I was mildly annoyed by the previous episode and even started writing (see below) but I stopped - too much negativity. But this one - OH BABY! - what a crowd pleaser!
I’m beginning to think that the previous episode sucked so much precisely because in the 5th Matt was going to give us what we all were yearning for: the demolition of Pete Campbell. The contrast with the previous episode makes this one so much more enjoyable.
We see him not only cheating on his wife who’s just given him a baby and put up with all his “misunderstood genius” crap, but he’s also a bit of a pedophile. And finally, he gets what he deserves in an epic “correction” administered by none other than mah main geek-in-chief, Lane Pryce in da house. The moment when Pete looks around and realizes that nobody’s on his side and everyone wants to see him down is deeply satisfying.
The actor playing Pete has a German name so I’m sure he’ll understand that our Schadenfreude is not directed at him personally but rather at the character he’s playing so well that he may end up typecast in villains from now on. Yet I can’t help thinking that Pete is, in a way, every woman. Sure, he may seem to have more in common with George W than with Al Gore and with Mitt Romney than with Obama, but if we dig deeper, there’s a part of him in any of us. Just ask your EX :)
It’s possible that Lane did not KO him fair and square, but rather he took a fall realizing that he needed to reset everybody’s antipathy toward him, and being beaten was a pretty good way to do just that. It’s quite disquieting to watch him misjudge the strength of his relationship with Don, who was actually goaded by Roger to NOT fire Pete; naturally, when Roger, who has actually hired Don as well, stops Don from breaking up the fight, Pete finds himself in a situation he almost found himself in when Roger first challenged him physically. That had been his first warning, but he didn’t get it. Don devolves to Roger on this because unlike Pete, he respects his elders (remember that ending line from Pulp Fiction, delivered by The Wolf / Harvey Keitel?) AND he knows as well that Pete needs a “readjustment”.
Cosgrove sees his “nom de plume” blown by his wife and when Pete rats him out he decides to continue under a new one that he will no longer share with his wife (as he should’ve done from the start). Even today, when there’s fewer opportunities, there are far too many wannabe writers to risk being successful in this field under your real name. More often than not, there are far too many morons quick to jump to the conjunction fallacy and assume any pseudonymous activity is a sign of harboring bombs in the basement or attempt to destabilize our beloved government and fearless leaders.
The ending was superb. Did the “grimy little pimp” learn his lesson, or will he grab his gun and teach everyone else the lesson he didn’t learn?
* * *
here’s on the previous episode, elevator scene:
- Megan: Nice to meet you.
- Andrea: He was well. (???)
- Don Draper: [coughing]
new scene
- the Lesbian, bedroom voice: Megan! I got some pictures..
- Don Draper: (to Megan) I’ll see you later!
- the new guy, with socialist optimism: And I’ll see YOU later!
- Don: [frowns, then leaves]
The new guy (Mr. Inappropriate) is a bit nuts - he actually reminds me of myself, back when I was consulting for the biggest telecom in Canada. I didn’t care about conventions and really thought I’m the smartest guy to have ever stepped in. I told my boss he didn’t know anything - he got to be afraid of me, eventually. But no matter what I tried and even though I had negotiated a rather high hourly rate, I could not take time off, they wanted me in 9-5; if I was done earlier, they’d give me more work.
Joan’s mother is from a monkey planet. It seems like Joan has to babysit not only her own baby but also her mother, who’s been suffering from partial dementia her whole life. Joan is strong, but I can’t help feeling sorry for her. She was right to dump her idiot husband (or rather, “let him go”) but she’s gonna be so alone now, with a simpleton mother and a baby who teach his grandma a few things but still can’t use the toilet. (Stewie? Is that you?!)
Grandma Pauline is also screwed up.
