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Back to work, after the birthday party, means a lot less shamed faces than you might expect. In fact, that only thing that really bites anybody in the ass is that Megan is now pissed at Peggy -- for undercutting her while her stoned ass was bitching Don out -- and at Don -- for whining way past the point of no return once everybody had left.
Megan, still busily -- and hilariously -- freezing out Don whenever she can, overhears Harry talking about fucking her in the breakroom, which she finds less hilarious than does Stan Rizzo, who loves a good awkward moment more than anything besides tight Polo shirts. So Harry spends the episode paranoid that she, or God forbid Don, are going to come down on him. Since they're not talking, and Megan could basically give a shit, all this paranoia does is propel him into the scheming arms of one Roger Sterling.
Seems that Pete's had it up to here with Roger's grandfathered-in seniority, and wants some recognition. Being Pete Campbell, he goes about this the dumbest way: Demanding Roger's office and practically explaining explicitly to the partners that it's because he wants to emasculate Roger. Roger buys Harry's office from him for the switch once the other partners suggest Pete could use the space, but then Pete has the last laugh: He plants a fake appointment in his calendar, so that Roger ends up trying to scoop him on an imaginary breakfast meeting at 6 AM in Staten Island. I always enjoy having a reason to be impressed with that kid; they come around so rarely.
Lane Pryce finds a wallet in a cab that spins him out into a fantasy where he can just have some gangster's gorgeous moll come be his special friend, but she ends up sending the wallet's owner instead, bringing him thudding down to earth. Still stressed about money, both for the firm's and his family's sake, it's possible -- in the grand tradition of these dudes -- he wasn't feeling horny so much as just wanting a little escapism. Whatever it is, it's kind of sad.
What is not sad is when Joan's mom -- who is just a hot mess, by the way -- brings to her attention that little Equal Opportunity Employer the boys put in the paper to congratulate themselves for being more progressive than the dicks at Y&R. The assumption being that, just as mommy predicted and frankly wants, they are trying to replace Joanie for good. Not one to rest on her laurels for long, our Joan puts on one of her most amazing dresses ever and heads down there with baby in tow to make sure they don't freeze her out, resulting in a kinda funny Hot Potato game where everybody wants to see the baby but nobody actually wants to be responsible for the baby or hold the baby for more than a second. Including Peggy, of course, but also its parents. The only thing weirder than watching Joanie refer to her child as merely "okay" is watching Roger stare down at it like it's a steak he's considering sending back.
(The only thing weirder than that is how much time you might spend staring at Joan's post-pregnancy breasts, and trying to remember how big they were before, because how big is infinity plus one.)
Which is where the not-sad part comes in, because Lane is so sweet with poor lonely frazzled Joan, so overjoyed to see her, so intuitive about her insecurities and really charmingly willing to tell her the place is obviously crumbling without her, that he ends up practically saving her from a breakdown. I never expected a Lane Pryce scene would leave me breathless, but I have to say -- and this isn't just my personal love for Joan talking -- it might have been the best scene of all two hours. Lord knows I never understood how he pulled Rebecca, but damned if he didn't get pretty sexy at that point. A little kindness goes a long way on this show.
Or at least, that's what Megan tries to explain to Peggy, as once again their mutually respectful friendship puts things on the table within 48 hours that it would have taken pills and months to get Joan and Peggy, for example, to talk about back in the day. Linking up Peggy's attitude at the party (never really comprehending that it was more about dissatisfaction with Don's performance) to Harry's gross sex talk to Don's sudden coldness the other night, Megan decides that the entire advertising industry can go fuck itself, awesomely plays on Peggy's sympathies to the point that it's like Peggy's a man who's disappointed her delicate heart, it's fantastic, and then runs home to clean the apartment in her underwear. Like you do.
After Peggy shows up to apologize to Don for bitching at him at his birthday -- which, of course, didn't even register -- he tells her she doesn't know Megan as well as she thinks, if she didn't go after her. Sexist or true? I don't know, but when he gets home and she's on her knees scrubbing the carpets and calling him old and telling him he's not allowed to watch her in her undies, then that he's not allowed to touch, just watch, and all this coded humiliation shit... I don't know. He fucks her, obviously, and they both calm down and have a conversation about how they both thought the other one wanted the white carpet, they both thought the other one wanted her to stay working at SCDP in Creative, etc.
If she's smart, she won't let him cage her up, right? But on the other hand, maybe the whole "I just want your job one day" thing was the quickest way to his dick and she'll just go play the guitar or something. Whatever those ladies do when they're not Betty or Francie, but don't go all the way over into heroin either. I mean, if you put together a list of things that would get Don Draper's pants off and also make him want to marry you, she knows all of them already -- and she doesn't mind employing them, this Megan of ours. But it is weird to see her go all nuts like that, with the mascara and the whole bit, and still have enough of her wits to do this entire freakout scene while scrubbing the floor in her underwear with her ass sticking up. "Look at me! Don't look at me! You're a dirty little boy! You're an old man with a limp dick! I am scrubbing this mess and getting my hands all dirty! Worship me!" You know? Like, she's a gamer.
She very well might also be fucking crazy, but she's at least a player on top of it.
Anyway, the episode ends as it begins: With everybody's morning. Don and Megan are basically back to normal, etc. But once everybody gets into the office, they notice -- as Roger, of course, puts it -- that Reception is "full of Negroes." Because it wasn't just Joan's mom that saw that self-congratulatory, almost-a-joke ad they took out last episode. After a pants-shitting Truth To Power moment in which the rich white men that run our universe realize that a sufficient number of able-bodied young black women in pretty dresses could probably take them down in seconds, they send out Lane, who once again reacts with all the charm and none of the baggage, releasing the young men and taking the ladies' resumes for further review. Could we be seeing a black secretary at SCDP? Still seems early days for that -- and God help us when even Don Draper, as the voice of progressive sanity, can himself only offer a weak "Maybe we should just hire one and they'll go away?" -- but man, I would give anything to see that white man-fear a few more times before we're done.
week: Roger hates Pete, Don meets Daddy, Henry and Betty come back in what seems like an odd way, and Peggy still kinda hates the newer, happier Don. (Don't worry, girl! He'll ruin things soon enough!)
-- Jacob Clifton
Want more? The full recap starts right below!When we return, it's daytime, and we get an establishing shot of a checker cab (thirty-five cents to enter, then increments of a nickel, don't you know) that we learn contains Pryce. As he reaches into his jacket for the fare, he notices that someone dropped his wallet on the floor. The driver offers to turn it in to Dispatch, as they have a Lost and Found, but when Pryce inspects it and discovers there's close to a hundred dollars in it, he declares his intention to return it himself. It's not clear what his game is -- you'd think he's simply worried that the cash might disappear into one of the hands it would pass through if he turns it in, but he's hard to read, and given what happens later I wouldn't venture to guess what's going through his head. In addition, the driver is clearly worried about Pryce's shift here, and notes that the owner is probably going to call looking for the thing, but Pryce hands over his business card and a tip and the guy relents. Pleased with himself, Pryce exits the cab...
...while Don, not surprisingly, is still asleep, with Megan nowhere to be seen. The only question is whether he got out of bed on the intervening day at all. Cut to him applying shaving cream with his new brush and then looking a bit regretful. I suppose this is the dark side of not leaving your wife at home when you go to work.
Back to Pryce, who has just laid the wallet carefully on his desk when Pete enters and notes that the party was quite the thing. "Have Masters and Johnson come in yet?" HA! Pete with the witty references, I swear. He adds that he should take a seat and watch them slink in in shame, and Pryce notes that Pete is in a good mood. Well, it's no surprise that Pete loves his schadenfreude, but he has further reason to be pleased -- Mohawk called him at home that morning. Before Pryce can get too jazzed in response, though, his secretary buzzes to tell him Rebecca's on the phone, so Pete leaves him to it, but not before he informs him he's called a partners' meeting. Once Pryce picks up, Rebecca apologizes for the apparent row they had that morning, but is still worried about a letter they got from St. Paul's (I'm assuming that's the fancy boarding school in New Hampshire) demanding payment for their son Nigel's tuition for the coming year. Pryce idly argues with Rebecca as he fishes a photo of an attractive young woman out of the wallet, on the back of which is written, "Xs and Os all day. Delores." Pryce smiles, and unfortunately, I do not believe that he's merely appreciative of the love that exists between this woman and the owner of the wallet. Oh, Pryce, if you're than unhappy, go back to your girl at the Playboy Club. It's not canceled in this reality. Rebecca then reminds Pryce to get the names of Megan's real estate agent and decorator, and for someone who's trying to get him to pay up early for Nigel's education, she's doing a good job of making the prospect more difficult.
Some Euro-looking guy is holding Kevin in his arms as Gail giggles appreciatively and tells "Apollo" (yikes) that he's so good with him; Joan then enters and responds to the tableau with an absolutely filthy look. I want to know what's going through her mind, because that glare made Megan look thrilled with Stan by comparison. Seems like this guy's the super, as he tells her the sink is draining, and in tones more measured that I would have expected from her entrance, she takes Kevin and tells Apollo she appreciates his hard work, but she and Gail have lots to attend to. Gail tries to intervene and get Apollo to stay, but he sensibly has no wish to get involved in a Holloway mother-daughter spat, so he vacates the premises, leaving Joan to tell Gail off for letting Apollo hold the baby. "His fingers have been in every toilet from here to the Bowery." Joan accuses her mother, almost in so many words, of wanting Apollo to [insert your own plumbing joke here], and Gail replies that she only wanted to be sure "this apartment" got his attention. Joan: "This apartment has never had any trouble getting his attention." Hee. Gail replies that Joan's not exactly at her fighting weight, and Joan's right there again: "Try me." How have we done without Holloway mother-daughter snittery up until now, I ask you? Joan adds that Gail can take off any time (adding "I got my money's worth," and OUCH), but Gail has an ace up her sleeve as she shows Joan the fake SCDP "equal opportunity employer" ad, which does not look particularly fake to the casual eye. Joan tries to reason her way through this, pointing out that the ad isn't in the classifieds and also that SCDP can't afford more people, but the second part of her argument backfires, as Gail concludes: "It's not more people. It's you." Joan lets us know that Megan invited her to the party (and given the built-in babysitter, I'm a little surprised she declined, but maybe she felt awkward going alone), but Gail points out that it was at the last minute, and suggests that Megan wanted to get Joan out of SCDP so she'd be away from Don. Joan, unable to completely disbelieve it on an emotional level, says she's going to lie down, but Gail can't leave it alone: "Sometimes life makes decisions for you." Well, Joan, when you decide to stab your mother with a hatpin, I hope you remember to blame life.
Masters and Johnson have finally arrived, with Megan measuring every resentful step and barely grunting a reply when Don bemusedly tells her to have a good day. When Don arrives at his desk, he finds Caroline with a potted plant and awkward but sincere birthday wishes, and Don thanks her, but his attention is taken by Roger, who comes toward him dancing and singing "Frère Jacques," even twirling and sticking out his ass in the process. Given the way his morning's going, I have a lot more sympathy for Don coming in late. After Caroline tells Don there's a partners' meeting in Pete's office and heads into Don's to deposit her gift, Roger shows Don the ad, but Don is in no mood, and before they head to the meeting, he sternly tells Roger, "We don't make fun of each other's wives here." I wonder if he's talking about the office in general or just the two of them, because even they know their two wives are the top candidates. Roger, however, says he was merely ribbing Don for being happy, which I can believe, especially when he adds that he wants Don to be happy. "Somebody should be." Don begrudgingly lets go of his anger, and the two of them head off...
...while Pete is practically pulling his hair out waiting for them, asking Caroline, "What, did they stop for a drink?" Hee. Pryce and Bertram are already on Pete's little couch, but when Don and Roger arrive, they hilariously stand behind the support beam so you can barely see a bit of their sleeves. When, at Pete's behest, the four of them have squeezed onto the couch, Pete informs them that Mohawk is coming in, and then we get to the point of having the meeting in this room -- Pete thinks that as someone who's bringing in so much business, he should have an office appropriate both to his worth and to host clients. Don and (especially) Roger don't respond particularly favorably at first, but Pete rattles off his (rather long) client list, and Bertram, at least, gets it, telling Roger, "He's suggesting you give him your office." Given that Bertram, it seems, doesn't have an office himself, you can see where he'd be much more inclined to hear Pete out. Roger is dismissive, of course, and you can reliably expect Don to be on Roger's side, but Pete's confident enough in the other two to ask that they put it to a vote. Probably knowing that he could lose, Roger swings his dick around and exits, while the others kind of dither about, and seriously, someone with the authority to do so is going to have to put Roger in his place, particularly since Pete tells Don, the last one in the room, that he's not sure he'll bring Mohawk in unless his request is met. Don's like, great, another headache...
...and his mood doesn't improve when Harry and Stan both call to him from the break room about the great party. Don heads on, but we stay with these two so they can tell us about how they couldn't sleep thinking about Megan. Harry gets explicit about how he would have banged the shit out of her, and it's not like I believe in reality he'd have the slightest idea what to do with her, but this is all so she can appear behind him at just the wrong moment. Stan's eyes go hilariously wide, and he does greet her, but when Harry assumes he's joking and goes on about her heels on his shoulders, Stan eggs him on until Megan has heard enough and stomps past him to get whatever she came in for. When she's gone, Stan doubles over laughing, making us twins, and even after Harry punches him in the arm, Stan keeps positively cackling straight into the commercial break. And who can blame him?
Pryce is back at his desk when his secretary buzzes that the owner of the wallet is returning his call. But it's actually Delores and her New York accent, and she says that she's calling on behalf of the owner "Alex," and that she's his "girl." Pryce assumes (or appears to assume for her benefit) that she means she's Alex's secretary, but no -- she clarifies that she's "like his wife, but I can't call myself that." Mm-hmm. Crystal clear. Anyway, Pryce is looking titillated by this whole conversation, and I hope I need not consume space telling you how I feel about that, but to be fair, the woman kind of flirts with flirting herself at one or two points in the conversation. However, when Pryce offers to hand-deliver the wallet, Dolores takes a long moment and decides that that might not be proper. They eventually agree that she'll drop by the office, and after they hang up, Pryce takes out the photo again and stares at it with a goofy smile. That wasn't quite as undignified as Harry, Pryce, but you're still making me sad.
Speaking of whom, Harry's stewing in his office, and his mood turns to complete panic when his secretary buzzes to tell him that Roger wants to see him in his office. Harry asks if she saw Roger talking to Don or Megan, whereupon she tells him she's been working. "What did you do?" Hee. I'm guessing she's been on Harry's desk for a while. I'm not sure we've seen Harry's office before, by the way, but it's necessary we do so now, because it is rather nicer than Pete's. I'm surprised, given that Pete was a partner before they moved into this space, but even with my view of Harry personally I suppose his job warrants it. Anyway, Harry looks like he'd blindfold himself if he could find a bandana...
...but he does suck it up and enter Roger's office, reluctantly taking a seat at his behest. Roger starts to talk about how the place is a family, which means they behave a certain way, whereupon Harry babbles about his side of what happened and Roger's like, I know you fuck up all the time but that's not why we're here. He goes on that he was thinking Pete could take Harry's office, but despite the specificity of the pronouncement, Harry still thinks he's getting fired, and babbles on some more, prompting Roger to ask what he did. Harry says he "made fun of Zou Bisou," which is not quite how I would describe his offense, but Roger chuckles that he did too. Once the genial moment has passed, though, Harry -- surprisingly since he was packing his bags two seconds ago -- resists the idea of giving up his office, so Roger does what he does best; bribes Harry with eleven hundred dollars cash he's got in his pocket. And this is a guy who got mugged in the not-too-distant past, too. Harry's still not thrilled, but eventually takes the deal. And honestly, anyone with half a brain might wonder why Roger cares about this to the tune of that kind of money, but this is a guy who couldn't be bothered to check behind him before talking loudly about nailing a partner's wife.
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 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.
Pryce sincerely tells Joan how happy he is to see her, but Joan, having heard nothing to assure her that she still has a place at SCDP, looks loaded for bear. She does consent to take a seat, but Pryce, if you know what's good for you I'd keep your distance.
Peggy wheels Kevin into the open work area and asks Megan what "they" are supposed to with him, but Megan and the dark cloud over her head are unhelpful, and then the show can resist no longer as Pete enters and gives a hilariously bewildered look Peggy's way. After explaining that this is not their child but Joan's, she asks him to take Kevin back to his mother, and after making an obligatory sexist comment, he agrees.
Peggy and Megan then discuss Joan's appearance, and when Peggy opines that she didn't look great right when she was about to pop, Megan wonders why she didn't tell her that. "You seem to say whatever's on your mind." Oh shit. Peggy asks if something's wrong, but Megan says no before handing over some Vicks coupons. "I know you thought you were the only one working this weekend." Oh shit! Peggy, as you might expect, tries to apologize but doesn't quite stick the landing, setting Megan off about how they're all so cynical, and they smirk instead of smiling, and "who wouldn't want a surprise party?" Of course, she's just blurted this to the very person that warned her about Don's probable reaction, but Peggy is genuinely sympathetic instead of superior; nevertheless, Megan stands and says she's not feeling well, and asks if she's allowed to go home. She looks rather heartbreakingly hurt, and Peggy makes a far better second try at an apology, which Megan maybe sort of accepts before heading off. Peggy kind of looks like she'd go home too, if, you know, she ever did.
Joan is taking notes as Pryce tells her about some issues they're having with cash flow, and after a bit of this Joan can't take any more and asks if he's getting things in order so he can eliminate her job. Pryce, of course, is aghast at the very idea, and after a quick explanation of the intent behind the fake ad, tells her that the books have practically "been held together with spit" in her absence. Joan, uncharacteristically starting to go to pieces, asks about Clara and Scarlett, and Pryce's voice rises as he opines that the two of them together couldn't operate a parking meter. "They're imbeciles!" Maybe Meredith has a chance to climb the ranks after all. Joan bursts into tears, and then as Pryce sits with her, she apologizes, saying she's been like this since the baby came, and it's not him -- she's just missed the goings-on at SCDP so much. I sympathize, Joan, but NOW YOU KNOW HOW THE REST OF US FELT. Also, it's obviously an interesting change in her character; she always, particularly to Peggy, claimed that she could make a clean break with the job, and I think there was a time when that was true, but obviously not anymore. She expresses her fear that SCDP is leaving her behind, but Pryce does a terrific job of consoling her by saying he's "terribly adrift" without her, as it's just a matter of time before people find out he's a sham. Joan recovers a bit, but complains that no one came to visit her; however, Pryce finishes the job of cheering her up with this in regard to her visit: "There would have been a cake, but you weren't here to arrange it!" This gets a genuine laugh from Joan, but she confesses that Greg has been gone for a long time, and even with her baby and mother there, she feels alone. And even though she prefaced that by saying she didn't expect Pryce to understand, maybe we know him a little better, so I'm not surprised when he expresses empathy for her feelings.
Now back to herself, Joan asks about the party, and Pryce is delighted to tell her that Megan was "quite the coquette," even doing an imitation of her little dance that sends Joan into open-mouthed giggles. When she recovers, she asks how Don took it, getting this response: "I saw his soul leave his body." Hee. Joan opines that Don must be so handsome when he blushes, and Pryce doesn't quite know what to say to that, but he's spared having to come up with anything when there's a knock at the door -- it's Meredith with Kevin, and she admits, "I don't know how I ended up with him." Heh. Joan thanks her, takes him, and tells Pryce she'll be speaking with him, but Pryce takes a moment to hold the boy himself and call him a "handsome little blackguard," and Kevin expresses his opinion of that characterization by tooting, to everyone's amusement.
In the land of the perpetually non-amused, Pete comes into Harry's office to find him packing, and Harry explains (without mentioning the financial compensation, of course) that for the good of the firm, he's going to switch offices with Pete. Pete, of course, is not at all pleased that Roger found a way to weasel out of the situation, but Harry babbling about Megan again soon distracts him. God, give it a rest, guy. I doubt Megan wants to make your gross comments public knowledge either.
Don is alone in his office, probably getting some work done thanks to the fight with his wife, when there's a knock on his door -- it's Peggy, who looks uncomfortable before apologizing for what she said at the party. Don doesn't really acknowledge that, but Peggy plows on that she only brings it up because Megan seemed upset, and admits that she shouldn't be allowed to drink at work functions. "Or at all, honestly." I never thought Peggy had a serious problem holding her liquor, and it's true the comment was bad, but it wasn't even the most embarrassing thing that happened at the party, much less in the history of SCDP. Anyway, Don is more interested in the fact that Megan went home than anything else, and prepares to head off to join her, brushing aside Peggy's contrition and her timid opinion that Megan wants to be alone. Don still works here, right?
Pryce is lounging on his couch when Scarlett buzzes and tells him the owner of the wallet is there -- the dude, that is. Pryce is obviously disappointed, but tells her he'll be out in a minute, and adds, "Thank you, Delores," which COME ON, guy. You're supposed to be a detail man. Pryce grabs the wallet, removes the photo and places it in his desk, and then puts the wallet in an envelope...
...and then appears in Reception to greet the Italian-American guy, who despite his lack of height looks like he might have broken a kneecap or two in his day. Pryce tries to make this meeting the world's shortest act of good citizenship, but the dude insists on counting the cash, an extended effort during which Pryce nervously fidgets. After a long, appraising look that makes it impossible to guess whether he missed the photo or not, the guy says all the money's there, and insists on giving Pryce a reward before, seemingly sincerely, telling him he's a real gentleman. I wonder whether those words will have any effect on Pryce's plans for the photo.
Don arrives home and calls for Megan, who appears in a bathrobe. They trade some pointed words, and after Megan tells Don she sent the cleaning woman home, she takes off her robe to reveal a black bra and panties, explaining she's going to clean and doesn't want to get sweaty. As she sweeps trash into a basket with extreme prejudice, she tells Don to stop looking at her, as he doesn't deserve it, and goes on that he doesn't like presents or nice things. But it's apparent that she came to play, as even as she tells him she doesn't need an old person, she sticks her ass in his general direction and starts vigorously...doing some cleaning thing with quite a bit of gyration. He comes over and grabs her by the arm, and she tells him he can only watch, and did I only imagine having seen this scene on Six Feet Under at some point? Anyway, they are very soon going at it on the floor, so I guess it's just as well the maid didn't bother.
Back at SCDP, Pete has rearranged Harry's office so his desk is right by the support beam, although at least it's behind him rather than in the middle of the room. He then turns and asks Clara if Roger is still around, and when she tells him yes, he asks her to allow Roger to "do whatever he wants," but not before she pencils in an appointment on Pete's calendar for the day at the coffee shop in the ferry building on Staten Island. Oh, and that's for six AM, "with Coca-Cola." HA! Take that, support beam! Even Clara looks like she gets it...
...and speaking of which, Don and Megan are done, although not up from the floor. Megan says she's not sure "those people" like her, and what's more, she's not sure she likes them. Don tells her that the reason he didn't want her to have the party is that he didn't want all of them in their home, and while Megan is inexperienced in the ways of the ad world, "there isn't one problem that Peggy or anybody in that office has that wasn't there before you." He makes it sound like he wanted to protect her, but I'm not sure I completely buy it; on the other hand, he does seem more open with her than with anyone else, so I don't think there's nothing to what he's saying either. Megan admits that she loves going to work with Don, but she's starting to wonder if maybe it's not a good idea. Don, however, tells her that he doesn't care about work -- he just wants her there because he wants her. She seems pleased to hear that part but not entirely convinced; nonetheless, she changes the subject, opining that they may have to replace the carpet. Don makes fun of her for choosing something as impractical as white carpet, and when she narrows her eyes and tells him she thought he wanted it too, he demurs that he just wanted her to have what she wanted. She seems to find this romantic, and kisses him, but I wonder how long that mentality will stay with him before it gives way to frustration. But for now, they lie contentedly in each other's arms...
...while at the other end of the marital spectrum, Roger is getting up while it's barely light out. Jane stirs, and he tells her he has to go to Staten Island; when she asks what time it is, he tells her to shut up. Hopefully she'll just remember that part as a shitty dream.
On the train, Pete has apparently told his friend Howard about his plans to put in a pool, and when Howard brings up the expense, Pete says they'll see what happens at Christmas. Howard thinks you should never count on a bonus, but Pete looks pretty confident. Actually, if he just mugs Roger for cash, he'll be able to afford the down payment.
Rebecca asks Pryce for money for the grocer, as "you told me not to write any checks." Well, that's always a good sign. Pryce gives her, I think, the bill Alex the possible Mafioso gave him before heading out the door...
...while Joan and Gail have apparently been riding the elevator in their nightclothes in an effort to get Kevin to sleep. Aw, elevator détente...
...which continues after a cross-fade, as Megan and Don have their arms linked once again on the SCDP elevator. They get off...to find SCDP's reception area filled with African-American people. Well, the one thing you can say is there aren't any reporters present. Don and Megan exchange a glance and then head inside...
...where Pete is saying that they can't call security -- the people outside are applicants. Amazingly, Don doesn't get it until Pryce explains it to him, and then when Roger enters, Don has to do the same for him. When Roger laughs, Pete tells him it was a childish prank, earning this response: "Because you're above that, right?" Looks like someone discovered just how far it is to Staten Island and back. Anyway, Bertram politely asks Megan if she wouldn't mind leaving the partners to it, and then there's a quick argument, with Don in favor of actually hiring one of the applicants and Pryce telling him they don't have the money. Meredith then comes in with an African artifact and a note from Y&R, and it's not clear whether they drew the applicants' attention to the ad or not, but what is clear is that everyone in the reception area saw the statue, news that produces the filthiest look of the season so far, from Bertram toward Roger, I'm delighted to say. So what happens now?
Well, with little choice, Pryce, flanked by the other partners, returns to Reception and asks for résumés, although only from the women, as he claims they only want secretaries. Luckily, it's too early an era for any man to complain, as if there were sex discrimination to contend with as well I think Bertram would give up and go join Miss Blankenship in The Great Beyond. He's probably looking forward to getting his balls back as it is. Also, Pryce first tells the men they are "free to leave," after which he exquisitely attempts to remove his foot from his mouth. He recovers and starts collecting the papers, and the partners watch themselves take a step forward in time they didn't quite intend to take. I'll be interested to see the follow-up from this, for sure. See you time!
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.
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.