Blowing Smoke – Mad Men Episode Summary 4.12

Synopsis: Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce eyes an account with Philip Morris, but soon learns that they were merely used by the tobacco company in order to get a better deal with its current agency.  This resulted in Don Draper going on a public tirade about the tobacco industry and their former client, Lucky Strike.  Meanwhile, Betty Draper learns that her daughter has been spending time with Glen Bishop, and soon after decides to move her family out of the neighborhood.

Episode Summary: Don Draper meets with Raymond Geiger, the man in charge of marketing Heinz Beans, and learns that Heinz Ketchup has overshadowed the product that was popular during the war.  Raymond is clearly unsatisfied with his current agency for not having a campaign that will reclaim the thunder it once lost, and is delighted to hear Don’s delineation of beans from ketchup sharing his belief that beans are more substantial than ketchup for one is food, while the other is just a condiment.  Despite this, Raymond is unwilling to move his business to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce due to concerns in the stability of the agency.  Don finds himself in an unfamiliar position as he grovels to get the Heinz Beans accounts, but no amount of pleading could get Raymond Geiger to work with the troubled agency.Continue reading...

The agency’s finances have become a real concern so much so that the partners have sought the advice of the consultant Geoffrey Atherton to steer them away from financial ruin.  It is his belief that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce should sign on new business regardless of the size not only because their billings were cut in half, but also because not doing so would have them perceived as stagnant.  Moreover, he informs them that their ideal client would be one from the tobacco industry for that has become their forte.  He sees Philip Morris as their potential client knowing that the company is introducing a new brand for young women, and are seeking for a new agency to launch the brand.  The consultant has set up a meeting between Philip Morris and Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.  News of the agency’s financial troubles cast anxiety over the executives especially Lane Pryce who ascertained that their revenue will no longer be able to sustain their expenses; they have to reduce staff and seriously consider subletting part of their office in order to survive.

Sally Draper has shown interest in having dinner with her stepfather, Henry Francis.  This request pleasantly surprised Betty unaware that her daughter has become friends with the troubled boy, Glen Bishop.  In fact, it was Glen’s advice that Sally get on the right side of her mother to reduce the antipathy between them.  Sally leaves for her session with Dr. Edna who knows very well the young girl’s aversion towards her mother, and who has become proud that no matter how angry the child becomes she manages to have self-control.  Dr. Edna assures Sally that her mother’s behavior is due to the woman’s stresses and not of her wrongdoing.  Having seen improvements on the young girl’s behavior, Dr. Edna recommends reducing her sessions with Sally, but to her surprise Betty is against the recommendation probably because she is in more need of therapy than her daughter and has been using the time to deliberate Sally’s progress with the psychiatrist to discuss her own issues.  Seeing that this is the reason for Betty’s refusal to the reduction of Sally’s sessions, Dr. Edna refers Betty to her colleague that she too may undergo therapy.  Betty, however, seems to have grown attached to the child psychiatrist and is unwilling to see another one.  Seeing through Betty, Dr. Edna agrees to continue their unofficial sessions.

The starving artist Midge Daniels reenters Don’s life hoping to get a job at his agency unaware of its financial troubles.  Although living in the same neighborhood, the two surprisingly have not crossed paths until now.  Much has changed in their lives with Don now being a divorcee, and Midge now married to a fellow artist; a marriage she claims to be of convenience.  Midge persistence for Don to have dinner at her house pays off as he agrees to it.  Soon Don finds himself in a dump of an apartment where Midge lives with her playwright husband Perry.  Before long, Perry begins selling Don one of Midge’s artworks and then panders his wife to him.  Having bought Midge’s story of happening to bump into Don at the Time Life building, Don is more scandalize to learn that Midge has tracked him down.  The playwright, pimp, and ostensibly a drug addict as well leaves Don and Midge to themselves, and Don learns that his former lover is now a heroin addict.  Don buys Number Four for $120 in cash, and leaves the squalid apartment of his former lover.

Don nervously prepares for the impending meeting with Philip Morris only to learn from Dr. Atherton that the tobacco company has decided to give the account to Leo Burnett, the agency already handling Marlborough.  The sight of dismayed partners returning without the clients and having a closed meeting caused a stir in the office.  It is Don’s belief that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce wreaks of desperation causing potential clients to hand their accounts to other agencies.  Lane informs the partners that he has spoken with the bank, and its advice is for them to fund the agency out of their own pockets to stave off having to close shop in the next six months.  In addition, they are to reduce their staff drastically.  Seeing that there is no solution in sight and finding the meeting pointless, Don leaves the partners meeting.  Later, Pete Campbell learns that Philip Morris only set up a meeting with them to get a better deal from Leo Burnett, and that they have become a laughing stock at Leo Burnett.  This news he had shared with Don, as an opening to ask that the agency waive his obligation as a partner to contribute fifty thousand dollars to the company, did nothing for him.  There is nothing Don can do for him, but to be an ad man and to win their agency an account.  However, this undertaking is wholly dependent on accounts getting him a meeting with a potential client.

Pete arrives home to learn that the bank has called at his house about a loan making Trudy think that Pete has been looking for a house in the suburbs.  Trudy is shocked to learn that not only is Pete not looking for a house, but that he is to use their savings to keep his partnership at an agency that is in the verge of folding.  The following day he finds, like the rest of the people who read The New York Times, that Don has posted an ad that admonishes the public of the harmful effects of tobacco causing ire from several agencies including his own.  Don, an ad man, has failed to see that his criticism of the tobacco industry and their former client has done the agency more harm than good for no client would want to work with a firm who turns against their clients.  Don receives a call from Senator Robert Kennedy while being reproached by his partners only to learn that it was a crank call from Teddy Chaough; the call validated his partners’ fears.  Don’s gaffe was too huge to repair forcing Bert Cooper to throw in the towel.  He did earn a fan from one of the most inconsequential of employees, Megan Calvet.  Ken Cosgrove informing them that Don’s public tantrum against big tobacco had at least caused his clients stop talking about Lucky Strike showed some positive outcome of the scandalous ad, but Bert bidding them farewell quickly dashed any hopes of recovery.  Don calls for Peggy and becomes convinced that she is getting the boot.  She becomes relieved that she is spared; however, some of her staff are not as lucky.

Don clearly works on impulse.  He is reminded of this after learning that the company Faye is working for was forced to resign from Sterling Draper Cooper Pryce, because their association with the agency removes any chance of doing any business with a tobacco company.  However, both did not find this a total loss for this allows them to have their relationship out in the open, because Don is no longer Faye’s client.  Faye bids Peggy farewell causing the young copywriter to realize that Faye is the only woman she knows who has climbed up the ranks and gained the respect of her colleagues and clients.

Betty stumbles upon Sally and Glen, and immediately becomes upset at seeing the two together.  She unceremoniously severs her daughter’s friendship with the boy as she prohibits Glen from spending time with Sally.  Betty then uses the encounter as a reason for them to move out of their neighborhood shattering Sally, but delighting Henry who is unaware of the impetus for her decision.

In the next partners meeting, Don learns that his stunt did not exactly end their agency.  In fact, the call from the American Cancer Society he thought was a joke was actually legitimate; this they learned after they called Roger Sterling to set up a meeting about their agency running an anti-smoking ad campaign for them, a proposal Roger too thought as a gag, but apparently is not.  Pete and Lane still do not find this prospect enticing for public service ads do not make money, but the optimists of people believe that the bigwigs on its board might help them get new accounts.  Pete’s surly mood stems not only from their damaged reputation, but also from the exorbitant amount of money he is obliged to contribute to the agency.  He is later shocked to learn that Don has already paid his share.  Because the partners’ contributions will not be enough to sustain the company, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce begins the daunting task of letting go several of its employees.

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Hands and Knees – Mad Men Episode Summary 4.10

Synopsis: Don Draper learns that the US government is conducting background checks on him as a result of their agency being in business with a defense contractor.  Lane Pryce receives a surprise visit from his father who has come to bring him home to London to set his family affairs in order.  Meanwhile, Roger Sterling learns that his brief moment of lust with Joan Harris bore fruit.

Episode Summary: Joan Harris comes to Roger Sterling with startling news; their impromptu tryst appears to bear fruit that can prove to be scandalous.  Don Draper also has a surprise for his daughter; he is bringing Sally to The Beatles concert at the Shea Stadium that Sunday.  The young girl gets a bout of Beatlemania at the news generating earsplitting screams causing alarm to her mother, but Betty becomes delighted at learning the reason for her reaction.  Meanwhile, Lane Pryce receives an unexpected visit from his father who has come to bring him back to London, a plan Lane is never going to accept despite his wife’s insistence.  Lane pleads with Don to accompany him and his father to dinner at the Playboy Club, and it becomes clear that Lane is attracted to an African American waitress.Continue reading...

North American Aviation arrives at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce to present a product they want the agency to advertise.  The NAA wants the agency to promote their technology to attract business from airline companies.  Moreover, Senator Murphy appears to have some interest on the success of the manufacturer.  However, the documents they have brought in are severely redacted leaving Don and his team not much to work with.  Soon after, two agents from the Department of Defense pays a visit to Betty for a routine background check; the result of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce having engaged in business with the United States government, and Don filing an application for a security clearance.  Having been made aware of Don’s past, Betty finds the interview quite intimidating.  She informs Don only to learn that her ex-husband is unaware of the background check, and that news of this terrified him so.  Soon, Don learns that he, in fact, had signed the application form that was sent to the Department of Defense.  His secretary had filled out the application for him ignorant of the fact that Don is using another man’s identity.  Extremely troubled with the fact that the US government is running background checks on him, Don confronts Pete Campbell about it.  Blinded by the billings they are to receive from their client, it did not occur to Pete that doing business with the US government would result in an investigation of everyone on the project.  Pete comes to a realization of the intensity of Don’s problem when the man hints of having to abscond when things get out of hand.

Roger and Joan meet with a doctor Roger is acquainted with, and gets a referral for the man who can help them with their problem, but not without the doctor expressing his utter disgust at Roger for using and ruining Joan.  It becomes very clear to Joan that Roger does not want the child, and so decides that she will take care of their problem.  She goes to the doctor’s office on her own not wanting to be seen with Roger, and encounters a woman whose teenage child has become pregnant.  While Joan is at the doctor’s office, Roger is with Lee Garner, Jr. for what he thought was a routine client meeting.  Soon he learns that Lucky Strike, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s biggest client has decided to drop them after thirty years for doing business with them.  Ostensibly, the board would like BBDO to handle all ads for all their brands, and Lee is incapable of dissuading them from doing so.  Roger begs Lee Garner, Jr. to postpone pulling the plug on SCDP for thirty days to give him enough time to get his affairs in order.

Pete has spoken to his friend at the Department of Defense and is awaiting word, but Don is not satisfied and so orders Pete to throw away millions of dollars of billings for his sake.  Don has taken the government doing background checks on him very seriously that he has even summoned his lawyer to discuss setting up a trust fund for his children.  The whole matter has terrified the man to the core that his fright has manifested into a fever.  Faye convinces Don to go home and get some rest, and becomes witness to the man’s panic attack when two men confronts them only to learn that they were merely lost.

Lane returns to the Playboy Club during off hours, and speaks to the African American waitress only to be revealed that the two are engaged in a serious relationship.  In fact, she is the reason why Lane has brought his genteel father in a disreputable place for dinner.  The man has fallen in love with the African American waitress so much so that he declares her to be the reason for his refusal to return to London.  Soon he invites his father to his home where he formally introduces the waitress as Toni Charles; they are to have dinner together, one Lane’s father politely turns down.  Lane sends Toni off while he deals with his father, but he gets a beating from him.  With a whack of a cane, Lane agrees to put his affairs in order.

Faye stays with Don who is still recovering from an imagined frightful encounter with the FBI, and learns that the man has been using another man’s identity since he returned from the Korean War.  With the government on to him, Don believes that it is only matter of time before the truth is revealed, and punishment is enacted.  Faye though shocked at the revelation did not think any less of the man, and urges Don who seems to be on the verge of capitulating to ask the government for clemency that he may continue living his life as he has.  However, Pete’s news the next morning provides him with another lease on life.  He has received word from his trusted friend in the government that the background check on Don has not turned up anything, and that walking away from the $4 million deal with the NAA will completely stop the investigation.  So it seems that Pete along with the agency will have to make the sacrifice for Don.

Pete makes the announcement at the partner’s meeting that they have lost the account with the North American Aviation much to the disbelief and dismay of the partners.  Moreover, his loyalty to Don has prevented him to divulge the true reason as to why they are no longer in business with the NAA, thus taking the brunt of the blame for having lost a major client.  Only Roger knows that the loss came at the worst of times for he has not informed the partners that Lucky Strike has left them as well, which is most likely the reason why the strongest reproach came from him.  Optimism surprisingly came from the penny pinching Lane whose thoughts are consumed with problems surrounding his family.  Moreover, Lane makes it known that he has to take a leave of absence to attend to family matters.  He believes that his absence will not have a disastrous effect on the agency given that the company’s finances are stable despite the loss of a multimillion dollar account.

Don is quite relieved at having averted a catastrophic blunder that could have ruined him.  Seeing the change in her boss’ demeanor, Megan believes that things simply fell into place unaware that she had almost put Don’s life in shambles.  Ignorant of the consequences of what she had done, Megan finds that getting the tickets for The Beatles concert was enough to make up for her mess.

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The Beautiful Girls – Mad Men Episode Summary 4.9

Synopsis: Abe Drexler, the writer whom Peggy Olson met at a party some time ago, decides to court her.  However, the two seem to be from different worlds for Peggy has made use of her talent to help capitalists, a type of people Abe abhors.  Meanwhile, Don Draper has taken a new lover in the person of Faye Miller, and their relationship is quickly tested with the sudden entrance of his daughter who has run away from home.  The unexpected death of Miss Blankenship reminds Roger Sterling of his own mortality bringing him and Joan back together.

Episode Summary: Don Draper and Faye Miller have engaged in a sexual relationship, and have both spent lunch in bed together.  While the two were enjoying their tryst, Peggy Olson worked through lunch on both the Fillmore and Secor Laxative campaigns hoping that Don would sign off on her work the moment he got back to lunch, but instead gets told to come back an hour later for he is about to take a nap.Continue reading...

Peggy goes to P.J. Clarke’s for some drinks with Joyce, and confides her need to hire more copywriters.  However, she worries that the male candidates interviewing for the job would turn out to be better copywriters than her.  Abe Drexler’s arrival interrupts their conversation.  The man has taken a liking to Peggy, and Joyce was more than willing to give them some time alone.  Abe speaks of the impending fall of society in America similar to what has happened to Greece; Peggy is left mum unable to provide an opinion.  Trying to find a common ground, she tries to steer the subject away, but again gets reeled into a conversation about the evils of corporate America with her mention of Fillmore Auto Parts.  Peggy learns that the family owned company’s Southern stores have refused to hire Negroes, a claim she refuses to believe.  She begins to explain that part of her job is to help companies get out of public relations nightmares such as the issue Abe raised.  To hear that this is what Peggy does shocks the civil rights activist, and even more alarming to him is her wish to have worked on Goldwater’s campaign.  Peggy argues that Negroes are not the only victims of inequality for she herself had experience discrimination, but she fought her way through and she believes that they can too.  Strangely enough, Abe does not recognize discrimination against women as part of civil rights and makes a mockery of it that Peggy takes offence.  Abe realizes that he had unconsciously insulted the woman he was trying to impress.  He apologizes, but his realization and apology came in too late.

Joan Harris has been in an inauspicious mood having found that her husband is going to Vietnam.  Roger Sterling learns of this, and he takes it upon himself to provide her a night of pampering by sending two masseuses from Madam Inga’s.  Although the masseuse swore not to divulge the identity of the person who paid for their services, Joan knew very well who it was.  She expresses her gratitude to Roger the very next morning, but Roger being the man he is wants something more.  Joan is once again left disgusted with the man she once loved.  Meanwhile, Peggy gets a surprise visit from Abe at the office.  The man still mortified of his behavior the previous evening has gone and written her an essay to help explain what he was trying to convey.  Abe stays at the office to wait for Peggy’s opinion believing that what he had written will mend their fences.  An even more upset Peggy returns reprimanding Abe for his essay, one that could cost Peggy her job if published.  Her reaction is not one that Abe had envisioned for his honest intention was to flatter the young woman, but he once again ended up insulting her.  Abe leaves the office disappointed to have learned that an earnest young woman such as Peggy does not share his ideals.

Dr. Miller presents her findings to Fillmore Auto Parts telling them that the demographic they must target are men who would spend a good amount of money for the satisfaction of being useful with their hands.  The older family member rejects the proposed target audience, while the younger one agrees to it.  Don suggests that the three members of the family put it through a vote, but quickly learns that the third member is incapable of forming his own opinion.  Their meeting is interrupted by an urgent message from Megan informing him that his daughter, Sally Draper, is at the office.  The young girl has taken a train to the city to see him.  Luckily, an elderly woman took notice, and brought her to his office.  Don gives Betty a call to inform her that a complete stranger had brought their daughter to his office after the young girl stowed away on a train.  Surprisingly, Betty refuses to fetch Sally, and decides to let her stay with her father that night.

Don returns to the meeting, and leaves Sally in the care of Miss Blankenship, but the woman had fallen asleep at her desk or so thought Peggy.  A soft shove at the old woman brought out the truth, Miss Blankenship has died.  Megan, once again, interrupts the Fillmore Auto Parts meeting much to Don’s chagrin unaware of what has caused the urgency.  Soon Don learns and sees for himself that his secretary had died on her desk.  Joan takes charge as they discreetly wheel out the corpse of Miss Blankenship.  Luckily, the clients have their backs turned away from the scene making them oblivious to the commotion right outside of the conference room.  Don returns to the meeting completely distracted with the scene outside.  Fortunately, the Fillmore brothers have come to a unanimous decision to go with the “For the mechanic in every man” slogan for it embodies the company’s reputation that Fillmore Auto Parts is a place for professional mechanics, but a shop for men of all types.  Ken Cosgrove and Dr. Miller watch in horror as an afghan covered Miss Blankenship is wheeled out of her desk, but becomes quite relieved when the corpse is taken out of view just as the eldest of the Fillmore brothers finishes signing off on their new strategy.

With Secor Laxative arriving for a meeting and Don’s secretary gone for good, he asks Faye to bring Sally to his apartment and watch her until he comes home.  Moreover, he orders Megan to inform Bert Cooper and Roger Sterling of the news more importantly to allow them to keep their next client from arriving at the office.  The coroners arrive, and Miss Blankenship now lying on a gurney is finally wheeled out of the agency to be taken to Frank E. Campbell as per Bert’s insistence.  The death of Miss Blankenship has affected the senior partners including Roger who has had two heart attacks at the office.  Joan takes pity on Roger, and finally agrees to have dinner with him.  Roger knowing how worried Joan is about her husband going to Vietnam tells her that he is a person she can confide in, and surprisingly learns that Greg did not even consult Joan in his decision to join the army.  As per Roger’s suggestion, the two goes out for a walk, but the neighborhood has changed so much so that a man pulls out gun at them demanding money and jewelry.  Roger keeps his eyes down and instructs Joan to do the same.  He and Joan quietly and willingly hand the man their possessions, and the man walks away soon after.  The shock of being held at gunpoint gets to Joan making her weak on the knees, and gets the urge to scream but could not.  Roger brings her to a stoop and tells her to calm down.  Caught in the heat of the moment, Joan gives Roger a kiss that he passionately returns.  The two ends up in a coitus right there and there.

Don’s long and eventful workday is finally over, and he comes home to her daughter whom he did not punish despite her running away from home.  Having spent time with Faye, Sally becomes curious of the woman’s relationship with her father, but learns that the woman is not her father’s girlfriend.  Sally tells her father that she would want to live with him, but Don sadly informs her that she cannot.  The next morning, Don hears clattering in the kitchen and finds that his daughter has made breakfast, a French toast made of rum for she has mistaken his bottle of rum for Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup; Don loved the dish.  Sally asks her father if they could spend the day together, and Don agrees to spend half a day with her at either the Central Park Zoo or the Museum of Natural History.

At Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Bert has difficulty writing Ida Blankenship’s obituary.  Roger calls Joan in to help, and the woman gets the job done in no time.  Moreover, she seemed to have inspired Bert out of his mental block.  With Miss Blankenship’s obituary done, and Bert having left Roger and Joan alone, the two gets a moment together to talk about the previous night.  Roger is surprised to hear that Joan does not regret that it happened, but she insists that they must put their feelings aside for both of them are married.

Don arrives at the office with her daughter, and both are in a good mood.  He leaves her daughter to her new secretary, their former receptionist, Megan.  Knowing the fate of Don’s former secretaries, Stan and Ken wonder how long the young woman will last.  Don meets with his staff, and learns from Ken that Fillmore Auto Parts would like a catchy jingle to go with their ad, and so they begin to run through a list of singers for their jingle.  It seems that Abe has gotten through to Peggy that she suggests Harry Belafonte for the job thinking that having the African American sing their jingle might help alleviate discrimination issues surrounding the company.  Moreover, she begins to question why their agency does business with a company who discriminates against colored people.  Don steps in, and reminds her that their job is to make men like Fillmore Auto, and not to make Fillmore Auto like Negroes.  Stan makes a joke of having Dean Martin sing the jingle given his association with Sammy Davis, Jr., and Peggy once again finds herself being mocked.

Don tells her daughter to get ready for her mother is arriving in a few minutes to fetch her, but Sally expresses her desire to stay, which turns into a tantrum when Don ignores her demands.  Having heard the young girl screaming, Faye checks in with Don, and finds herself reeled in Don’s family problems for the man begs her to placate his stubborn daughter.  Although brilliant at getting into the minds of consumers, Dr. Faye fails to handle the child leaving Don to force her daughter out of the office.  Sally tries to run away, but trips and falls hard on the floor.  Megan runs to the poor child to help her, and is surprised when the troubled young girl has her in a tight embrace.  Having witnessed the poor girl’s attempt at an escape, the concerned women of the agency follow father and daughter out in reception where Betty is waiting.  Seeing Sally’s grief, Megan is brought close to tears.  Meanwhile, Faye feeling the rejection becomes upset with Don for putting her in the spot.  Don then finds himself appeasing his lover who turned out to be awkward with children.

Joyce drops by Peggy’s office to invite her out for drinks, and Peggy soon learns that the young woman had helped Abe court her.  Although Joyce finds that men want their women to share the same interests as they do, she confesses that she finds Abe to be a very interesting person, one she thought was good enough to introduce to Peggy.  Peggy passes off drinks with Joyce, and finds herself unsure of her feelings towards Abe.

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