Mad Men: The Grown Ups

November 8th, 2009

Season 3, Episode 12

Synopsis

The office heat is broken and Pete complains of being cold. Lane calls Pete into his office, where he tells Pete that Ken will be promoted to senior VP instead. Meanwhile, Peggy and her roommate gossip about Duck en route to work.

With her wedding happening the next day, Margaret whines to her mother about Jane ruining everything. Mona calls Roger, saying his young wife isn’t welcome. Upon hearing the request, Jane throws her own tantrum, and locks herself in the bathroom.

Trudy finds Pete at home, eating out of a baking dish. He says he was fired and intends to call Duck.

The next day at the office, Peggy and Paul are working when she gets a call from Duck. She tells Paul she has to go to the printer and runs off. Pete tells Harry how Ken got the promotion, saying he has no future. Harry suggests marketing.

Don angrily reminds Lane that they still have yet to find a replacement for Sal. Meanwhile, Duck is watching television when the broadcast is interrupted to report President John F. Kennedy has been shot. Duck unplugs the television just as Peggy arrives.

The office invades Harry’s office to watch the Kennedy shooting. Betty watches the announcement of Kennedy’s death just as Carla walks in. Sally sees the grownups crying and consoles her mother.

After Duck and Peggy are through, Duck plugs in the television to see Walter Cronkite confirming the reports of the President’s death.

Don goes home to find his family still watching the television, and Betty still crying. He tells the kids that everyone will be sad for a while but things will be out okay.

The next morning, Don tells Betty to get ready for Margaret’s wedding, as Lee Harvey Oswald is named the prime suspect. Meanwhile, with Pete still despondent over the assassination, convinces Trudy to stay home.

Despite many cancellations and a missing cake, Margaret’s wedding goes on. Betty watches Henry arrive with a young brunette. Meanwhile, several of the guests watch television in the kitchen. Roger gives a speech complementing Mona and wishing the new couple well.

On the dance floor, Don kisses Betty which she reluctantly returns. He claims everything will be fine, as Betty continues watching Henry. The brunette is his daughter.

Betty walks out of the restroom to find both Henry and Don waiting in the lobby. She leaves with Don. Meanwhile, Roger deposits a drunk Jane (yes, again) on the bed – and calls Joan. He feels she’s the only one he can talk to about the assassination.

The next morning, Betty sees Lee Harvey Oswald shot on live television. She screams in shock, “what is going on?” Don can’t console her. Later, she goes for a drive alone and meets Henry. He wants to marry her, and they kiss in the car.

Still engrossed in the grim television news, Trudy says Pete doesn’t owe Sterling Cooper anything, and he should quit and take clients with him.

Betty returns home and tells Don she doesn’t love him any more. Don thinks she’s merely worked up over the assassination. He sits for a moment in the bedroom, alone. The next morning, Betty barely acknowledges Don as he leaves for work.

Don finds hardly anyone in the office except Peggy, working on the Aqua Net account. She invites him to watch Kennedy’s funeral in Cooper’s office, but he declines. Instead, he walks to his office alone and pours a drink.

Then And Now

News arrives through black and white television, not cellphones, the Internet, or Twitter.
Betty’s favorite movie is Singing In The Rain, which I watch whenever I want to lift a foul mood.

Thoughts

Thought the Kennedy assassination would be saved until the season finale, but it makes sense to have it happen here, and show the tragedy’s effect on the characters in finale, which is what’s really important anyhow. Everyone’s got to “grow up” after this event, particularly Mona and spoiled daughter Margaret. Roger grows weary of everyone’s immaturity which brings him closer to Joan.

Pete losing the accounts position will surely push him to act out petulantly – he won’t consider trying harder or that Ken was simply the better (nicer) man. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pete take up Duck’s offer. And please note: Pete knows Don isn’t who he says he is – valuable information to a competing firm.

Don and Betty are headed for a separation. Betty won’t even need to stand up for herself too far – she can merely fall into the arms of another man – Henry conveniently provides her with a way out.

And of course there’s Don. Great direction at episode’s end when Don leaves for work: He observes, from the shadows, his own family in the kitchen – on the outside looking in. Betty’s quiet isolation is made clear when Don enters the kitchen, and the camera pivots around Betty, with her ending up in close up on the left side of the screen, visually reinforcing that she doesn’t want anything to do with him.

And there was one shot of Don sitting alone in a dark bedroom, which recalled an earlier contemplation in the bathroom. But there’s no reflection (Don Draper / Dick Whitman) this time. It’s only Dick.

Don’s continued, helpless reaction to all of this crap raining down will be something to watch for during the season finale.

Next Episode: Shut The Door. Have A Seat.
Previous Episode: The Gypsy And The Hobo

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