MAD MEN: “Seven Twenty Three”

Photo Credit: Carin Baer/ AMC.

Read on for my recap and review of Mad Men 3×07, aired September 27th, 2009:

This was perhaps the oddest Mad Men episode ever, at least to me.  It wasn’t the most disturbing of all time—that dubious honor goes to Joan’s rape—but it was certainly up there.  After last week’s lawn-mower incident, I expected to story to pick up on the hanging plot threads from that storyline, but so much was left unanswered—particularly regarding Joan.  A Joan-less episode?  Ce n’est pas magnifique.

I was also completely confused as to the time-line of this episode, and I really wish they could have done the cuts somewhat differently.  Usually, each episode is bookmarked by parallel scenes, but this time the bookends were the same scene.  It sort of felt like Alias, when we start in medias res, and then we wonder how in the world Sidney got into that life-or-death situation.  Except this isn’t a spy show, and Don-all-beat-up doesn’t need to be revealed at the beginning of the episode to escalate tension.  I’d rather work to that tension naturally, and in a narrative fashion.   The same could be said for Peggy’s sex scene—it wasn’t as surprising since we already saw her in bed with someone.  I even wondered, “Did she sleep with two guys this episode?” before realizing that the same story device used on Don was also used for Peggy.  I do not need to be wondering such questions.  All this complaining may make me sound like I didn’t like the episode, but I did.  Every Mad Men episode is a work of genius, in my biased opinion.  Read on for my detailed recap of the episode.

Don is lying on the floor. What?!?!  He wakes up and is NOT in good shape. He either was beat up, or collided with a very solid wall when drunk. Perhaps falling down stairs and rubbing his face in mud were involved?  He gets dressed and goes downstairs, where Betty is having a meeting with an interior designer.  I’m very afraid.

When Don reaches Sterling Cooper, the partners are all abuzz about the potential Conrad Hilton account. Mr. Hilton comes to meet with Don, and for some reason the billionaire (or were the Hiltons only millionaires back then?) feels the need to tell Don about his lady troubles.  Why on earth?  Not that Don doesn’t have experience, but it just seems odd.  Plus it sort of bugs me to have Mad Men mention the Hiltons at all.  You know why, and her name is a European city.  Or a city in Texas, I believe (at least on One Life to Live it was).

Cut to Betty meeting with some women, who are all part of the society of “housewives for the prevention of imperfection,” or something like that.  Betty’s fabulous friend Francine is there, and Betty will be replacing her as secretary.  Why can’t Francine do the job anymore?  Oh, this will not end well.  Just more for Betty to neglect and complain about.  Betty is tasked with handling something involving a reservoir and a local politician.  Whatever, I didn’t get the details. Betty takes a call with the politician, and inevitable sexual tension ensues.

Back at Sterling and Cooper, Peggy received a scarf as a present from Duck, who is still courting her and Pete.  Pete is NOT happy about this gift giving, and he tells Peggy to send it back.  Peggy likes the scarf, so she is a little bit hesitant, but she didn’t intend to keep it anyway.  However, she has the good sense not to freak out about it, and tells her annoying colleague: “Stop barging in here and infecting me with your anxiety.”  Ha! Pete: “Do you live in a cave. Conrad Hilton came to see Don today.”  Ha!  As much as I hate Pete, he’s at his best playing against Peggy.  Peggy tells Pete that she’ll keep her mouth shut, that they’re not a packaged deal, and that he can do whatever he wants.  Go Peggy!

It’s the world against Don.  Don meets with the partners and they all want him to sign a contract. Don is not happy. Oh, his life is so hard. Not.  Shut up Don.

Weird cut back to Don from the opening of the episode, with the dirty face.  Hmmm.

Odd cut of Betty laying on a couch (later identified as a fainting couch) & it’s a bit unclear what she’s doing (or maybe it isn’t, but I want to avoid recapping it).

Back to the present: Betty’s sunglasses (pictured above) are absolutely fabulous!  Especially with the white lace gloves.  She never fails to impress.  She enters a diner to meet with the official she wants to lobby about the reservoir.  He’s originally from Boston, and he’s definitely charmed with Betty.  Betty tells him that she went to Bryn Mawr.  Knowing that, I’m a bit disappointed in Betty’s intellectual bent—or lack thereof.  Betty should do some reading on that fainting couch of hers, rather than lying around and being dramatic.  Politician man doesn’t know what he can do about the water tanking, but Betty stays anyway.  Make of that what you will.

Meanwhile, in some alternate Mad Men universe in which the dads on this show actually care about their kids, Don and Francine’s husband (name?) are at a park with the kids and their teacher.  Chaperoning?  It’s unclear.  The teacher is the same one we have met previously, otherwise known as Blah Blah.  The kids are cutting holes out of cardboard boxes in order to watch the eclipse.  The other dad wonders why they can’t stare into the eclipse, because he stares at the sun “all the time.”  Don’s reaction to this is priceless, but is then topped by his reaction to the fact that his fellow dad runs.  “You run?” was delivered in such a surprised and derisive tone that it cracked me up.  The two dads also stare at the pretty young teacher.

Back at the diner Betty and what’s-his-name have finished their lunch.  They walk down the sidewalk together, and he points out a piece of furniture to the far to impressionable Betty: “That’s what you need—a fainting couch.”  No moron, that is absolutely the LAST thing Betty needs.  Sigh.

Meanwhile, at the alternate reality park, the teacher decides to lecture seemingly innocent Don about hitting on her: “You’re all the same. The drinking, the philandering.”  Don rather hilariously attempts to explain himself to the oblivious woman: “Nothing is happening. We’re just talking.”  Hehe.  Don: “Where I come from, school teachers especially would say ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’”  Oooh, good one.  Don says that he’s not bored.  Then he puts on his sunglasses, which are worth recapping because his sunglasses looks almost as fabulous as Betty’s.

Quick cut of Peggy in bed with an unknown man.  What is going on here?  What day is it?  What show am I watching?  Help.

Back to the present (presumably—though the first time I watched I didn’t realize that Peggy in bed was a flash-forward).  Peggy calls Duck and tells him not to send her anymore gifts, as she has already said “No.”

Don and Roger talk, though the conversation is pretty one-sided.  Roger demands a letter of intent, but Don refuses to answer.  Don really has some pent-up aggression towards his former BFF.  Is this all due to the divorce and remarriage?

As Roger leaves, Peggy comes in, but she unfortunately does not realize her extremely bad timing.  It seems that she is there under the pretence of getting work signed off on, but in reality is looking to talk about the Hilton account.  Don explodes at her: “What do I have to do for you?”  He gives her a speech that is extremely hard for me to hear: “Every time I turn around, you have your hand in my pocket.  You’re good.  Get better. Stop asking for things.”  Peggy is very upset, to say the least.  The intensity of their interchange makes me feel like I’ve been lectured by my mentor too.  It is not a good feeling.

Roger calls Betty.  He is so purposely calling when he knows Don is not home.  He tiptoes around the subject of the contract, and the importance of Don signing it.  Luckily, Betty proves for once that she was not born yesterday: “I’m sorry, what do you want? […]  Don is going to do whatever he’s going to do.”  Then she hangs up.

Inevitably, after the dressing down by Don, Peggy goes to Duck.  He admits that he wants someone in a skirt, who can give clients a female perspective.  She asks some questions, an then says no, again.  Then he flirts with her.  Uh oh, I know where this is going.  I am almost relieved though, as I was terrified that the guy in her bed might have been Pete, again.  Duck gives her a line about wanting to take her into the bedroom, lock the door, take off her clothes, etc.  Peggy is far more impressed by this than me.

Cut to Betty at home, smoking again.  Didn’t her mom die of lung cancer?  She needs to quit.  Don comes home, and she tells the kids to leave the room.  She fills Don in on Roger’s call.  Then they start fighting.  Don says the most patronizing thing he can think of: “It doesn’t concern you.  You’re taken care of.”  Betty has a much better retort: “What’s the matter.  You don’t know where you’re going to be in three years?”  He puts on his hat and drives off.

Cut back to Duck and Peggy, going at it.  I will spare you the details.

Don picks up two hitch hikers—a young man and woman.  The girl hands Don a beverage—I’m assuming that it’s alcoholic.  The couple is getting married, in order to keep the guy from going to Vietnam.  The girl offers him “Reds,” aka Phenobarbital, in exchange for the ride.  Don actually takes them right then and there.  Don is an idiot.

Cut to a motel room, where Don and the girl dance.  Don has a flashback/ vision of his dad.  Meanwhile, the hitchhiking couple have sex.  Don is clearly in a drugged stupor.  He is also clearly an idiot.  And oh yeah, did I mention he’s an IDIOT!?!?   Don/ Dick’s dad tells him he’s a bum.  “Look at your hands.  They’re as soft as a woman’s.  What do you do? What do you make?”  While this surreal one-sided conversation is going on, the hitchhiker guy wonders how Don’s still awake, and then knocks him out.  When Don wakes up the next morning (recall to first scene of the episode), he was robbed.  However, the nice thieving couple left him a note and, more importantly, his car.

Cut back to the Peggy waking up in bed with unknown guy shot, but this time we know—unfortunately.

Back at the Draper residence, Betty’s decorator is pissed about the fainting couch: “Look around.  You have ruined the whole room. If you’re going to keep it, please do not tell people that I did this.”  Ha!

At Sterling Cooper, Bert Cooper is waiting for Don in his office.  He spins Don a tale of Sacajawea, somehow making this anecdote a metaphor to Don’s situation.  The logic is now lost on me.  Moral of the story: “Now’s the time to pay us back.”  This speech totally mirrors Don’s speech to Peggy, so perhaps Don has received his karmic reward.  Bert: “Would you say I know something about you Don?”  Don: “I would.”  Bert: “Then sign.  After all, when it comes right down to it, who is really signing this contract anyway?”  Good point.  What significance does Don’s refusal, and later submission, to signing the contract have on Don’s self-identity?  Has he finally put Dick Whitman behind him?  Or will this requirement of his constructed persona—this cowing of the alpha male Don—make him want to retreat back to his former identity?   When signing, Don demands one concession: “I don’t want any more contact with Roger Sterling.”  Wow.  Is their relationship reparable at all, or is this it for Roger and Don?  Don signs on the dotted line, and the date on the contract explains the episode title, in case you were wondering.

Final scene: one more shot of Betty lying on couch.  I knew that fainting couch was bad news.

Related posts:

• MAD MEN season finale: “Shut the Door. Have a Seat”
• MAD MEN: “The Grown Ups”
• MAD MEN: “The Gypsy and the Hobo”
• MAD MEN: “The Color Blue”
• MAD MEN: “Wee Small Hours”