- Trouble rises on the set of a commercial while Don plays hooky from the office.
- Harry tries to gather support around a controversial sponsorship in order to bolster his career. When Don ditches work for a day, trouble brews on the set of a commercial. Later, Betty joins her husband when he attempts to placate his clients with an amicable dinner.—Anonymous
- While Don plays hooky from work, a disaster happens on the set of a commercial for Utz Nuts when a verbal altercation occurs between the temperamental and drunk star of the commercial, comedian Jimmy Barrett, and Edith Schilling, one half of the husband-wife owners of Utz. Don uses Lois as a scapegoat for the problem. He tries to rectify the situation by talking to Barrett's "people", namely his manager wife, Bobbie. Bobbie is as strong willed as Jimmy is arrogant. As Bobbie and Don get to know each other better, both play hardball in their negotiations. Harry discovers some inside office information he wish he hadn't, both in that he doesn't like the information and can't hide how he found out. This information threatens his future at Sterling Cooper. However in researching his options including looking for work elsewhere, he stumbles across a possible opportunity for Sterling Cooper. This move puts him in the company's good books, but in the end, Harry doesn't get everything that he wants. Betty finally gets to know more about Arthur Case, her mysterious riding partner, including meeting his fiancée, Tara. Arthur thinks that he has Betty all figured out. Although he is fairly accurate in his assessment, Betty denies all.—Huggo
- All hell breaks loose during the filming of a commercial when comic Jimmy Barrett turns his venom on the product sponsor's wife and they walk off the set. There's much finger-pointing back at the office but it's left up to Don Draper, who was playing hooky at the time and should have been at the shoot, to patch things up. Harry Crane gets a look at Ken Cosgrove's paycheck and realizes that Ken makes 50% more than he does. He decides to take action and suggests that one of their customers sponsor a TV episode with a particularly shocking topic. Betty Draper finds herself rejecting the advances of the young man she has been admiring at the riding stables.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "The Benefactor" - August 10, 2008
Previously On: Don couldn't finish the deed; Harry's wife got pregnant; Peggy schooled Don's new secretary; Don clashed with Duck; Betty was intrigued by the engaged man she saw at her riding lessons; We found out Peggy's sister is caring for her baby
On a commercial shoot for Utz chips- "Utz are better than nuts!"- a hipster, Rat Pack-type comedian is being a diva and Freddy Rumson is sleeping. The Utz bigwig arrives with his heavyset wife. Hipster-dude makes fun of her, likening her to the Hindenberg and a buffalo. They leave in a huff.
Betty is riding and happens upon her riding buddy and tells her she can't hang because she has to go to the market and pick up Don's repaired watch. The friend is looking for a watch for her tenth anniversary gift. They gaze upon the engaged man who's taking riding lessons. Another rider tells her he needs a different horse. Turns out that she's his fiancee. Betty goes to leave but her friend wants to meet the fiancee. (Sarabeth Carson is the friend, Tara Monaghy is the fiancée). They meet. Sarabeth notes that Tara is prettier than she expected and admits she dreamt about him. Betty says she'll see her Saturday but Sarabeth's daughter, poor fat Becky has a dance recital.
At SC, Harry gets his paycheck. Cosgrove's check is accidentally stuck to it and Harry can't help but look at it. From his reaction, Cosgrove makes more. He tries to put it back in but he's ripped the envelope. His office mate comes in and invites him to the Oyster Bar. Harry begs off.
The phone rings in the Crain house. Harry's pregnant wife is illing and thinks he's calling to check up on her. Instead he's calling to say he's upset about the disparity in pay. She is upset when she finds out Cosgrove makes $300 a week. Harry says he should quit. She tells him to ask for a raise. He says he can't and asks where he can get a new envelope.
Don is in a theatre showing a French film. (He's also smoking... in the theatre).
Salvatore's at work defacing a Mohawk ad, when Harry comes in asking if he can give him a new envelope. Sal says no and asks why. Harry comes clean. Sal tells him to throw it away and Ken will ask for a new one, problem solved. Harry tells him how much Ken makes. Sal sharpens his pencil fussily. Harry complains about being married with one on the way. Sal is aghast Harry told his wife. Harry talks about asking for a raise and Sal says "isn't media a meritocracy?" Harry argues that he has merit. "As in this place cant run without you?" asks Sal. "How do I do that?" wonders Harry. "Then you're worth every penny they're paying you," replies Sal.
Roger Sterling and Ken Cosgrove arrive at Don's office, they tell him the news about the Utz fiasco. Sterling bums a smoke. (We're supposed to infer, I think, that he's not supposed to be smoking since the heart attacks.) Rumson enters and finishes the story with the Hindenberg bit and Cosgrove says it's all Freddy's fault because he was drunk. Don wants to know if they laughed in front of the Schillings-the Utz bigwigs. Sterling tells Cosgrove and Rumson that they're not suited for the task. Duck arrives to say the Schillings are taking the account. Sterling misses the 50s. Sterling tells everyone that Don is going to fix it. Don is mad he wasn't told. Turns out Lois was told while he was at the movies. Don says he's going to fix it with the Schillings and Jimmy Barrett-the hipster comedian. The others leave and Roger wants to know where Don was. He says the printers'. Roger says he should tell his girl that.
Don calls in Lois in and essentially fires her for not covering for him. She doesn't understand what she did and that she tries to cover for him. He says that she is not "covering" for him, that she is supposed to manage people's expectations. He says she's not suited for the job, it's not an insult it's just the way it is. He shakes her hand and tells her to stick to the switchboard.
Harry smokes meditatively in his office. His office mate takes off. Harry calls up a friend at CBS, looking to get out and up. The friend tells him he's just lost two sponsors from "The Defenders" because of an abortion storyline. Harry says to send it up and he'll see what he can do with it.
The next day Joan tells Don she'll be taking care of him until they can find a suitable replacement. Don wants to know if Barrett is shooting the commercial today. He is but he hasn't been showing up until 4. Don says to wake him at 3:30.
Harry is watching the abortion episode of "The Defenders."
Don is waiting on the set of the commercial, to which Jimmy is apparently not coming even though he's scheduled to. A smartly dressed woman (played by the delicious Melinda McGraw) arrives with a tuxedo for Jimmy. It's his manager/wife Bobbi. Don says someone should've kept a lid on him. She says he's funnier when he's drunk. He tells her that the Schillings are Jimmy's patrons. She says that being made fun of by Jimmy should be a compliment and since they're in the big city for the weekend they should go out and buy a thicker skin. Don tells her that it can all go away. She says they have a contract. Don says he needs to talk to Jimmy. She says she's pretty sure Jimmy already hates him- slick ad man- and that what he needs to do is essentially butter him up: let Jimmy know he's a fan, let Jimmy feel smarter, and that Jimmy has a shot with Don's lady - "wife, girlfriend?" She seems to be fishing for this information for her own purposes. Don replies wife. He offers to drive her over to where Jimmy is. (He's clearly turned on by her tough cookie veneer). They get in the car and it's hailing. She grabs him and kisses him. He tries to stop her. She won't let him. He's all in. Literally.
At the kitchen table, Betty smokes and the kids eat dinner as Don enters. He washes his hands and rinses his mouth out with soap. His daughter asks if she can go riding with Mommy on Saturday. Don says no clearly at Betty's direction, and Betty says it's just going to be mommies. (And intriguing engaged man!) She tells Don he needs to watch the kids for a few hours that day. She then hands him his repaired watch. She got it monogrammed. He's touched. Looking at his family, he gets pensive. (Maybe feeling, justifiably, like a heel.)
Betty is riding, looking around for engaged man. She finds him atop his horse, who's eating grass. Betty says he's ruining the horse for whoever gets her next. She pulls up hard on the horse's reins. He's embarrassed that he's riding "Knee-High" and she's riding "Copenhagen." She says some horses just have better names. He says he's more used to animals on the other side of his rifle. He bemoans the fact that he has to ride at all but all the men Tara's family do. Apparently, these men also don't work. (We're guessing Tara comes from serious, way old money).
At the Draper house the kids watch TV and eat cereal as Don goes to his office. He pulls out a pack of matches and dials a number on it. It's Bobbi Barrett. She's glad he called. He's inviting them both to dinner Monday night at Lutece. She tells him to keep it small. He says his wife, the Schillings, and her and Jimmy. She says if that's what he wants. He asks what she wants. "So, its that kind of phone call is it?" she says. She asks where he is. He says at home with his kids. She says she too likes being bad and going home and being good and tells him to have a wonderful weekend.
Betty is finishing off with her horse when engaged man- Mr. Arthur Case- arrives inquiring after her ride. She tells him not to smoke in the stalls, the horses hate it. He says if the place burns down, he could finally quit riding. She says that just because he doesnt know what he's doing it doesnt mean the rest of them are silly for loving to ride. He says he can't figure her out. Betty wonders why he wants to. He says Tara was jealous of her. Betty wonders why since Tara's obviously got everything. He says Tara would visit him at Yale from Wellesley and that it always started well and ended badly with her pouting and him soothing. Betty says as an old married lady she's pretty sure Tara wouldn't be psyched he was sharing this story with a stranger. He apologizes but continues to tell her that once he saw Tara's mammoth house and wealthy life he realized why she got so angry when she didn't get what she wanted. Betty says all girls are like that. Arthur says she isn't. She says he doesn't know that. He calls Betty beautiful. She thanks him and points out that Tara is beautiful too. He says Tara doesn't need anything though. Betty says he's got cold feet. He says he thinks about Betty. She asks why he would do that. Betty says she likes being around him and to not say anything to ruin that. He calls her profoundly sad. She says, "no it's just my people are Nordic." He goes to kiss her and she tells him not to. He says to not tell him what to do. He tries to kiss her again and she stops him. He tells her she's sad again. She disagrees and says she's "grateful." She smokes and walks away.
She comes home and Don's reading the paper. He asks how it was. She says she should get cleaned up. He says he doesn't care and asks her how she feels about Lutece. She says she's pleased. He says she'll also get to meet Jimmy Barrett since it's a business meeting. Her face falls and she says "is this one where I talk or I don't talk?" He says she needs to be shiny and bright, and to charm him. She says it's no notice, and she needs something to wear. He promises they'll go alone together another time.
In the SC conference room the men and Peggy are watching the abortion episode. The father is yelling at the daughter for getting the abortion and he slaps her. Harry's trying to sell it to Belle Jolie lipstick. Controversy sells, Don and Harry say to Belle Jolie man. They all look to Peggy. Slightly disconcerted by the content of the episode, she agrees women will want to be in on the conversation. Belle Jolie man is unconvinced since it's not wholesome and the company doesn't want to be part of this debate. Harry says women will be watching and the politics don't matter. Belle Jolie man is impressed they brought it to him but no dice. He stops Sal on the way out pointedly and asks him how's its going. Apparently, it's going fine.
Harry goes into Roger's office. He's been summoned because of his "reckless" behavior and someone "told on him." Harry thinks he's in trouble but, of course, Roger is complimenting him on the Belle Jolie/"Defenders" thing. Roger asks what Harry wants. Harry wants a television department and thinks he should run it. Roger waves his hand and says it's done: Harry is now the head - and sole employee of- the television department. Harry goes further and asks for a raise. Roger tells him not to be greedy. Harry says he's not being greedy. Roger gives him a drink and asks if he's arguing with him. He asks how much he makes and Harry says $200 a week - "plus drinks", says Roger clinking glasses. Roger tells him to give him a number. Harry gulps and says $310. Roger says $225. Roger says he'll throw in new business cards and that Harry drives a helluva bargain.
At Lutece, as the Drapers and the Schillings await the Barretts they talk about family. Schilling wants to know where "he" is. Edith Schilling thinks Jimmy Barrett joining them is a bad idea. Don says he wants to apologize. Jimmy and Bobbi arrive and say hello. He kisses Betty's hand and compliments her looks and she claims to be a big fan. He shakes Mr. Schilling's hand saying of course he remembers him since they bought him a car. He shakes the hand of the "little lady." He immediately begins to hit on Betty, who explains she's a housewife. He jokes about her and Don's movie star looks and says he loved Don in "Gentleman's Agreement." The waiter arrives saying the chef has prepared many specials for the evening. Jimmy asks "Mr. Lepew" for a drink order. He gets right back to Betty and calls her Bitsy. Bobbi excuses herself. Betty tells Jimmy she rides horses. Jimmy, completely ignoring the people he's supposed to be apologizing to, asks all about the horses. Betty explains she doesn't do dressage, she jumps. Don excuses himself.
Harry walks in on his wife who's knitting and she says she's proud of him. The money's nice but she can't wait to tell the girls at the phone company that her hubby is the head of the TV department at Sterling Cooper. She asks what he did. He explains. He leaves out the part about what the show was about as he puts his head on her belly.
Don joins Bobbi by a mirror, smoking. She says he looks great. He says he doesn't feel great, and tells her that the window for the apology is closing and that it needs to happen before the appetizers or they're leaving. She retorts that she had a lawyer look at the contract and it turns out even if they fire him they still have to pay Jimmy, apology, hurt feelings or not. She says an apology is worth $25,000 and she wants it spread in the news as it was a bonus.
DAMN! Don is apparently so turned on by her hard bargaining that he grabs her with one hand and rams his hand up her dress, much to Bobbi's delight or horror, it's hard to tell. Okay, maybe not so much turned on as exercising a crazy, crazy, probably illegal power move since, as he does it Don says he will ruin Jimmy and that she should do what Don says. YIKES!
Don returns to the table and wipes his hand. Bobbi returns and cue's Jimmy's apology. He apologizes to Edith and says he was out of line and that the guy under the lights and the person he really is are two different guys sorta. Edith accepts the apology saying "I know that's what you do, I guess I just don't have the stomach for it." Everyone has to stifle a laugh at that one. Time to eat.
Driving home Don gazes into the distance and Betty starts to cry. Don asks what's wrong. She says she's fine, it's nothing. She claims she's just "so happy." She says when she said she wanted to be a part of his life, this is what she meant. She says they make a great team and scoots closer to him. He says nothing but puts his arm around her. God they do look beautiful together.
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