Season 1, Episode 7

Synopsis

Don calls Betty’s psychiatrist Dr. Wayne to check up on her progress. The doctor says she’s consumed by trivialities and has the emotions of a child.

Bertram Cooper tells Roger that the Nixon campaign may hire Sterling Cooper, and asks him to cut down on smoking. Roger invites Joan to his house while his wife and daughter are away, but Joan already has plans with her roommate, Carol.

Peggy informs Pete of her new assignment, writing copy for Belle Jolie. He offers to review her work. After work, Roger and Don hit the bar, where Roger comments on a woman’s beauty fading after thirty.

Don invites Roger to his house for dinner. Betty makes steaks for the men and salad for herself. They make idle chit chat as Roger gets progressively more drunk. When Don goes to the garage for more liquor, Roger propositions Betty in the kitchen. Upon returning, Don notices something is amiss and sends Roger on his way. Don then confronts Betty and blames her for the situation, claiming she was flirting with his boss over dinner. The next day, Roger apologizes to Don with a bottle of liquor.

Pete visits a department store to exchange a Chip ‘n’ Dip plate he and Trudy received as a wedding gift. The clerk only offers store credit, so he exchanges the gift for a rifle. Paul, Ken, and Harry have a laugh as Pete pretends to shoot secretaries in the office.

Roger calls a meeting and briefs everyone about the Nixon campaign’s visit.

The next morning, Don slips the elevator operator a few bills.

Pete sits in his office, looking at his rifle, that Trudy disapproved of. Peggy asks Pete to review her copy. Pete recounts a fantasy of hunting and giving a fresh kill to a woman so he can eat it.

Out shopping, Betty is confronted by Helen, who found Betty’s lock of blond hair in her son Glen’s treasure box. Betty slaps her. Later, Francine tells Betty that Helen – the single mother – probably deserved it.

Don takes Roger out to an oyster lunch and several martinis. They head back to the office and find the elevator out of service. Don leads Roger up 23 flights of stairs. Roger, who is older, runs out of breath and struggles to continue on. He weakly waves Don to go on ahead.

Don arrives at the office to find the Nixon representatives, Pete, and Bertram Cooper waiting for their meeting. Moments later, Roger staggers through the door – and throws up on the carpet.

Thoughts

Style

Yes, the chip ‘n’ dip was invented by someone back in the fifties. Pete mentions little brown onions in a dip he enjoyed, probably a classic Lipton onion soup recipe.

Roger demonstrates a liking for cigarettes, vodka, gin, oysters, martinis, cheesecake, and Don’s wife Betty.

The office men are rather disparaging of Kennedy, calling him a kid and likening him to Elvis. Roger openly worries about a young man like Kennedy with his finger on “the button.” Even Betty meekly tells Francine she hates him, although that statement may be due to Helen Bishop’s involvement in the Kennedy campaign.

The retro grocery store was pretty cool, featuring shelves of pretty if generic products.

Over lunch with Don, Roger mentions the Russian’s first space dog Laika, and Desi Arnaz divorcing Lucille Ball.

Then And Now

• Drinking and driving: Rather dangerous for Roger – completely toasted – to get in his car and drive off after a litany of manly drinks.
• The woman’s fault: Despite Roger being drunk as a skunk, Don still blames Betty for the uncomfortable moment in the kitchen, saying she led him on, and made a fool out of herself. Don says he doesn’t like to be treated that way in his own home. I don’t know any women today who would put up with being scolded like a young girl.
• Guns in the workplace: Rather shocking to see Pete return to work with a gun and train it on his coworkers. What with today’s workplace shootings, guns are a huge taboo and often grounds for expulsion.
• Drinking at lunch: Don and Roger get completely plastered on liquor and oysters before the long hike back to the office. It’s wonder they get anything done.
• Smoking while pregnant: Francine continues sharing her cigarettes with her unborn child.

Developments

Roger Sterling’s various vices were on display, namely cigarettes, alcohol, and young women, and a rather frivolous attitude toward his family, all resulting in unhealthy behavior. We also learn more about Roger’s relationship with Don, which is amicable, but containing lines that Don clearly doesn’t want crossed. While Don takes Roger’s transgression quite seriously just after the fact, the end result is humorous as Don sets out to embarrass his boss through a method not unlike a college hazing. Judging from Roger’s reaction and wary glances at Don after his public upchuck, I think Roger got the message.

Roger’s complaints about an “ulcer” and difficulty climbing the stairs foreshadows his future health problems.

The upchucking of vodka marinated seafood at the feet of a client on the Sterling Cooper floor was quite abrupt upon first viewing – the rest of the show is so languid and devoid of graphic imagery. But if you enjoyed that bit, there’s another notable vomit scene to come.

Next Episode: The Hobo Code
Previous Episode: Babylon

TV Shows: Mad Men

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Posted In: Mad Men

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