What an eventful episode. I don’t know where to begin. Actually, I do but it will just be a few random comments because I remain busier than a frakking bee. Buzz, buzz, buzz.
Roger had been on the periphery this season until Pete brought in some Honda big shots. Pacific theatre veteran Roger pitched several epic fits and the one in front of the Honda-men was super cringeworthy even for a show that specializes in cringeworthiness. Is that a word? If not, it oughta be. The other partners were NOT pleased with Roger’s kamikaze act but at least he’s a witty bigot, if such a thing is possible.
Young Sally Draper continues to act more and more like a future Manson girl. First, she was a real cut-up and applied scissors to her locks and whacked away while Don was on a date with Betty-clone Bethany. Second, she was caught diddling herself while watching theMan From UNCLE. Stepdad Henry convinced Betty that the kid needed therapy instead of slapping so we met Dr. Edna for the first time. Did the reference to Grandpa Gene foreshadow a horrible revelation? Or is Sally a mess because she blames herself for her crappy parents divorce?
Finally, on the business front, I loved the con game that Don pulled on the competing agency and his douchey rival, Ted. In the end, Don’s chicanery won SCDP a shot at Honda’s car account, which was described by Lane as “a motorcycle with doors.” Be that as it may, landing that account could make SCDP one of the big boys if they can hold on to it. That means they really need to keep “White Hair” away from the Honda honchos.
End of mediocre summary with a few decent jokes. Comment away, y’all.
Liked Pete exclaiming he was expecting a child, as opposed to his wife, and while the line about opening the gift right away was apparently a faux pas, was giving Mr. Honda bigwig the canteloupe also a gaffe? He swapped it with the translator for the bottle of Johnny Walker.
Another thought rummaging around in my head was the “you meet the nicest people on a Honda” tag line that I really only recall from Hunter Thompson’s book Hell’s Angels…
Campbell has a Petecentric world view…
Loved the episode! So exciting! I’ve read a couple of recaps and a number of comments. I think that Sally and Grandpa Gene’s relationship was significant because he told her she was smart. He also listened to her and treated her like she mattered. Whereas her parents ignore her.
I thought that Rodger’s outburst was very cringe worthy but also based on two things. Not only the bit about his time in the Pacific, but his having to eat massive amounts of sh*t from Lucky Strike. Remember the “Be Santa” bit from Lee during the Christmas episode?
Rodger knows that if they get this account he will be bowing and scraping to Honda. They will be the boss. That is the relationship. As a client once told me when I criticized him, “Remember which way the money flows.”
Rodger’s been an account exec for years he knows what kind of groveling it entails that the “creatives” don’t. They get to challenge the client, they get to reward the client with exciting creative. Rodger has to sooth over their hurt egos if Creative pushes them for their own good.
Ah, well, the earliest Hondaswere motorcycles with doors. They used, IIRC, a 600cc motorcycle engine for power and were air-cooled.
I giggled at the cheezy outfits they were wearing at Ted’s agency. What a look-alike contest, I thought.
Pete is such a tool.
Ted deserved what he got, the way he kept using the media to poke at Don.
It was a tiny thing, but I laughed out loud at the shot of Peggy riding the Honda around the studio during the commercial fake out. Laughed almost as much as last week at the shot of Don’s office with Peggy’s head peeking over the transom during his secretary’s meltdown.
I don’t think Grandpa Gene was Funny-Grandpa Gene — I think Sally’s maturing faster than most little girls in the 1960s and she doesn’t have a roadmap.
Don is largely absent or going out with dates (I had a relative like that, who was always dating men at work and leaving my cousin to fend for herself with babysitters). Betty is just crazy…despite the fact that she was getting her jollies riding the washing machine a couple of seasons back. Then there was Peggy with the Reduce-a-sizer vibrating belt … does this mean we’re going to see Joan diddling herself in Season 5? Carla? Miss Blankenship?
The shot of Peggy on the motorbike cracked me up too.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the hint about Grandpa Gene was a red herring; sort of like the way some of us wondered if Sonny and Annie on Treme would turn in to Zack and Addie. Of course, it would be interesting to see Betty’s head explode but if Grandpa Gene was *actually* a perv, Betty would have been an earlier target.
How about some props for Miss (Mrs?) Blankenship? What a freakin’ hoot. When she asks Don “what, do you want me to ask him” regarding the client on the phone’s business–it cracked me right up. Also, when she refused to give the gift to Pete because it was addressed to Don…ah, Miss Blankenship. I hope they keep her around for comic relief.
What I couldn’t believe was how Don and Betty freaked out about Sally cutting her hair. It’s just hair, people–it grows back. And it’s not as if she truly hacked it off–it wasn’t that bad. Don’s an ass–he can’t put the lid on dates when he has the kids? Really?
Couldn’t agree more about Ms. Blankenship, Mothra. She’s hilarious and divine retribution for Don breaking his own rules about sleeping with his staff.