The Phantom – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.13

Synopsis: An unemployed and desperate Megan Draper asks her husband to help her get a part at a commercial foregoing her distaste for advertising.  Meanwhile, Pete Campbell learns that Beth Dawes is being institutionalized once again and comes to regret the life he built.

Episode Summary: Megan Draper has become desperate enough to pay for a screen test that a company promised to send to agents subconsciously knowing that the promised service is a fraud.  Marie Calvet, who is visiting, makes the mistake of calling Megan hopeless, but catches herself to correct her statement attributing her mistake to the misuse of the English language.  Megan and Emily review casting notices while delighting at Julia’s failure.  The TV show Dark Shadows fired Julia after only three days of work.  The incessant ringing of the phone that Megan knows to be from a prankster and Marie’s departure interrupt their schadenfreude.  Left alone, Emily decides to ask Megan a favor.  She asks her to use Don to get her an audition for the Butler Shoes commercial.  Emily heard that the ad agency is looking for a European type to fill the role for the fairytale inspired commercial.  Megan is hesitant to help her friend fully aware that Don will disapprove, but acquiesces to the request.Continue reading...

Howard and Beth Dawes join Pete Campbell on the train.  Pete notices the luggage they have brought with them and learns that Beth will be staying with her sister for a while.  Pete’s prying caused Beth to decide to seat at the smoker instead.  Beth, posing as Pete’s sister-in-law, surprises him with a call in his office and instructions for him to meet her at Hotel Pennsylvania at noon under the name Mrs. Campbell.  Pete’s reluctance to comply comes from his pride.  Pete has not forgotten how Beth stood him up the last time he had asked for her to come.

Harry Crane catches Joan Holloway Harris on her way up to the 38th floor and astutely deduces that the agency is looking into renting more space knowing that the previous occupants of the 38th floor had moved to Washington.  Harry takes the opportunity to persuade Joan to give him a better office than the one he has now.  Joan reminds him that the agency did offer Harry Lane’s old office, which he refused to accept for obvious reasons.  The death of Lane Pryce remains fresh in their minds that Don Draper, who is suffering from excruciating pain from his tooth, arrives at the office and finds a man that resembled his deceased brother, Adam Whitman.  Adam like Lane used the same method to commit suicide.  He calls to Adam, but the man just looks at him without recognition.  He then finds himself ensnared into the meeting with Topaz after the client rejects the strategy of insinuating that their product is cheap.  Topaz would like to convey the inexpensiveness of their product without depreciating its value.  Clearly, the client is displeased with the work and hinted missing the work of Peggy Olson, the woman that landed Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce the Topaz account.  Frustrations rise leading to an argument between Don and Ginsberg that has become recurrent that Stan Rizzo found the display boring.

Peggy is not satisfied with her new role as Copy Chief as well as she finds her staff lacking of the competence she had been used to dealing with at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  Ted Chaough’s confidence in her made her decision to join his agency worthwhile especially when he assigns her the Philip Morris account.  News of Philip Morris putting Leo Burnett on review has circulated in the advertising world causing other agencies to snatch the account.  Ted puts Peggy in charge of the campaign that will win them the account for Philip Morris’ new, top-secret ladies’ cigarette brand.

Joan presides over the partners meeting that delivered the fortunate news of an uptick in their profit due to sizeable checks from their clients.  Only Bertram Cooper received the news well for Don remains pessimistic and the others are preoccupied with other thoughts.  The empty chair reminds Joan of the man that constantly weighed their good and bad fortune.  She finds that with Lane gone, it now becomes her responsibility to voice the negatives.  She raises the issue of procuring more office space until the next quarter giving them cushion for any unforeseen financial problems.  Nobody, however, would want to discuss the issue any longer that the partners agree to table the discussion in the meantime.

Pete despite his pride is so anxious to meet with Beth that he makes Don his proxy for the vote.  He arrives at Beth’s room angry with himself for his weakness and learns that the woman wanted to see him before she goes through shock therapy.  Beth, who has gone through shock treatment several times, wants to spend time with him aware that the treatment will put her in a haze for a period.  Pete is reluctant to sleep with Beth after hearing of her mental illness, but his lust for her overcomes him.  Pete believes that he has fallen in love with Beth and asks her to run away with him to Los Angeles.  Beth does not take his offer seriously.  Pete returns home and finds plans for the swimming pool Trudy wants built.  Instead of sharing the excitement of having a pool, Pete worries that their child, Tammy, would drown in it.  This upsets the toddler and Trudy, who finds Pete depressing.  Pete impersonating Beth’s non-existent brother pays Beth a visit, but he finds her a completely changed woman, one without the recollection of him.  Pete prepares to leave, but Beth insists on him staying.  He soon finds himself divulging the insecurities brought about by his aging that he tries to assuage by having an affair with another man’s wife.  Pete comes to a realization that the life he built is not the life he truly wanted.  He falls asleep on the train ride home only to be awakened by Howard, who persuades Pete to join him on a night of debauchery.  Pete expresses his disgust at Howard for having the time of his life after sending his wife to a mental institution.  Howard realizes that it was Pete with whom his wife was having an affair.  He engages in an altercation with Pete that caused the other passengers to break them apart.  The train conductor asks Pete to apologize to Howard, but he refuses to do so and ends up insulting the conductor who later punches Pete and throws him out of the train.  Pete arrives home with a severely bruised face alarming Trudy.  Trudy feels sorry for Pete and concedes to her husband’s old request of having an apartment in the city in order for him to avoid the late hour commute.

Megan informs Don of having heard about the “Beauty and the Beast” commercial for Butler Shoes and asks his help to get her the part in the advertisement betraying her friend, Emily, in the process.  Don is surprised with Megan’s request given her aversion to advertising, a repugnance she is quick to deny.  Megan argues that the part will give her the exposure she needs.  Don is disinclined to concede to Megan’s request for he finds it embarrassing to ask his client to hire his wife.  Seeing that Don will not grant her wish, Megan foregoes the request.  Don reasons that Megan would regret getting the part because of him for it would be best to be somebody’s discovery instead of somebody’s wife.  The incessant ringing of the telephone interrupts their conversation.  Megan explains that she has been getting the crank calls all day leading Don to answer it instead.  He hears a man’s voice on the other line asking for Marie and mistakes it as Megan’s father, Emile, when it truly is Roger with a phony French accent.  Roger invites Marie to his hotel room at The Stanhope and the woman accepts.  A window of opportunity arrives when Megan is too depressed to accompany her to The Cloisters following Don’s rejection of her request.  Marie arrives at The Stanhope and she immediately lies on Roger’s bed.  Roger explains his desire to cease the day given the way one of his partners ended his life and asks Marie to take LSD with him that he may fully appreciate the time he has with her.  Marie rejects the offer and states her distaste for having to take care of Roger.  Marie merely wants to have fun.  Roger understands and frolics with the carefree woman.

Joan Holloway Harris receives the letter for the one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollar death benefit from the company insurance policy.  It is money that will allow them to purchase more space for their agency.  She could not help, but feel guilty for profiting over Lane Pryce’s suicide.  Don recommends paying back the fifty-thousand dollar collateral Lane put in the agency after Lucky Strike left.  Don personally delivers the check to Rebecca Pryce.  She finds the act as a way for Don to appease his guilt instead of an act of charity.  Don arrives home to find his wife heavily intoxicated.  Megan has been waiting for him ready to be with him, but Don’s toothache gets in the way.  Megan could not take another rejection.  She explains that she needs Don to want her for she has come to believe that her only worth is to satisfy her husband’s needs.  Marie arrives and gets reproach from Don for leaving her daughter in such a state.  She passes the blame on Don after claiming that Megan left her home a happy child a stark contrast from the woman she is now, one that has an artistic temperament despite the absence of artistic talent.  Marie advises Don to nurse her through a defeat that he may have the life he desires.

Don finally sees a dentist who informs him that his tooth should have been extracted days ago.  He imagines having a conversation with his late brother Adam whose presence has haunted him since Lane’s suicide.  Adam tells him that it is not Don’s tooth that is rotten.  Don begs Adam not to leave him.  Don comes to and finds his rotten tooth taken out.  He decides to go to the movies and bumps into Peggy Olson, who is very delighted to see him.  Don worries that Peggy is already avoiding her new office, but learns that she merely is taking his advice.  Peggy, in fact, is happy at her new agency and is excited with riding the plane to Richmond, Virginia to tour the cigarette factory as part of research for the much-coveted Philip Morris women’s cigarette account.  Don returns to the office later that night and watches Megan’s audition reel.  Soon, Megan is cast as Beauty for the Butler Shoes commercial and her adoration for Don grows.  Don watches his wife as he takes her place at the rehearsal.  His love for her diminishes and he considers the offer of a woman at the bar.

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Commissions and Fees – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.12

Synopsis: Don Draper learns of the forged check Lane Pryce made to himself and demands him to resign.  Lane pleads Don for reconsideration to no avail.  Lane’s desperation for money due to their agency’s dire financial situation in the past three years fueled Don to seek bigger accounts and eyes Dow Chemical.  Meanwhile, Sally Draper eludes joining her family on a ski trip and manages to convince her mother to allow her to stay with her father instead.  Her unplanned visit allowed her to meet with Glen Bishop.

Episode Summary: Don Draper is at his barber getting a haircut when Jed Covington of Dancer arrives early for his appointment and informs the barber that Don is the man who won Jaguar, the unreliable luxury car.  Covington is all praises for Don and Pete Campbell whose names have become commendable in the advertising world after winning Jaguar.  Doing business with a carmaker does put an agency in the limelight, because Lane Pryce has received some attention as well.  The 4As offers Lane the position as head of their fiscal control committee believing that his expertise in finance had kept Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce afloat.Continue reading...

Pete Campbell begins the partners meeting with a request from Jaguar to go with a fee structure as opposed to straight commission.  Jaguar wants to pay only for the work done.  It is in addition to the negotiated one-and-a-half to 2% profit instead of the 15% commission included in media purchases and the markup on production costs.  The partners are not keen in agreeing to the terms afraid that other clients will demand a fee structure as well.  Pete segues to Dunlop Tyres who had called and asked for a meeting.  He supposes that the company that manufactures tires for Jaguar would want a fee structure as well should they decide to have Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce handle their advertising.  Don votes against a fee structure, while Bert recommends informing the client that they are considering the proposal.  Bert evaluates the fee structure and examines the agency’s books where he finds a canceled check payable to Lane Pryce with Don’s signature on it.  It is a check that gave Lane Pryce the bonus they all agreed to forego.  Don allows Bert to reproach him despite the realization that the check is forged.

Don calls Lane to his office and confronts him about the check.  Lane denies its forgery, but Don is certain of it.  Don demands to know whether the check Bert found is the only one Lane had forged.  Lane explains that it was supposed to be a 13-day loan if not for the cancelation of the partners’ bonuses.  He needed the money for taxes he owed after liquidating $50,000 of his assets, money necessary to keep the agency afloat after they lost Lucky Strike.  Lane was too proud to ask for money disinclined to suffer the humiliation of begging.  He claims that the money is rightfully his.  Don asks for Lane’s resignation.  Lane finds himself pleading for his job and promising to repay the money he embezzled from the agency even if it means pulling his son out of school in order to do so.  Despite his pleas, Don demands Lane’s resignation believing that it is the most decent alternative he could offer him.  Lane erupts with his protestation with claims of not being compensated for his contributions to the agency including his vital role in its existence.  He adds that he introduced them to Jaguar and he kept them afloat despite operating on a loss for three years.  Don apologizes, but he maintains that Lane’s resignation is the only solution.  He offers to cover the money Lane owes.  Lane derides Don for his limitless source of income.  Don argues that Lane could not continue to work for the agency, because it will be their ruin when a client finds out.  Lane breaks down in tears for the humiliation of having to return to England a ruined man.  Don consoles Lane that there will be better opportunities and advises that he think of an elegant exit for no one else knows of his crime.

Lane drops by Joan Holloway Harris’ office with a glass of Canadian Club whisky causing the woman to presume that Lane had been celebrating his 4A’s chairmanship with Don.  Without her noticing, Lane had been staring at her as she ponders spending Easter in a tropical destination.  Their friendly conversation turns when Lane shares his fantasy of seeing her at a beach in an obscene bikini prompting Joan to send him out of her office.  Lane returns to his office and swigs the last of the whisky.  Don, on the other hand, is clearly disturbed with the knowledge of Lane’s debasement.  He confides to Roger Sterling without revealing the cause of his rants.  Don is averse to the fact that the agency continues to chase marginal accounts.  He expresses his desire to get Firestone instead of Dunlop, a statement that surprised Roger after Don had told him at the American Cancer Society awards that wooing Firestone is pointless.  Roger learns that Don had thought so at the time, because Ed Baxter told him that the Lucky Strike letter poisoned Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  There is no way companies of stature would ever go to business with their agency.  Roger is shocked that Don was easily discouraged.  He promises him a meeting with Firestone, but Don decides to have a meeting with Ed Baxter instead.  Roger dissuades him from chasing after Ed Baxter adding that the man’s son-in-law who is under they employ had vehemently declared his refusal to use his connection to gain the business.  Don eyes Dow Chemical as their new client nonetheless.

Roger acquiesces and meets with Ken Cosgrove at the Hemisphere Club to inform him that the agency has decided to go after his father-in-law.  Ken maintains his refusal to become involved in persuading his father-in-law in going into business with Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce only to learn that Roger had already begun the process of wooing Ed Baxter without his knowledge.  Ken extorts Roger into having him handle the account and has the senior partner promise to exclude Pete in any meetings with Dow Chemical in exchange for his vow not to jeopardize the agency’s efforts in winning the business.  Don chances upon Roger at the elevator and learns that Ed Baxter agreed to meet with him on Monday morning giving him only the weekend to prepare for the meeting.

Betty and Henry Francis decide to go skiing with their reluctant children who would rather stay home.  Sally Draper suggests leaving her at her father’s house instead and Betty complies not wanting her daughter to ruin their ski trip.  Sally arrives at Don’s apartment much to Megan’s surprise and consternation.  Megan confronts Don for the absence of notice for it underscored her availability at a moment’s notice due to her lack of work.  She learns that Don truly had just forgotten given the discovery he uncovered earlier that day.  His explanation turned Megan’s anger into understanding.  Meanwhile, Lane Pryce arrives at home on time despite having spent the whole day drowning his sorrows in liquor.  He finds Rebecca all dressed and rearing to celebrate her husband’s success.  Lane could never refuse his wife that he accedes to her wishes and soon learns that the woman had bought him a racing green Jaguar.  Rebecca argues that Lane had always allowed her extravagance at his expense that she thought it best to buy the luxury car for him, because he would never purchase one for himself.  The amalgamation of circumstances resulted in Lane retching at the garage.  His inebriation saved him from going to dinner with his wife, but his wife continues to persuade him into driving the sports car the following day.  Lane buries himself in work only he has no job to return to.

Don is hard at work as well preparing for the meeting with Ed Baxter that he foregoes spending the day with his wife and daughter.  Megan and Sally decide to go see a movie with Megan’s friend Julia.  Julia speaks of nothing but her plan to ensnare an actor she has been seducing.  Julia’s lack of substance emphasized Sally’s maturity over Megan’s friend.  Even Sally’s concept of a relationship is more profound than Julia for the woman defines a boyfriend as merely a sexual partner.  The revelation of Sally having a boyfriend did not upset Megan, but it did surprise her.  Nevertheless, Megan supports Sally’s concept of a boyfriend and defines it as someone who knows you enough to make you feel special.  By that definition, Glen Bishop does sound like Sally’s boyfriend.  Sally calls him in the middle of the night to share the success of her rebellion and invites him to her father’s apartment on Monday morning where she will be alone, because no one is available to drive her to school.  Glen is hesitant given the lengths he has to go through not to mention the consequences of his skipping school.  He, however, agrees to meet after some slight persuasion from Sally.  Meanwhile, Lane wakes up in the middle of the night and meticulously prepares his deathbed.  He had chosen to take his life through carbon monoxide poisoning inside the brand new Jaguar his wife bought for him.  It turned out to be the poorest choice, because the unreliable Jaguar would not start.  Lane makes his way to his office instead where he starts typing a letter.

Glen and Sally finally meet again after numerous phone conversations and over a year of not seeing each other.  Glen suggests they spend their time together at the American Museum of Natural History.  Glen confides the bullying he endures from the senior lacrosse players at his boarding school and Sally provides consolation with a statement that her stepfather was bullied as well as a child, but he now runs the city.  Sally divulges her desire for Henry to leave her undeserving mother and Glen assuages her guilt feelings.  Glen confesses to have made his schoolmates believe that he is coming to see Sally to have sexual intercourse with her.  Sally is not upset of Glen lying about his supposed conquest, but becomes a bit annoyed at Glen confessing of seeing her as his little sister despite her intimation that she is not sexually attracted to him.  Sally excuses herself to attend to the stomachache she has been experiencing and learns that she had just gotten her first menstruation.  Megan returns home from an audition and finds Glen’s bag in the living room.  She becomes troubled at what it insinuated and soon meets the owner of the bag.  Glen drops by the Don’s apartment and finds Megan at the door.  He explains that he and Sally had spent the morning at the museum until the young woman excused herself and never came back.  Glen had spent the whole time looking for her to no avail.  Meanwhile, Sally arrives at their house in Rye, New York accruing a $25 cab fare.  She rushes to the bathroom without a word to her mother or Henry.  Befuddled at her unexpected arrival, Betty speaks to her daughter only to learn that the shock of getting her first period caused her to come running home to her mother. Betty is astonished at Sally’s need to be with her at a turning point in her life.  She calls Megan to inform her that Sally made her way home and explains with pride the circumstance that made her return.  Betty finds comfort in comforting her daughter explaining that despite the monthly displeasure that comes with menstruating, the fact that she has her period is one that should be cherished for it indicates that she is now a woman, one who can bear children when she is ready.

Ed Baxter makes Roger and Don wait an hour and forty-five minutes before receiving them.  Accompanying Ed in the meeting are his heads of marketing and household, Tom Schafer and Jack Schmidt.  Tom insists that the company is very happy with their current ad agency, MacManus.  His statement gave fodder to Don’s argument that MacManus is in fact very satisfied with Dow Chemical as well for they are content with recycled creative work oblivious to the fact that it is them who are paying for the costs of acquiring new business.  Tom argues that their ad campaigns are effective given the 50% market share in almost all of their products, but Don contends that their market share is a credit to the products they manufacture.  Don, however, believes that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce can deliver more and cites their success with London Fog where they made it possible for London Fog to sell 81% of the raincoats in the United States.  Moreover, Don claims that their agency was not content with 81% and aimed for more.  Jack asks them about napalm and is pleased that Don had done his research, but Ed Baxter insists that Dow Chemical is happy with their ad agency.  His resolve riles Don, who does not believe that Dow Chemical is happy with having only half of the market share knowing that the company can have more and would want more.  Don abruptly ends the meeting after he loses his composure despite Roger’s constant reminder of keeping his cool before they went into the meeting.

Lane’s secretary, Scarlett, asks if she can leave the company’s records in Joan’s office, since Lane has not arrived at the office and his door is locked.  Joan uses her key to get inside Lane’s office only something is barring the door.  She catches sight of an upturned chair and shrewdly guesses its meaning.  She barges inside the office next door and informs Pete of her concern.  Pete climbs the couch to look over the wall that separated his office from Lane’s and exclaims in shock at his discovery.  Harry and Ken who was meeting with him does the same confirming what Joan knew, but hoped against.  Roger and Don arrive at the office to find it devoid of employees except for Bert, Joan, and Pete, who are waiting for them in the creative lounge.  Bert Cooper bluntly informs them of Lane’s suicide by means of hanging.  The news of Lane’s suicide knocked Don hard enough to cause him to seek a chair, but the news of Lane still hanging in his office caused him to take action.  Don goes against the coroner’s instruction not to disturb the scene and forces the door open that he, Roger, and Pete can enter to allow them to lay his body to rest.  Don and Roger carry the body as Pete cuts the cord and they lay him on his couch.  Roger finds lying on the floor an envelope addressed to the partners a boilerplate of a resignation letter.

Don arrives home and finds Glen in his living room not remembering who he is until the young man introduces himself as Helen Bishop’s son.  Don offers to drive Glen to Hotchkiss, the boarding school up in Lakeville, Connecticut.  On their way down the building, Glen intimates his morose view of life.  Glen comes to a realization that everything a person believes will make him happy will fail to fulfill its promise.  Don finds that Glen is too young to uncover the misery of life that he asks the young man of his dream.  As it turns out, Glen had always wanted to drive a car.  It is a dream simple enough that Don fulfills it.  Glen drives the car all the way to Hotchkiss.

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The Other Woman – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.11

Synopsis: The head of the Dealers Association and one of the three members of the Jaguar selection committee, Herb Rennet, guarantees his lack of support for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce if Joan Holloway Harris does not spend a night with him.  Don leaves Peggy Olson in charge of all accounts, while he and his team of men work on a pitch for Jaguar.  Peggy saves the Chevalier Blanc account, but Don fails to acknowledge her brilliance and worse insults her instead.

Episode Summary: Don Draper assembles a team of men to work on the Jaguar pitch and leaves Peggy Olson in charge of all ongoing business until after the pitch.  He and his team have yet to come up with a spectacular creative to win the account.  Roger Sterling found it best to pamper the team that will make history for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce that he buys them an extravagant lunch of lobsters from The Palm.  Peggy looks enviously at the team of pampered and favored men as they work on the pitch for Jaguar.Continue reading...

Don Draper spent most of his evening at his office and arrives home to find Megan still up, but only because she has an audition the following day.  Although thrilled with the audition, Megan urges Don to talk about his workday and learns that he continues to struggle with the pitch.  So much is his desperation that he turns to her for help.  Don acquaints Megan of Jaguar cars describing them as beautiful, but so unreliable that one needs to own another car in case of emergency.  Given this shortcoming, they have agreed on the strategy of conveying that a Jaguar is a man’s gorgeous mistress.  The conversation of exalting mistresses quickly becomes awkward between husband and wife that Megan thinks it best to avoid it altogether.

Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove meet with the Herb Rennet, the head of the Dealers Association and a member of Jaguar’s selection committee, and learn that the man is willing to accept a bribe in the form of the dynamite redhead who toured him and his colleagues around the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  Herb bluntly expressed his desire to spend a night with Joan Holloway Harris.  It is a licentious proposal that neither Pete nor Ken had the courage to reject.  Moreover, Herb leaves them to persuade Joan to accept his indecent proposal if they have any hope to win the Jaguar account.  Pete arrives early at the office with a pretense of seeking help from Joan.  He informs her that Herb Rennet of the Jaguar selection committee refused to support Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, because his backing will require a night with Joan.  Pete makes it sound that they have no chance of winning the account without Herb’s support.  Moreover, he places the burden of delivering the news of failure on Joan ultimately assigning blame on her.  Pete continues to urge Joan to consider the proposal despite her obvious disgust arguing that one night of prostitution might be worth the sacrifice.

Pete informs the partners of Herb Rennet’s depraved demand to sleep with Joan.  They are appalled with the ultimatum and of Pete’s decision to put it in consideration.  Pete argues that failure to comply with Herb’s demand guarantees their loss.  Marketing and the factory will concede with Herb’s decision if he argues that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s campaign would not help him sell cars.  Pete supports his argument with a claim that Joan is open to the request for the right price.  Don is against the proposition contending that Herb accounts for only a third of the votes.  He leaves the meeting believing that the other partners agree with him.  Pete proposes giving Joan a 10% finder’s fee on the first year’s commission, which should amount to fifty-thousand dollars.  Roger refuses to pay the amount out of pocket and so does Lane who in reality has no money to spare.  Lane tries to dissuade the other partners to walk away from Jaguar, while Bert claims that the significance of having an account with a carmaker is priceless.  Bert, however, has not expressed reservations in offering Joan money in exchange for sleeping with a potential client.  Pete recommends extending the agency’s line of credit, but Lane claims to have other means to procure the money.  Although partners except Don agree to approach Joan with the money, they concur that they are engaging in some dirty business.  Lane decides to speak to Joan on his own in an attempt to dissuade her from accepting the money the agency is willing to offer.  Joan finds the discussion of her potential prostitution contemptible and throws Lane out of her office but not after hearing what he has to say.  Lane discloses that the partners have agreed to offer her fifty-thousand dollars in exchange for a night with Herb Rennet.  Although the amount is four times as much as Joan’s annual salary, Lane believes that it is not enough compensation for what she is asked to do and fears that Joan would accept it.  He argues that the amount could cripple the company, but it will not do much for her future.  Lane confesses to having settled for less at the time when his service was vital to the future of the agency.  He suggests that a partnership that yields a 5% stake in the company should guarantee Joan and her child’s future.  He claims to have put her interests over the welfare of the company.  It is possible that he put his own interests above all given that the company has no cash to spare, a fact he had kept to himself.

Peggy is brought in for the call with Rick Swanson of Chevalier Blanc cologne, since Michael Ginsberg is tied with the Jaguar pitch.  The conference call is to discuss Rick’s decision to pull the ad, “A Hard Day’s Night,” that is heavily targeted to men.  Peggy argues that they can easily change the target audience and put on the spot comes up with an impromptu creative where the leather jacket hero comes upon Lady Godiva on a horse providing him an escape from the screaming girls chasing him.  The proposed creative catches Rick’s attention enough for him to ask Peggy for a tag line, which she states as “The right woman loves Chevalier Blanc.”  Ken Cosgrove impressed with Peggy gives her a silent standing ovation as Rick agrees to the new creative that gives “A Hard Day’s Night” a new ending ultimately salvaging the current ad and saving them production budget.  The three meet with Don to deliver the wonderful news.  Harry commends Peggy for her brilliant idea that convinced Chevalier Blanc to agree to a pool-out.  Don wants Ginsberg to go to Paris for the shoot even though it was Peggy’s idea causing Peggy to argue against his decision.  Don throws money at Peggy’s face believing that the copywriter just wants to go to Paris.  What he was unwilling to do to Joan, he did to Peggy.  Ken speaks to Peggy afterwards to console her by giving her his support, but contempt meets his kindness.

The rest of the agency had gone home, while Don and his team remain at the office to work on the Jaguar pitch.  Megan drops by to have sexual intercourse with Don to gain the confidence she needs for the audition, while her friend seduces the male copywriters except Ginsberg, who is fixated with Megan’s power over Don.  Pete arrives home and reads a book to his daughter getting the admiration of his wife who is oblivious to the dirty business her husband engaged in earlier that day.  Her admiration vanishes when Pete tells her of getting an apartment in Manhattan.  Trudy has grown tired of Pete’s fixation with Manhattan and his revulsion to the suburbs.  Meanwhile, Joan arrives home later than usual and receives reproach from her mother.

Peggy speaks with Fred Rumsen confiding the incident with Don.  Even though Peggy claims that she had not ask to meet with him to seek consolation for her hurt feelings, Fred wonders if their meeting is truly not just about that.  He tells Peggy that if she has come to him to talk about work then she would have already arranged interviews with other agencies with the goal of leaving Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  Fred gives her the confidence to believe that she can make it without Don’s direction.  Moreover, he offers to help her land a job at another agency.  Peggy meets with Ted Chaough whom Fred contacted in her behalf.  Ted is already aware of Peggy’s work given that their agency now handles Clearasil, the first account Peggy handled.  He notes that the client, Tom Vogel, has made her work the standard for all creative.  Ted offers her a job and allows Peggy to make her demands.  Peggy asks for an eighteen thousand annual salary for the Copy Chief position.  Although it is clear that Peggy is anxious to leave Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Ted agrees to the title and adds a thousand dollars more in her salary.

Megan delivers news of having received a callback for Little Murders and is already thinking of Don coming to visit her in Boston where the actors are to rehearse and do previews.  Don forbids Megan from getting a role at Little Murders after learning that she will be away for three months.  Megan realizes that Don had not thought about her being away, because her husband never believed that she would land a role.  Don goes to work without reconciling with his wife.  Ginsberg speaks to him with an idea for the Jaguar pitch borne out of the other woman strategy despite Don’s decision to take the heritage approach believing that the other woman campaign is vulgar.  Ginsberg argues that the man who would want a Jaguar is someone who already is in possession of beautiful things.  However, this man’s desire is insatiable.  Ginsberg’s idea is that the car is still another woman only it is a woman you cannot have, because it has all the qualities of a Jaguar.  Ginsberg comes up with the line “Jaguar.  At last, something beautiful you can truly own.”  Don gives out a sigh of relief at having received an idea so brilliant that it gave him hope in winning the Jaguar account.

Pete congratulates Don for the brilliant campaign and informs him that Herb Rennet is no longer an impediment.  Don is shocked at his last statement unaware that Joan had met with Pete earlier that day with a non-negotiable demand of a 5% stake in the business as a voting partner in exchange for her agreement to sleep with Herb Rennet.  Don asserts that he does not want to win Jaguar through underhanded and corrupt means.  He drops by Joan’s apartment to convince her that Jaguar is not worth the sacrifice she was asked to make.  Don pitches the campaign to the three men in the selection committee the following morning.  He states that deep beauty elicits a desire due to its unattainable nature.  Jaguar is that beautiful thing that men can truly own.  Don delivered the pitch with sheer confidence unaware that Joan had already slept with Herb Rennet long after he had spoken with her that evening when he dropped by her apartment unannounced.  He learns soon enough when Joan joins the partners as they receive a call from Jaguar.  Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce wins Jaguar.
Everyone celebrate except Don.  He knows who really won them Jaguar.  Don resumes the meeting he was supposed to have with Peggy before the call with Jaguar. He assumes that Peggy had requested a meeting with him to ask to be put on the Jaguar account then learning that that is not what she had in mind assumes that Peggy had learned of Joan’s promotion to partner.  Don is in disbelief to hear that Peggy is in fact tendering her resignation.  She is moving on to Cutler Gleason and Chaough.  Don makes a counteroffer, but Peggy does not give him the opportunity to do so for she has made up her mind.  Don insults Peggy by informing her that she can leave earlier than planned for he has a roomful of freelancers to take her place.  Peggy, nonetheless, extends her hand in goodwill and Don kisses her hand with an expression of affection and painful loss.  Only Joan notices Peggy as she sneaks out of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce during the palaver for having won Jaguar.  Peggy takes one last look at the agency and delights at leaving it behind.

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Christmas Waltz – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.10

Synopsis: The prospect of incarceration for his debt to Inland Revenue drives Lane Pryce to ask the creditor of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce to extend the agency’s credit for his own gain.  Pete Campbell shares thrilling news of Jaguar giving them a chance to pitch their cars.  He urges the reluctant Don Draper to immerse himself with the Jaguar automobile.  Harry Crane finally agrees to meet with his former colleague, Paul Kinsey, who reached nadir and joined Hare Krishna as a result.

Episode Summary: Lane Pryce receives a call early in the morning with news from his lawyer.  Lane is to pay the Inland Revenue two thousand nine hundred pounds by Thursday in order to avoid incarceration.  He finds himself with the unrealistic task of procuring eight thousand dollars in two days.  His piqued phone conversation stirs his wife out of bed oblivious to her husband’s financial problems.  Lane, who is already agitated with his predicament, could not bear the inquiries of his insensible wife that Rebecca becomes the recipient of his ire.Continue reading...

The following day, Lane meets with Walt Jarvis of Chemical Bank to speak to him about extending Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s credit to fifty thousand dollars.  Fortunately, Walt agrees to the request despite the lack of commitments from clients whom Lane notes have not been paying their bills on time.  Moreover, Walt agreed to have the money ready that day.  Lane arrives at the office and calls a partners’ meeting deliberately excluding Joan in order to announce that the agency has incurred a surplus of fifty thousand dollars.  He proposes the immediate distribution of Christmas bonuses as the result of such good fortune.  All agree except for Don, who asks that they hold the distribution of the bonuses until the Christmas party.  Pete agrees with Don’s request and goes on to share his announcement.  Earlier that day, Pete Campbell already informed Don and Roger Sterling that they have another chance at getting the Jaguar account.  Ostensibly, a man named Hugh Hibbert recently replaced Edwin Baker, at the luxury automobile company after Lane’s contact heaved on to the lap of the head of the dealers association.  Don Draper is not keen on the Herculean effort to win over Jaguar hearing that they will be competing with similar sized agencies that have yet to get an automaker as a client and it appears that the other partners are indifferent to the news.  Lane returns to the matter of the deferment of Christmas bonuses and displays an outburst after Pete recommends holding the bonuses to supplement the money required for the Jaguar pitch.  Pete is annoyed at the apathy towards his announcement citing that only Roger showed enthusiasm, but his reaction remains questionable knowing that the man is heavily inebriated.

Roger uses Pearl Harbor Day as an excuse for his intoxication annoying Joan Holloway Harris.  He relates her annoyance to his recent divorce thinking that Joan is upset with Jane Siegel draining Roger of money.  This only added to Joan’s exasperation for she in fact has been declining the gifts Roger sends their son including his proposal to pay for the child’s education.  Joan warns that his continued imposition might cause him to lose the privilege afforded to a family friend.  Lane, who unlike the filthy rich Roger Sterling, returns to the office later that evening when everyone had left and forges Don’s signature on a check made out to him for seven thousand five hundred dollars.
Don, an ad man, curiously watches America Hurrah, a play that does not only disapprove of the American involvement in the Vietnam War, but of consumerism as well.  He returns home with his wife after a night in the theater with little to say about the play they just watched.  Megan Draper whose idea it was to watch the play finds his reticence uncharacteristic and goads him into expressing his genuine opinion.  Don is obviously peeved at the play and claims that consumerism is the result of man’s pursuit of happiness.  He had declined having dinner with Megan’s friend, one of which was an understudy, due to his reluctance to foot the bill of those that had insulted his profession.  Megan finds his sensitivity foolish adding that America Hurrah failed to make a strong stand against advertising.  Don retorts that no one has made a stronger stand against advertising as her.

Harry Crane finally agrees to meet with Paul Kinsey after repeatedly refusing his calls.  He finds that Kinsey has shaved his head and joined Hare Krishna.  Harry becomes completely absorbed with the chanting just like Kinsey, a woman called Mother Lakshmi, and other followers.  He learns that Kinsey is in a relationship with Janet, the woman who goes by the name Mother Lakshmi.  Janet endured a life of promiscuity and corruption, one that ended after joining Hare Krishna.  Moreover, Kinsey, who joined Hare Krishna after reaching rock bottom, remains in the cult, because he has fallen deeply in love with Janet.  He, however, would want to make a life with her outside the cult, which is why he has been pestering Harry.  Kinsey is in need of a job in order to show Janet that they can live a normal and stable life outside of Hare Krishna.  He has written a speculative episode of the hit television show, Star Trek, with the hope that Harry can pass his work to the executives at NBC or even Gene Roddenberry, the show’s creator.  Harry is doubtful even about the show’s tenure, but agrees to read the script after hearing Kinsey’s desperation.  The man who has reached rock bottom could not even find happiness in Hare Krishna.  Harry found the script for the episode called “The Negron Complex” unsatisfactory, but asks Peggy Olson for a second opinion.  Peggy hearing that the story revolves around the white Negrons whom the Caucasons enslaved to pick katahns sees no future in the script.  Unaware of the state Kinsey has fallen into, Peggy becomes curious of Harry’s willingness to help their former colleague.  Nevertheless, she advises that the merciful thing to do is to tell Kinsey the truth.

Pete informs Don of having ridden the Mark II only to learn that the creative director has yet to test-drive a Jaguar.  He remains incredulous of Don’s lack of enthusiasm at a chance at signing an automobile account.  Don responds with sarcasm instead of providing Pete an honest explanation, a response he later regrets having said.  Later, Don becomes witness to an inappropriate scene at reception.  Joan receives divorce papers and takes her anger at the asinine receptionist who let the process server inside the office after claiming to have a surprise for Joan.  Don without prodding Joan of the reason for her outburst persuades the woman to accompany him to a Jaguar dealership.  They arrive at the dealership to find it devoid of customers and of service as well.  It required a look at the watch to get a salesman to entertain them.  The red, sleek XKE or the E-Type two-seater catches Joan’s attention, but obviously, the salesman is required to be at the test drive.  Don writes a check for six thousand dollars, four hundred dollars more than the price of the sports car, to convince the man to let them test-drive the car.  Don and Joan drive to a hotel and have drinks at the bar.  He learns that Joan’s husband, Dr. Captain Greg Harris, served her divorce papers.  Moreover, Greg deliberately had it served at the office, the one place he has no control over her, in order to spite her.  How times have changed.  There was a time when Joan used to be called to reception to receive flowers from her admirers.  Curiously, Don Draper never attempted to woo her for he learned early on that Joan is the one person in the agency he should not cross.  Instead of feeling sorry for Joan, Don congratulates her for going through a divorce.  He finds that the divorce gives Joan a chance to move on from a marriage that has gravely fallen apart.  He is optimistic that Joan despite having a child will find somebody better just as he did.  He asks her to dance with him to the Christmas Waltz that Joan had played on the jukebox, but the woman refuses in spite of her claim of Don being irresistible.  Don notices another man at the bar ogling Joan that he decides to give her the opportunity to have her ego stroked.  He pays for their drinks and leaves Joan money for carfare, while he test-drives the Jaguar before returning home.  He arrives at home drunk to a livid wife who mistook him for having an affair.  Don explains where he truly spent the hours he was away.  Learning that her husband played hooky, Megan begins to see herself as the reason for Don’s disinterest with work.  Nonetheless, she continues to be upset with him for not thinking to inform her of his whereabouts and orders him to have dinner with her.  Don may not be thoughtful of his wife, but he is with Joan.  He sends Joan flowers for the very first time.

Lane phones his lawyer with news of having procured the money required to pay the Inland Revenue only to be asked for the remuneration of his services, one Lane considers paying after the holidays.  Rebecca continues to be unwitting of their financial situation and proposes that they spend Christmas in England with her family.  With imminent trouble averted, Lane continues with the charade about his finances that he fabricates a story that exaggerated his importance at the office instead of telling his wife the truth about their financial situation.  Lane avers that Jaguar had come crawling back to him after Edwin’s termination.  Moreover, he inveigles Rebecca into spending Christmas in New York with him citing his desire to spend it with his family.

Mother Lakshmi pays Harry a visit at his office claiming to have a burning desire for him.  After engaging in a sexual intercourse with the woman, he learns that Mother Lakshmi is truly disgusted with Harry.  She had prostituted herself to keep him away from Paul.  Mother Lakshmi is aware that Paul sought Harry’s help believing him to be his way out of Hare Krishna.  Disinclined to lose a member of their congregation, especially one who is adept at recruiting followers, Mother Lakshmi had come to tell Harry to tell Paul the truth about his awful script dashing any hope of leaving Hare Krishna.  Harry does the opposite of Mother Lakshmi’s demands.  He meets with Paul and tells him that the readers at Mike Weinblatt’s office loved his script, but are not interested in purchasing it due to legal reasons.  Harry offers Paul encouragement, five hundred dollars, and a ticket to Los Angeles where he can start a new life, but only if he promises to leave Hare Krishna.  Paul hugs Harry in genuine gratefulness seeing that he is the only one who truly did something to help him.

The partners congregate in preparation for the announcement of distributing Christmas bonuses for everyone.  Pete, however, delivers the unfortunate news of Mohawk’s decision to suspend advertising due to the machinist strike.  Bertram Cooper proposes to forego the Christmas bonuses, but Lane disagrees arguing that it has been the third year in a row that their employees have not received one.  Bert then recommends deferring the bonuses for all partners until January.  Lane acquiesces and announces the financial strain due to the suspension of work on Mohawk airlines and the partners’ decision to defer their bonuses.  The announcement was not received until Roger tells the staff in plain terms that they will be receiving their bonuses and the partners will not.  Given the regrettable news about Mohawk, Pete thought it best to announce that Jaguar gave Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce an opportunity to do an advertising pitch.  The news did not receive any reactions from the employees until Don steps in to tell the staff that the time between now and the pitch will require every ounce of their hard work.  He, however, is certain that their Herculean effort will be worth it, because he believes that they will end up representing Jaguar.  The moment they land Jaguar will announce that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce has made it.  Don’s announcement received a roaring applause from everyone.

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Dark Shadows – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.9

Synopsis: Roger Sterling bribes Michael Ginsberg to come up with an ad to help land the Manischewitz account using his race as an excuse for having enlisted his service.  The truth is Ginsberg has exhibited brilliance that even Don Draper finds himself competing with the young copywriter for Pepsi’s Sno Ball creative.  Meanwhile, Betty Francis struggles to lose weight and to avoid finding comfort in food with every trial she encounters.

Episode Summary: Unaware that Roger Sterling is in the midst of a divorce, Bertram Cooper believes that Roger’s Jewish wife, Jane Siegel, might help them land a business with Max Rosenberg, owner of Monarch Wines, a company that manufactures the Manischewitz brand of Jewish wine.  The company aims to market their wine to gentiles as well.  Although there is truth in this, Pete Campbell’s recognition in the advertising world after The New York Times sought him for an interview for a literary profile on hip agencies the newspaper wants to publish may have prompted Cooper to go directly to Roger instead of presenting the account at the partners’ meeting.  Roger speaks privately with Ginsberg to enlist his services for the potential new business and requests that he keep his work from Don Draper until they land the account.  Roger ends up bribing the reluctant Ginsberg into accepting the duplicitous arrangement.  The money he gave Ginsberg turned out to be nothing compared to the bribe he had to give his former wife.  Roger agrees to buy Jane a new apartment in exchange for her agreement to join him for dinner with clients.Continue reading...

The lack of a parking spot forces Betty Francis to pay a visit to her former husband’s apartment.  Betty, who still is in the process of losing the weight she gained, becomes anxious about meeting her husband’s new wife.  She finds a lean Megan Draper dressing in the bedroom of Don’s posh Manhattan apartment adding to her anxiety unaware that Megan found their encounter equally uncomfortable.  The awkward meeting caused a dieting Betty to find comfort in a mouthful of Reddi-wip.  She, however, immediately realizes the enduring consequences of the temporary relief from the oral gratification and decides not to swallow.  Her decision proved favorable as she loses half a pound during a weigh in with Weight Watchers.  It is a loss she and other dieters found gratifying after hearing of her trying week.  Betty later learns that dieting had left Henry Francis craving for meat, but finds that her husband’s work drove him to a late night meal.  Henry has come to a realization that his current job is a dead end after recognizing that Mayor John Lindsay really has no intention of running therefore realizing his mistake at leaving his post as Rockefeller’s Director of Public Relations and Research.  Weight Watchers appears to have not only helped Betty lose weight, but also to become aware of other people’s needs most notably of her husband, Henry.  She states her willingness to provide him support just as he had always given his.  This statement pleased Henry, who shares a small piece of meat with his wife as her reward.  Betty seems to be a better person altogether showing patience and compassion towards her children, but this quickly changes after coming across a love note Don wrote to Megan.  Aside from turning to food for comfort, Betty turns on Don and Megan by informing Sally Draper, who has been working on her family tree homework, about her father’s first wife, the late Anna Draper.  This confounding information caused the child to ask about her father’s first wife giving Betty the opportunity to have Megan answer the perplexing discovery.

There is truth in the Weight Watchers leader’s words when she reminded the dieters that thin people struggle too.  This is especially true for Megan that unwittingly handed sour grapes to a friend and fellow struggling actress.  The young woman who had sought her help in preparing for an audition for a soap opera becomes upset with her unfair criticism causing her to reproach Megan for her good fortune of affording to live luxuriously despite being unemployed.  The aspiring actress who moonlights as a waitress learns that Megan is envious of her for having received a chance to audition albeit it is for a preposterous soap opera.  Later, Megan finds herself in another confrontation, but this time with Sally.  Having acted like a friend instead of a second mother to the child, Megan finds herself trying to win Sally’s friendship after the young girl accused her of dishonesty.  Contempt meets her obsequious attempt to regain the child’s friendship.  Sally becomes guilty of her behavior towards Megan after hearing her and Don arguing about confronting Betty for deliberately creating strife.  Don comes to a realization of the consequence of doing so after Megan astutely points out of giving Betty the pleasure of having known that her spite bore fruit.

Pete wakes Don with an agitated phone call after seeing the article on The New York Times that is devoid of any mention of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  Pete manages to blame his failure at Don’s indifference, infuriating the creative director.  His shouts roused the children including Sally, who later becomes the recipient of her father’s anger.  Don explains his marriage with Anna as a marriage of convenience and apologizes for subjecting Sally into the befuddling knowledge of such an arrangement.  Moreover, he claims to have intended to inform them about her had she not pass away.  He confirms that it is her house that they visited in California.  The next day, Betty receives word from Sally’s teacher for her excellent work with the family tree.  She speaks to her daughter about it, Anna Draper in particular, certain that Don and Megan would have tried to elude having to divulge her identity.  Betty’s plan backfires when Sally informs her that husband and wife had no qualms about speaking about Anna and even spoke very fondly of her.

Don Draper begins to miss crafting creative after realizing that his copywriters have done all the creative work.  The copy Michael Ginsberg has been working on for the Pepsi product Sno Ball made him chuckle.  He ruminates on the campaign and forms the idea of Sno Ball as an indulgence.  He comes up with the tag line “sinfully delicious” that he believes to be brilliant.  Don sneaks his idea of a devil sipping a Sno Ball in the meeting with his team surprising everyone especially the tactless Ginsberg, who candidly congratulates Don of having rid of his creative block.  Don soon finds himself competing against Ginsberg as both of their ideas are presented to their colleagues.  Ginsberg’s idea immediately elicited laughs from everyone and becomes picked as the better of the two.  He arrives late at night at the office on a weekend and finds Peggy Olson also there working.  Proud of getting recognition, Ginsberg informs Peggy of having come to do some work for Roger that the senior partner had bribed him to do in secret.  Roger soon receives contempt from Peggy, but his decision to enlist the help from Ginsberg paid off anyway for the copywriter crafted a truly brilliant ad.  His idea is to run an ad on the side of the bus, one that is a picture of bus seats with a case of Manischewitz under each seat.  The clever ad conveys the message that Manischewitz is for every race, because it makes it appear that whoever is riding the bus has bought the wine.  The Rosenbergs are blown away by Roger’s supposed idea that bringing Jane to dinner appears unnecessary and a mistake seeing that Max Rosenberg’s son, Bernard, has taken a liking to Jane.  Seeing another man flirting with his former wife educed a desire to be with Jane.  The two have sexual intercourse in Jane’s new apartment, one that is supposed to give her a fresh new start on a life without Roger.  Jane later feels that spending the night with Roger sullied her plan to begin anew.

Harry Crane arrives at the office and delivers the good news of Pepsi having bought the pitch for Sno Ball.  Ginsberg is the only one lamenting the success after discovering that Don pitched his idea after he purposely left Ginsberg’s storyboard on the cab.  The young copywriter confronts Don about his last-minute decision to pitch his idea only to learn that the creative director could not care less about him.  Thanksgiving arrives and Don is spending it with Megan and her friend who is thankful for having landed a role in a soap opera, while his children spend it with Henry and Betty, who has to settle with measly portions of Thanksgiving dinner.  Betty savors every bite of her scanty Thanksgiving meal.

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Lady Lazarus – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.8

Synopsis: Megan Draper begins a charade with her husband after receiving a callback for a play inadvertently involving Peggy Olson in her deceit.  Soon she finds the courage to leave her job as a copywriter in order to pursue an acting career much to her husband’s dismay.  Pete Campbell meets Howard Dawes wife and sleeps with her only to learn that the woman is reluctant to have an affair with him.

Episode Summary: Pete Campbell supposes that Howard Dawes, the insurance sales man, has come to ventilate his poor sales in order to persuade him into buying life insurance.  Howard denies his supposition, but after hearing Pete’s satisfaction of his company’s life insurance policy for paying six times his annual salary and covering suicide, the man felt compelled to speak of its disadvantages.  Howard guarantees that the policy will pay the company and not the employee at the event of the employee’s death.  Pete is certain that Howard is mistaken.  He becomes curious about the sales man’s money issues and learns that Howard has a young, new mistress whom he housed in an apartment in the city.  Roger Sterling summons Pete to his office soon after his arrival to inform him that Roger O’Hara, the top executive of the Head Ski Company, had personally asked Pete to handle the Head account.  Moreover, the man had sent skis as a present.  Pete is incredulous of Roger’s nonchalant and even pleased demeanor despite the client’s request, but accepts the gifts anyway.Continue reading...

Michael Ginsberg pitches the “Hard Day’s Night” campaign for Chevalier Blanc as a Beatles inspired advertisement featuring a mop-top in a white leather jacket running away from a mob of crazed fans.  The Beatles look-alike finds refuge inside a Chevalier Blanc Pub.  The pitch that satisfied Chevalier Blanc’s requirement to have an advertisement that conveys adolescent joy received applause from both clients, the traditional Calvin Nichols and the gay Rick Swanson.  Aware that it is impossible to use Beatles’ music in the commercial, the mad men of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce assure the client of their ability to find a substitute.  Michael and Stan Rizzo discuss potential substitutes with Don only to hear their boss hand the decision to his wife, Megan Draper.  Don is unaware that Megan had left the office soon after receiving a call from Jack Shapiro just as he is clueless as to the desire of clients to use pop music in their commercials.  He leaves for a dinner with a client without Megan for his wife had made an excuse of having to work that evening.  Megan, who is supposed to help Peggy that night, lies to her superior about having to accompany Don at a business dinner.  Peggy Olson finds herself in a quandary when Don calls her to ask her about his wife whom she thought was with him.  With Megan still away from home, Don continues to call Peggy.  Unable to stand being in the middle of a charade, Peggy ignores the ringing phone and leaves the office.  Megan arrives home at last and makes an excuse of having lied to Peggy to get out of working that evening in order to have drinks with her colleagues instead.

Pete stays late at the office and ends up hauling the skis on a train from Manhattan to Connecticut.  He arrives at the train station’s parking lot and finds a woman asking if he had seen Howard Dawes on the train.  Pete guessed the woman as Howard’s wife, Beth.  Beth Dawes, who claims to have locked herself out of the car, has been waiting for her husband for quite some time.  Aware of Howard’s extramarital affair, Pete fabricates an alibi for the deceitful husband to keep Beth from waiting for Howard.  He agrees to drive Beth home and learns that the woman seems to be cognizant of her husband’s affair.  Pete not wanting to be part of the Dawes’ marital problems makes more excuses for Howard, but eventually feels guilty for lying to Beth.  Sensing that the woman has become upset, Pete follows Beth into her house to placate her nerves, but ends up having sexual intercourse with the woman.  Pete becomes fixated with the woman who does not intend to continue their affair that he phones her the following morning asking her to meet him in the city.  Beth tells Pete not to call her again.

Peggy confronts Megan the following day and learns that the woman had gotten a callback on an off-off-Broadway show she had kept secret from her husband.  Megan did not get the part.  She assures Peggy that she will not be put in the same position again.  Peggy mistakes Megan’s need to seek another career as the result of the pressures of work only to learn that the woman still has aspirations of becoming an actress, one she knows her husband will not approve.  Megan dislikes being a copywriter so much that she had contemplated doing something that will cause her termination only to realize that the agency will never fire her, because she is the wife of a senior partner.  Peggy, who strived to become a copywriter, finds no sympathy for the privileged wife of her boss seeing through the selfishness of her motives.  Megan is willing to continue being a copywriter despite her aversion to it so as not to displease her husband.  Her encounter with Megan caused her to arrive late at a meeting about Cool Whip.  She becomes annoyed when her boss’ wife joins them and plays the loving, devoted wife of Don Draper.

Their client, Pat Wallace, enjoyed the Don and Megan banter enough to suggest the husband and wife team to perform it for Phil Beachum, the head of desserts at Cool Whip.  Upon Ken Cosgrove’s urging, Don and Megan perform their act to the rest of the group.  The act meant to assuage the public’s concern about the frozen, non-dairy product that is a substitute for whipped cream spurs the public to try it out of curiosity with a tag line of “Just Taste It”.  Peggy finds the banter between the seemingly happy couple unbearable that she inadvertently ends up showing her approval after uttering the tag line in order to end the banter.  Later that night, Megan confesses to Don of having lied to him and tells him the truth of her whereabouts the previous night.  She begins to share the thrill of having auditioned for a play in spite of the rejection and conveys to him her desire to return to acting.  Don dissuades his wife from pursuing her dream by telling her that she has a talent for copywriting, but Megan confesses to having felt happiness in the rejection than in the accolade she received from the success on the Heinz account.  After realizing that Megan has made up her mind, Don agrees to his wife pursuing her dream.  Megan is to resign the following day effective immediately as per Don’s instructions.  Don speaks to Joan Holloway-Harris of the company’s protocol for a resigning employee and is relieved that the shrewd head of personnel had offered to take care of the send-off.  Meanwhile, Megan speaks to her colleagues of leaving the agency in tears causing Ginsberg to mistake her resignation as a termination only to learn that she had decided to quit her job so as to pursue an acting career.  Ginsberg fails to understand Megan’s reason for leaving for his dream is to become a copywriter, while Stan comes to a realization that all their sacrifices result in nothing more than peddling some mundane product.  Peggy finds respect in Megan knowing that it took guts to go against Don’s wishes.  Joan is not as pleased with Don’s second wife as Peggy believing that the young woman married Don in order to pursue a dream she has not future in, one she could not have the luxury of chasing had she not found herself a rich husband.  Peggy maintains her confidence in Megan’s talent, but her conversation with Joan planted seeds of doubt nonetheless.

Don accompanies Megan to the elevator bank as she leaves for a lunch send-off with the girls.  He saves her the trouble of returning to work for more awkward and emotional encounters with colleagues and offers to bring home her things.  Soon after Megan boards the elevator and kisses him goodbye, Don decides to go after her, but finds himself confronted with an empty elevator shaft that could have easily caused his death.  Don stares into the void and foregoes his decision to go after Megan.  Clearly disturbed with the close encounter with death, Don calms his nerves with alcohol.  The arrival of Ken and his team disrupts his musings as he finds himself listening to music Rick of Chevalier Blanc recommended for the commercial.  Don, undoubtedly ignorant of pop music, mistakes the song as one from the Beatles and learns soon enough from Ginsberg’s disgust that it is not.  He returns home to find his wife cooking and delighted not to find him drunk and upset with her departure.  Her delight, however, seemed to have caused him disappointment.

Pete arrives late at work after taking a later train probably to avoid the Dawes.  Harry Crane informs him of Megan’s resignation in order to pursue an acting career and becomes surprised that he was not shocked at her decision.  Having been played a fool, Pete finds women manipulative for using their sexuality to force men into submission.  He finds an unwelcome seatmate in Howard on his ride home and becomes riled at hearing of the man’s decision to spend the evening with his wife to make up for his infidelity.  Pete becomes piqued and lures Howard into inviting him for dinner in order to hear of the life insurance policy he is selling.  Beth is shocked to find Pete in their house with her husband and becomes aghast when the man passionately kisses her as he hands her instructions for a rendezvous at Hotel Pennsylvania the following afternoon.  Howard returns to the foyer with his work paraphernalia unaware of what had transpired.  Beth asks to speak with him privately alarming Pete, who decides to sneak out only to learn that the woman had feigned a migraine leaving the two men to have dinner without her.  Pete waits for Beth at the hotel despite her incessant declaration of not wanting to be with him and realizes that the woman meant her words when she does not arrive.  One evening he finds her at the parking lot waiting for Howard and she once again gives him hope as he draws a heart from the moisture of her car window.

Don rejects Ken’s offer to cancel the meeting with Cool Whip and he finds himself in the test kitchen with Peggy as Megan’s stand-in.  Phil Beachum arrives at the Creative Cookery Kitchen expecting to see the husband and wife act, but Don is lost in thought that he misses his cue.  Regrettably, Phil has been briefed of the banter that he notices the missed cue and Don’s distraction.  Moreover, he is disappointed that Megan is not available and has every right to do so as Don and Peggy lack the chemistry required to make the banter adorable instead of obnoxious.  Moreover, the unrehearsed act appears forced and becomes even more painful to watch when Peggy misspeaks the tag line and ends up uttering “just try it” instead of “just taste it”.  Phil, clearly disappointed, saves them further embarrassment by cutting short the banter.  With Pat running after his boss who is dissatisfied, Don and Peggy behave like real husband and wife as they raise their voices in argument.  Don blames Peggy for Megan’s departure having made himself believe that she chased her out of the agency unable to concede to the fact that Megan dislikes advertising.  Peggy makes it known that Don’s anger should have been directed at Megan whom he surprisingly has no power over.  Soon they realize that one of the Cool Whip employees was there to witness their squabble adding to their embarrassment.  They return to the office and Don drowns his sorrow with alcohol.  Roger finds Don brooding on his couch learning that the man agreed to his wife’s desires despite his reluctance so as not to curtail her dreams having seen what doing so had done to Betty and Marie.  Don takes Roger’s advice of maintaining a routine in order to sustain a harmonious marriage and goes home to catch Megan on her way to acting class.  Megan buys Don a Beatles album to educate him of their music and suggests that he listen to “Tomorrow Never Knows’.

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At the Codfish Ball – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.7

Synopsis:  Megan Draper’s parents arrive in New York to see Don Draper accept the award from the American Cancer Society honoring him for the open letter that criticized tobacco companies including their former client, Lucky Strike.  An accident necessitated Don’s children to stay in his apartment along with his in-laws giving Megan an inspired idea for the Heinz Baked Beans campaign. Meanwhile, a talk with Joan Holloway-Harris about the disturbing call Peggy Olson received from his boyfriend convinced Peggy that Abe Drexler would be proposing marriage to her.

Episode Summary: With Betty and Henry Francis in Michigan with baby Gene, Pauline Francis looks after Sally and Bobby Draper.  With her parents away, Sally takes the opportunity to call Glen Bishop at school on a weeknight and learns that the boy is still heartbroken from the recent breakup with his girlfriend.  Pauline calls for her to set up the table for dinner, but trips on the telephone cord.  The fall sprained the woman’s ankle.Continue reading...

Megan Draper’s parents, Marie and Dr. Emile Calvet, arrive in New York to attend the event honoring Don Draper for his bold open letter that criticized tobacco companies including their former client, Lucky Strike.  Soon after their arrival, Don receives a call from Sally and leaves his guests to fetch his children.  Don returns home with his children proud of his daughter for her precocious response to the emergency.  Sally called the police and performed first aid on her restless step-grandmother.  The Calvets are impressed and offered to sightsee with the children the following day and to look after them in the evening while Don and Megan have dinner with the Heinz client.  Don suggests that his wife ask her parents to look after their children at the night of the awards, but Megan refuses the suggestion knowing that her parents came to see him receive the award.  Don believes that no award will make her father like him better.  Megan acknowledges this noting that she is her father’s favorite, which is also the reason why her mother competes with her.  She imparts that her mother’s display of affection towards Don is a result of such jealousy.

Megan has an epiphany from the spaghetti she served at dinner the night before.  She conveys to Don her idea for the Heinz campaign where a mother from the Stone Age all through the future where a colony on the moon serves Heinz Baked Beans.  Don is pleasantly surprised at the splendid idea his wife had including the tag line “Heinz Beans, some things never change.”  He calls his team to inform them of the complete revamp of their human cannon ball campaign for Heinz.  Although the change upset both Stan Rizzo and Michael Ginsberg, they did admit of the idea to be superior to theirs.

A newly divorced Roger Sterling meets his first wife, Mona, for drinks.  She learns that the man has come to ask her a favor.  Roger admits that he had lost everything when he lost Lucky Strike and has since been trying to obtain another major client for his agency.  He gives her the names of the four members of the American Cancer Society with the hope that Mona can arrange a meeting with him and Firestone.  Mona acknowledging that Roger is still the one providing financial support to his family accepts the favor.  Roger apprises Don of his plan to network during the awards ceremony.  Don disapproves of the idea believing that the event is not a platform for obtaining clients even though it was the reason why he wrote the open letter.  Moreover, he believes that the award will not gain him any favors including his communist father-in-law of whose disapproval he is certain.

Peggy Olson receives a call from her boyfriend, Abe Drexler, anxious to have dinner with her at a restaurant.  The exigency of speaking with her alone made her apprehensive so much so that she speaks to Joan Holloway-Harris about it.  Peggy is certain that Abe is about to end their relationship.  Joan argues that men do not take the time to end relationships and therefore believes that Abe will be proposing marriage to Peggy.  She advises that Peggy have an answer ready especially if it is a rejection.  Peggy takes Joan’s advice and buys a new dress for the evening.  She arrives in the restaurant in gleeful anticipation of Abe’s marriage proposal only to learn that the man only wants to move-in with her.  Abe is fond of the idea of living with Peggy, but not enough to ask for her hand in marriage.  Although it is not the proposal she wanted to hear, Peggy brings herself to accept it in spite of an overwhelming feeling of disappointment.

The Drapers and the Cosgroves have dinner with the Geigers, the Heinz client, where they learn that Ken’s father-in-law is on the board of the American Cancer Society.  Cynthia Cosgrove does note that the decision to give the award to Don was unanimous.  The conversation about the award began with Don’s invitation for the Geigers to attend, which Raymond Geiger politely turned down.  Don is surprised at the rejection and the news of the Geigers cutting short their trip to New York.  Alice Geiger, who has become fond of Megan, alludes to her husband’s plan of pulling out the Heinz account from Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  The women return from the powder room allowing Megan to whisper to Don the unfortunate news.  Don tries to extend the dinner, but Raymond insists on ending it until Megan urges her husband to relay the evening he had with his children and in-laws.  He begins to tell of having three generations of their family in his home that evening and his observation of Megan as she spooned baked beans onto Sally’s plate while her mother looked on with nostalgic joy.  Megan informs the Geigers that the scene gave Don an idea about the campaign, but to their consternation, Ken dissuades him from pitching it at dinner.  Fortunately, the story already caught Raymond’s interest that the client himself insists that Don continue with the pitch.  Don relays the idea of taking a series of one-shot little movies beginning with a mother from the Stone Age serving beans to her son by the fire up to the present then to the future in a lunar kitchen where a child takes off his helmet to eat a spoonful of beans.  Megan reinforces the pitch with her thoughts about how a mother, a child and dinner will always be the same despite the changing world.  Don then utters the tag line “Heinz Beans, some things never change.”  Raymond is not ready to make a decision, annoying his wife who found the idea exceptional.  Ken informs the client that they have other ideas to show him, but Don makes it clear that what he had pitched is all they have.  The account executive finally understands the urgency of having the client agree to it at that moment and advises to skipping tomorrow’s meeting with a decision that very moment.  Raymond Geiger approves of the idea and they celebrate his approval with champagne.  Don becomes very proud of his wife for feeding him the pitch and fanning the fires of Raymond’s curiosity averting him from upsetting the client consequently saving the account.

The agency celebrates the success of husband and wife saving the Heinz account with champagne.  Joan informs Peggy about the celebration, but notices that the copywriter might not be up for it seeing that she is missing an engagement ring.  Peggy masks her disappointment with feigned contentment at having been asked to move in with her boyfriend.  Joan, noticing that Peggy is not entirely thrilled with the idea, brings herself to provide consolation in place of condescension.  She states that she found her situation romantic given that Abe wants to be with Peggy no matter what.  Joan’s words indeed brought Peggy comfort.  Megan leaves the celebration to inform Peggy of their success and finds that her boss is in fact happy for her.  Peggy confesses that her success should have made her jealous, but is surprised that it brought her pleasure instead.  She finds that she is reliving her own success through Megan, which is something to be cherished.  Peggy tells Megan that she should revel in it for it is as good as it gets.  Her words, however, had the opposite effect on Megan.  Later, Peggy invites her mother to have dinner at her apartment with Abe to announce their decision to live together.  As expected, Katherine Olson disapproves of their decision and leaves the apartment with the cake she brought for dessert.  Katherine finds that their living in sin is not a cause for celebration.  She believes that Peggy is selling herself short certain that Abe will just be using her for practice until he decides to marry and start a family with another woman.

The following day, the women return home from shopping.  Megan and her mother urge Sally to ask her father to allow her to attend the awards ceremony.  Marie, in an attempt to convince Don to approve of the request, states that every daughter should get to see her father as a success.  Her statement made Emile livid picking a fight with his wife in front of the children alarming Don.  He learns that Emile’s meeting with the publisher was a failure that he phones his girlfriend, his graduate student, to seek comfort.  Despite the disturbing scene earlier that day, Emile and Marie have recovered and they are ready to attend the awards ceremony.  A newly divorced Roger arrives without a date and finds himself flirting with Marie.  Sally entering the living room in her evening dress interrupts their flirtation and enchants everyone including Don, who is mesmerized by her.  He, however, does not cease his role as a father and warns of not allowing her to attend the awards ceremony if she does not remove her makeup and change her shoes to something more age appropriate.  Soon as they arrive, Pete Campbell reels Don away from his family in order to introduce him to Ed Baxter, Ken’s father-in-law who also happens to be an executive at Dow Corning.  Roger takes over in keeping the Calvets and Sally company in Don’s absence, but his goal of obtaining new clients keeps him away from them from time to time.  Marie has been observing him the whole time amused at his interaction with Sally whom he named as his date for the evening.  The child finds the lackluster event a disappointment and becomes bored.  To add to her disenchantment, the entrée for the evening is codfish, a dish she dislikes.  At last, his father receives his award and returns to their table.  He offers her the award, but Sally politely refuses it believing that the award brings his father joy.  Don, however, tells her that it is she who brings him joy.  Regretfully, his obligations to his agency, once again keeps him from his family.  With everyone away including Sally, who had gone to the ladies room, Megan begins a conversation with her father.  Emile knows his daughter all too well and declares that she is not truly happy with her life.  He is disappointed with her for giving up her dreams after falling in love with Don.  His regret stems from seeing that his daughter’s wealth and success were handed to her and not earned.  Meanwhile, Sally becomes witness to the ultimate disenchantment that evening as she catches Roger and Marie having sexual intercourse.  It happened about the same time her father comes to a realization with the disillusionment of his success.  Ed Baxter tells Don that no one will want to work with him after the seething letter that betrayed his client that he published in the newspapers.  He comes to a realization that the letter that earned him the award is the same one that will cause his ruin.  All return to their tables defeated especially Sally, who for the very first time becomes aware of filth.

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Far Away Places – Mad Men Episode Summary 5.6

Synopsis: Don Draper pulls his wife, Megan, from the Heinz presentation that they can spend a long weekend at a Howard Johnson’s motor lodge.  Heinz once again rejects their proposed campaign causing Peggy Olson to use Don’s strategy of forcing their client to submission.  Meanwhile, Roger Sterling spends an evening with his wife’s pretentious friends and finds himself taking LSD with them.

Episode Summary: Peggy Olson frantically searches for a pack of violet candy that she claims Don Draper gave her before a presentation.  Having become superstitious about it, she believes in needing it for her Heinz presentation.  Abe Drexler could not care less about her presentation.  He asks her to go to see the Naked Prey that evening, but she rejects his invitation for she would not be able to focus on the movie with her mind preoccupied with the Heinz presentation.  Abe feels superfluous and accuses Peggy of always finding an excuse for her inattentive behavior towards him.  He claims that Peggy has even made their lovemaking seem like a chore.  He ends their argument by leaving her with a gibe.Continue reading...

Peggy arrives at the office and finds Michael Ginsberg on the phone having a similar argument as hers.  Stan Rizzo shares of the date he had with a voluptuous and hilarious woman whom he ended up ignoring, since his mind is consumed with the fear that his drawings can never compete with photographs.  Megan Draper then shares of life imitating art having encountered an incident that mimicked their campaign.  Everyone on their team has work on their minds unwittingly neglecting their personal lives.  Peggy, however, becomes relieved when she finds the pack of Choward’s Violet Mints that Don gave her.  To her consternation, Don arrives with news of him and Megan missing the presentation for a trip upstate to Howard Johnson’s motor lodge.  Megan is embarrassed at abandoning her colleagues for a critical presentation that all of them have been working on for months.  Peggy’s ominous day culminates with her presentation that their client, Raymond Geiger, found sentimental, but rejected nonetheless.  He believes that the campaign spoke to people like him and not the adolescents Heinz is trying to target.  He criticizes Peggy for fulfilling what he asked for instead of figuring out what he wants.  Peggy follows Don’s strategy when faced with an equivocal client.  She dares to affront the Heinz client with an allegation that Raymond is pugnacious, which explains why he continues to reject their proposed campaigns despite following his direction.  Peggy asserts that no one else is going to figure out how to make Heinz beans young and beautiful.  Her strategy, however, did not work on Raymond for he admonishes Peggy for her behavior towards him.  Moreover, the client orders Pete Campbell to remove her from the team working on the Heinz account.  Peggy once again follows in the footsteps of Don Draper as he drowns her sorrow with alcohol and leaves work for the movies.

Peggy finds herself watching the Naked Prey alone, but not for long for the man smoking marijuana, that she warned about being caught decided to sit beside her after she agreed to take a hit of the joint.  Soon the man makes a move on Peggy, but she instead offers him a sexual favor.  She returns to the office and finds an embarrassed Michael arguing with his father who dropped by the agency unannounced.  Peggy ends her journey through Don’s coping mechanism with a nap on his office couch.  Dawn Chambers wakes her at eight-thirty in the evening with a phone call from a worried Don, who asked a vague question about Peggy receiving any calls.  She informs him that she did not receive any calls and begins to accept full responsibility for the failed presentation when Don hangs up.  She then returns to her office and finds Michael still there.  She brings up the incident earlier leading Michael to inform her that the man he saw is not his father.  He then continues to speak of himself as a Martian without a hint of humor in his assertion.  She soon learns what he truly meant by it when Michael imparts his supposed birth at a concentration camp where his mother died and his journey to a Swedish orphanage where Morris Ginsberg adopted him at age five.  Peggy returns home later that night and calls his boyfriend, Abe.  She relays the story she had just heard from Michael and asks that he come to her apartment.

At the beginning of that ominous day, Roger Sterling speaks to Don about the two of them going on a debauched and boondoggle fact-finding mission to Howard Johnson’s motor lodge only to give his friend an idea to bring his new wife instead.  With his failed plan to spend a weekend of debauchery, Roger is left with no other choice but to spend an evening with his wife, Jane Sterling.  He is to accompany her to a dinner party with her pretentious friends who happen to be psychiatrists.  Dinner conversation revolved around the debate about tracing logic to the truth as a cure for neurosis.  Roger is ready to leave the dinner party when Jane asked that he stay with her, nervous about taking LSD with her friends alone.  In fact, one of the couples has already excused themselves from participating.  Catherine, the psychiatrist to celebrities, attests at having taking the drug four times and claims to have had a more beautiful experience than the last.  After filling out a piece of paper with their names and addresses, the guests and Catherine take LSD, while the host remains sober so as to be their guide.  Later, Roger finds that the drug had no effect on him until he opens a bottle of alcohol and an orchestra begins to play music.  He then smokes a cigarette that shortens after one draw.  He later finds from the guide that looking in the mirror is unwise and the guide instructs him to go be with Jane.  Roger watches himself as he sits and dances with her at the same time.  He finds her wife in tears brought about by the joy of having experienced something so perfect.  They return home and bathe together.  Roger then begins laughing as he finds himself at the 1919 World Series, while also in the bathtub.  Later, husband and wife lie on the bedroom floor pondering about time and their marriage.  Jane reveals that Catherine is her psychiatrist who believes that the Sterlings’ marriage is over, but neither husband nor wife would like to accept its failure.  Roger learns that Jane never cheated on him and that she knew all along that he is not in love with her.  The next morning when the L.S.D. had worn out, Roger is relieved that they had ended their marriage amicably.  Jane, however, has no recollection of their agreement to dissolve their marriage.  Roger refreshes her memory and even though she confirms having said the words, Jane remains hesitant at accepting their parting.  Without the drug, Jane could not contain her disappointment at finally ending her marriage with Roger.

Conversely, Don is excited about the impromptu long weekend at Howard Johnson’s motor lodge with his wife.  He remembers the time they spent in California where he first fell in love with her.  Megan could not help but feel guilty about leaving her colleagues to deal with Heinz.  Don makes it known that skipping the presentation is one advantage for being the wife of the boss.  He did promise to check in with Peggy later.  They arrive at Howard Johnson’s restaurant where Dale Vanderwort welcomes them with a promise of a royal treatment starting with a sampling of everything they have to offer.  For dessert, Don rejects Megan’s request for pie and orders them three scoops of orange sherbet.  Don finds Howard Johnson’s motor lodge a delightful destination for the whole family, but Megan notes that it is not a destination but rather a pit stop to some place.  He agrees to the concept, but twists it so that it becomes the destination after the kids force their parents to stay there instead.  Still aggrieved for having been pulled out of work without notice, Megan finds it unfair that Don can choose to work no matter the circumstances are, while she is at his disposal.  Don argues that she should have said something, but Megan contends that she was not given the chance.  The waitress arrives with the orange sherbet.  Don reveals to the waitress that Megan has not tried one and the waitress waits in anticipation of Megan’s reaction.  Megan tastes a spoonful and immediately discards the orange sherbet with claims of it tasting like perfume.  She asks for chocolate instead.  Don finds her behavior spiteful believing it as a way for her to embarrass him.  With this allegation, she then embarrasses him even more with exaggerated moans of delight as she devours spoonfuls of the orange sherbet.  Don is aghast as Megan continues with an outburst of being confused of when to act as his wife or as his employee.  He tells her to call her mother that she can complain to her in French about him.  Megan is taken aback by his accusation that she tells him to call his mother.  Her statement appalled Don so much so that he walks out of Howard Johnson’s.  In fact, he does more than that, he gets in his car, drives away, and abandons Megan.  After miles of driving, Don returns to the Howard Johnson’s restaurant only to learn that Megan had left with some strangers.  He becomes alarmed when he finds her sunglasses in the parking lot.  Night has fallen and there is still no sign of Megan.  He calls Peggy and learns that his wife has not contacted her and so he reluctantly calls Megan’s mother, Marie, with an excuse of wanting to surprise his wife with jewelry but forgetting what metal causes her allergies.  He learns that Megan has not called her mother as well increasing his anxiety.  A police officer wakes Don, who has fallen asleep in the restaurant, after seven hours of anxious waiting.  Don decides to drive back home and remembers the pleasant drive to Betty’s new house after their trip to Disneyland with his children and Megan.  He arrives at his apartment in Manhattan only to find that Megan is already there.  She had chained the door unwilling to let him inside, but he kicks it open.  Megan spent six and a half hours on a bus to Manhattan arriving in the wee hours of the morning at Port Authority.  Don raises his voice instead of offering a sincere apology causing Megan to attack him as he approached her.  She runs away from him, but Don manages to catch her and they fall on the floor with Megan sobbing at the ordeal her husband brought upon her.  He tells her that their fight is over, but she believes that their happy marriage fails with every fight.  On his knees, Don shows genuine concern for the thought of having lost his wife and Megan forgives him.  Husband and wife arrive at the office reconciled.

Don receives a loaded message from Bert Cooper, who is waiting for him in the conference room.  Bert tells Don that a client had left the agency unhappy after he had let a little girl run everything in his absence.  He reproves Don for being on love leave and neglecting his department in the process.  Bert is surprised that things have been doing well until yesterday’s fiasco with Heinz given Don’s lack of contribution.  Don repudiates Bert’s statements believing them to be his personal business, but the senior partner makes it clear that it is in fact his business.

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