The rough and tumble world of Sixties advertising got rougher and more tumbly onMad Men last night. Fisticuffs broke out in the SCDP conference room and the winnah and new champeen is the usually mild mannered Lane Pryce who kicked Pete Campbell’s ass. It was most satisfying as was the entire episode, which was a string of humiliations for the twerp who is unworthy of Trudy.
The fisticuffs were the result of Lane’s attempt to line up the Jaguar account via his new BFF (British friend forever) a cheerfully tweedy chap named Edwin. Toodle pip, Edwin. After Lane’s meeting with the Jaguar mogul did not close the deal, Pete, Roger and Don took Edwin out for a night on the town, ending up a in high class bordello, which is how Tweedy Jaguar man wound up with chewing gum on his pubis. Purt near the best line inMad Men history.
Both Pete and Lane suffered a string of humiliations but my reaction to their woes was different. Pete is an insufferable pompous ass so his trials and tribulations had me cackling whereas Lane’s woes made me want to brew him a nice cuppa and tell him to recover his stuff upper lip. The scene between the newly macho Lane and Joan was also a keeper. Lane slipped her a kiss and her response to open the door and tell him that everyone was thrilled that Pete got knocked flat on his ass. What a broad.
The whorehouse scene was also noteworthy for Don’s declining to “date” any of the high class talent. Why? Don is suddenly uxorious and told Pete that the latter should count his blessings instead of sleeping around like Double D used to do. Don remains on the fidelity wagon and is also a bit sweet on Trudy but who isn’t?
The return of Ken Cosgrove, scribbler, was another high point. The subject of the tow headed preppie’s literary inclinations hasn’t come up in quite some time but he’s been writing fantasy and sci-fi stories under a pen name. Hmm, I wonder if Ben Hargrove is the one who *really* created Game of Dorks’ Tyrian? He was, after all, a short story writer as well as a bit of an imp.<rim shot> Consgrove was among those at SCDP who would have helped Lane kick Pete’s whiny little ass since the latter ratted him out to Roger the Sterling Silver Tongued Devil. Roger warned Kenny to drop the robot shtick and stick to his job. Cosgrove’s response was to change pen names and genres. Attaboy, Mr. Algonquin.
In honor of Ken and Roger, here’s Kris Kristofferson with a tune that could be retitledThe Silver Tongued Devil and I, Robot:
