The Wheel – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.13

Synopsis: Betty Draper learns that her friend’s husband has been having an affair making her wonder about her own situation. Meanwhile, Duck Phillips orders the mad men of Sterling Cooper to bring new business to the company, the way he is about to with Kodak. Don Draper works on the ad for Kodak’s new product called The Wheel, while Peggy Olson starts to climb up the ladder having given the authority to choose the right girl for the weight loss ad. Pete Campbell is being pressured by his in-laws to start a family, and uses his measly salary as an excuse not to have child.

Episode Summary: Bert Cooper calls Don Draper to his office after receiving a call from Rachel Menken’s father, Abraham. The senior partner sensing a tone of worry from their client’s father knew that Rachel’s sudden decision to go on a three month leave had something to do with Don. Bertram though unaware and uninterested with the details of Don’s relationship with their client is worried that his personal preference is interfering with their business.  Continue reading...

Betty Draper gets a surprise visit from a troubled Francine Hanson. Her friend had just learned that her husband has been calling a woman in Manhattan late at night while she is asleep. In denial, Betty tries her best to make excuses for her friend’s husband, but the truth of him having an affair is far too glaring. Francine who is hosting a thanksgiving dinner at her house for her family is anxious on how she could put on a face having been made aware of her husband’s affair. Betty becomes troubled after learning that her friend had rushed to her side thinking that she would know what to do. Hearing this made Betty curious. She takes the unopened phone bill to see if her husband is doing just the same, but then decides to forego finding out.

Duck Phillips, the new head of accounts, wastes no time to make his tyranny known. He calls the mad men of Sterling Cooper to a meeting half informing, and half mocking their pitiful client list. He orders them to bring in big clients in any way possible, and as an incentive, he promises a hundred dollar bonus to the first man to set up a meeting with a decision maker. Don Draper who had recently been named partner fully supports Duck’s plan, emphasizing that bringing in business is the key to everyone’s success, account executives and writers alike.

Pete Campbell spends time with his wife, but when his wife excuses herself to get protection he stops her. The urging of his in-laws for the young couple to start a family seemed to have made him think more about wanting a child. Pete does want a child, but his worry of not earning enough money to provide for his child prevents him from committing to have one. A bit of reassurance from his wife seemed to have changed his mind.

Betty Draper sits at the kitchen waiting for her husband still upset of his disinterest of spending Thanksgiving with her family. Moreover, Francine’s husband’s affair continues to bother her. She confides to her husband as if trying to draw from him some guilt feelings, and maybe even a confession. However, Don Draper has mastered keeping secrets, and he successfully slithers away from the unwieldy conversation.

Peggy Olson had just started climbing up the ladder, and already her whirlwind success has gone to her head. Being made responsible for the copy of the weight loss account they now named Relax-a-Cizor, Peggy was given the authority to choose the right woman to do the radio ad. However, her inexperience had come to haunt her. Peggy had pushed to go with the young, beautiful, slim, single woman instead of the confident, middle-aged woman that Kenny found more appropriate for the ad. Almost immediately, she is made aware of her wrong decision. The young, beautiful, slim, single woman could not project the confident, married woman who had just lost weight that she was trying to portray. Peggy dismisses her choice like a rag that even Ken Cosgrove found disapproving.

Duck Phillips’ way of handling business seemed to have worked. Kodak whom he heard to be dissatisfied with the current campaign for their new slide projector they are calling The Wheel just gave them a chance to come-up with a new campaign for them. Don Draper wastes no time to work on The Wheel. He goes through old pictures, and remembers his brother Adam. He calls The Brighton Hotel where he knew his brother was staying only to find out that he had hung himself. Don Draper is in shock.

Betty Draper lies awake in bed wondering where her husband could be. Her curiosity drove her to open the phone bill to check who her husband has been calling. Following Francine’s actions, she calls the one number her husband constantly rings. Hearing a man answer the phone, Betty is relieved, but not until she learns that the man on the other line is her therapist, Dr. Arnold Wayne.

Don had fallen asleep in the office, and awakes to find Harry Crane at the office in his underwear. Harry’s wife had thrown him out of their house after learning that in the drunken anticipation for a new president, he had an affair with one of Sterling Cooper’s secretaries – Hildy. However, Don is not even surprised to see him at the office nor is he interested at hearing his story rather he calls him in to ask his thoughts about The Wheel.

The next day, Betty Draper goes to a bank, and sees the neighborhood kid Glen Bishop sitting inside his mother’s car. She comes up to him, and learns that the boy’s parents forbade him from talking to her. Betty, who had just learned that the one person she thought she trusted has actually been secretly divulging her innermost thoughts to her husband, strangely confides to the boy.

Pete Campbell managed to land an account with Clearasil, thanks to his father-in-law who is an executive at Vicks Chemical Company. Though he already got the bonus, and Bertram Cooper’s odd appreciation, he still goes over to Don Draper to seek his approval. Pete Campbell is not afraid to let it be known that he struggles to impress the brilliant creative director, and is happy to learn that Don is indeed impressed.

Betty Draper arrives at her therapist’s office pretending to know nothing of his indiscretion. However, knowing that her doctor has been talking to her husband about their sessions, Betty thought up a plan. She informs her doctor that she would be happy if Don is faithful to her. She makes it known to her therapist that she is very well aware of her husband’s affairs knowing that he will relay all that she said to Don. She goes on to the intimate details that happen in the bedroom again revealing her husband’s affairs, and tries to understand what would have drove him to have one. Betty supposes that she has not been satisfying her husband, but then again wonders if it is Don who has a problem.

Sterling Cooper got their day with the big shots at Kodak. The executives at Kodak are curious as to how the small advertising agency will showcase the new technology they are calling The Wheel. Don Draper hints at what they might be seeing at his presentation. He starts by saying that technology is a glittering lure, but that he believes that there are ways to engage the public beyond it. He tells them of his first job at a fur company where he worked with a veteran Greek copywriter called Teddy. The pro taught him that the most important idea in advertising is “new”, but that there is also nostalgia. Don using the Kodak projector shows them a slide presentation of his family pictures as he talks about nostalgia as the pain from an old wound. He says that it is a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. He sees the device as a time machine, allowing people to take them to a place where they ache to go again. Don Draper renames the product as the Carousel for it let’s you travel around and around, and back home again to a place where people know they are loved. Don once again conveyed a message so clear, and compelling so much so that it brought Harry Crane to tears.

Don Draper has done it again. The big shots at Kodak had immediately cancelled their meetings with other advertising agencies to give the account to Sterling Cooper. It was a cause for celebration not only for Don, but Pete as well. This after Duck received a call from his father-in-law to inform him that he will be signing the Clearasil ad campaign to them before the end of the year. As if to spite him, Don Draper assigns the Clearasil account to the rookie Peggy Olson. This angers Pete Campbell who fears that Don had made the decision purely to embarrass him. Ken Cosgrove uncharacteristically stands by the good work Peggy had put forth, and even compliments how she handled the Relax-a-Cizor account with an iron hand. Pete argues that Peggy Olson is nothing but a secretary for which Don responds with a quick promotion of Peggy to junior copywriter. Don Draper has spoken, and his decision is final and immediate. Pete Campbell’s misfortune is Peggy Olson’s gain.

Joan Holloway though clearly envious of Peggy’s success leads her to her new office, which she would have to share with another copywriter. Peggy suddenly feels pain in her stomach, and she rushes to see a doctor who immediately recognizes that she is about to give birth. Peggy Olson, in disbelief, denies the obvious fact. Refusing to believe that she is with child, Peggy makes her way to the door, but the pain had become unbearable. Peggy Olson gives birth, but refuses to even hold her child.

Don Draper’s presentation was so compelling that even he found a new perspective in life. He rushes home to join his wife and kids for Thanksgiving with Betty’s family. Unfortunately, he was too late. Betty and the kids had already left.

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Indian Summer – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.11

Synopsis: Peggy Olson is tasked with writing copy for a device that claims to help women lose weight. Meanwhile, Bertram Cooper pulls Roger Sterling out of his sick leave to rebuild confidence with their client Lucky Strike who has become overly concerned about Roger’s absence.

Episode Summary: Adam Whitman in his best clothes goes over to the front desk of his motel to send a package to his brother Donald Draper. He lays all the cash that Don had given him, writes a note, and hangs himself.  Continue reading...

Sterling Cooper gets a new client from a competitor who was just returning them a favor. The client is an inventor, and the product is a weight loss device called the Passive Exercise Regime. In order to test effectiveness, some of the mad men at Sterling Cooper had their wives use it, but none of the women had seen any change in their weight. Propitiously, Peggy Olson walks in the office to hand Don a glass of water causing Fred Rumsen to come-up with the idea of getting her help with the account. Fred finds Peggy to be the perfect person for the job not only because of her recent weight gain, but also because of the fantastic job she did for the Belle Jolie account. Peggy is more than happy to be involved with a new project. She wastes no time to test the weight loss belt, and learns that the product provides more than the promise of losing weight.

Betty Draper sits on the bed waiting for her husband to come home not knowing that Don is already in someone else’s bed. Don spends the night with Rachel Menken who begins to worry that their affair is nothing but a fantasy. Don assures her that this is where he wants to be, but he has yet to figure out what to do. Rachel Menken herself is unsure about her relationship with Don. She tells her sister that he is married, but leaves the part about their affair telling her only that she is falling for him. Her conversation with her sister only confused her more given her disapproval of Rachel getting involved with a married man. Her sister believes that no good could come out of having an affair with a married man.

First thing in the morning, Peggy Olson hands her report to Don Draper about the weight loss belt hesitant to tell him out loud her assessment of the product. However, upon her boss’ urging, Peggy tries her best to convey her opinion to Don in a less vulgar manner. In her opinion, the weight loss device provides a sensation that she believes some women would welcome. Betty Draper is one of these women. Against her better judgment, she lets an air conditioner salesman enter their house, and even leads him up to the bedroom. Luckily, halfway on the staircase she realizes the potential danger that she is putting herself into, and politely but firmly requests the salesman to leave. Later that night, Don becomes upset upon learning that his wife had let a stranger inside their house. Their argument puts an end to any chance of the couple spending the night with each other.

Bert Cooper enters Don Draper’s office with some news. With Roger Sterling on a sick leave as a result of his heart attack, Lucky Strike, Lee Garner, Sr. in particular is threatening to pull their account from their agency afraid that Roger is no longer involved with their account. In order to dispel any ideas, Cooper invited Lucky Strike to the office to prove that Roger is still involved. He, however, tells Don Draper to start building trust and confidence with their client.

Morning came, and as Bert Cooper had promised Roger Sterling with his wife beside him arrives at the office for the Lucky Strike meeting. The whole Sterling Cooper staff welcome his arrival with applause, and some whispering about Roger Sterling’s obvious deterioration. Don Draper and Bert Cooper calls on the help of Joan Holloway to mask Roger’s sickly skin tone. Joan who has been worried sick about her lover is more than happy to help. She gives him a passionate kiss before she starts her work. Roger Sterling who missed his lover as well tells her how grateful he is to have been his lover, and that he does not regret having an affair with her nor is he afraid to let anyone know.

Lucky Strike arrives at Sterling Cooper, and as promised Roger Sterling joins their meeting. He makes a show of his recovery taking interest at the fatty pastrami that was served. In addition to confirming Roger’s presence at the agency, Lucky Strike also brings about their concern on the lawsuit brought against the tobacco industry, and the impending requirement of putting warning labels on cigarettes that the government wants to impose. Don Draper assures them that no immediate action needs to be done regarding that issue, while Roger Sterling tries to mask his deteriorating health by smoking one of their cigarettes. Just as Roger Sterling makes a toast with pastrami on hand, he yet again suffers another heart attack, and this time in front of their already worried client. Bert Cooper’s lie backfires, and in an attempt to salvage the account he officially tells Lee Garner, Sr. that Don Draper is in control of their account. Lee knows this, but he worries that the board of directors of Lucky Strike will not be as accepting with the change especially seeing that even Sterling Cooper does not present Don Draper as the man in-charge.

With the recent fiasco, the junior mad men begin to worry about job security some more than others. Harry Crane is not too worried about it. He believes that Sterling Cooper will make Don Draper partner knowing that he brought half of the accounts to the agency. This worries Pete Campbell given his bad relationship with Don, and his refusal to recognize the brilliance of the creative director.

Peggy Olson goes on a date with a young man her mother forced her to see. The decent young man who drives a truck on a route he bought with his own money acts very much like a gentleman, while Peggy Olson acts like a jerk. Gone is the sweet, simple girl. Peggy has changed. She starts ordering a drink that Joan Holloway would order, and even pretends to be a smoker. Annoyed at his date, the young man puts Peggy in her place telling her that she might work in Manhattan, and may act like a Manhattanite, but she is far from being one. Insulted, Peggy Olson leaves.

At the Draper’s house, Betty Draper sits in front of the television with her husband. She turns off the TV, and tries to lure him to their bedroom. Don Draper makes an excuse, and calls her psychiatrist instead. Don feels that her therapy is not working, and that it had made his wife even unhappier. Don is worried that her sessions with the doctor had made her already weak character weaker, making it more difficult for him to leave her. His call to the psychiatrist did nothing for the doctor did not provide a solution other than Betty attending more sessions with him.

The mad men in-charge of the weight loss belt account call Peggy for a presentation of her report. She presents the product that she renamed as The Rejuvenator as a device that will make women feel good about themselves, touching only slightly its ability to help women lose weight. Given the vagueness of Peggy’s presentation with regard to the product’s use, the men start to ask questions about it. Due to the vulgarity of an honest answer, Peggy just stands silent leaving Don to step-in. He describes the product as a device that provides women the pleasure of a man without a man. After a quick laugh at it, Don Draper goes back to business, and provides Peggy some constructive criticism, but their discussion was interrupted by Ken Cosgrove’s realization that Fred Rumsen’s wife loved the product causing Don to stop an altercation between the two men. Don did, however, still manage to compliment Peggy’s work, and his thoughts about her presentation is shared by all the men in the room.

Just as Don Draper prevented an altercation between Ken and Fred as brought about by the insinuation that the latter has not fulfilled his job as a husband, Betty Draper has resorted to fantasies, and a vibrating washing machine to satisfy her need. Betty imagines herself with the young air conditioner salesman as she presses herself against the vibrating washing machine. The Indian summer only got hotter for Betty Draper who after her fantasy had to cool off in front of an electric fan.

Realizing her good work as a copywriter, Peggy Olson steps inside Don Draper’s office to demand her own desk. Don welcomes discussion of a raise, but requires that the young woman not be timid about her demands. Bert Cooper interrupts their discussion. He pulls Don Draper to Roger Sterling’s office to offer him partnership with the company in order to restore faith with their clients. Don accepts the offer with only one demand – he will continue to work without a contract. As soon as Bert Cooper leaves, Pete Campbell wastes no time to hear the news firsthand, and also to start sowing his seeds. As expected, Don is in a very good mood. He gives Peggy the raise she asked for, a reliever for when she has to work on an account, and even gives her permission to leave the office early that day. After work, ambitious Pete Campbell had just sat on Don Draper’s chair when a package arrives. Pete curious as to the contents of the package for Don that has been labeled personal decides to bring it home with him.

Don Draper arrives home early to tell his wife the news of him making partner. Just as he is already in the mood, Betty is no longer interested. Peggy Olson, on the other hand, resorts to the vibrating weight loss belt.

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Nixon vs. Kennedy – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.12

Synopsis: With Roger Sterling still recovering from his heart attack, Sterling Cooper is in search of a new head of account services. Don Draper parades the candidate Herman “Duck” Phillips, irritating ambitious young ad executive Pete Campbell who has his eye set on the job. He becomes even more annoyed at learning that Don is not even considering him for the position, and decides to threaten the creative director with divulging his secret to the senior partner. Meanwhile, it is Election Day, and except for a few everybody decided to stay at the office to follow the returns.

Episode Summary: Don Draper introduces Herman “Duck” Phillips, a candidate for the head of account services, to Bertram Cooper. Duck has an impressive resume having worked for Y&R, a large advertising agency based in London, and landing the American Airlines account for them. But Cooper does not appear all that pleased with him. Rumor has it that Duck got involved with a woman he met at the British Museum. Soon after, his marriage and career was in shambles causing him to return to New York as a jobless divorcee who lives in a hotel. Having heard the background of who looks like the best candidate Don Draper has for the job, Pete Campbell could not be more irked. Pete believes that Don had not taken him seriously as a candidate for the head of account services despite his impressive track record with their clients. He was right. Don has no intention of even considering Pete for the job. Much to the young account executive’s chagrin, Don sees that Pete lacks experience, and probably maturity to handle such a responsibility.   Continue reading...

It’s Election Day, and although the Nixon camp did not enlist the services of Sterling Cooper to help with their campaign, everybody is still anxious as to the results of the election. The moment Don Draper stepped out of the office; the employees of Sterling Cooper turn the place into a bar as they gather around the TV set with booze in their hands joining the anticipation of electing a new president. So far, so good, their candidate Richard Nixon continues to have an overwhelming lead over John F. Kennedy. The night is still young, and already, the office is running out of drinks. If not for Joan Holloway who gave them permission to raid the supply closet, everybody would have been parched.

Don Draper arrives home earlier than expected much to his wife’s surprise. He is completely unaware of the state of the office, and probably does not much care. With alcohol pouring out of the water cooler, everybody is pretty much drunk like a skunk. Ken Cosgrove starts with the games by running after a secretary, and pinning her down to look at the color of the underwear she’s wearing. Because everybody’s intoxicated, nobody realizes the inappropriateness of his or her actions except maybe for Peggy Olson who actually worked her full shift. Meanwhile, Pete Campbell did not join the festivities at the office. He is at home sitting on his couch going through a shoebox of Don Draper’s personal belongings. Pete received the package by mistake, but decided to take it home with him nonetheless. His wife who had seen the contents of the box finds it peculiar that her husband has been keeping it tucked away in their closet as if it is his own.

Ken Cosgrove continues to cause a stir when he rummages through Paul Kinsey’s office, and pulls out a play that his colleague wrote. He begins reading aloud Paul’s play entitled Death is My Client. After a round of laughs, the office becomes silent as they gather around to watch the play with their fellow co-workers acting in it. Joan Holloway and Salvatore Romano play the lead characters, and their colleagues were utterly amused especially when Salvatore goes into character, and passionately kisses Joan. After five gallons of alcohol, everyone is up on their feet and dancing pausing only to hear that Nixon won the state of Ohio. The news only became fodder to what already is a raucous night at the office causing the two least rowdy employees, Harry and Hildy, to act uncharacteristically as the two passionately kiss. Harry Crane who is happily married, and who was supposed to be out with his wife that night could not feel guiltier. Hildy apologizes, and he does the same. However, the sincerity of their apologies brought them together. Harry and Hildy make love in his office, while the rest of their co-workers all tired and drunken camp outside listening to the news. Morning came, Harry and Hildy wake up in each others arms, and the reality of what they had done starts to sink in. Peggy Olson arrives at work like any other day, but finds the office in an absolute mess with her co-workers struggling to return to normalcy. Peggy Olson becomes furious at the sight of vomit in her wastebasket, and learning that her locker had been ransacked. All is pretty much a blur to everybody who spent the night at the office. The same can be said about the election.

Don Draper arrives at the office, and having read three newspapers all having different results, he runs straight up to Bertram Cooper’s office knowing that he has inside scoop. Nobody knows yet who won the election, but rumors of cheating had been flying around. Richard Nixon might request a recount, but the reality of the matter is that the cards are not in his favor. Pete Campbell, on the other hand, has in his hands something that could put Don Draper in his mercy. Still eyeing the head of account services position, Pete decides to use it to his advantage especially with Don showing no intention of considering him for the job. He tells Don that he knows that he has been living a lie. Having done his research, he lets him know that Don is in reality Dick Whitman. A soldier who died in the Korean War, and that the identity he had assumed is that of an older man. Pete threatens to divulge the information to Bertram Cooper, but all can be forgotten if only Don will reconsider his qualifications for the head of account services. Don Draper though clearly threatened tries to keep his composure despite being faced with the possibility of his secret being exposed. The moment Pete Campbell stepped out his office Don Draper opens the package, and finds inside it his dog tag and some old pictures of the life he tried so hard to hide. Disturbed at learning that Pete, of all people, had found out his secret, Don rushes to Rachel Menken. He without saying anything about the incident that brought about his sudden decision to leave, asks her to leave the life she knew and run away with him. Rachel Menken caught unaware by her lover’s demand to drop everything and forego the life she has for him becomes furious, and sends him away.

Don Draper troubled for his future returns to his office only to find Peggy Olson in tears. Seeing her in his office made him furious, but seeing that the young woman is distraught he decides to listen to her troubles. Peggy inadvertently caused the termination of a janitor and an elevator attendant after she complained about the ransacking of her locker. Both of whom were not even in the building at the time of the incident, but were unfortunately used as scapegoats for the wrongdoing of her coworkers who turned their office upside down with their raucous partying. Don Draper who has bigger problems of his own could not be of any help to Peggy, but him taking the time to listen was enough.

Don goes on to deal with his own problem. He goes to Pete Campbell to personally tell him that he has decided to hire Duck Phillips despite the young ad executive’s threat of exposing his real identity to Bertram Cooper. In fact, Don Draper boldly marches up to the senior partner’s office to tell him the truth.

Pete Campbell could not fathom how the man would risk his career instead of just handing him the job he wanted. The fact is Don Draper could not bring himself to let the young man who had always gotten everything he wanted in a silver platter to get the job the same way he always did. Pete has never had to work hard in his life, because everything was afforded him, and Don Draper has no tolerance for this. Don followed by Pete enters Bertram Cooper’s office to tell him that he is hiring Duck Phillips to be their new head of account services. Pete Campbell then divulges the truth about Don Draper that he is in reality Dick Whitman, and might very well be a deserter if not a criminal. Bertram Cooper though taken aback at what he had heard does not really care about the secret the young ad executive had exposed. True or not, Cooper finds that there’s no benefit in pursuing Don Draper’s real identity, and that Pete Campbell should put his energy into bringing in accounts than finding dirt on his superiors. Bertram Cooper gives Don the authority to terminate Pete Campbell if he wishes, but tells him that he might want to put a close eye on him saying that one never knows how loyalty is born.

Don Draper recalls his past as a young soldier in Korea. He was then Dick Whitman assigned to help the engineer Sergeant Don Draper build a field hospital. The two of them make up the whole company assigned the rigorous first task of digging fighting positions. Dick Whitman volunteered to join the war in an attempt to leave behind the life he knew. In the middle of their digging, their camp comes under attack. They survived the attack, and celebrated with a smoke. Don Draper noticed that the intensity of the ordeal caused Dick Whitman to unknowingly piss himself. Dick in an attempt to dry his pants accidentally drops his lit cigarette lighter onto the ground wet with gasoline. Seconds later, the fuel tank explodes. He survives badly wounded, but Sergeant Don Draper was burnt beyond recognition. He switches dog tags with the dead sergeant, and everybody is none the wiser. In fact, at the army hospital he was even awarded a Purple Heart, promoted to Lieutenant and was released to the reserves for the last eighty days of his active duty. He, however, was given the task of bringing home the dead body of Private Whitman. Private Dick Whitman now assuming the identity of Lieutenant Don Draper arrives homes in Bunbury. He watches his family through the window on the train as they receive the casket of what they all know to contain the body of Dick Whitman. His younger brother, Adam, who was only a child back then sees him peering through the window, and points at him but his parents would not believe him. Dick Whitman, now Don Draper, stays on the train. He watches Adam as he runs to the train that had started to pull away calling for him. With that, Dick Whitman leaves his life behind him to make himself a whole new life as Don Draper.

Don Draper returns home to his wife and children who knows nothing of his past or any of events that happened that day. He finds his wife, Betty, asleep on the couch in front of the television missing Richard Nixon’s speech acknowledging his defeat. The United States of America now has a new president – John F. Kennedy.

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Long Weekend – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.10

Synopsis: Betty and her children are getting an early start on the long weekend by going with her father and his new girlfriend whom Betty dislikes. Don Draper promises to drive down the shore to join them the very next day. Since office is still not closed, he has to work on the troubled Nixon campaign, and assist in the Menken account. Roger Sterling after being turned down by Joan Holloway decides to pick out an impromptu date with twin models. Don Draper was forced to accompany Roger, and spend a night with the twins. All is well until Roger Sterling suffers a heart attack.

Episode Summary: The Draper’s are spending the long weekend at Betty’s family’s summerhouse. Gene Driscoll, Betty’s father, drops by their house with his new girlfriend Gloria. With her mother only gone a few months, Betty could not help but think that Gloria had been eyeing his father as early as her mother’s funeral. Don Draper who is not looking forward to spending the long weekend with his extended family much more with an annoyed wife tries to at least shorten spending time with them by going to the office.   Continue reading...

Though most of the employees are gone for the Labor Day weekend, Don Draper and his team remain to work on the Nixon campaign. This after Kennedy surprisingly moved up the polls narrowing Nixon’s lead. They start their research with a comparison of ads from the two presidential candidates. Kennedy has a light, cheerful and catchy ad, while Nixon took the route of addressing serious issues, which are off putting. Pete Campbell plays with the idea of starting a smear campaign against Kennedy. Roger Sterling, however, dismisses the idea given that the only dirt they have on Kennedy is that he is a womanizer, which Don Draper believes would even help his campaign if the women find out. Don Draper’s approach is to package Nixon as a self-made man who worked his way up the top unlike his nouveau riche opponent who was born with a silver spoon. Roger Sterling, however, also disagrees with Don Draper’s approach. He believes that running a positive ad on Nixon would only convince those people who are already voting for him, while a critical ad on his opponent might do a better job of alienating the ones on the other side. Though he seemed to have dismissed Pete Campbell’s approach, Roger Sterling in reality wants them to produce an ad that would hurt Kennedy.

Though Roger Sterling wants some serious work done on the Nixon campaign even though he is not an official client, he still would not want to spend the long weekend laboring on the new Nixon ad. This is because he already has something else in mind. Roger Sterling pulls Joan Holloway to his office to convince her to spend the night with him. Knowing that his wife and daughter, and most wives in their circle are already gone for the long weekend was the catalyst for this seemingly bold step of parading his mistress. Joan Holloway, however, has just seen the movie The Apartment where Shirley McLain played an elevator girl who was having an affair with an executive in the office where she worked. The girl who was clearly only being used then commits suicide. The movie The Apartment made her ponder on her own situation, which is not far from what she watched. Roger Sterling argues that the movie is exaggerated, but Joan disagrees. Unlike before where she responds to Roger’s every beck and call, she makes him wait for her decision.

Paul Kinsey meets the Menken’s, and as per Roger Sterling’s order, Don Draper joins him. The reason being is that Rachel Menken’s father, Abraham, will be at the meeting. Roger feels that his coming means that he will be pulling the plug on their project. The team presents father and daughter their idea of the new Menken’s, one that is more sophisticated, and will appeal to a higher class of customers. Though the old man feels that the work they’ve done was well thought out, his main concern is the new restaurant that they want to add to the store. Construction of it would mean that a considerable amount of space in his store would have to be closed out. Don Draper, however, assures him that they will build an equally large anticipation to the opening of the restaurant that will make customers line-up on its opening day. He finds that the man might be a little against change that he tries to make him understand that times are no longer what it used to be, and that his customers evolved along with it. The customers who come to their Fifth Avenue store is now far from the ones who came to his old hosiery on Seventh Avenue. Much to their relief, Don Draper and Rachel Menken alike, Abraham does not pull the plug on their project despite the old man feeling that he did not have much of a say on the decision. Don thinks that he made quite an impression on the old man. The truth is Abraham Menken finds him a little too dashing for his taste.

Meanwhile, Joan Holloway gets a surprise visit from her roommate, Carol. She learns that Carol’s boss had just fired her for his mistake that she helped cover-up. Hearing of her roommate’s unfair termination only strengthened her growing annoyance with men.

After a pleasant meeting with the Menken’s, Don Draper gets some bad news from Pete Campbell. The young ad executive has come to tell him that they have lost the Dr. Scholl’s account. The company who wants to sell exercise sandals has decided to do business with the ad agency Leo Burnett. Pete Campbell who asserts to have only inherited the account did not put up a fight, and appears to delight in knowing that the dull and humorless ad proposed by creative was the cause of their dissatisfaction. Don Draper pretends to shrug off losing an account saying that the day you sign a client is the day you start losing them. He displays his frustration the minute Pete Campbell walks out the door. Don Draper takes the liberty of informing Roger Sterling about the lost account. The senior partner though also annoyed with the news sees no reason to dwell much on it. He copes with it the only way Roger Sterling knows how – women. He invites Don Draper to come with him to the casting call for the double-sided aluminum.

Draper and Roger Sterling arrive at casting seeing that the other mad men had the same idea as they had. The men had started flirting with the many twins waiting to be cast, but their arrival had signaled that their time is up. Roger Sterling starts to take his pick, and immediately he sets eyes at his prey, and just like that casting is over. The senior partner has decided, and Cartwright Double-Sided Aluminum now has found their new models – Eleanor and Mirabelle. Roger Sterling invites the twins up to his office for a drink. Don Draper of course comes along. Roger begins fondling Mirabelle, and when he asks that the two girls should kiss Don Draper has had enough, and announces of his leaving prompting his date to suggest the same. Roger somehow manages to make them stay.

Meanwhile, Joan Holloway who managed to resist her lover’s urging to spend the night with him is at home with her roommate getting ready for a night in the town. She gets the shock of her life when Carol tells her that she is in love with her. Apparently, Carol whom she met in college had followed Joan to the city just to be near her. Despite the startling confession of her female friend being in love with her, Joan blocks her roommate’s revelation relating her strange declaration as a result of the awful day she had. Though clearly hurt, Carol plasters on a smile, and goes along with Joan.

Don Draper is still at Roger Sterling’s office stuck with the other twin whom he clearly is not interested in given that he fends off every advance that the young woman makes on him. Roger Sterling and his date are horsing around literally. Don Draper once again announces his departure and offers to call a cab for his date, but she pleads him to stay with her and wait for her other twin who is still entertaining Roger Sterling.

Meanwhile, Joan Holloway and Carol return to their apartment accompanied by two men they met at the bar. After one drink, Joan immediately invites her date to her bedroom much to Carol’s dismay. Carol is then left in the living room with the man whom she has no interest in, but seeing that she had lost the battle with Joan she agrees to be used.

Don Draper being a complete gentleman to his date agrees to stay with her and wait. The young woman sensing the man’s refusal to take advantage of her asks what it is that she can do for him to like him. Don Draper tells her that she is trying too hard. It was then they heard Mirabelle’s cry for help. Don Draper and Eleanor rush to Roger Sterling’s office, and find him lying there with his pants down suffering a heart attack. Don Draper orders the twins to call the ambulance, and leave right away. The paramedics arrive just in time, and they roll him out of the office with him crying for Mirabelle. Don Draper grabs his boss by the hair, slaps, and reproaches him to make him yell his wife’s name instead of his lover’s.

Don Draper spends the rest of the night at the hospital to be with his friend, while he waits for his wife and daughter to arrive. Roger Sterling’s life-threatening ordeal seemed to have changed him. Roger ponders on his life. He breaks down at the sight of his wife rushing to his side, genuinely declaring his love for her. Weak, ailing, and terrified, a completely different persona from the fun-loving, no-holds-barred Roger Sterling, he reunites with his family including his teenage daughter whom his relationship is strained. Upon getting a call from the office, Joan Holloway immediately rushes to the office with her date in tow. Joan arrives and finds Bertram Cooper waiting for her. He orders that her date leave, and she tells him to ignoring his annoyed resistance. Bertram Cooper then delivers her the news of Roger suffering a heart attack. He informs her that he survived, but is hospitalized for the time being. Bertram had called her to help with sending telegrams to their clients informing them of the senior partner’s condition, but more so to provide assurance that business will not be affected. Joan Holloway though in tears at having heard the news of her lover’s condition starts to type the telegrams as Bertram Cooper reads the names of each and every Sterling Cooper client. When the work is done, Bertram and Joan walk together to the elevator, and the old man gives her some unsolicited advice. Bertram Cooper tells Joan Holloway that she should not waste her youth on age.

Don Draper is still in the hospital. He picks up the phone to inform his wife of the news, and to tell her that he would have to postpone joining them at the shore. Betty Draper like her husband dislikes being at the shore, but more because of her father’s new girlfriend being around. It was painful for Betty to sit and watch her father act around his girlfriend the same way he did with his mother. She feels that her father has moved on, and completely forgotten about her mother whom he was married to for around forty years. Don urges her to stop having those thoughts, which are most likely fodder to her depression. Later, Pete Campbell arrives at the hospital curious as to what happened. Don Draper pretends to not know anything about the cause of Roger’s heart attack. To add to the dreadful day at the office, Pete and Don hear the television ad that is playing in the hospital lobby. The Kennedy’s had beat them to the punch, and had launched a critical ad against Nixon. The ad claims that Richard Nixon is not as experienced as he makes himself to be, and that even President Eisenhower thinks that the current Vice President has not made decisions in the White House.

Don Draper troubled at the recent events seeks comfort for the very first time from Rachel Menken instead of Midge. Rachel who received the telegram about Roger Sterling’s heart attack is nonetheless surprised at finding Don Draper at her doorstep. Don copes with the distress of finding his friend suffering a heart attack the way he knows it. He kisses Rachel Menken who unlike Midge resists; finding that having an affair would do no good. Seeing his friend almost losing his life made Don Draper ponder about his own mortality. Don once again kisses Rachel feeling that he should live as though there is no tomorrow. Rachel at first resists telling Don that he should go to his wife, but then gives in. Later, it is Don who stops to tell the woman that they should not continue unless Rachel is certain that this is what she wants. Don Draper and Rachel Menken finally make love, and even after he already got what he had long desired, Don Draper stays. He even opens up a part of him that he never had shared with anyone else before – his past. Don Draper tells Rachel Menken that his mother like hers died of childbirth. Moreover, he tells her that her mother was a prostitute, and that right after he was born Don was brought to his father and his wife. His father, on the other hand, was a drunk who died after getting kicked in the face by a horse. His stepmother then married another man, and they were the ones who raised him.

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Ladies Room – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.2

Synopsis: When Betty Draper runs into an accident after losing faculty of her hands, and the physicians cannot find anything physically wrong with her, they suggest that she see a psychiatrist. Don Draper becomes upset and disturbed at the thought of his wife having to see a shrink. Meanwhile, it is Peggy Olson’s second week at the office, and the young woman is ecstatic at having gotten her first paycheck. Her happiness is short-lived after learning the harsh truth of how men treat the women at their workplace.

Episode Summary: Don and Betty Draper are having dinner with Roger Sterling and his wife Mona. Roger’s order of fried chicken reminded him of his nanny Belva whom he adored. Having shared something about his childhood, Roger tries to get Don Draper to do the same. Don who has mastered keeping his past private yet again manages to avoid having to talk about his childhood. The ladies excuse themselves, and make their way to the ladies room. Betty who has trouble holding her liquor finds that her hands had gone numb, and embarrassingly had to ask Mona to help her with putting on lipstick. Moreover, Betty had started to talk about her mother’s passing, which Mona didn’t appear to be interested in hearing. Luckily, a line had already formed in the ladies room requiring the women to leave, and abruptly end their conversation. Though clearly the alcohol had gone to her head, Betty was sober enough to ruminate on why her husband keeps to himself. Betty knows nothing about her husband’s past, and she wonders who the man beside him really is.  Continue reading...

Peggy Olson just got her very first paycheck, and she is on top of the world. Meanwhile, a colleague is feeling just the opposite, and she could not help but wonder why. Meanwhile, Ken Cosgrove briefs his colleagues about Gillette’s new product -- a deodorant in a can. The very first one to create such a product, Ken is thrilled with his client’s innovation. Unfortunately, his colleagues do not share the same sentiment especially when one of them gets a dud. His coworker who is much smaller than him manages to snatch the spray can he is holding opening up his lack of basketball skills despite his lanky stature. Things get much worse for Kenny when Don Draper suggests that one of them should test it. All eyes point at the easiest target – Ken Cosgrove. Much to his chagrin, the three men overpower him. Bertram Cooper enters the room just as three of his employees have their colleague pinned down on the desk getting his armpits sprayed with deodorant. Not exactly shocked at what the men were doing, Cooper was more surprised at finding Don Draper to be the instigator. The senior partner, however, is more concerned with his company not working on the Nixon campaign than what he had witnessed. Though Nixon did not hire Sterling & Cooper to help them win the election, Bertram Cooper wants Don Draper to organize a team dedicated to working on it.

Paul Kinsey’s lunch plans changed when Don’s did. He turns to Peggy who had just pulled out her lunch from the drawer, and subtly invites her to have lunch with him not necessarily offering to buy her one. Peggy set on saving turns him down, and sticks with the lunch she brought to work. Joan pities the young woman, and decides to treat her out. Luckily or maybe purposely they come across three of their male colleagues who insist on buying the two ladies their lunch. At the diner, the men open up talk of whether or not Peggy is romantically attached to anyone. Obviously, nobody knows about the affair she had with Pete Campbell right before he got married. All they know is that Pete is currently in Niagara Falls having a blast at his honeymoon. Meanwhile, Ken Cosgrove as if given the license after offering to pay for lunch hits on Peggy in an attempt to regain his masculinity after earlier events had it undermined.

It is afternoon, and Francine is at the Draper’s chatting with Betty about Helen Bishop, their new neighbor that had just moved in. The women feel sorry for the divorcee who was left alone with her nine year-old boy and baby. Later, Betty is out on a drive with her two children when she passes by Helen Bishop’s house, and sees the exhausted woman pulling a large box of her things to the house with many more boxes waiting to be hauled. Suddenly, Betty’s hands become numb, and could not grab on to the wheel. She loses control of the car, and swerves on to the lawn hitting a fountain. The car stops, but her hands continue to shake, but regains control of them after realizing that her children are in the backseat. Luckily, Sally and Robert were neither harmed nor shocked. In fact, the kids who are now on the floor of the car appeared to have enjoyed the accident.

Apparently, Don Draper is having Midge for lunch. The two once again have their afternoon tryst. Don though the one who is attached appears to be more concerned with Midge having relations with other men. He uses the new television that now sits in the woman’s living room to bring up the subject. Knowing that the eccentric artist would not have bought one for herself, Don probes as to the source of this generous gift. Not wanting to go into an argument with her lover, Midge throws the television out the window pleasing Don Draper, but infuriating the woman on the sidewalk that almost got hit with it.

Betty Draper prepares dinner for her family still a bit shaken up about the accident. Don Draper who didn’t learn of it until much later because he was out with Midge still was already aware of what happened by the time he got home. Upon his urging, Betty tells his husband about having lost faculty of her hands, which led to the accident. The two doctors whom Betty had consulted could not diagnose the problem, but are both positive that there is nothing physically wrong with the young mother. The doctor had suggested that she consult a psychiatrist. This angers Don Draper who does not believe in shrinks. Betty thinks that the stigma that comes along with having to see a psychiatrist is the reason for Don’s annoyance, but her husband explains that he had always seen the need to go to therapists as a sign of unhappiness. It is for this reason that he disapproves of her having to go to one. Don would like to believe that his wife is content and happy with her life, and Betty though clearly is not, tells her husband that she is.

The idea that his wife is unhappy continues to bother Don Draper, and he carries it with him at the office. Paul Kinsey and the team working with the Right Guard aerosol can campaign were the unfortunate recipients of his sour mood. Paul presented ads that featured the product as something from the future, and out of this world. Don rejected all of his ideas with the notion that the ads ignore what women want. He believes that it is the ladies who do the shopping, and therefore should be their target audience. The team leaves Don’s office led by Paul, the most dejected among all of them. Paul asks Peggy once again, and this time she agrees even if she has to pay for it. Luckily, he was only joking when he asked that she pay for his lunch, and actually paid for both their sandwiches. He also showed Peggy around the office keeping her informed of what the different departments do. This after the young woman mistakenly thought that account executives tell copywriters what to do. Paul corrects her saying that only Don Draper, the head of creative, tells the writers what to do. Unlike Ken Cosgrove, Paul acted like a gentleman around Peggy, and even let her in the little known fact that there are women copywriters.

It is 4:30pm and Don Draper’s mind is still preoccupied with the idea of his wife needing a psychiatrist. He asks his friend and boss Roger Sterling who just a few nights ago had mentioned that his daughter was consulting one. Roger telling Don that he must be mistaken clearly shows that there still exists a stigma at having a family member going to a shrink. He tells him that the growing need of women having to see a psychiatrist is more likely than not a fad.

Don Draper arrives home bringing with him a present for his wife thinking that it will somehow take her worries away. He could not be more wrong, and this he learns when Betty starts to fuss about a bruise she thought she saw on her daughter’s face as a result of yesterday’s accident. Betty starts to think of horrible things that would have happened to her children especially her daughter who could have been scarred for life. Seeing how disturbed his wife has become, Don Draper has a change of heart, and is now willing to send Betty to a psychiatrist. In fact, he brings his wife to a shrink the very next day. Upset at having to come to terms with Betty seeing a psychiatrist, he seeks comfort from Midge who did not appreciate her lover telling her about his wife’s condition. Midge fully aware that she is a mistress states that being reminded of it makes her feel cruel. The two nonetheless spend the afternoon together. It seems that Midge is just what the doctor had ordered. Gone are Don’s worries clearing up his mind to think of the perfect copy for the Right Guard ad.

Don Draper called-in sick, and his employees could not wait to take the day off as well. Peggy Olson, however, continues to work, and even foregoes her lunch date with Paul. She goes to his office to inform him, and learns the sad truth that all the men at Sterling Cooper are the same. Gone is Paul’s gentleman act as he closes his office door, and starts to kiss Peggy. She pulls away going with the excuse that she is already romantically attached with another man. Infuriated with what happened at lunch, Peggy decides to sneak out the office thirty minutes before five. Joan Holloway sees her, and reprimands the young woman who has only been with the company for two weeks. Joan noticing the woman’s uncharacteristically poor work, and nasty attitude probes Peggy learning that she is upset after being harassed by men who took her out to lunch. Joan’s advice is for Peggy to just let it ride for it will not be long until they forget about her and start picking on a new girl. Her talk with Joan did the trick. Peggy regained her composure, and finished her work without errors. She goes to the ladies room, and sees just like the other day that another female colleague is crying. Having experienced first-hand how the men at her workplace treat women as dessert, Peggy is now fully aware as to the cause of the many sobs that occur inside the ladies room. However, instead of taking the sad route she decides to take Joan’s advice, and becomes unaffected by it all.

Betty has started her sessions with the therapist. She believes that her anxiety is the cause of her problems, which unfortunately is manifested with her hands going numb. Her doctor neither agrees nor disagrees with this analysis. In fact, he has not uttered a word despite being asked a question so Betty is left to do all the talking. She continues her session with talk about her mother passing away.

A day with his lover, and an evening with his wife, Don Draper has everything. Don is pleased to see his wife unconcerned with anything, and plainly enjoying dinner with her husband. Curious as to what transpired at her therapy, Don could not wait to hear about it from the doctor without Betty’s knowledge of course. So it appears that the doctor does know how to speak, but he only gladly does so to the man who writes his paycheck.

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Shoot – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.9

Synopsis: Jim Hobart, an executive from a competing advertising agency woos Don Draper into joining his company. Aside from bribing Don with expensive gifts, Mr. Hobart decides to use Betty Draper as well by giving her a job as an ad model hoping that this might encourage Don. Meanwhile, Peggy Olson is progressively gaining weight that her coworkers especially the men begin to notice.

Episode Summary: Don Draper is having a smoke during the intermission of Fiorello when Jim Hobart of McCann Erickson comes up to him to try and get him to join his company. Don only smiles, and did not have to give an answer for their wives interrupted their conversation. Adele Hobart pulls him to get a drink, while Betty Draper stays with Jim who after hearing that she had done some modeling decided to offer her a job at the Coca-Cola campaign ad they were working on. Later, after the show, Betty informs her husband about this, and he immediately senses it as a ploy to get him to switch sides. Though aware that Mr. Hobart’s reason for offering her a job is to get her husband to move to McCann, Betty could not help but think that the man had seen potential in her. Betty flattered and overjoyed at having given a chance reminisces her modeling days by showing her friend Francine the old dresses the designer she worked for before made for her.  Continue reading...

Jim Hobart’s courtship continues with a gift for Don. The head honcho had secured for him a membership at an exclusive club, which forced Don to give him a call. Mr. Hobart speaks of his company with glowing terms for it is an international advertising agency unlike Sterling Cooper whom he sees as a mom-and-pop operation. Hearing the roster of well-known clients McCann is handling, and the salary they are willing to offer him, Don could not help but wonder.

Betty Draper is still rapt about the modeling job that she informs her therapist about it in one of their sessions. Talk about her past as a model enabled her to open up at a much deeper level. She remembers that it was at a photo shoot for a fur company where she met Don who immediately asked her out. Though she turned him down, he managed to find a way to win her heart. Don only used to be a copywriter for the fur company back then, but seeing how much she liked the fur coat decided to acquire it for her. After two or three more modeling jobs, Betty and Don got engaged, and soon after she got pregnant. The couple decided to move out of Manhattan, and settle in Ossining to raise a family. It seems that settling down had made Betty feel old. She remembers how her mother gives much importance on looks and weight. To her, it is the only way to find a man, but when Betty became a model, her mother hated that too to the point of her calling Betty a prostitute. Her therapist concludes that Betty is in fact angry with her mother. This upsets Betty not realizing that her therapist is right.

The mad men of Sterling Cooper sit in a conference room watching Jacqueline Kennedy’s ad appealing to a Spanish speaking audience. Don Draper has trouble comprehending all the work that’s involved in putting together a counterattack campaign that may not even materialize.

Peggy Olson appears to be distracted, and it’s not just because of the extra copywriting work she’s doing. Peggy is progressively gaining weight, and it has come to a point where she outgrows her clothes. This she realized when her skirt ripped upon bending down to pick-up an eraser that had fallen on the floor. The damage is well beyond mending that the only solution she came up with is to wrap a sweater around her waist to hide it. Luckily, Joan Holloway keeps a spare outfit that she’s willing to share.

After mistaking that the bag of golf clubs that arrived for Don Draper is for him, Roger Sterling learns that Jim Hobart is wooing their top ad executive. He confronts Don about this who informs him of the offer without any reservation. More than the salary, it appears that what appeals most to Don is McCann Erickson’s big name clients like Pan Am. Roger Sterling does his best to dissuade Don from accepting Hobart’s offer, in case the unexpected bonus he received from Betram Cooper would not suffice. Word gets around pretty fast, and the other mad men are already talking about the possibility of Don moving to McCann. The subject of their conversation quickly changes at the sight of Peggy Olson who now is donning Joan Holloway’s dress. The men could not help but discuss about the young lady’s unflattering weight gain, which turned off a lot of them including Ken Cosgrove who once made a pass at her. Pete Campbell having had an affair with Peggy more than once becomes uncomfortable at their conversation, and decides to leave. It must have been so uncomfortable for him to decide to forego a nice chat with his colleagues for a meeting about Secor laxatives. However, it proved propitious for the meeting paved way for some brilliant thinking about the Nixon campaign. Faced with the dilemma of both Nixon and Kennedy camps vying for airtime, Pete Campbell comes up with the idea of flooding undecided states with Secor laxatives ads therefore preventing the Kennedy ads from appearing.

Betty Draper decides to go back to modeling, but not without informing her husband who fully supports her decision. Wearing an over-the-top dress, Betty feels uneasy sitting in line with other casually dressed young models waiting to get picked. A little embarrassed, she is relieved at the sight of Jim Hobart who obviously immediately picks her out of the line. Later that evening, Betty gets a call that she got the job, and she couldn’t be more pleased. Seeing how happy his wife is, Don assures her that he too is happy for her.

While Betty is out on a photo shoot for Coca-Cola, her children are left in the care of an old neighbor who had fallen asleep while watching them. Sally Draper and her little brother are at the yard with their dog Polly watching Mr. Brestwood as he lets his pet pigeons fly free when their dog runs after one of the birds, and bites it. Furious, the old man threatens to shoot the dog the next time it steps on his yard. Betty returns home ecstatic at her first day at work, and is oblivious to her daughter’s distressed behavior. Later that night, Sally Draper has a bad dream about their dog getting shot only then did they learn about what happened that afternoon. This worried Don more than Betty, but his wife assures him that she’ll have a talk with their neighbor afraid that her husband might make it worse especially with him thinking of confronting their neighbor right then and there.

The next morning, the mad men of Sterling Cooper are having a meeting with Don Draper. Hoping that the man might bring along with him some of them when he decides to move to McCann Erickson, the men could not help but suck up. Bertram Cooper and Roger Sterling interrupts their meeting eager to find out who is responsible for the significant media buys for the yet to be produced Secor laxative commercials. Afraid at the unexpected visit from the owners, Harry Crane comes forward, and later on Pete Campbell not knowing what will become of them. Fortunately, despite the tone of Cooper’s voice, and the expression on Sterling’s face, both are actually very pleased at what they have done to the extent of Cooper calling their strategy inspired. The men celebrate their success with drinks at Pete’s office. They invite Hildy to join them, but later treat her badly when the buttoned-up secretary turns them down.

Meanwile, Don Draper gets an envelope from Jim Hobart containing pictures of Betty Draper’s photo shoot, and finally decides to stay with Sterling Cooper. He goes over to Roger Sterling’s office to inform him of his decision, but not without getting a raise, and an assurance that he will not be bound by a contract. Seeing how Jim Hobart operates, Don realizes that he likes the way Sterling Cooper does business. He assures Roger that if one day he leaves them, it will not be to work for another advertising company. Don Draper gives Jim Hobart a call to turn down his offer, and a piece of his mind at the way he was wooed. Unfortunately for Betty, this also puts an end to her rather short-lived comeback as a model. The news was rather upsetting causing her to lose composure as she sobs.

At Sterling Cooper, Peggy Olson gratefully returns the dress that Joan Holloway lent to her, so grateful that she even had it dry cleaned. Noticing the young woman’s weight gain, Joan feels pity for Peggy that she gives her another unsolicited advice. Not so good with words, Joan’s advice came out sounding insolent especially with her telling Peggy that she was being considered for an account only because a client’s wife thought she is harmless. Unlike Peggy, Joan’s only real goal is finding a husband, which explains her obsession with looks. Soon after Peggy understood this, she realizes that Joan no matter how blunt her words are, the woman really thinks she is being helpful. If Peggy has no other ambition but to find a husband then she absolutely has to take Joan’s advice for the men already find her weight gain distasteful. All but Pete Campbell truly feels for her. This he proved after he sucker punches Ken Cosgrove after the young ad executive akin her figure to a lobster where all the meat is in the tail. The senior executives, however, could not care less. Don Draper and Roger Sterling turn a blind eye at the brawl as the two make their way out of the office.

Don Draper arrives home, and finds her wife preparing dinner as if nothing happened at her photo shoot. Betty pretends that all is well, and that it was her decision to stop working. Don knows very well the cause of her being out of the job, but decides to humor her. He plays the good, supportive husband desiring only what his wife wants. Don comforts his wife by telling her that she is doing a great job as a mother to their two children, and how he would have given anything to have a mother like her. Don really is good with words, and his words seemed to have done the trick. The next morning, Betty Draper is back to her old job as a housewife. She cheerily whips up breakfast for her family appearing happy to be serving them, but then afternoon came, and the house is quiet without her husband and kids. She sits alone at the dining table with a cigarette on her hand just staring at nothingness. The sound of fluttering wings breaks her reverie. Betty Draper steps onto their backyard with a BB gun on one hand, and a cigarette on another. She watches as Mr. Brestwood’s pigeons fly to the bright, blue sky before aiming her gun, and shooting the birds leaving her neighbor in utter shock.

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The Hobo Code – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.8

Synopsis: Pete Campbell and Peggy Olson arrive to work early only to end up having an affair. Their office tryst did little to calm her nerves in anticipation of the Belle Jolie meeting where her ad copy is to be presented. Her worry was for nothing for the client bought the pitch. The whole office to celebrate her success spend the night drinking and dancing at P.J. Clarke’s. Meanwhile, Don Draper decides to spend his bonus in Paris with his lover Midge. Unfortunately, the woman would rather get high with her friends, and so Don obeys. While in the state of intoxication, he recalls the time when his stepmother takes in a hobo.

Episode Summary: Pete Campbell and his wife are moving to their new apartment. He arrives early for work in order to take off at lunch to supervise the movers. Much to his surprise, Peggy Olson is at the office as well. Unable to sleep due to the excitement of her ad copy being presented to Belle Jolie, the young woman decided to come in early. Knowing that there’s no one else at the office, but the two of them, Pete and Peggy let their passions overcome them, and the two make love. The rest of the workforce arrives without suspecting anything.  Continue reading...

Don Draper is called in to the office of the eccentric, but nonetheless wise Bertram Cooper who hands him a check worth $2,500 for his hard work. The old partner also goes on talking about Ayn Rand’s book Atlas Shrugged, and claims to know to have met and seen every kind of person there is enough to know what kind of a man Don is. He makes an assessment of Don Draper saying that the two of them are alike. He finds him to be a productive, and reasonable man, who in reality is self-interested, and unsentimental of other people. Like any other meeting with Cooper, strange would be an understatement.

Lois Sadler is a new addition to the Switchboard department, and already she exudes trouble. The new girl has become smitten with the Italian-speaking gentleman who keeps on receiving calls from his mother. Intent on putting a face to the voice, and to confirm Joan Holloway’s description of the stylish and debonair Salvatore Romano, Lois takes the trouble of dropping by the Art Department. She couldn’t be more pleased at the sight of him. Just like Salvatore, Pete Campbell receives a surprise visit, but he with his wife. Trudy has come to fetch him so the two of them may go to their newly bought apartment together. Pete who had earlier that day had intercourse with another woman feels guilty, and acts defensively at his wife’s surprise visit. Realizing that his reaction is uncalled for, and seeing that he has upset his wife, Pete apologizes, and uses the stress of work as an excuse. Unaware of her husband’s extramarital affair, Trudy accepts his husband’s apology, and even comforts him.

The clients from Belle Jolie have arrived, and Fred Rumsen starts to pitch the ad copy that Peggy Olson created. Unfortunately, the head honcho Hugh Brody is not interested with the route that Sterling Cooper took. Don Draper steps in, and instead of indulging their client, he feigns disinterest with doing business with them given that Belle Jolie appears to want to continue with the path they have already taken even though it has failed, and is not open to a fresh approach, which is what Sterling Cooper set on to provide. Don pushed the right buttons, and Belle Jolie has a change of heart. The mad men celebrate at Don’s office bypassing Peggy Olson who clearly is disappointed until the men call her in to join in with the merriment. Peggy is ecstatic, and she could not wait to tell the girls who except for Joan couldn’t be any happier for her success, and suggest that they continue the celebration at P.J. Clarke’s. Peggy invites Pete Campbell, and the other mad men who had gathered in his office, while Lois Sadler invites Salvatore Romano.

Don Draper leaves work early, and drops in on Midge only to find her in the company of eccentric guests. Don who had just received a bonus from Cooper decides to spend it in Paris with his mistress. Much to his surprise, Midge would rather spend the night getting high with her friends. Following the wishes of his lover, Don joins them. While under the influence, Don Draper remembers his past. He was a child then when his stepmother against her husband’s wishes takes in a hobo who promised to work for food, lodging, and a few cents. He recalls the hobo to be different from other bums. As it turns out, the man actually had a job once, a family, and even a mortgage, but the man left all of those to live a life of a nomad. He also learns from him about the hobo code. People like him would put markings on the gates of the home’s of people who took them in. The markings tell other hobos what to expect, and learn a little about the kind of people who live in them. The hobo after doing a full day of work for the Whitman’s expects the payment promised to him, but Archie Whitman does not give him anything. The hobo just walks away, but not without marking the gate to indicate that a dishonest man lives there.

With the senior ranking employees of Sterling Cooper gone, Peggy Olson’s party starts two hours before work ends. The whole office head to P.J. Clarke’s to celebrate the young woman’s success at her ad copy getting sold. It was a night of dancing and drinking who could ask for anything more? Peggy Olson threw caution to the wind, and let herself loose only to have Pete Campbell reject her, ruining her night of gaiety. In that crowd, it is not only Peggy who feels rejected for Salvatore much to Lois’ dismay is nowhere in sight. The man had decided to have dinner at the Roosevelt with one of the Belle Jolie client. Elliot Lawrence who had instantly recognized Salvatore to be gay makes a proposition to him. Salvatore who hasn’t come out of the closet is scandalized, and leaves.

Spending the night with Midge and her friends made Don realize that the woman is, in fact, in love with her free loving friend Roy Hazelitt. To confirm, he asks Midge once again to go away to Paris with him, and she still declines. Don returns home, and promises his son that he would never lie to him. He finds comfort at the child’s unconditional love for his father, and that night he slept like a stone. Morning came, and it is back to the grind. Peggy Olson once again comes to work early, hoping that Pete Campbell had done the same, but he did not. Moreover, when Pete arrives, the young man did not even send her a glance.

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Red in the Face – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.7

Synopsis: Roger Sterling having no plans for the night after learning that Joan Holloway is unavailable convinces Don Draper to go drinking with him. Showing no signs of going home, Don decides to invite him to dinner. All is well until an inebriated Roger makes a pass at Betty. This angers Don Draper causing him to cook up a scheme against his boss. Meanwhile, Pete Campbell begins his streak of embarrassment after bringing to the office a duplicate wedding present he and his wife received.

Episode Summary: Don Draper calls his wife’s therapist for an update, and the news is not at all pleasant. His initial assessment is that Betty has emotions of a child. Dr. Wayne, however, confesses that there has been little progress made especially with Betty’s reticence. He believes that he will be able to tackle deeper issues than petty jealousies and anxieties that Betty suffers from as she becomes more forthright with her feelings.  Continue reading...

It’s only Thursday, and everybody acts as if it’s the weekend. All have plans, and couldn’t wait to get out of the office except for Peggy Olson who plans on staying over to work on copy for the Belle Jolie campaign. Roger Sterling thought he was in luck when his mother-in-law fell down the stairs forcing his wife and daughter to spend the weekend with her, but Joan Holloway is not at his beck and call. The woman whom he loves to call Red already made plans of her own leaving him searching for other company. The unlucky person this time is Don Draper, and even unluckier is his wife Betty who has to settle for salad after her husband invites Roger for dinner at their house. A couple bottles of liquor, packs of cigarettes, and war stories later a drunk Roger makes a pass at Betty while her husband is rummaging for more alcohol at his request. Don Draper returns not seeing what had actually happened, but nonetheless sensing something disquieting had transpired. He confronts his wife about the incident particularly upset at her flirtatious behavior towards his boss. What would have been a quiet evening at the Draper house ended with marital discomfort, all thanks to Roger Sterling.

Roger may have been drunk the previous night, but he was sober enough to realize his mistake. Like a true friend, he confronts Don about it with a good bottle of wine as peace offering. Don Draper pretends to not know his concern, but Roger sees right through him. The man whose name is plastered on the wall does his best to apologize for making a pass at Betty blaming it on intoxication. He tells of a story when he got so drunk that he went home only to learn that he is in the wrong building. He may not have been as inebriated as he was then, but he was close. Mistaking Don’s car for his is evidence enough. Don accepts his boss’ apology ending the awkwardness of the incident.

While the boys were out at happy hour last night, Pete Campbell was with the in-laws. Marriage has clearly changed his lifestyle, and he unknowingly set himself up for teasing when he brought with him to work a wedding present his wife supposedly ordered him to return. His new domesticated lifestyle once again causes him to miss out on fun. Lunch out with the boys is replaced by an errand for the wife. Still, Pete asserts that it gives him joy to please his wife even if it means waiting in line at the store. No good deed goes unpunished. This he realized when the woman who was in line with him at the store slightly made fun at him doing errands for the wife. The woman not only managed to insult him, but also made it sound as if his willingness to fulfill his domestic duties is hindering his career growth. Pete Campbell’s embarrassment streak continues when a friend sees him in line returning the Chip ‘n’ Dip present he and his wife received at their wedding. His ego takes a beating when his attempts at flirting with the sales clerk to get her to give him cash instead of store credit fails miserably. Feeling emasculated, Pete Campbell finds comfort at using the store credit to buy a BB gun. He takes his aggression at taking aim at the women in their office, but a woman yet again puts him back in his place. Hildy, his secretary, spoils the fun with a meeting reminder.

The men meet in preparation for the ad campaigns that would follow Richard Nixon’s nomination. Though without an official opponent, the most part of the meeting went on to speculating who it would be. However, Bertram Cooper seems sure that it would be Kennedy, the inexperienced Catholic boy who is the son of a millionaire. The men run ideas based on their client’s slogans, and so far it all boils down to experience, which the supposed opponent doesn’t have. However, Pete Campbell feels that there is more to Kennedy’s appeal than meets the eye, but his comparison of the politician to Elvis did not sell well with senior partners. It’s not just Pete Campbell’s day for his grief extends to his home where he met his wife’s fury upon learning that he had exchanged their wedding gift for a BB gun. Don Draper’s evening was not pleasant as well despite his loving wife preparing roast beef for dinner. It seems as though Don had forgiven his boss for last night’s incident, but has trouble doing the same to his wife.

Much to his embarrassment, Pete Campbell returns to the office with his BB gun. Oblivious to his problems, Peggy Olson comes in to ask his opinion about the copy she wrote. Clearly, the young man’s mind is somewhere else, but instead of ignoring the young woman he shares with her one of his hunting fantasies. Peggy could not help but feel aroused at the young man’s detailed account of how he would take the animal he hunted, clean, dress, and hand it over to a woman who will cook it for him only to watch him eat the fruit of his labor.

Meanwhile, Betty Draper sees Helen Bishop at the grocery store, and learns that the woman has been avoiding her after finding a lock of her hair in Glen’s treasure box. Betty confirms that she indeed had given the boy a lock of her hair, which appalls the woman even more. Helen’s disgust at her only caused Betty to slap the woman causing the other women at the grocery to give her disapproving stares. News of this incident spread fast that Francine could not help but ask her friend about it. Betty did not deny whatever story she heard for she herself could not believe her actions. Francine, however, sees some good at Betty letting people know that she could be tough when necessary, and she is not all sweet and perfect. Naturally, Betty is more willing to share her deeper thoughts to a friend than to a therapist. How people see her is really only a carefully painted front, which is a lesson she learned from her mother. She does her best to keep her appearance, and many times she is aware of how men look at her, but there too are times when certain stares cause her to feel ashamed, and even guilty.

Don Draper despite accepting Roger Sterling’s apology, and having a good time with him at lunch feasting on platters of oysters, and glasses of martinis truly has not fully forgiven the man for making a pass at his wife. Having bribed the elevator operator to pretend that the elevator is out of service, and already late for the meeting with Nixon’s brain trust, the men have no other choice but to use the stairs. Clearly unfit, Roger struggles to get to the Sterling Cooper offices on the 26th floor. He makes it all right, but only to throw up in front of their clients. Don Draper has had his revenge.

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Babylon – Mad Men Episode Summary 1.6

Synopsis: Israel Tourism wants Sterling Cooper to create ads that would bring people with money to their country. Don Draper uses this to get Rachel Menken to meet with him again. Meanwhile, while Joan Holloway is busy sneaking with Roger Sterling, Peggy Olson had innocently started to climb up the ladder following the brainstorming for their client Belle Jolie.

Episode Summary: It’s Mother’s Day. Don Draper prepares breakfast for his wife, and brings it up to their room when he steps on his son’s toy that had been carelessly left on the stairs. Don falls, and suddenly remembers the last time he fell off the stairs. He was still a child back then, and his brother Adam had just been born. The cries of his children and his wife rushing to his side brought him back to reality.  Continue reading...

After a day out celebrating Mother’s Day, the Drapers return home. With the children already asleep by the time they got back, Don and Betty have the night to themselves. Don peruses the book The Best of Everything, and is amused at what his wife has been reading. Betty attests that it is better than the movie version that starred Joan Crawford. Crawford who was already fifty-four when the movie came out made Betty think about her own aging. A gorgeous woman herself, Betty worries that her beauty would deteriorate the same way it did with Joan Crawford. However, she remembers how her mother aged gracefully, and how up until the end she remained vibrant. She hopes that the same will happen to her. Sensing that his wife is going down the road of melancholia, Don tries his best to steer her away. Betty, on the other hand, argues that she is merely being sentimental; a feeling that is according to her psychiatrist is part of the mourning process. Betty is slighted at Don’s cynicism towards her therapist, but somehow Don managed to change the mood. The two begin to make love, and Betty confesses how much she desires him so. How much she yearns to be with him every single day.

Mother’s day is over, and it’s back to the grind. Don Draper and Roger Sterling meet with a potential client who believes that America has a love affair with Israel. Their goal is to bring tourism to Israel targeting those who are well-off. Leveraging on the popularity of Leon Uris’ book Exodus, the client wants the same success Sterling Cooper gave to Rio de Janeiro’s tourism. However, advertising for a war-torn country is no walk in the park. Pete Campbell has a bad feeling about this particular project especially with a country that is exhibiting communist leanings. So far, the mad men of Sterling Cooper haven’t painted a pretty picture having come up with a summation of Israel that they see as a quasi-communist, Jewish filled country with armed women and a few Arabs. Only Salvatore found a positive selling point, and that is that the Israeli people are good-looking. With all the talk about Jews, Don Draper could not help but think about Rachel Menken. He gives her a call requesting that they meet, attesting that their meeting is all about business. The woman hesitantly agrees.

Roger Sterling’s wife Mona arrives at the office with their daughter Margaret all for advice on where to get a haircut in the city. Suspecting nothing, Mona takes advice from Joan Holloway who unbeknownst to her is her husband’s mistress. While she and her daughter are out on the town getting a haircut, her husband is spending lunch break at a hotel with Joan. He shares with her his disappointment towards his daughter whom he sees as useless, but Joan never afraid to speak her own mind believes that the two are the same. Both father and daughter are spoiled. Roger’s relationship with Joan appears more than sexual, and he seems to have spoken truthfully when he declared how unhappy he was before he met her. However, Joan has heard it all, and is not one to be deceived. She knows very well that what they have is all temporary. They will eventually move on, she with a husband, and him with a younger woman.

Don Draper like always is wrapped up his latest advertising dilemma. Betty finds him reading the book Exodus, which reminded her of the first boy she ever kissed -- David Rosenberg. Don is surprised at learning that his wife’s first kiss was with a Jewish boy. Betty starts to tell the story of how she ended up at a Jewish mixer with her friends, and how a rumor about her necking with the boy eventually made everyone envious of her. Betty who the other night told her husband about her thoughts of being with him everyday begins to fulfill her desires, but Don turns her down using the hot weather and the book he has to finish reading as an excuse for his disinterest.

Frederick Rumsen may be a drunkard, but he knows a bad advertisement when he sees one. The Belle Jolie ads from their client’s former ad agency set his radar blazing. Knowing that he is no expert at the subject, he has a brilliant idea, and that is to get the opinion of the ladies. With the help of Joan Holloway, he conducts a focus group where the women of Sterling Cooper are the participants. While the women excite over the broad range of lipstick choices, the men on the other side of the one-way mirror take pleasure at watching them. The men’s enjoyment escalates when Joan Holloway who is fully aware of the one-way mirror teases them by bending over to emphasize her voluptuous body. The men salute, while Roger Sterling becomes weak at the knees. Paul Kinsey, however, notices Peggy Olson, but only because of her unusual behavior. Peggy, unlike all the women in the room who are busy trying on lipstick, sits on her chair doing the same thing the men on the other side of the room is doing – watching.

As agreed, Rachel Menken meets Don Draper for lunch to talk business. Though it’s obvious that their meeting is just a ruse for Don to see Rachel, the woman is surprised that he had chosen her to learn more about Israel. Don argues that he had in fact had done his research, but would like to hear about it from somebody who has no propaganda. Rachel may be a Jew, but her upbringing is a lot more American than Jewish. She is, however, smart and does offer a well-grounded perspective. Rachel sees Israel more as an idea than a country. It is a place for people like her – Jews. Don sees it as Utopia, which the woman explains as according to the Greeks mean two things, the good place and the place that cannot be. Rachel ends their meeting when Don affectionately held her hand. So it appears that the word applies to their relationship as well. When Rachel accepted the lunch meeting with Don, she knew that she was playing with fire, and that her attraction to the married man just became more serious, serious enough to compel her to tell her sister about it.

The brainstorming is done, and Joan ushers away the girls, while Peggy stays to help clean up. Fred sees her with the wastebasket filled with tissue paper the women used in trying on lipsticks. He asks that she bring it to him so they could count the shades of lipsticks the girls tried on. Peggy hands him the wastebasket calling it a basket of kisses. Fred is charmed at the girl’s remark, and is even more amused at learning that she had not tried on a lipstick given that someone had already gotten the particular shade she liked. Peggy impresses the man even more after saying that she didn’t want to be one of a hundred colors in a box. Fred was so astounded at the young woman that he shares their conversation with her boss Don Draper who equally was surprised. It was quite an impression that Peggy made that the mad men decided to ask her to come up with copy for Belle Jolie Lipsticks. Though her extra work pays nothing, and she continues to be Don Draper’s secretary, Peggy could not be more pleased.

The workday is over, and the mad men do what they all have been dreaming of doing all day, and that is sleep with their mistresses. Roger Sterling waits in a hotel room for Joan Holloway who had been held up by a suitor. Disliking the idea of having to share Joan with other men, Roger buys her a bird following his proposition of getting the woman her own apartment. The bird is to keep her company given that she is afraid of becoming lonely. Roger is not the only one who has been sharing mistresses. Don learns this when his time with Midge is interrupted by a knock on a door. Later, he finds himself in the Village in the company of eccentric, young artists. Don is clearly out of his element, and wants to be on his way, but Midge asks him to stay to watch her friend perform. The young man performs Don McLean’s Babylon, which said so much about the yearnings of people like him. How he yearned for Rachel Menken, and also his family. How Roger and Joan desired to be together, but would always end up leaving the hotel alone in separate cabs.

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