Monday, October 11, 2010

BLOWING SMOKE, OR SCRAMBLED EXECS







Note: This episode was directed by John Slattery (aka Roger Sterling) and had its Roger moments when everyone was eavesdropping through the wall to hear the partners meeting.

10:01:        Heinz: For everything turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. A time for beans, a time for ketchup.
10:02:        Pickles are funny, and so is SCDP. No beans for you—we don’t know if your firm will be around in 6 months.
10:03:        “Don, (you’re so desperate) I bet I can get a date with your mother!”
10:04:        Dinner with Betty: Weiners! (Note: no vegetables—just wieners. Mom’s had it so easy back then! And, BTW, for godsakes Betty, rip that spoon out of Baby #3’s hand! He’s giving me a headache.)
10:05:        Don, you’re a certain kinda girl and cigarettes are your ideal boyfriend. In other words, you’re a whore Don.

10:06:        Kudos Roger for your great direction: Nice fast-paced behind-closed doors vignettes of worry. Roger’s mod mid-60’s Rorschach blobs on his wall; Ken’s nice cultural reference to Barefoot in the Park; Pete sweating finances with Lane; and Harry’s quintessential “What about me?”
10:07:        Faye and Don—a platonic office handshake with a wink and a smile.
10:08:        Sally tempted with cigarettes by Betty’s ex-lover-turned-pee-wee-football-jock, Glenn.
10:09:        Whoa! Bohemian Midge from season 1!
10:10:        Midge is married in an experimental 1960’s open marriage.
10:11:        Sally’s “A Few Good Men” speech to Shrink. “She doesn’t care what the truth is as long as I do what she says. Go Fish.” (She couldn’t handle the truth!)
10:12:        COMMERCIAL BREAK
10:15:        Midge’s downtown artist’s den.
10:16:        Midge’s pimp, I mean husband, selling high art to Don. Or is he selling art high to Don?
10:17:        Moment of Truth: Midge tracked Don down for dough.
10:18:        Don buys dinner, also known as the next score.
10:19:        ENTER HEROIN & the line of the season: “It’s like drinking 100 bottles of whiskey while someone licks your tits.”        
10:20:        Painting #4—cash only please. My dealer doesn’t take checks.
10:21:        Don has no dough for a cab—hoofing it across Washington Square Park with Painting #4.
10:22:        Betty & Sally’s Shrink: “He was so dismissive; he reminds me of Don.” OOH—I want more sessions with Betty!
10:23:        Petulant Betty doesn’t want to see an adult psychiatrist, she feels more comfortable with a child psychiatrist. Hmmm…
10:24:        COMMERCIAL BREAK
10:27:        Don WTF? Mr. Mumbles?
10:28:        Phillip Morris cancels with SCDP—suits in the panic room.
10:29:        Second best line of the season by Burt Cooper, “Roger you’re an asshole; Mr. Crane OUT!”
10:30:        Eavesdropping on the partners—ears to the wall.
10:31:        Sally’s view of eternity: the Land O’ Lakes Indian Girl sitting on a box, holding a box with an Indian on the box holding a box, ad infinitum….She is so ready for an acid trip to Woodstock.
10:32:        Pete panics: “$50,000! Eee-gads! I don’t have that kind of money!”
10:33:        Peggy’s the only cool cucumber and throws Don’s sage advice in his face, “Change the conversation.”
10:34:        COMMERCIAL BREAK
10:37:        Pete has a surprise for Trudy, but it’s not that house in Greenwich she was hoping for! BTW, how much cash does the baby have?
10:38:        Trudy’s not a gambler, “When you bet and lose you don’t double down! And don’t you dare ask Daddy for the money!” Clearly, fast-forward 40 years and Trudy’s not on the bus to Foxwoods.
10:39:        Metaphor of the season: Saved from the trash pile Don decides to analyze Picture #4 to make some sense out of its fractured proportions.
10:40:        Don rips out Dick’s confession and writes ad for NYTimes “Why I’m quitting tobacco.” Wait, is he lighting up as he’s writing?
10:41:        The ad heard round the world!
10:42:        Megan gets the ad, but Pete gives birth to a hissy.
10:43:        “You had a tantrum on a full page in the NY Times!”
10:44:        Ted Chaough’s phony-phone call, “Senator Kennedy calling!”
10:45:        Burt resigns: “You there! Get my shoes!” And Lane’s family’s back in NY—no chocolate bunnies for Easter!
10:46:        Megan strokes Dick, um I mean, Don’s ego. Playing the role of Harry Crane—Debbie Downer.
10:47:        Peggy gets to pick who gets fired! There’s an early bonus!
10:48:        Peggy & Don’s moment of equilibrium: Don wants Peggy’s opinion on his NYT ad and she says, “I thought you didn’t go for those shenanigans.” Peggy, you’ve arrived!
10:49:        COMMERCIAL BREAK
10:52:        Betty’s smoking—mad when she sees Sally running into the bushes with her ex-lover Glenn.
10:53:        Sally stands up to Betty. Seeds of rebellion have been planted and are firmly rooted.
10:54:        Dr. Faye’s company resigns from SCDP and now she and Don can have an open relationship.
10:55:        Dinner at La Caravelle? “Sure, have your girl make the arrangements.” Fayes cold eyeballs Megan—she’s not stupid!
10:56:        Peggy wants Dr. Fayes’ office mojo.
10:57:        Betty’s revenge on Sally—“Henry I want to move!”
10:58:        American Cancer liked Don’s ad. Public Service pro bono work!
10:59:        Roger’s classic line of the night: “I better go learn a bunch of people’s names before I fire them.”
11:00:        Don paid Pete’s nut? The price of loyalty, or that’s what it costs to have Pete keep his mouth shut about Dick!
11:01:        And there goes Denny. Bankers boxes and lots of tears.

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