- As the firm prepares to go public, Don and Pete's actions cause them to lose two huge clients. However, Roger uses a new connection to put them in position to gain their biggest client ever.
- Bert, Pete and Joan work with an underwriter to prepare SCDP's public offering, which is unknown to the other partners. If they get what they want, this public offering would make each of the partners a millionaire. Over at CGC, Ted deals with the news that fellow partner Frank Gleason is suffering from pancreatic cancer, which makes Ted think about the viability of their company. Otherwise, the thoughts in both offices are on cars. Herb Rennet at Jaguar has requested a business dinner with Don and Roger, which Don is dreading if only for his disdain for Herb and by association the Jaguar account. And CGC has lost the Alfa Romeo account. However, CGC is one of three short listed companies up for the account all advertising firms would do anything for: General Motors, to promote Chevy's yet unnamed new vehicle. Through a personal contact, Roger, unilaterally, maneuvers an unofficial meeting with Mikey O'Brien of Chevrolet. This news does not sit well with Ted, until... Meanwhile, Megan's mother is in town for a visit for Mother's Day. However, Marie's thoughts steer more toward Roger than with her daughter. Peggy has just purchased a new apartment in the neighborhood that Abe wanted, but it's not quite what she expects. Her mind also wanders from Abe and the apartment to work, but not for professional reasons. And Pete has an uncomfortable encounter with his father-in-law in an unexpected location, that meeting which could affect Pete both personally and professionally.—Huggo
- Don and Roger have a dinner with Herb from Jaguar and spouses are to come. When he hears that Megan's mother is in town Don insists that she come along as well. Roger never shows up however and Don has had with Herb who wants his own flunky to write copy for him through SCDP. The business relationship ends brusquely. Unbeknownst to Don - and others - Bert, Pete and Joan have been doing the necessary groundwork to take SCDP public. When they learn they've lost Jaguar it all begins to crumble and Joan has choice words for Don and his selfish attitude. Peggy has moved into a new apartment and while Abe does his best to cheer her up, she isn't too happy. Pete is stunned when he sees his father-in-law at a bordello. Roger missed the dinner with Herb because he was working on a new client - General Motors - and SCDP is now invited to make a pitch on their new car. By the time Don gets to Detroit Ted Cheough, also there to make a pitch for GM's business, explains to him they don't have a chance of winning. Don has an idea however, one that will result in a great deal of change for everyone concerned.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "For Immediate Release" - May 5, 2013
Burt, Peter, and Joan meet with a banker on a Saturday night about taking SCDP public. He compliments Joan on her spotless record-keeping. Pete tells Joan at $9 a share her part in the company will be worth a million dollars. They call Don their next hurdle. Joan says she doesn't think Don cares about money. Pete knows that he cares about prestige though and says this capitalization will double their size. Pete unsuccessfully hits on Joan and as she leaves she reminds him tomorrow is Mother's Day.
Roger wakes up next to a cute blonde, a stewardess. He jokingly admits he pumps her for leads. He asks about tonight. She says she has plans with her mother since it's mother's day. He plays the "my mother just died' card and she gets back in bed with him.
Pete, slides into bed next to Trudy and kisses her and she seems to respond favorably and then realizes it's him and makes him stop. He balks that she wants to maintain a façade of marriage without the most important part. She notes that is their daughter, not sex. He thinks she doesn't care that he wants her. She says she's noted his efforts. He points out that she has given up on him at just the wrong time as he has big things in the works. She says shell take note of that as well.
At the Drapers, Megan chats with her mother in French about her sister and her kids. There is a knock at the door it's Arnie, who has a wrapping paper emergency. He meets Marie. Mitchell, Arnie's son came home as a surprise gift to Sylvia.
Peggy comes home to her and Abe's new apartment and notes that there is "poop' on the stairs, which she thinks is from a tenant, who is a junkie. Abe is trying work on their apartment and isn't much of a handyman. There is a commotion outside and then loud music comes from upstairs.
Don comes in to find that his meeting with Jaguar is off, according to Pete. Roger in his office and says the meeting is on, Pete's just not invited. Herb from Jaguar wants to straighten some things out and Roger wants spouses-- and Marie-- in the house to "limit the explosion.
Over at Cuter, Gleason, and Chaough they're having a partner meeting. They're going over their top three campaigns including Chevrolet. Gleason, the artistic guy, is very agitated, tired of drawing rockets. (Chevy has an astronaut vibe to their ad apparently.) Chaough asks what's up. Gleason says he has pancreatic cancer and says Cutler and Chaough have to buy him out. Chaough tells him to stop talking about money and that he's going to do amazing work on Chevy, and they're going to build a wing at Sloan-Kettering and that he will beat this thing.
Roger calls his stewardess friend Daisy she has a line on a potential client for Roger and he rushes off to the first class lounge.
In the elevator in her building two teenage girls ask Megan for an autograph. Marie looks on somewhat uncomfortably.
Roger meets the man in the lounge. His flight is delayed. They crush on Daisy. He and Mikey share a drink and he asks Daisy on the sly to get him on Mikey's flight.
Megan and Marie prep for their Jaguar dinner. Megan confides that she and Don are struggling. Marie thinks it's because she's famous now and he thinks she belongs to others more than him. Marie suggests she dress not like his wife but like the hottie she was in the beginning, so he'll only be thinking about having sex with her.
They go to dinner and Herb's wife Peaches goes on and on about shopping. Roger is late, Herb is perturbed.
Burt goes to visit Peter and gives him lots of credit for what he's done to turn SCDP around and that they're going to go public at eleven dollars a share. Burt asks for a drink. Pete tells a passing Bob Benson to get Joan..and some ice. Burt says they'll break the news the next day.
Peaches continues to babble about her dog having a litter of puppies. Marie mocks her in French and drowns a wine bottle. Don says he loves puppies. Peaches suggest the women go powder their noses while Herb and Don discuss the business they came to discuss. Herb has an idea. He has a kid who's been writing flyers for him at his car lots and has a great turn of phrase and he offers to have the kid "look" at Don's work in its formative stages. Don asks his name and writes it down on a business card and hands it to him and says here's the guy who's going to be handling your account from now on. Herb is insulted and complains about Don being touchy. Herb says the whole company needs to be taken to the woodshed. Herb says one day Don will be working for this kid someday and he can't believe Don doesn't know on which side his bread is buttered. Herb says he's done with them and that Don should tell Roger that he screwed up. They leave abruptly.
At home Don seizes Megan immediately and starts having sex with her against the wall. Roger calls Don and Marie answers and she tells him not to bother apologizing. He wants to talk to Don. After her miserable night she tells him to forget her name as we can hear Don and Megan literally banging against the wall.
Bob and Pete are visiting a house of ill repute when Pete runs into his father-in-law, who apparently enjoys the brown sugar.
Pete goes to Ken the next day with a "hypothetical" high level accounts question. He then spills on his father-in-law. Ken wonders if anyone else from Vick's was there. Ken laughs and talks about seeing his science teacher at a porn movie house once and they realized it was mutually assured destruction. Pete realizes this means his father-in-law will tell. They then get a call from Jaguar.
Pete goes running down the steps and falls and then starts yelling at Don. They have their fight right out in public. Pete screams they had a public offering under way and now Don has ruined it and Don has never cared about the company. Joan quickly shepherds them into the conference room and Don wants to know when he was to be told. Pete says this morning. Roger arrives with good news and bad news. When he is told Don lost Jaguar Roger says it's only good news then. They've got a presentation with Chevy on Friday on their top secret new car and he has a 10,000 check in his pocket because, he notes to Pete, he closes things. Don protests "Friday?" But Roger says Don has been thinking about Chevy his whole life. Mikey said he was looking for something cutting edge. Don gloats at Pete about how much better Chevy is for going public. Pete, still disgusted, that Don shouldn't pretend like he had a plan and says Don's just Tarzan swinging from vine to vine. No matter he tells Pete that Jaguar's stuff should be boxed up by the end of the day and tells Joan to get the creative in his office. She stonily tells him to get them himself. He's confused and asks if she doesn't feel 300 pounds lighter. She doesn't. She is livid, apparently the only one in the room who is remembering what she did to get them that account and now, apparently, it was all for nothing. Don promises her "I will win this." She says just once she'd like to hear him use the word "we" instead of "I," so it wouldn't be all about them rooting him on from the sidelines as he decides what's good for all of their lives. (Notably, Bob Benson peers in on all of this from the stairs.) Don leaves. Ken asks if they should go in to the meeting in his office. Pete says he doesn't care and stalks off.
Roger, Don, Stan, Ginsberg, the kid, and the older lady all sit excitedly as Roger reads off the info about the car. Chevy's trying to build the perfect car, they used a computer. There are three other firms in the running. They look over the R&D. Don is very excited.
Peggy meets Ted at the office. He says he has a new way to go with Chevy and he's worried that it's bad. He's still worried about Gleason, and says it's his negativity and paint brush that has balanced him out over the years. She says she's worked with a lot of pessimistic people and she's glad that he's... and he interrupts her and says he hates it when people call him nice. She says she was going to say strong. He kisses her. She gently pushes him back. He says he was just grateful and she agrees. He bids her goodnight.
Don runs into Arnie in the elevator. Arnie says he just quit his job. His hospital chickened out on a transplant and he's mad that the next chance is going to some other doctor in Houston and that he'll claim the glory. Arnie says fate didn't choose him. Don says he doesn't cut people open but he doesn't believe in fate. Arnie asks him to go for a drink. Don says he has to work.
He tries to work but tells Megan, who is in bed, that he thinks he's just going to shower and go back in to the office. She says she likes him like this. "Desperate and scared?" he asks. She replies, "fearless." And she says she wants to do whatever she can to make sure he doesn't fail, so he feels like Superman and could just jump from the balcony and fly to work. So she um, offers him, oral pleasure.
Later, he sits in the first class lounge with Roger. They ogle a much larger group from a competing firm who will be on the same flight. A competitor comes over and needles them a bit, making cracks about Vicks.
We cut to Pete screaming at someone at Vicks to get his father-in-law on the phone and he rushes out. Roger calls from the airport. Burt tells Joan to tell him and that he will handle it. Roger tells Don that those other guys are just messing with them. Don is reassured. Roger looks like has indigestion.
Pete arrives at Vicks and tells his father-in-law they're both adults and Pete has a short memory. He says this was clearly an impulsive decision and he wants to know what he can do to bring him back to reality and to SCDP. His father-in-law gets teary and says Trudy is a princess and said he has no business being a father and he makes him sick. Pete tells him to look in the mirror. Pete thinks if he has such low character why he would push him like this. He says Pete will do the right thing.
Peggy wears a bandana around her nose, complaining of paint fumes. She then complains about kids on the stoop lighting firecrackers and the neighborhood in general. Abe replies they're fixing up the place, the neighborhood is changing for the better and that the political landscape is improving and that good changes are coming. She gripes that she doesn't like change. She then suddenly sees Chaough in Abe's place and says she just wants him to kiss her. Chaough leans over and kisses her and we cut to the reality of Abe kissing her.
The real Chaough runs into Don at the hotel bar where they're both staying before the big presentation. Chaough is mad to see him. Don says he knew he was good but didn't realize all he had to do was show up. Chaough says they're both dead as the "little guys." He thinks they're going to take their creative and give it to one of those big boys. Chaough is also pessimism. He infects Don who says the business is rigged. He says he's tired of this crap. They mutually gripe about being geniuses. Chaough asks what Don came up with. Don tells him to go first. Chaough gives his speech, the car is for those young at heart, hit the road jack. Don compliments him. Don gives his, just music, people's faces, with expressions of wonder, it's so new this combination of power and technology that it's impossible to imagine, but not Chevy, the future is something you haven't even thought of yet. He says you run it for a week and then finally show the car. Chaough says it's interesting. Don says "hooray." Chaough asks if we should go home. Don rolls the word "we" around. He proposes combining forces. Chaough is confused and says they have partners. Don says they're not in the room. Don says he can make Chevy think it was their idea to combine agency forces and Chaough can figure out what to present. Chaough says they've got a long night.
The next day Chaough and Cutler meet with Roger and Don and shake hands. Cutler says for the record that unless this works, he's against it. Roger agrees. They head in as a quartet.
Pete goes to Trudy and says his father pulled his business. Trudy says not to criticize her father. Pete tells her about the whorehouse and the 200 pound Negro prostitute. Trudy says Pete wants to hurt her and that they're done and to get his things.
Chaough, returns quickly, and calls Peggy into his office. She checks her make-up first. She goes in and asks how it went and she hears Don say we got it. He's in Ted's office. They explain about teaming up. Peggy is shocked and wonders if it's just for Chevy. Don says nope, they merged, furniture, fixtures and all. Peggy remains confused. Don says he did this wrong before and approaches her and shakes her hand and says how great it's going to be and she can decide if she wants to come along. Chaough jumps in and says she's now the copy chief at one of the top 25 agencies in the country and she's not even 30. He's jealous.
She asks if they're moving. Ted says they are and they'd like her to write the press release. She asks "for what?" Don says "We don't have a name yet but make it sound like the agency you want to work for." She asks who to give it to and he says Ted.
She goes to her typewriter and types, "New York City, May 17, 1968, For immediate release..."
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