks rather different. Hopefully he can at least capture the last Bobby's Gumpiness. Sally then enters, still in her pajamas, and hands Don a gift while wishing him happy birthday, adding that they won't be there on his actual birthday. Given what happens, that's probably a good thing, at least from a Child Services-y point of view. Bobby pipes up that the gift is from all of them and when Sally urges Don to open it, he complies and discovers it's a shaving brush. Megan joins them, fully dressed, and compliments the gift, conspiratorially adding that Don needed one of those. Given that his stubble usually looks hard enough to nick a diamond, I can believe he goes through at least one of those a week. After some talk of going to the Statue of Liberty, Megan says she'll just have black coffee. Megan, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when you have an ill-conceived surprise party to plan! Regardless of such dietary irresponsibility, however, we take some time to look at the family appearing very happy...
...which is why I find the ensuing nighttime cut to the new, forbidding Rye Town Francis Estate to be deeply, deeply hilarious. Don pulls up, with all the kids in the front with him and Sally wishes him a happy birthday again before Bobby asks how old he's going to be. Don confesses that he'll be forty and sublimates any rage or insecurity about that fact by testing Bobby's math, asking how old he'll be when Bobby's forty. Bobby: "You'll be dead." Okay, New Bobby, you're off to a good start. Honestly, though, can you imagine a seventy-year-old Don Draper in 1996? I wonder how he and Bill Clinton would get along. Noting his lack of movement, Sally asks if Don isn't going to come in, and Don replies no, "but give Morticia and Lurch my love." It's not the most apt comparison, but still: Snerk. Gene even manages a baby-voiced "G'night, Daddy," and then Don watches them go for a long moment before resuming his normal kid-free life.
Now, Don's apartment looked decidedly within the confines of the city, so who's this on a commuter train? Why it's Pete Campbell, who apparently has been prevailed upon to move his wife and we can assume newborn child out to the 'burbs, possibly Greenwich, if Trudy got her first choice. Some guy whom Pete obviously knows makes fun of him for his apparent dandruff, but Pete corrects him that it's spit-up and while that goes with the territory, I'm surprised he doesn't put a dishtowel or something on his shoulder when he's dressed in work clothes. Then again, it could be another signal of the times -- as I indicated, people are feeling a little less put together than they used to. Speaking of which, when talk turns to Trudy, Pete says she's "getting back to herself," but when asked for clarification, offers, "There was a time when she wouldn't leave the house in a robe." I mean, obviously, I know that people turn it out a lot less once they have a kid to worry about, but I still think there may be zeitgeist at work here too. Pete's most charming friend, who's a bit older, tells him as time goes by, he'll find himself on later and later trains home. "If you finally learn how to drive, you could push it to nine-thirty." However sleep-deprived Pete may be, though, he seems above taking advice from this dude, "Howard," who confesses that he and "Beth" got in a huge fight the other night and he drove off and spent the night in some random motel. After taking a moment to stew (and also get a deck of cards and a makeshift table from the conductor -- is that included in the price of a ticket?) though, Howard smiles and says that his problems are "nothing that a little peace wouldn't fix." Pete agrees, but the ensuing look on his face suggests he only did so to shut Howard up and end the scene, both of which I appreciate. Also, the conductor calls Greenwich as the stop, but as this seems to be the morning train, I guess the Campbells ended up a little farther out. And I could rivet you with revelations like this all day, but we have other places to get to...
...like SCDP. That middle-aged secretary who's worked for Roger for ages holds up a finger to shush him while she's on the phone and when she's off, it's apparent she doesn't work solely for him anymore, as when he asks who was on the call, she snaps, "Really?" Heh. Roger apparently missed a staff meeting, the remains of which are evidenced by Bertram sitting in the conference room reading the paper. I'm thrilled to see Bertram still here, in more ways than one, so I guess I can't begrudge the show having had him kind-of-quit at the end of last season, just in case he was, um, unavailable for this one. (I mean, the man is eighty, and I appreciate the need for contingency plans.) Roger then pays the woman fifty bucks to sit in front of his office instead of Don's for a while and I didn't know how much more irrelevant Roger could get in the post-Lee Garner Jr. era, but the fact that she pockets the money and doesn't move tells you all you need to know.
I do enjoy the show's reliance on extreme close-ups to kick scenes off, but the camera jammed all up in Joan's kid's bare bottom is an exception. However, it's nice to see Joan cooing over him as she applies lotion; also nice is that her mother is staying with her, particularly so since she's played by Christine Estabrook, whom I thoroughly enjoyed as Marcy the ever-cursed real estate agent on American Horror Story. After a little snittery, Joan -- who looks fabulous even completely disheveled -- admits she hasn't slept, and after a bit more back-and-forth of that particular kind that only mothers and daughters can produce, Ma Holloway goes to grab some money out of Joan's purse, as the baby's formula is getting low. Forget the immuno-benefits of breast-feeding -- I cannot believe Joan is not taking the opportunity to relieve some of the pressure on her GIANT BAZOOMS. You can't see them as well with her wearing pajamas and a robe, but I've seen the second part of the episode and trust me, she could hire herself out to an entire hospital nursery. Ma Holloway returns with Joan's purse, out of which she fishes a ten, whereupon Joan inquires, "You buying his formula or yours?" I have the sneaking suspicion they had the baby drink formula just for the sake of that line, and I can't say I entirely disapprove. Ma Holloway makes up for her freeloading alcoholism, however, by offering to take the kid ("Kevin" is his name, by the way, and while I'm up, Ma Holloway is "Gail") with her, and Joan practically collapses in gratitude. Well, that is until Gail and Kevin leave, at which point the collapse onto the bed becomes quite literal.
Pete has just arrived in his office when Ken, Peggy, and Stan come in for their Monday morning conference. After Peggy apple-polishes that she was in the office over the weekend, Pete asks if they're all prepared for the Heinz presentation and the answer is yes, save for a worksheet on coupons that "Mrs. Draper" apparently owes them. Well, so much for the idea that they'd be divorced before the season even started, but that does of course mean that Joan was absolutely right when she predicted that Don would make Megan a copywriter. Not that Joan being awesome is a surprise, but she's having a rough go of it at the moment and I want her to know that I still appreciate her. Pete asks if Don has signed off on their work, to which Peggy crisply replies that he's late. "And so is she, coincidentally." Pete gives an appropriately disgusted side-eye in response before trying and failing to get "Clara," his apparent secretary, on the intercom. Stan and Ken make fun of Megan in a French accent and you'll forgive me for saying that's not going to be the first time, while Pete looks like he needs aspirin and/or cocktails already before marching out into the hall...
...and chewing out Clara for indulging Roger's gross flirting instead of answering the buzzer and Roger, having checked out Pete's calendar, takes off just in advance of Don and Megan arriving. With a breezy apology for oversleeping, Megan heads off to wherever the hell she works, while Pete accompanies Don to the exterior of his office, whereupon the "floating" secretary unamusedly informs him that the status meeting was an hour earlier. Roger, sitting around reading the paper, asks if Don heard about "Y&R's paper-bag drop," so that's the firm with the busy, original executives, I suppose. Don grins goofily that he did, but Pete, progressive as he is, doesn't see the humor. Roger, however, is just glad that Y&R looks the laughingstock, given that they stole the Pond's account from SCDP, although I don't know how much "stealing" was necessary given that SCDP's focus group looked like they just watched Beaches by the end of it. Pryce then appears and suggests they "mosey on over" to the conference room, which is not lingo I would have expected from him before this chilling out of everyone (also, he later refers to Ken as "Kenny" instead of "Mr. Cosgrove"), but Roger is still on the Y&R subject and suggests they humiliate them further by running a fake want ad saying they're an equal opportunity employer. Surprisingly, no one sees how exquisitely this might backfire, although Pryce does wonder whether it's an effort on which it's worth spending money, but Roger offers to foot the bill himself, which can't be much of a surprise considering these days he's paying secretaries not to do his bidding. Pete steers them all to the subject of Heinz, prompting Don to ask "Caroline" (I knew that, it's been a while) to fetch Megan and the Heinz boards. Since they're on the subject, they run down the status report right there, with Roger saying he's having drinks with a client from Oldsmobile, who wants to know if there's a way around Nader. Pete: "There isn't." Awesome. The meeting takes less than two minutes, after which Pete asks Don if he can have a private word, but is rebuffed in favor of Don withdrawing into his office with Megan, who at least is carrying the Heinz boards to make it look good. Bertram then emerges from the conference room and tells Pete he needs the bathroom. "Do not begin this meeting without me." If that's his attitude, I'm guessing he's not going to be too thrilled about them ending it without him. Pete asks Caroline when Don is free...
...a question that may be tough to answer, given that Don is pawing Megan and suggesting they lock the door. Well if nothing else, that's a way to get Caroline to move to Roger's station. To Megan's credit, she puts him off and moves to leave so she can show Peggy the coupons, but not before flashing him some cleavage at his request. Pete then takes the opportunity to enter, idly remarking that Don has nothing on his calendar before asking what client Don would want if he can have any in the world. Don doesn't hesitate in replying that it would be American Airlines, "because they stood us up," which is apparently the answer Pete expected. However, it turns out Pete came at the problem from the other side, as he wondered who would have that feeling about SCDP and came up with Mohawk Airlines, who has not been doing well since SC cut them loose. Don's not exactly super-jazzed at the news, perhaps understandably once he got his mind on American, but Pete tells him he's meeting with them that day and he thinks Don should drop by. Don amends the plan to him joining for the second meeting, should there be one, and Pete is fine with that. Don ushers Pete out and then barks for some coffee and I didn't realize this when I wrote the above but Caroline is now sitting by Roger's office, and oh my God how I missed this show.
Peggy walks into Megan's office (she's sharing with Stan) and is like, "Oh Megan, you're here," but Megan doesn't acknowledge anything unusual, instead handing over her coupons. Peggy briskly makes her changes and then hands them to Stan, who trots off with a winsome smile and an insouciant comment and I would never have guessed how much I love having him around. Megan then asks Peggy for her opinion about something, prompting Peggy to babble about coupons and how she used to do them and how they're too important to the client and whatever, but Megan's like, your coupon issues are boring me -- tomorrow, June 1st, is Don's birthday. Peggy beats herself up a bit for having forgotten, throwing in an apology for "still" not having gotten the Drapers a wedding present, but that's not what's on Megan's mind -- she's throwing Don a surprise party on Saturday. Peggy's like, oh I see, and then her face goes as tight as when she learned of Don and Megan's nuptials when she asks, "For Don?" Hee. She tries to soften things a bit by opining that all men hate surprises, but Megan's like, you haven't seen my parties. "Everyone's gonna go home from this and they're gonna have sex." Well, you can't accuse her of not taking a personal stake in that idea. Peggy still looks like she needs a laxative to work against this news, but gives in: "Sounds like fun for us, at least." Heh. Megan then hands over her guest list, saying she went through Don's Rolodex and crossed out all the clients "and everyone he's fired." I'd point out there's overlap between those two groups, but you know about Mohawk already. Peggy offers that Freddy Rumsen doesn't come to parties anymore before saying that Megan has to invite Harry, but the way Megan screws up her face in response gets me on her side before she even explains that Don really doesn't like him. Peggy's both surprised and pleased to hear the gossip and Megan, equally conspiratorially, disavows being the source of the information. After getting a yes for Frank Keller, Don's accountant, Megan then asks about "Herman Phillips" and Peggy, without looking up, explains that's Duck before we hear some pointed work from her pen crossing his name out. Hee. I could watch these two discuss the guest list all day, but once they're done, Peggy asks which birthday it is and Megan mouths in response that it's his fortieth. Peggy makes an "eek" face in response, but if I looked like Don, I'd brag about my age to anyone who'd listen.
Joan is stretched out on the couch when Gail returns with Kevin and when Joan asks how he was, Gail tells her he was fussy, but the elevator knocked him out. Joan puts an arm around her and asks, "Who would have thought you'd be so good at this?" Good to know her sleep deprivation hasn't reduced her capacity for backhanded compliments. Joan wonders what she's going to do when Gail goes home, giving Gail the opportunity to ask if Joan really intends to return to "that office." Joan points out that Gail worked, but Gail says that was out of need and points out that Greg's a doctor. Joan, however, tells Gail that she promised, and they need her at SCDP; even though she obviously feels conflicted about it, she goes on that Greg will be stationed at Fort Dix "for a second year," so she'll be able to commute until he's done, after which they'll see what happens. Gail declares that Greg won't allow Joan to work, which is not phrasing Joan appreciates, and Gail's quoting "Whither thou goest, I will go," is met with this response: "And how did that work out for you?" Gail heads off to the kitchen, presumably to get a shot of "formula" after that hellacious line.
Pete turns up to the Mohawk meeting and as he walks into the restaurant's dining room, his face falls like a popped soufflé upon seeing that Roger is drinking up with the clients. What's more, it turns out Roger called them and told them to come early, but Pete is able to control his rage enough to tell Roger through gritted teeth that he's really needed back at the office. Roger, after casting an amused and appraising eye at Pete, stands up to take off. Presumably he feels like he's made his point, but much like with the Y&R guys, it's not quite clear what he thinks -- if he needs to skulk about stealing glances at Pete's calendar so he can horn in on his meetings, he's gone from merely useless to active nuisance. Anyway, Roger clearly thinks he's the most popular guy in the room as he throws around money and airline puns (although Pete's play on him being "in the bag" is the only genuinely funny remark), but despite one of the Mohawk guy's seemingly genuine declaration that he loves "that guy," I don't think Roger's any closer to being the man people talk to when they've got business on their minds.
It's time for the Heinz presentation, and Peggy explains that they're proposing to use microphotography and a new high-speed camera to depict a "bean ballet." Stan, handling the storyboards, hilariously starts humming a background waltz as Peggy explains the beans will spin toward each other before landing in sauce contained in a can of Heinz. She's completely into the idea, but there's no way I can make it sound anything less than completely Smurfy on the page and the look on the Heinz guys' faces agrees with me. The lead guy defers saying what he thinks of the presentation by asking questions about the photography, but eventually he cuts to the chase -- beans aren't photogenic, at least not on an individual basis. After beckoning Don with her eyes that it's time to join them, Peggy smiles mirthlessly at the client and then Don enters and tries to sell the idea that they're being bold, like the guy wanted. Clearly, Peggy is expecting Don to bring this on home, but when the client sticks to his guns ("It's got no message," he says, and Peggy looks stung), Don lets him babble about how he wants the younger generation to be excited about beans before saying they'll work on it. Peggy and Stan exchange a side-eye as the client goes on about kids with picket signs clamoring for beans, which I suppose has a message, ridiculous though it may be, and Don's like, leave the ideas to us grandpa. After Ken takes Heinz to the elevator and Stan likewise makes himself scarce, Don asks Peggy if she's got anything else, and she admits what she pitched was her best idea so far. Don opines that it's not surprising "that man" doesn't have a taste for ballet and when Peggy counters it was a joke on ballet, Don replies, "And you can't be surprised he doesn't have a sense of humor!" Heh. Peggy, trying to stay measured but with an edge nonetheless, admits that she thought Don would come in and tell the client how great the idea is, but Don patiently responds that this is business that "wandered in over the transom," not that they pitched, and as such they can expect to have to work for it. Peggy somewhat bitterly says that if she'd known that, she would have saved this pitch for the second round, but Don assures her they'll hook them time. Once Don's gone, Peggy takes a seat in frustration...
...an emotion her baby daddy is currently experiencing as well as, still hot from Roger's stunt, he asks Caroline if "he" is in and is told through a mouthful of food that he's gone for the day. Pete snorts in disgust...
...and then stomps into his office, trips and bloodies his nose against that awful support beam. I didn't enjoy that as much as I once would have, which means I stopped giggling after only three minutes. He barks for Clara to get in there and after she goggles at the Marcia Brady-ness of his face, he lividly asks why Roger was at his meeting. Clara isn't the quickest on the uptake, so Pete spells it out for her -- Roger's been hitting on her with the ulterior motive of looking at Pete's calendar. Ken then appears in the doorway: "Did she hit you?" Ha! Pete throws Clara out before snapping that Heinz looked miserable on the way out. Ken counters that Don isn't worried and asks about Mohawk; Pete says it was great, "except for my deep nausea and impending headache." Maybe you can pay the wait staff at the restaurants you frequent to water down your drinks, Pete. He also mentions that Roger crashed the meeting and Ken amusedly notes that that means it's a good lead, but Pete and his nose are in no kind of joking mood and Pete makes a crew comparison (he was a coxswain) in saying he doesn't need competition from inside his own office. Ken, however, thinks everything's going as it should, and lays out a detailed, rosy depiction of SCDP's future, the culmination of which is that "Elvis plays at Tammy's [we'll learn that that's Pete's daughter] sweet sixteen." In response, Pete bites out, "Kenny Cosgrove writes another great American novel." HA! Typically undeterred, Ken thinks it probably was a good idea to have Roger warm the Mohawk guys up and, despite his foul mood, I think Pete's liver would be hard pressed to disagree. Pete lies down on his couch, for the sake of his nose as well as his head and when Ken asks if he'll see him Chez Draper on Saturday, Pete snits, "I wish I could get overtime for it." He's got to have one of the highest grumpiness-to-age quotients around, and God love him for it.
Don, coat on, comes into the open area at which Creative is working and asks if Megan's ready. Indicating Peggy and Stan, Megan says they're almost done. Don, a bit too assertively, asks if Peggy needs Megan, leaving Peggy little choice but to say no, although her reply of "We'll be here in the morning" at least has style. Stan fantastically then asks if Don has any big weekend plans, prompting Megan and Peggy to freeze, obviously and hilariously. Stan tries to cover by babbling about his cousin in the Armed Services coming in for a visit that weekend, but Don doesn't give nearly enough of a shit about Stan to clue in here. Megan leaves on Don's arm, not without a nice dirty look over her shoulder at Stan and Stan hangs his head, as apparently it was an honest mistake. Peggy then asks if Stan can believe how Don acted in the pitch meeting: "Clients are right all of a sudden? I don't recognize that man!" She has a point, although on the flipside, I doubt Don barks things like "THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY IS FOR!" at her anymore. Which... also makes me miss the old Don, come to think of it. Stan puts a hand on his stomach and gets to his feet and when Peggy asks where he's going, replies thusly: "I've got tickets to the bean ballet and the curtain's about to go up." Seriously, I could not love Stan's transition from Peggy's sexist antagonist to the amiable thorn in her side more. She sighs, "Never gets old," and Stan heads to the bathroom on a wave of self-satisfied giggles. Hee.
Pete arrives home to his suburban kitchen and Trudy greets him as she notes he's home late. He's back to calling her "Tweety," and I think it's been a while, but either way, things seem good between them even as he expresses his obvious exasperation with work. Trudy continues her life's devotion to making lemonade out of lemons as she tells him that his dissatisfaction is simply reflective of his ambition and then asks if he really wants a dog, in a way that makes it seem like they've discussed the subject before. Pete muses that a beagle to scare off gophers would be nice, and I get the feeling that he's picturing Roger Sterling's white lid on a rodent's head. Trudy turns the subject to the party, asking if Megan really just invited them that day. Pete sighs that she did, although he's not sure when she asked anyone else and Trudy replies that "she's very impulsive. We know that." Sounds like we're overdue to have a drink with Mrs. Pete Campbell. Trudy goes off to lie down for an hour before Tammy gets up and Pete takes the opportunity to chomp on some cereal taken straight from the box...
...and from that domestic scene, we cross-fade into the party setup. The guests are chattering away until an extremely effeminate African-American gentleman who looks to be part of the band informs them it's only "T-minus five minutes" (presumably to when Megan is supposed to be bringing Don home) and suggests they bring conversation down several notches. Harry laughs about how queer the guy is, making me wish Joey was still around to call Harry an old fairy and then Rebecca, standing there with Pryce, says the queen reminds her of Pryce's brother and Pryce giggles in response...
...while Megan and Don are just getting off the elevator. Of course, Don can't let her get two steps without pushing her up against the wall and making out with her, but she succeeds in leading him around the corner to their door...
...only to find Jane and Roger arguing about whether they're supposed to knock or not. There's no saving the surprise, although Roger gives it a go for about five seconds and in reference to the party, Don is like, "Um, no," but there's nothing for Megan to do but enter (after muttering "calice," apparently a mild Quebec expletive). Inside the guests yell as they're supposed to, but Roger wastes no time in admitting he blew the surprise and while there's an answering groan, I can't say anyone seems particularly shocked. Perhaps too meaningfully, Don admits that he's very surprised, but any nuance is lost on the guests, who cheer again. Also, assume that most people -- especially the women -- are dressed in sixties casual clothes; even Rebecca Pryce has floral decorations on her dress I can't imagine she would have been caught dead wearing only a couple years ago. Anyway, once the party's back in swing, Don's accountant (I believe) drunkenly approaches with a dowdy woman in tow; he awkwardly hugs Don, as well he might, given that he's probably made him more money than all his other clients put together. The guy awkwardly introduces Mrs. Dowdy as his wife...
...while elsewhere, Bertram is arguing about Vietnam with... hey, it's that beatnik reporter who always got under Peggy's skin and who you knew was completely perfect for her! I'm so happy they're together, although that does mean I'm going to have to look up his name again. Ah, Abe, that's it. Stan involves himself in the conversation (on Abe's side) as his presumed cousin (in a naval uniform) watches bemusedly before offering, "I thought there were gonna be girls here." Wait until the singing starts, kiddo.
At the bar, Don joins Roger, who thanks him for not inviting Joan, as he would have gotten an earful and a half on the ride home. Don disclaims any responsibility, obviously, and then looks at Megan giggling on the couch in the -- of course -- sunken living room before Harry accosts them with a gift for Don. The "I hate this guy" side-eye between Don and Roger is awesome even before Don opens the gift -- a silver-handled Steinway walking stick. Roger: "You could stick it up your ass and have a concert." Hee. Harry then goes to join Megan and her fabulous friends, and Roger, no stranger to generation gaps in marriage, supportively tells him that he shouldn't worry -- they're not laughing at him. Don does look rather perplexed, but that could be due to any or all of the evening's events.
Sometime later, the band is playing, Peggy and Abe are dancing and Don and Megan are sitting on the floor (!) with Pryce and Rebecca (!!). Pryce tells a tame off-color joke, and then the camera pans over to Pete, who greets Roger with this: "I didn't know you were invited! Or did you just hear I was coming and show up?" When he's gone, Jane asks, "Is he going bald?" This is shaping up to be the best party ever. Peggy and Abe join the Campbells and Peggy notes the extreme size of the place. Trudy agrees, but points out how loud it is, adding that you can hear the traffic over the party noise, which gets a longing "I know" from her husband. Aw. Abe slurs that he wants to take off his pants and slide his ass on the carpet, which -- again indicative of the times -- does not receive any raised eyebrows. He goes on that work (he's a journalist, remember) has been good because things have been bad, with the riots and all. Pete tells them he was raised that party talk shouldn't include sex, politics, or religion, but rather than point out that Pete had as low an opinion of his parents as he does of that support beam, Trudy merely asks what that leaves and Peggy offers, "Alcohol and work?" No need for the party then, it seems to me. Ken and his wife Cynthia join them and Cynthia asks "Trudes" (you might remember that they know each other from the garden club) which one Jane is again. Trudy: "Glamour puss with the tan?" I love Bitchy Trudy, although Cynthia's raised-eyebrow response of "Marry early and often!" is right on par. The Cosgroves then declare their intention to smoke some tea with Megan's friends on the balcony, and even though it's not that kind of show those sure sound like potential last words to me.
When we return, some redheaded old friend of Megan's is recalling their days as waitresses to her and Don and then she vacates her spot so Peggy and Abe can join them. Despite what seems like a warm greeting from Megan, the conversation immediately stalls, so Peggy says she wanted to make sure they said hi, because she can't stay -- she has to go redo the Heinz pitch. Don's eyes narrow and Megan looks freaked, but Peggy's vision is apparently too blurry at this point to take this in, so she plows on, "But I guess you know that." The sad thing is I don't think she even meant any offense, but that doesn't stop Megan from leading Don away with a hurt look on her face. Even Abe, no master of the social graces, is like, WTF was that. But as a good boyfriend should, he doesn't dwell on it and gives her a kiss instead. Aw. Cute!
Okay, I feel like this coming scene already made the internet explode, so there's not much point in dwelling on it: Megan announces that she has her own present to give Don, pushes him into a chair and, with backup from the band, gives Don the musical analogue of a lap dance in the form of "Zou Bisou Bisou," which the show has apparently already released as a single and, as much as I love Mad Men, if you spent money on that I think it's time to take a long, hard look at yourself. I mean, I've read the lyrics and still have no idea what a Zou Bisou is; it seems like the French sixties equivalent of "Zig-a-zig-ah." The point, I suppose, is that Megan represents the freewheeling new sixties and since Don is one of the only ones at the party who A) still dresses like he used to and B) isn't having fun, you wonder how this match is going to work out. To be fair, Don does seem to be enjoying most of the performance; he'd just obviously be more comfortable without the hooting, appreciative throngs surrounding him. Off to the side, Roger asks Jane why she doesn't sing like that, prompting her icily to ask, "Why don't you look like him?" Heh. Roger then inserts himself into the spotlight... I mean, "makes a toast," and then Megan invites everyone to dance, even getting Don on his feet...
...but later, with the guests gone, Don enters the bedroom and flops face down on the bed. Megan sits to him and asks if he had fun, but sullenness has taken hold, although at first he does merely say he simply wants to go to sleep. However, she's not taking that for a satisfactory answer, so he blearily rolls over and asks if she could refrain from spending money on efforts to embarrass him. She thinks he's merely upset because he's forty, but he points out that he's been forty for half a year already. If you think that means that Dick Whitman is six months older than Don Draper, you're absolutely right. And what's more, that means he's told Megan about his history, which certainly is interesting. Don admits that he doesn't like birthday celebrations -- he never had one growing up and has never wanted one since. Honestly, he's being perfectly reasonable given that he apparently didn't keep these wishes a secret and also he's drunk and tired and LET THE MAN GO TO SLEEP GIRL. So when she keeps on at him for what seems like forever, I can't blame him when he tells her he's going to sleep and she can do what she wants. She looks terribly hurt and I'm touched that she's so accepting of his Dick Whitman-ness, but honestly, take a hint. Anyway, she leaves him and heads back out to the living room and then, after surveying the debris from the party, heads out to look over the balcony as melancholy music plays. I mean, this is true of this show in general, but if ever anything called for a "#FirstWorldProblems," it's this.
The show didn't really break this up into two episodes, but for recapping purposes, we are. See you in a bit for Part Two!
John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. His current film, "The Trouble With Bliss," starring Michael C. Hall, Lucy Liu, Brie Larson, and Peter Fonda, can currently be seen in theaters in New York and Los Angeles, as well as on iTunes and other digital platforms and cable VOD everywhere. (Facebook and Twitter here.) You can email him at couchbaron@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/couchbaron, or check out his blog, "Pull Up A Chair," which he'd just love for you to stop by.
Think you've got game? Prove it! Check out Games Without Pity, our new area featuring trivia, puzzle, card, strategy, action and word games -- all free to play and guaranteed to help pass the time until your show starts.
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The show didn't really break this up into two episodes, but for recapping purposes, we are. See you in a bit for Part Two!
John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. His current film, "The Trouble With Bliss," starring Michael C. Hall, Lucy Liu, Brie Larson, and Peter Fonda, can currently be seen in theaters in New York and Los Angeles, as well as on iTunes and other digital platforms and cable VOD everywhere. (Facebook and Twitter here.) You can email him at couchbaron@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/couchbaron, or check out his blog, "Pull Up A Chair," which he'd just love for you to stop by.
Think you've got game? Prove it! Check out Games Without Pity, our new area featuring trivia, puzzle, card, strategy, action and word games -- all free to play and guaranteed to help pass the time until your show starts.
What are people saying about your favorite shows and stars right now? Find out with Talk Without Pity, the social media site for real TV fans. See Tweets and Facebook comments in real time and add your own -- all without leaving TWoP. Join the conversation now!