The Grown-Ups – Mad Men Episode Summary 3.12

Synopsis:  Pete Campbell learns that he has been passed over for the position of Senior Vice President in charge of account services, and confides in Harry Crane about it only to be interrupted by their colleagues convening in Harry’s office to watch news of the assassination of President Kennedy.  Roger Sterling is getting grief from her spoiled brat of a daughter who threatens to cancel her wedding after learning that his new wife will be attending it.  Little did she know that barely anyone would show up given that her wedding occurs the very next day after the assassination of the president of the United States.  There were a still a few who decided to come to the wedding, and this included Henry Francis whom Betty Draper was secretly thrilled to see despite Don Draper trying to make amends by trying to be the perfect husband and father.

Episode Summary: Lane Pryce calls Pete Campbell in his office to inform him that the position of Senior Vice President in charge of account services will be given to Ken Cosgrove leaving him to only be the head of account management.  This is a shock to Pete who believes that his billings are on par with Ken’s.  Unfortunately for him, Ken was able to edge him out with his knack for making clients feel as if they do not have any needs, while Pete only makes them feel that the agency has met their needs.  Pete takes Lane’s decision amicably, but soon decides to take the day off. Continue reading...

Margaret Sterling receives an expensive Van Cleef jewelry from Jane Siegel-Sterling as a gift for her wedding, and instead of being grateful the young woman becomes upset with Jane attending her wedding.   She becomes even more upset when her mother does not try to appease her.  With Roger Sterling paying for the grand wedding of his daughter, Mona believes that the least Margaret can do is to allow her father to bring his new wife to her wedding.  Margaret gives her father a call, and threatens to cancel the wedding, but Roger and Mona has had enough that they call the bluff and agrees to have the wedding canceled.  Seeing that her threats no longer work, Margaret is left with no other choice, but to put aside her childish pettiness, and decides to push through with the wedding.  Roger reprimands Jane for meeting with Margaret knowing that his daughter does not want anything to do with her, and she in turn becomes upset after learning that her efforts to make amends with Roger’s family failed miserably.

Trudy is surprised to see Pete at home, and learns that her husband has been passed over for a position he deserves.  Pete is convinced that he is going to be fired and has considered the idea of calling Duck Phillips, but Trudy does not believe this is the case and advises against leaving Sterling Cooper.  Pete returns to work the next day, and confides in Harry Crane who has already heard about Ken’s promotion.  Both men agree that what has been done to Pete cannot be good, but there really isn’t anything that can be done even Harry who has been given his own department believes that his work goes unnoticed despite the value he has added to the company.

Peggy Olson receives a call from Duck asking her to meet him at his hotel room at the Elysee, and after some urging Peggy agrees to skip work to be with him.  Duck hears news of the assassination attempt on President Kennedy, but loses interest when Peggy arrives.  The news, however, is not lost on the employees of Sterling Cooper as they barge in the private meeting between Pete and Harry to watch news of the assassination.  Don Draper returns to his office floor after having complained to Bert Cooper of Lane’s rejection of his decision to hire a new creative art director only to find ringing phones unanswered as all convene to listen to news about the president’s condition.  All watch intently as they wait for news including Betty Draper who with her housekeeper is brought to tears at hearing that President Kennedy has passed away.  Although Peggy’s arrival distracted him from the disturbing news he was watching before she arrived, Duck is anxious to hear the rest of it.  He turns on the television set, and hears from Walter Cronkite official word that President Kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.  All are affected by the news and grieves for the president and his wife except for Margaret who laments that the death of the president will ruin her wedding.

Don returns home and finds his children alone watching the news.  Betty, too upset with it, has gone to bed.  Don may not be a good husband, but he is a good father.  Knowing that his children must find the assassination of the president disconcerting, he speaks to his children to let them know that everything will be okay.  The next morning, Don finds Betty with the kids in front of the TV still watching the news.  He asks her to get ready for they have a wedding to attend to, but Betty is unsure if there will still be one given that the whole country is in mourning.  Pete shares the same thoughts as Betty, and manages to convince his wife not to attend the wedding for there are things more important than business.

Apparently, many people shared the same thoughts for only few decided to attend the wedding.  Moreover, the waiters along with the wedding cake are nowhere in sight.  There is, however, one person that Betty caught sight of, and it is Henry Francis.  Betty finds herself disappointed at seeing a lovely young woman come up to greet him, and is relieved to learn that she is only Henry’s daughter.  There are some including Bert and Jane who have come to the wedding, but have decided to stay in the kitchen to watch the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald.  Roger finds his new wife in the kitchen, but refuses to return to the dining hall to be with him as he toasts to his daughter’s marriage.  Roger takes the stage and gives a touching speech to the newly weds.  The father and the bride take the dance floor, and so do some of the guests including Don and Betty.  Don notices that Betty is distracted, and attributes it to her worries about the assassination.  She gives her a kiss on the lips, but Betty feebly returns it.  Little did he know that her distraction stems from Henry staring at her so conspicuously that his daughter could not help but ask him about it.  He, of course, denies it.  The disaster of a wedding is finally over, and Roger carries his drunken wife to bed.  He finds himself giving Joan a call to confide in her his ordeal.

Pete and Trudy stay at home to watch the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, and both agreed that Pete should not go to work the next day.  Trudy has had a change of heart about Sterling Cooper, and has come to a realization that the agency has undervalued her husband.  She believes that Pete should start gathering his clients for she is certain that they will follow him if he chooses to leave Sterling Cooper.

The assassination of the president continues to hang over everyone especially Betty who continues to sit in front of the TV to watch the news, and becomes witness to the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald.  Her screams prompted Don to rush to her, but Don curiously finds his attempt to comfort his wife being rejected.  Later, he learns that his wife has decided to go out for a drive to clear her head unaware that the woman has gone to meet Henry.  Henry joins Betty in her car, and makes a marriage proposal.  The man believes that he can make her happy, and although Betty does not accept his proposal just yet the two passionately kiss.  Betty returns home, and learns that her kids are with her friend Francine.  With the house all to themselves, she takes the opportunity to tell Don that she does not love him anymore, but the man refuses to believe this.  Although he does not show it in front of his wife, he finds Betty’s statement alarming and so disturbing that he decides to go to work instead even though the office is closed.

Don arrives at a deserted Sterling Cooper, and finds Peggy intently typing on her typewriter.  Peggy is concerned about their Aqua Net commercial, one that features couples in a convertible car much like the one the late President had at the motorcade.  Like Don, Peggy came to the office to escape, but she was merely escaping the drama surrounding the assassination of the president while Don was evading the collapse of his marriage.

Watch the Mad Men Episode The Grown-Ups
Next Mad Men Episode Summary: Shut the Door. Have a Seat
Previous Mad Men Episode Summary: The Gypsy and The Hobo
More Mad Men Episode Summaries