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Mad Men, "Out of Town," Season 3, Episode 1
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Mad Men, "Out of Town," Season 3, Episode 1
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| Guess who's coming to dinner? |
Word around the internet is that the opening episode to Mad Men's third season was boring. Fools.
We are reunited with Don Draper (sigh, how I've missed you!) as he boils milk on the stove and re-imagines his birth to a whore mother and subsequent adoption by his unloving step family. Don's entire MO at the end of season two was rebirth ' go on the road with the Joy-led hedonists or return to the white picket and 2.3 puppies. He ostensibly chose Betty (who just seems to get hotter every season) and the kids but then we see Dick Whitman's birth just how it happened, in all of its unglamorous glory. Is this rebirth or history repeating? Let's not forget he and Betty have also got their own new arrival on the way.
But Don's off to Baltimore, with Sal in tow, to reassure raincoat company London Fog (ironic enough, considering the Sterling-Cooper takeover by the Brits) that everything is going to be just swell in the face of layoffs (astute mirroring of current times? naw, too cheap). This is a result of the firing of head of accounts Burt Peterson, who we never saw much of before but is important because his dismissal leads to two other plot formations:
1. The budding relationship between Queen Bitch/sex-on-a-stick secretary Joan (who I would do unspeakable things to look like) and "limey vulture" Mr. John Hooker, who, despite all of his protestations, is essentially the male Joan. What's that I hear? Is it wedding bells? Or the sound of Joan sharpening her claws? I kind of hope it's both.
2. Wolf-in-idiot's-clothing Ken Cosgrove and ultimate shitbird Pete Campbell (don't let the title fool you, he's one of my faves) are both offered the recently vacated position of head of accounts by Lane, a character I believe I will grow to love if only for his British drawl. Ken wants to work with Pete, but Pete is pissed. There will be no hand-holding between the two parties, Pete assures Ken. What a little fuck Pete is ' see also his later complaint to wife, Trudy: "Why can't I get anything good all at once?" he whines. God, I love him.
While on the plane to Charm City, Don and Sal are mistakenly identified by a perky Southern stewardess who wants on Don like Sal wants on dick ' hard. Don and Sal go to dinner with the lovely lass and her buddies but pretend to be G-Men investigating Jimmy Hoffa. The Great Pretenders put on another facade. Of course, Don beds said stewardess, or tries to by uttering one of those lines that only Don can make sound sexy. After she reveals she's engaged and Don may be her last chances, Don replies 'I've been married a long time. You'll have plenty of chances.' Swoon! Meanwhile, Sal is getting all hot and bothered because his AC is on the fritz. A bellhop fixes the situation but decides to heat it up with Sal in the bedroom (see what I did there? with the heat metaphor? glad you're keeping up). Then the fire alarm goes off and both trysts are interrupted. On the way out, Don sees the scantily clad Sal and his uniformed love thing. Sal sees Don. Uh oh.
Of course, Don doesn't care that Sal is queer, as long as he can get it done. The London Fog meeting goes swimmingly, even when the raincoat manufacturer voices concern about a depleted market share ("There'll be lean years and fat years ... but it will rain').
Back at the office, clients are divvied up between Ken and Pete, and it's made clear that they are equal, unless of course one distinguishes himself. Cooper tries to remain relevant in a company that needs him less and less (although, I've always enjoyed Cooper and hope we get to explore his old man ennui a bit more) by giving a Penn Station account to Pete, while Sterling proceeds not to give a shit about anything but screwing his 20-year-old fianc'e. While the yanks have their powwow, the Brits have theirs. Hooker remarks to Lane that Sterling Cooper is a gynocracy, although Lane says he hasn't noticed. Please see Point 1 above to see why I'm excited by this comment.
We end where we begin, back in the Draper house where the elder Sally asks to hear about her birth. Quite different from the whorehouse experience we saw at the beginning.
Where's Duck? Did we get any mention of him? I loved that when he throws a temper tantrum after Don foils his takeover plan, the Brits were like, "Yeah, screw that guy, he's just a drunk." Wiley Brits, knew the entire time. Also, I need a bit more Peggy Olsen in my life, although she's looking smokin' hot in her new outfits so I doubt my request will go unanswered.
But back to the matter at hand: As much as AMC likes market this show as shocking, it's too carefully plotted and too precisely written to be shocking. Sure, there are certainly unexpected plot points, but in hindsight, all of the episodes prior had been leading up to said shocking moments. Take Peggy's pregnancy: All season, we saw her relationship with Pete develop and devolve, heard about how she was getting gaining weight in her belly and hips and learned about Pete and Trudy's infertility problems. And then BAM! Baby. So, not a lot may have happened in the debut episode of the third season. But by the end, it might be the most shocking episode of all.
So what did you guys think?
Great recap I look forward to these throughout the season! I love how Joan played Mr. Hooker for a fool by giving him the office, she's the best. I couldn't agree more about love for Pete Campbell. How about the lame little dance he did when he got the promotion?! Finally, I was kinda torn about Don's reaction (or non-reaction) to Sal's bellhop encounter. On one hand, I understand he is a man of secrets which compels him to keep quiet or forget altogether about Sal's situation. But really, he is your classic man's man of the 1960's - conservative and traditional. I have a hard time believing he would be ok with what he saw.
But really, he is your classic manâ s man of the 1960â s - conservative and traditional. I have a hard time believing he would be ok with what he saw. I think his non-reaction is also mainly about how Don is all about the secretive shit, but don't forget that Don also secretly longs to be a hippie beatnik and he reads all sorts of hippie books in private (also, he bangs hippie chicks). So in a way, his silent approval/dismissal of Sal's sexuality, which goes along with a liberal/openminded mentality, is just another small way for him to rage against the machine that he helps run when everyone's looking.
If you go back and really look at the past two seasons, the water cooler convo's (aka relaxing in Drapper's office w/ glasses or bourbon), you will find that Sal has sometimes been a bit too careful about his wording in order to cover up his sexuality and thus has actually done the reverse of his attempts and caused a bit of suspicion on his part. But rarely do they think much of it. They know him to be picky and suave, of which he is, just for the other team. Which explains Drapper's surprise to Sal's comment about rarely meeting a stewardess "THAT game". I believe that Drapper, though a mans Man of the 1960's, is still one not to judge. He has too much of a past himself to wag his finger at someone else, let alone a friend and co-worker that he admires. Also, Drapper seemed to be a bit unsure about what he saw on the fire escape until after peering through the crowd in search for Sal. Sal seemed very sure that Don knew, and was bound to ask him a few interrogating questions on the flight back home about what exactly was going on in Sal's room last night. Don began to ask and saw the fear in Sals eyes and defaulted on a Lodon Fog Ad Idea. Giving Sal the opportunity to relax and deeply exhale. But believe me, that is not the last we will here about Sals night. Also, I felt a little bad for Sal. He never "gets it in". Everyone one else on the show does, but him? Nope. And just when we thought something would finally happen for Sal, the fire alarm goes off. Darn, Or course!
I agree Yvette. I so just want Sal to find a nice man and settle down with him. I think one of the most heartbreaking moments of the show is when the young, European creative (I forget his name!) comes out to the office and Sal has this pained look on his face like a part of him just died. I think this season we're really going to get into Sal's psyche and I couldn't be more excited to see what comes next.
"Where
Molls, I'm so glad that you'll be writing recaps all season. I, too, love Mad Men, and I, too, will endlessly analyze its characters. Now I'll have a little something extra to look forward to. I was slightly bothered by the speed with which Sal gave into the Bellhop. I thought it was a little sensational. In my mind, Sal is still way too terrified of himself to give in that easily and with that much passion. I thought the writers were just trying to spice things up, and I thought that was unneccessary...Then I watched it a second time and realized, "what the hell. It's Mad Men. I fucking love it. The can do what they want. Go Sal." Anyway, I'm curious to know your opinion on a specific issue. Is the baby in Betty's belly (try saying that 5 times fast) Don's baby? Or is it the baby of one of Betty's bar bathroom freakfests of Season 2? We could just talk about this on the phone, but this seems more fun.
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