Mad Men 3x13

This is the one, the season finale of Mad Men. Things have been building up on so many levels, I haven’t been able to keep up. I’ve been catching so many episodes (like one or two an evening), that I actually finished the show mid-January! Let’s just say I didn’t want to overwhelm you... hehe. The big story that has been building up over the past several episodes is that Sterling Cooper is for sale. We’re given the impression that the London office, Puttnam Powell & Lowe, just used the company to make a profit and is now letting it go again. Only Lane Pryce knew, and his wife was ecstatic about the prospect of leaving New York, which she loathes for the smells and the noise and the criminals at every level. Meanwhile, Snailface Pete Campbell, the most despicable creature in Sterling Cooper, gets the word that Ken Cosgrove will be promoted over him. Lane Pryce explain that, while Pete has the talent of making the clients feel their needs are being met, Ken has the great gift of making the clients feel as if they have no needs at all. On his part, Don has been arguing, now that Salvatore Romano is fired, that the office runs without a head of the art department – and no commercial director – and creative can’t work without art.

Connie Hilton informs Don that Sterling Cooper’s parent company, Puttnam Powell & Lowe, is being bought by some advertisement agency called McCann Erickson. (so, not just Sterling Cooper, but PP&L, too, is being sold.) Despite all the talk that Don was like a son to him, Connie severs his business arrangements with him. Back at the office, Don proposes to Bertram Cooper that they buy their own company back from PP&L. Bert agrees as long as Roger remains on board – they need him for the Lucky Strikes account. Roger isn’t so easily convinced it would work. Lane Pryce is incensed when he finds out about the deal and no one can guarantee where his position will be. When he informs Don, Bert and Roger that they won’t be able to purchase the company, Don offers that Lane fires the three of them. Lane will be “thrown overboard,” anyway, Don explains. Bert proposes to make Lane a partner. Gosh, this is such exciting stuff! I’m rooting for them!!

Then they start formulating a strategy, they need accounts, Lucky Strike, and others for cash flow. They only have the weekend to collect their things, secure accounts, and scramble together some sort of staff. “Well, gentlemen,” Lane quips jokingly, “I suppose you’re fired.” Heehee! First off, Don orders Peggy Olsen in his office. She’s upset he assumes she’ll do whatever he says. He gets miffed and tells her he won’t beg her to join the new agency. “Beg me?” she responds irked, “you didn’t even ask me.” Later he visits her at her apartment to ask for her help – and confesses he will spend the rest of his life trying to hire her if she won’t join already. They also need a good accountant, so they offer Pete Campbell the job. He was in fact thinking about joining Duck Phillips’ company, so he needs convincing. Don admits they need his talents, to stay ahead of the curve, to keep looking forward, like Pete has with the space program, teenagers, African-Americans, and so on. The next day, the office is humming with cheerful excitement, but there’s one problem: no one knows where all the materials are... There’s only one person who can help: our svelte redhead Joan! Next day, the small staff is operating from a hotel suite, Joan picks up the phone, “Good morning, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce,” she answers. Excellent stuff. Top notch.