Is This The End Of SCDP?

Mad Men's latest, the well-titled "Blowing Smoke," was a bit darker than usual, and went in directions we didn't expect.

SCDP is in trouble. Without new accounts they could collapse.  We start with Don pitching Heinz (not the good Heinz--just baked beans, vinegar and sauces from the 57) from a meeting set up last week by his lover and associate Dr. Faye.  Alas, word is out on his agency, and everyone's willing to give him a shot six months down the road--waiting to see if they'll be gone first.  It's a Catch-22--you can only get business later if you stay in business, but you can't stay in business if they won't give you business.

At the Francis residence, Sally seems to have calmed down, and is listening to his mother.  Is this the same show?

At the agency, they get the news from an outside analyst that they're dying.  Thanks.  He recommends they go for more cigarette business, since it's their specialty.  He can get them a meeting with Philip Morris on a new brand for women.  Not a lot of money, but it's a start.  The whole gang talks about the new situation, but there's not much they can do.

Sally's talking to creepy kid who's becoming creepy adolescent Glenn.  They seem to get along.  She's a girl who definitely needs someone to talk to.

In the lobby of his building, Don sees his old lover, bohemian Midge from season one.  She invites him to her pad in the Village--he already lives around there anyway.

Sally meets with Dr. Edna.  As they play cards, Sally talks freely.  She's doing what her mom tells her to do, and hiding the anger.  Perhaps that's a good strategy, but how long can it last.  In any case, it looks like Sally has a new mother figure.

At Midge's depressing place, Don meets her husband.  He's nothing to her, it's just a useful arrangement.  He lets it out that she tracked him down. The idea is to sell a painting (or sex, or whatever) because they need money to keep up their heroin-addled lifestyle.  In the past Don has been open for experimentation, but even he can see he doesn't need this.  He ends up buying one of her painting for all the money he's got on him.  He'd probably like to help her, but she's in over her head.

Betty meets with Edna, showing how she's still essentially a child.  She'd like to keep meeting with Edna, even though the woman is a child psychologist.

Don's nervous, pacing, waiting for the big cigarette meeting.  Peggy tries to calm him down.  The partners wait in the lobby but there's no meeting (try us six months later).  So things are even more hopeless.  The agency is turning into a death watch.

The partners meet and realize it's hopeless.  No strategy seems workable.  Lane explains the partners need to put in a bunch of money, get a loan from the bank, and cut extra staff and they can keep going.

At Don's often, Pete is pissed that he's being punished.  Don says they're all being punished, but Pete feels he's one of the few pulling his weight.  (He did drop an account to save Don, so he does have a point.)  He walks out and Peggy comes in.  She wants to know what's going on.  Don doesn't say much, but it's clear it's hopeless.  Peggy asks why don't they do what Don's suggested in the past and change the conversation that's holding down the company?

At home, Trudy has found out about a bank loan Pete wants. When she finds out it's to give money back to the failing firm, and not buying a house, she forbids him to drop any more money there.

At Don's place, he's about to throw out Midge's abstract painting but instead he sets it down to look at it.  Does he think about her addiction, or does it make him contemplate where he's at.  In any case, he rips the old thoughts from his notebook (that he narrated in a previous episode) and writes an open letter that he published in The New York Times.  He explains why he (on behalf of his company) won't work for tobacco any more.  You can't fire me, I quit.

It's a bold move, a Don move, and not something we saw coming.  (We spent half the episode expecting another one of Don's master pitches.)  When he comes into work, the partners are apoplectic.  He didn't get permission and he's hurting their business.  Bert's even leaving.  This is why he didn't ask permission. He doesn't want cautious business decisions, he wants creative solutions (which, as often is the case, means following Peggy's advice).

He gets a call from Robert Kennedy which is pretty obviously fake.  It's good old Ted Chaough mocking him.  Funny.  At least Megan his secretary thinks the ad was cool.

Meanwhile, the underlings are nervous.  Bert walks by and says goodbye.  Then Peggy is called in to Don's office.  Is this the axe?  No, he just asks her who else should be fired, and get ready for it.  She's mostly relieved, but would Don fire the one person who gives him half his inspriations?

Betty catches Sally and Glenn talking (which is all they do).  Uh oh--Sally making time with Betty's old boyfriend?  Something must be done.

Faye meets Don in his office.  She's leaving--her people can't stick around with touchy tobacco people hiring them elsewhere.  Too bad, but at least they can be open about their relationship and not let business get in the way.  Faye says goodbye to Peggy on the way out.  Peggy recognizes another rare professional woman, and wishes she knew her better.

Henry comes home early and eats dinner wth the family--anotyher rarity.  Suddenly Betty wants to move.  Sally knows why, but Henry is confused.  Hey Sally, you can always run away again--maybe Glenn will even put you up.

The partner's meeting is depressing, of course.  One minor good note, sort of--the American Cancer Society (no joke this time) wants to meet with Don.  It'd be pro bono, but it could get attention, couldn't it?  Okay, meeting over, time to go fire everyone.  Pete sticks around to tell Lane he needs more time to put together the money he has to pay, but is informed Don's already taken care of it.  Good for Don.  A stand-up guy.  He'll pay for your heroin and cover you if you protect his identity.

Pete appreciates it. Meanwhile, Danny is being fire--guess he'll never got to be a  fun-sized Don.  Bill, come into my office.  And so on.  Best to do it quickly.

This leaves us with one show.  The main question is will CSDP remain (with or without Bert) next season. One would think something would come through--probably the ACS gig--but this is Mad Men.  Who'd have guessed years earlier that Don and Betty would separate, and barely see each other a whole season.  Or that they'd unceremoniously dump Paul and Sal.  We'll keep following Don, and Pete and Peggy, but who knows where's there'll be next season.