Lost And Found Weekend

In this week's Mad Men, "Waldorf Stories," it's two steps back for Don after last week's one step forward.  Then, he outsmarted his enemies, like the Don of old.  Now he's being a bigger jerk, and drunk, than ever before.

Don and Peggy are interviewing a new, hopeless guy for a job.  The only thing going for him is he's related to Roger.  His book is a joke, with only one tired idea and a bunch of other people's ads. It's all Don and Peggy can do not to laugh.  Best of luck and we'll let you know.

After he's out, we get our first sign of trouble.  Don's up for a Clio that day (is it a coincidence Mad Men has its awards show the same day as the Emmys--where they won Best Drama?) for Glo-Coat.  Peggy is fishing for compliments, hoping to be included in the general approval, but Don's having none of it. In fact, he's unhappy Peggy hasn't yet come through on Vick's cough drops.  She complains her new art director won't do anything, but Don insists its her job to get along with him.  Peggy and Don probably have the most intimate relationship on the show, and it's always painful to see Don being so cold.  (She uses the term "synchronicity" quite a while before the Police made it big).

Roger is doing a David Ogilvy, dictating his memoirs, though they don't sound like much.  Don comes in to laugh about the potential hire Roger sent him, and also to get ready for the Clio Awards.  Their meeting leads to a Roger flashback about how he met Don and eventually hired him.  Much of the first season was taken up with discovering who Don Draper really was--the story of Dick Whitman's metamorphosis.  This is the kind of stuff writer's like--it may even have been the reason Matt Weiner wanted to create the show--but it's often been the most boring part of the show. If you like the present-day story, going back numerous times to see a less interesting past can grind things to a halt. But now that we know a little about Don's past, what we would like to see is how he got to be the big advertising hero that all Madison Avenue talks about.  So this is a flashback we've been waiting for.

Eager beaver Don's in fur and Roger needs a present to keep someone happy.  Don has tried some advertising on the side (really?) and wants to get an interview with Sterling--not unlike the hopeless little guy we saw at the beginning of the episode.  Roger gives him the brush-off, but does buy a mink.  (Not that Roger would recognize a good ad.  His specialty is three-martini lunches.)

Roger is buying the item for the young, and very hot (of course) Joan Holloway.  That affair lasted quite a while.  And why wouldn't it? (After Don and Peggy, the closest relationship on the show is Roger and Joan. The only close marriage would seem to be Pete and Trudy.) Pushy Don enclosed some of his ads in the box with the fur.  Roger is not impressed.  But Roger in the present realizes this is a story that would fit in his memoirs.

At the conference room the gang awaits the Life Cereal people, many years before Mikey.  Harry (who's done very little this season) is making show biz small talk which goes over Lane's head.  Lane is either too classy or too British to care about Red Skelton.  Joan comes in and announces the Life people are held up in Philly.  But at least they can now get ready for the ceremony.

Peggy, not invited, goes to deal with her useless art director.  He's quite taken with himself, and is dismissive of this girl he's got to work with.  He also doesn't seem to want to work much. He'd rather tell war stories or read nudie magazine--he's liberated his mind.  (He also says "waiting on" like Pete has before.  No one should be saying this in 1965.)

At the Awards, Don and Roger meet up with Ted Chaough, more annoying than ever.  In another corner, Joan and Pete talk shop.  It's interesting in that these two rarely acknowledge each other.  I like it in shows with big casts when we get interactions we're not used to.

Then Ken Cosgrove comes up and a client let's slip something's happening.  Pete thinks there may be a merger and Lane hasn't told him.  We'll see.  All I know is the actor playing Ken is a season regular so something must be up.

They sit down, the awards are starting.  Pete wants to talk to Don, but Don isn't interested. Then Duck stands up at another table and interrupts..  Back on the sauce.  He has to be led out.  Poor Duck.  (It would have been a better surprise if I hadn't seen his name in the credits.)

Back at the office Peggy and the new guy aren't getting along.  She also complains that Don is grabbing credit.  Meanwhile, he talks down to her and treats her as a square.

At the Awards, Don and Roger both squeeze Joan's hand (different one for each) and Don wins the award!  He's all smiles as he accept.  A little too eager.  How much has he been drinking?  A secretary drops by and says the Life people just got in. Pete would reschedule, but Don's still on a high (or two) and is quite happy to pitch.

Harry's charming the Life people with show biz tales (and Lane pretends to understand) when Don, the conquering hero, breezes in.  He does his pitch, but, inebriated, isn't as dazzling as usual.  The clients demur, so Don figures what the hell and starts making up stuff off the top of his head, almost showing contempt for the Life people. The rest of the staff is mortified, but one of Don's slogans he steals from the kid he met earlier, and the clients--a little drunk too--jump on it.  (In another season Pete pitched a client when he wasn't supposed to.  He sold a campaign, but was almost fired.)  Then Don and Roger rush off to the after-party, but not before he can insult Peggy for not working fast enough.

Pete sees Lane about a possible merger.  Lane's cover is kaput, so he explains he'll be poaching Ken, who can more than pay for himself.  Pete is horrified--Ken is his enemy, and he's a partner and won't allow it.  Now we see Lane in action, and he's as good at what he does as Don.  He handles Pete by appealing to his vanity, avarice, friendship, sense of  honor and pragmatism.  Pete never really had a chance. Before it's over he might believe it was his idea.

At the bar, Roger, Joan and Don are enjoying themselves.  Don spies Dr. Faye and drunkenly tries to pick her up.  No sale.

Peggy and the jerk are locked in a hotel room for the weekend.  He reads a Playboy and insults her.  She finally calls his bluff and disrobes.  He does the same.  They start to work, but he's the one who's embarrassed.   Round to Peggy.  (This is AMC  so the nudity is conveniently blocked by props.)

Joan and Roger talk at the bar. She still understands him better than anyone. Another gal has her eyes on Don and no doubt she'll get him in his present state.  Roger says what he does is find guys like Don, but no one gives him any credit.  Joan is tired of his whining.  Another flashback, with Don bumping into Roger intentionally by chance.  He won't give up, and knows how to appeal to Roger--buy him drinks at 10 a.m.

Don's having sex with the new woman.  In an interesting shot, the lighting changes to signify time has passed.  Don gets a call from Betty--he's missed his visit with the kids.  He's surprised to discover it's Sunday, and he's in bed with a waitress called Doris. He can't remember what happened, but he did introduce himself as Dick.

He falls asleep on the couch and now it's night. Peggy, who couldn't reach him, drops by his place.  She explains what's been happening, including how he stole his slogan for Life.  Don thinks she should work on new ones, but she's had enough and tells him to fix it.

Monday morning, and Pete won't go to lunch with Ken, but wants to meet him in the conference room.  Lane is smart enough to let him do it his way.

Peggy and her guy have finished their job.

Don comes in and has lost his Clio.  He meets the new guy and tries to buy his idea, but the kid says he wants a job. He may not be talented, but he knows what he wants.  Looks like he'll get a job, and maybe we have a new regular.

Kenny comes to Pete.  Pete is high-handed and Ken, though he doesn't seem to take it too seriously, silently supplicates.  I guess he figures he'll answer to Lane once he gets the job.

Don goes to Roger's office to tell him of the hire.  At least it'll score points with Sterling and his wife.  Turns out he's got the Clio, which was left at the bar.  Don admits (after being asked) that he couldn't have done (whatever he did) without Roger.  Final flashback, where Don makes the final push (relying on Roger's faulty drunken memory?) and gets his job.  So that's how Roger finds new talent.

A fine episode, though I'm not sure where Don is going next.  And Peggy's position is even more uncertain.  She's been unhappy before, and even walked, but that's not the situation here.  The question is how does she get the credit she deserves. .And the recognition from Don.  Both she and Pete have been like kids, craving Don's attention and approval.  Speaking of Pete, will he remain happy if Ken becomes a big account exec, even if he's officially above him?  Also, with such a bad art director, too bad they can't bring back Sal.