Mad Men: Bertram is Evil!
And they were doing so well!
By COUCH BARON
Updated 1:30 PM EDT, Thu, Oct 1, 2009
Betty has a decorator work on the house, and she also meets with the local chapter of the Junior League about taking over Francine's spot as secretary. They want to approach the Governor about a proposed water tank in the neighborhood, and Betty offers to talk to that dude Henry Francis that hit on her at Roger's garden party. Turns out Francis grew up in the neighborhood, and he offers to meet her for a cup of coffee and look at the proposed site. When they meet, Francis tells her the project is already underway, but although he cautions her against being optimistic, his attraction to her certainly doesn't seem to have diminished. He also suggests she buy an ugly antique couch, which she does, much to her decorator's chagrin.
Duck is still courting Peggy and Pete, and although the two of them are at least getting along better, Pete is still wary of Duck's motivations, thinking he's only after them to stick it to Don. Peggy then calls Duck and tells him to stop sending her gifts, but when Don very nastily chews her out for reasons that have little to do with her, again, she changes her mind and goes to see Duck -- and the two of them end up in bed together. Hopefully this will not end in her getting pregnant again.
Connie Hilton turns up unexpectedly at SC for a meeting, and basically, he wants to cheat on his regular ad agency with Don. This coup makes the boys fall in love with Don all over again, with Pete in particular trying to get involved with the Hilton account. The senior partners congratulate Don, but there's a little snafu: Hilton doesn't want to do business with anyone who's not under contract -- including Don.
Pryce produces a contract for Don to peruse that includes a "healthy raise," but Don isn't so ready to give up his freedom, even for Hilton, and it's like pulling teeth even getting him to consider the idea. He takes so long that Roger calls Betty and asks her to intervene on his behalf, but Betty tells him to get lost.
However, when Don comes home, Betty confronts him about the issue, both about him not signing it and not telling her, and they have a terse but ugly exchange that results in him storming out. On a whim, he picks up a young hitchhiker couple who are heading for Niagara Falls to get married, not because they're in love but to save the boy from being sent to Vietnam. They give Don some Phenobarbital and have a little party in a motel room, during which Don has a vision of his father, who tells him he's a bum who can't settle down and isn't worth a lick.
The kids then rob him, and when he makes it into the office looking like hell, Bertram tells him how it is: He and Roger brought him in and have nurtured him like family, and it's time to pay them back for these efforts. He then, obliquely and rather evilly, brings up what he knows about Don's past in "suggesting" that Don sign, which is not a place I ever thought they'd revisit, and Don signs the contract but tells Bertram he doesn't want any further contact with Roger. And they were doing so well!
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see why vloggers Val and Beth think the ladies of Mad Men have it good in TV is the Answer. And check back soon for the full recap!
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Copyright Television Without Pity
First Published: Oct 1, 2009 10:02 AM EDT
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