photo: amc
At the Codfish Ball
Original Air Date: Apr 29, 2012
Ryan O – Associate Staff Writer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com
Lots of people doing some growing up in this episode. Growing up can mean wearing make-up or nailing that account. It can also mean a lot of things you aren’t ready for like seeing something you shouldn’t or giving up your dreams.
There was a lot of women being happy for other women in this episode, both personally and professionally. I like those scenes especially the professional ones because it would be really easy and understandable for Peggy to be jealous and upset about any success Megan has. But she’s not.
After last week’s episode, it was a relief to see everyone get along or at least be polite to each other (for the most part).
Sally calls Glen Bishop while he’s at boarding school. Ugh. Sally. No. NO! They have a friendly chat about how he just broke up with a girlfriend. Sally’s home with Bobby and Pauline, Henry’s mom, while Henry and Betty are away with Gene (or because January Jones was pregnant). Pauline calls Sally and Bobby for dinner, walking down the hall. She trips on the phone cord — the phone cord that was strung across the floor so that Sally could sit on her bed and talk to Glen — and falls hard on the floor. Sally tells Bobby to get some water and she’s calling for help. The way Sally yells “Bobby! GO!” is very much Don, which isn’t surprising since she’s always been her dad’s daughter.
Megan’s parents are visiting. Megan insists they speak English so that Don isn’t left out. As they’re chatting, the phone rings. (Whoa. They have a push-button phone and not a rotary phone — and yes, Sally was talking on a rotary phone over at the Francis household.) The call is from Sally. (Push-button telephones were first introduced in 1963.)
Roger is talking with Mona about his break-up and his LSD trip. He’s truly amazed at the insight the trip gave him and he can’t say enough good things about it to Mona. They have a really genial conversation. He asks her to find out some information about some guys from Firestone that she might know socially since he’ll be meeting with them on Friday.
Megan’s father inquires about the apartment and other such information related to how well Don is doing. He says that Don’s manners are studied, which is an interesting observation. He definitely did not grow up with them. Don comes home and he has Sally and Bobby. Sally tells everyone that Pauline tripped over one of Bobby’s toys and broke her ankle. Lie much, Sally? Anyway, Don is proud of Sally for elevating the ankle, icing it, and keeping Pauline calm. All admirable things and Megan’s parents are suitably impressed.
The next day, the Peggy, Michael, Stan and Abe are eating Chinese and Michael asks what sort of guy that guy from Heinz is. Peggy says he’s boring and, dripping with sarcasm, “and he has a daughter” in reference to guy saying in their meeting last week, “if I didn’t have a daughter …”
Conversation drifts to the Playtex account (which is the work that Bert marked as “DO OVER” last week) and Peggy’s bras and breasts. Abe isn’t super-comfortable with this. He makes an excuse and takes off. After he leaves, Stan calls Abe “too good-looking for [Peggy].”
Megan comes to bed and teases Don that’s okay if her dad knows that he reads James Bond. Don happens to be reading The Fixer, which is an account of a Jew falsely imprisoned in 1913 Czarist Russia. They talk about how Megan’s parents are going to watch Sally and Bobby the next day and while they’re at dinner with the Heinz people.
The next day at work, Don is reading a Berlitz guide to French (nice that’s he’s making an effort but they’ve been married a while now). Megan comes in with an idea for the Heinz campaign. She wants to show people throughout history fading from one era to the next and into the future, all while serving Heinz baked beans. Don’s impressed. I have no idea if he actually thinks it’s a good idea or if he thinks it’s a good idea because Megan thought of it. She even has a slogan: “Heinz Beans. Some things never change.” Don calls in Stan and Michael and tells them to get to work on the new idea.
Stan and Michael go into Peggy’s office and complain about having change the work for Megan’s idea. Stan doesn’t think that it’s her idea but they both do think it’s good. Peggy’s distracted because she just got a call from Abe about dinner and wanting to talk.
Peggy goes to Joan for girly-advice. She thinks that Abe is going to break up with her. Joan says a man wanting to talk at a meal usually means he has something he wants to say. “It’s usually a proposal.” “Really?” Peggy is dumbfounded. She says that’s just for Joan and that men must break up with other women over meals. Joan says that guys will ignore you until you insist they issue a “declaration of hate.” “Someone dumped you?” (Peggy took the words right out of my mouth.) Joan points out that Peggy needs to have an answer ready. Peggy is still sort of dumbfounded but thinks she needs to go home to change. Joan: “Better yet, go shopping.” This was a great scene. I love scenes where Peggy and Joan are friends. The smiley-smirk on Peggy’s face as she leaves is priceless.
Roger and Don talk about the American Cancer Society dinner where Don is getting an award for the letter he wrote last season about not doing any more work for tobacco companies. Don doesn’t think it’s going to be the time to drum up business. Roger is going there loaded for bear.
Peggy shows up to dinner and she looks great. She has a really pretty new dress, pearls, and she did her hair (or had it done). Abe is really nervous. He reveals that he wants to move in together. He wants to wake up with her. She grabs his hand and says yes. He says, “Still want to eat?” “I do” and that’s the only “I do” she’ll get to think about saying tonight. She hides it but not completely: she’s disappointed.
Don and Megan and Ken and Cynthia (“CYNTHIA!”) are at dinner with Heinz guy and his wife. Heinz wife and Megan go to the ladies room and Heinz wife hopes the two of them can still be friends afterward. Megan’s confused and then realizes they’re not getting the business and this is a break-up dinner. Megan gives Don a whispered heads-up when they get back to the table. Mr. and Mrs. Heinz want to go but Don orders a bottle of wine, and with Megan’s prompting, uses the opportunity to talk about the previous night’s dinner and essentially pitches Megan’s idea. Mr. Heinz likes the idea. With a few key phrases from Ken, Mr. Heinz is sold.
Peggy comes in the next morning and Joan comes over. She notices there’s no ring on Peggy’s finger and Peggy, a little disappointed, say there’s moving in together. Joan says it’s a beautiful thing and that Peggy is brave and that he must really want to be with Peggy no matter what. Joan says she’s really happy for Peggy and hugs her. Joan is the best. She knew exactly what to say to Peggy and how to say it to make Peggy feel good about herself and her decision. Seriously, someone dumped her? If this show was set now, Joan would be the number one account person at the agency. Anyway, this was my favorite scene of the episode and my favorite scene in a long while.
Peggy sees Megan and Peggy is thrilled for her that she signed Heinz. Peggy says that Megan should be jumping up and down. Peggy pulls a Joan and tells Megan exactly what she needed to hear to build her up and make her feel good about herself.
Peggy and Abe have Peggy’s mom over for dinner. Oh, no potential for disaster here. Noooo.
Roger stops at the Drapers so they can all go to the American Cancer Society dinner together. John Slattery does a really subtle piece of acting: Roger stares just a half-beat too long at Megan’s mom. And guess who ties Roger’s bowtie? Yup. It’s actually a bit shameless. (But, hey, Megan’s dad is having an affair with one of his grad students.) Sally comes out, dressed for the dinner and she looks really great in an age-appropriate but heading toward being an adult way. Megan’s dad: “ “No matter what, one day your little girl will spread her legs and fly away.” Good lord, dude. She’s 13. Megan corrects him, saying he means “wings.” Don insists she take off the boots and the make-up.
There are some great Sally and Roger moments, which sounds crazy when I type it but it’s really cute. The entree is served and it’s fish. Sally doesn’t like fish but she tries it anyway. Guess who is growing up and likes fish now?
After dinner, Peggy tells her mom that she and Abe are living together. Peggy’s mom decides she’s leaving and she’s taking the cake she brought with her. Abe steps out to get a cab. Peggy’s mom says that Abe will use Peggy until he wants to get married have a family and then he will leave her.
Back at the dinner, Roger and Megan’s mom are definitely into each other. Megan’s dad, on the other hand, is not into the fact that Megan has married a wealthy man and has seemingly given up on doing what she wanted to do.
Sally excuses herself to go to the ladies room. She opens the wrong door (oh my, the wrong door!) and sees Roger receiving oral sex from Megan’s mom. Her eyes pop wide open in horror and she backs out of the doorway.
Don finds out from Ken’s father-in-law, played by Ray Wise, that no one at the dinner will hire him. They all admire his work but fear that he’ll pull the same thing with them that he pulled with tobacco. Sure, they’ll give him awards but no, not work.
Don sits back down at the table with Megan and her parents. Sally comes back to the table. She’s shell-shocked. You and me both, Sally. They are all lost in their own unhappiness. Growing up can be hard.
So: Dinner. It’s a constant. People have to eat dinner and usually end up talking at dinner. Don and his extended brood at two dinners. Peggy and Abe at three dinners, two with other people and one by themselves. Don and Megan with Mr. and Mrs. Heinz and Ken and Cynthia.
Best Lines:
“Stop inquiring about their money.” “It’s not my fault. They’re leaving it around in piles.”
Peggy to Joan: “Someone dumped you?”
Roger on trying the appropriateness of trying to get business at the American Cancer Society dinner: “For all we know, Jesus was trying to get the loaves and fishes account.”
As Sally emerges dressed for dinner, Megan’s dad says to Don, “No matter what, one day your little girl will spread her legs and fly away.” “Wings, papa.”
Best Shot: The shot of Megan’s dad, her mom, Megan, Don, and Sally, all sitting at the table at the dinner, unhappy for all of their own reasons
Song over the end credits: Ugh. Again, I have no idea. Two weeks in a row! These instrumentals are tough.
What do you expect to happen in the coming weeks? Let’s hear your Two Cents!
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