Mad Men: Out Of Town

August 25th, 2009

Season 3, Episode 1

Synopsis

Don warms milk in the middle of the night, and recalls his troubled childhood as an abandoned child. Betty, still pregnant, is having trouble sleeping, so Don tells her story to help her fall asleep.

The next day at the office, Peggy finds Mr. Hooker, a British employee, flirting with a secretary – Sterling Cooper has suffered a British invasion. Bertram Cooper, a new British executive named Lane Pryce, Don, and Roger discuss a new client, London Fog, and then fire Bert, the head of accounts. This is only the latest in a long series of layoffs at Sterling Cooper.

After Bert storms through the office, angry, Lane promotes Peter to head of accounts, and asks him to keep it secret. Overjoyed, Pete calls Trudy to share the good news. Lane then calls Ken into his office – and promotes him to head of accounts as well. Pete and Ken ride the elevator together, keeping the news secret from the other.

Don and Sal are sent to meet with London Fog. On the airplane, a flirty stewardess reveals they’re staying in the same hotel, and sets up a date. Don makes up alternate identities of being accountants, then G-Men over dinner and drinks with another stewardess and a pilot.

Sal says goodnight, leaving Don and one of the stewardesses together in the elevator. Noticeably tipsy, they kiss in a hallway, where she says she’s engaged, and he reveals it’s his birthday. They sleep together.

Alone in his hotel room, Sal finds the air conditioning is broken. A bellhop comes to his room to fix it. Suddenly, they kiss, and end up on the bed. Before they can get down to business, a fire alarm goes off. As Don climbs down the fire escape with the stewardess, he sees Sal and the bellhop through the window, partially undressed.

Don and Sal meet with with London Fog representatives. Meanwhile, Pete is depressed to learn he is “co” head of accounts with Ken. Ken doesn’t care, but Pete is mopey and insulted that he was not chosen as the better man.

On the plane home, Sal worries that Don will mention what he saw. Instead, Don describes an ad idea for London Fog.

Joan sticks Mr. Hooker in an office to keep him from chatting up secretaries. Don returns to the office, where Roger informs him about Pete and Ken’s promotion. Meanwhile, Mr. Hooker complains to Lane that this American company is actually a “gynocracy.”

Once home, Betty tells Don he needs reading glasses, and they recall the day Sally was born.

Thoughts

The British firm laid off a third of Sterling Cooper, and the surviving employees are still adjusting. Duck Phillips is nowhere to be seen.

Really look forward to the brewing conflict between Ken and Pete. Both reacted to the pseudo-promotion as one would expect; Ken optimistic but seeming in over his head, while Pete was petulant and sulky, arrogantly thinking he is more obviously qualified. I see sabotage ahead.

Loved the scene with Sal and the bellhop. It was pretty comical to see the heat get a little too intense. If you look closely, a pen in Sal’s shirt pocket was spilling ink. It underlines Sal’s situation that his love life must be kept secret, since society isn’t on his side, and he is married. Wonder what Don will do with this knowledge.

Don’s initial flashback reveals more and underlines his rough upbringing, with his parents treating children as objects and at worst, a nuisance. One wonders if Don spends most of the day seeing such apparitions in everyday life – what does he see when he walks around the office?

Then and Now

Smoking on airplanes. During Sal and Don’s return trip, someone’s coughing is heard.

Advertising

London Fog got its start making waterproof clothes for the Navy, and is still going strong.
Fleischman’s whiskey.
TWA was acquired by American Airlines in 2001.
That Japanese painting in Bertram’s office is called The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife.

Next Episode: Love Among The Ruins
Previous Episode: Meditations In An Emergency

TV Shows: Mad Men

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