"Mad Men - Beautiful Girls" S4, E9

\Don who seems to be playing hard ball with a client on the phone, saying “I’ll clear the next hour, let’s grab a sandwich and we can discuss this face to face. I’m hanging up now.” Shot on two perfectly wrapped sandwiches on the counter with drinks that are both untouched. You can hear Faye screaming from the kitchen as her and Don make a little afternoon delight. (Get it Don with the skills – cold hard pimp.) There is a loud clatter, like Don threw the hot blonde off the bed or something, and they both laugh, instead they hit a lamp. (What position were they in to knock off the bedside table lamp? I’ve been waiting for them to hook up since we first saw her on screen) Faye asks “Is it broken?” Don replies “The lamp?” (As in the lamp or my dick or both maybe?) Don is even up for a little post coital snuggling before Faye asks the inevitable, “Which one of us is going to look at the clock first?” (Since this is a work day people) Don says he is already late for a Secor laxatives meeting. Heehee. He asks what she is doing for the rest of the day and she says she has a meeting but can’t go into it. (She is a free lance research marketer or something because she works for many agencies.) Don says “He has to go,” and she asks “Can I get in the bathroom first?” Don starts to go into instructions because he is going to leave when she asks “You’re going to leave me alone in your apartment?” He replies “I’m taking everything interesting with me.” And laughs. (Some good lines here – who knew he was so funny and her too. He must really like her to leave her in his place, just saying – bachelor rule.)

Roger bitches on the phone asking about his book not being as good as Ogilvy (as in David Ogilvy) – his secretary buzzes in that his wife is on the phone and leaving for the week. Roger replies “It’s only Wednesday and they have phones in the Hampton.” In the process Roger loses Ira on the phone (maybe Ira say his window and bailed) Joan walks in with documents asking for “Signatures and not initials,” of Roger asking why he refused. Roger states “It’s just so much work,” he jests before Joan gives him the stink eye. (Joan is sure grouchy pants from tangling with that asshole Joey) Roger plays with Joan like he always does but she is pissed and tired of being treated like his personal office ho and walks out. The secretary walks in asking what Roger did to Joan. She says Joan’s doctor husband was called up to Vietnam right after basic training (Hate to say it but karma for Joan after her Vietnam vent on Joey and the guys last episode? Or her husband’s karma for joining military so he could still be a surgeon? They need doctors in Nam but shit Joanie.) Roger has his oh shit moment after he finds out.

Peggy meets Don saying “I know you don’t like to be immediately bombarded but I have to finish this Secor and Fillmore. So sign off on what I worked through lunch to finish.” Don apologizes for his long lunch, “swimming” and tells her to come back in hour because he needs to nap. (Don’t you forget it either Peggy, you bitch. Don’s such a pimp, beating down his bitches.) Don’s secretary comes out with a great line. “It’s a business of sadists and masochists and you know which one you are.” (Meaning Peggy loves Don’s beat downs at least in a way.) The lesbian girl ambushes Peggy in her office with the art guy asshole making comments the entire time. (Peggy doesn’t know if she likes this girl or not.)

Mrs. Blankenship (let’s call her the Dragon Lady) meets him after his siesta and offers him a message from Dr. Miller aka Faye. He smiles and walks away and the Dragon Lady asks if he is going to the toilet. (She is classic by the way, annoying but funny.) Peggy and the dyke are at the bar and Abe walks up, one of the les’s friends – who offers Abe her seat to play darts so they can talk alone. They flirt.

The doorbell rings and Joan answers the door. Two (Swedish?) Ladies show up at the door saying pedicure, manicure, massage. (I smell Roger.) She accepts though she hesitates and asks who sent it.

Back at the bar, Abe talks it up for Peggy and she listens hard only asking if he is from Brooklyn in reply. (She’s not interested in that talk dude.) When Peggy mentions Fillmore Auto parts, Abe is offended because they don’t hire “negroes” in southern stores. Peggy is surprised. Peggy offers some advertising excuse saying they help clients out of situations. Abe is offended from her response. Peggy likens herself to Negroes because she can’t get into any of the things the men can. Abe responds with there are no Negro copy writers (touché). Peggy says they can fight their way in like she did. Abe makes fun of women civil rights. (Really Abe?) Peggy cock blocks him and leaves him cold.

Cooper has some entertaining conversation with the Dragon lady about a crossword.  She greets Don who says coffee and let me know when Dr. Miller arrives. Dragon Lady replies “It’s hard the way she breezes past me.” She looks to Cooper and says “She is pushy that one, guess that is what it takes.” (Referring to how she hooked Don.)

Joan thanks Roger for her spa treatment – she got rubbed the right way instead of the wrong. Roger offers a meal – and Joan goes all cynical saying of course Roger wants something in return. (He is a player, just saying.)

Abe shows up with some manifest or some sort of writing for Peggy called “Nuremburg on Madison Avenue”. Uh-oh.

Dr. Miller presents research to a group (Don, Ken, Fillmore Auto Parts clients) and she finishes with “Ladies love a man who is good with their hands.” Her eyes flash to Don and she smiles. The clients bicker about what to do. (One is called the “salt of the Earth” by the other – love the term for an old timer.) Ken argues with Don slightly. (Not smart Ken) The front desk girl walks in and whispers to Don. He says “WHAT?” loudly and excuses himself. Front desk girl looks at Dr. Miller for a second oddly.

Don walks out and his daughter, Sally, is waiting for him with some woman. She says she caught her trying to avoid the conductor on the train. (Oh shit girl, wait until Betty finds out.) Don sends his daughter to his office and tries to pay the woman but she refuses saying that Don is lucky she found her and not some psycho.

Mrs. Blankenship comments about Sally looking chubby in pictures, smiling. Don tries to calmly say “Get her mother on the phone, now.” (No, don’t tell Betty!) Mrs. Francis, (weird right?) calls and Don shocks the hell out of Betty and she says it was the shrink's idea of Sally to walk by her. Don demands Betty come get Sally. Betty just says “You think it’s so much fun, enjoy. I’ll get her tomorrow night.” (Bitch slap from Betty! Even a pimp can get hit.)  Don slams the phone down, walks out and rejoins the meeting donning his smile again.

Peggy bitches at Abe about his stupid article. He defends himself and she rips the shit up. He is shocked saying she should be flattered. (He doesn’t know Peggy from shit.) Peggy says he better destroy it. Peggy walks down the hall and spots Blankenship napping at her desk. She goes to wake her up but she is dead. (Oh snap, the old bitch died hard but she went out with a bang at least with her fiery dialogue this episode.)

Don is interrupted from the same meeting because of the death of the Dragon Lady. He walks out and three girls surround Blankenship’s corpse. Joan says call the coroner and tries to move Blankenship with her afghan (wow Joan – showing some guts.) Joan asks front desk girl to get a man and a blanket.

Don comes back into the meeting and the group has decided on the “Fillmore Auto Parts, for the mechanic in every man.” (Good tagline.) Don has to ask to hear it again because Joan and Peter are carrying out Blankenship’s body in the window across from him – though Fillmore can’t see, Don, Ken and Faye can. (Their looks are great as they realize what is going on but still continue to sell the idea.) Harry Crane’s “My mother made that,” was hilarious as he referred to the blanket they were using to carry the body. They seal the deal on the meeting.

Don asks Faye to take Sally to his apartment and watch her. The office stands around and watches as the dead dragon lady is wheeled out on a gurney. Cooper stops the body for a minute. Front desk girl, aka Megan puts dragon lady’s purse on the body’s chest, almost like this is a tomb rite or something. Megan tells Don to go home. (Who is this Megan girl? One of the beautiful girls obviously, which the episode is named after but…)

Roger is worried about dying in his office and Joan comforts him. They lament about Blankenship. Roger asks Joan to join him again. She hesitates, he insists.

Faye and Sally watch TV at Don’s pad. Don comes home. Faye has dinner plans and leaves. Sally asks to order a pizza. Don makes Sally promise to never do this again. (Sally seems unaffected and almost gloomy. She is scared of Betty that bad, huh?)

Joan and Roger speak about Joan’s husband. She says she had no say in her husband’s actions. Roger regrets leaving Joan. She appreciates his expression of regret.

Sally asks Don is he is marrying Faye, is Faye is his girlfriend? Don says no to both accounts even though Faye has a set of keys. Sally says something is up because Faye said she wanted to meet her. Don asks if Sally likes her and she says she seems nice. Pizza guy shows up.

Roger and Joan walk down the street noting how it has changed. Roger jokes that Blankenship is not missing anything and some shady guy walks up asking for the time before pulling a gun on Roger and Joan. Roger protects Joan and gives up his ring, wallet, watch, etc. The shady bastard makes Joan give up her purse and rings and takes off. Joan freaks out and Roger comforts her. They kiss. Holy shitballs. Joan and Roger back together like two fucking players. Joan wants it bad too. (Her husband is a shitty lover.)

Don tucks in Sally and she passes on saying goodnight to Betty. (Cause Betty is a cold hearted bitch)/ Sally wants to live with Don and is all sweet like. Don asks what about her life? She says her brothers can come too. He kisses her goodnight and goes to journal. (I don’t know about this journal stuff.)

Don awakes to find Sally has made French toast. He asks what is on it and she replies Mrs. Butterworth’s. He asks her to go get it and she brings a Mrs. Butterworth like shaped rum bottle. It doesn’t taste too bad to Don, rum French toast, yummy. Sally convinces a possibly tipsy Don to taker her somewhere. He says Central Park; she asks for Dinosaur museum too, he says one or other. (She is such a player, like her daddy.)

Sterling and Cooper sit in Sterling’s office trying to come up with something for Blankenship’s obit. Cooper admits he doesn’t have an office and is kind of bitter about it. Roger asks for Joan to come in to help. As Joan writes it Roger stares at her ass. Cooper says some crazy shit about Blankenship being an astronaut because she was born in 18981 in a barn and died on the 37^th floor. (An old lover of Cooper’s? 1898, damn she was an old bitch.) Roger apologizes to Joan about doing it last night and she says “I’m not sorry. But I’m married. So are you.” (Best line of the episode.) Roger says he feels something and so does she. Joan walks out.

Don brings Sally to work after a joyous outing and front desk girl, Megan, is now Don’s secretary. (Uh-oh. Moving on up, to the East side) He hands off Sally to Megan. Peggy, Ken, and art jerk (aka Stan) sit in the conference room. The guys joke about Don’s new secretary and whether she will quit or die. Don walks in. They talk about Fillmore wanting a jingle and Ken offers some guys up. Don yawn at them all. Peggy offers Harry Belafonte (African American mega pop star of 50’s, activist, and actor.) Peggy says Harry could help with their image. Why are they doing business with companies like Fillmore anyway? (Abe got a little bit into Peggy didn’t he?) Don replies “Our job is to make men like Fillmore Auto, not Fillmore Auto like Negroes.” (Damn, well okay then Don.)

Megan waves to Don who goes to get Sally to meet Betty in the lobby. (Whew) Sally refuses to go and makes a scene. She screams “I hate there.” (Don, she lives with the ice queen, Betty, you know better than anyone. Help her.) Faye walks in asking if everything is ok. Don grabs Faye and walks out of his office, asking Faye to talk to Sally. Faye doesn’t want to but she does for Don. Sally tells Dr. Miller to shut up and runs out of the office, falling in the hallway. Office girls surround her. Sally hugs Megan. Sally cries on Megan’s shoulder about mommy dearest. They walk to meet Betty in reception. All the office ladies follow and watch before Joan calls them in. Betty pats Sally on the arm (wait until we get home you little bitch.) and she tells Sally to say goodbye. The lesbian walks in and talks to Megan who is now back at the front desk.

Don walks back into his office and Faye is fuming. Don shouldn’t have put her in that position. It felt like a test and she failed it. She has been thinking about meeting his kids.  Don apologizes and they hug and kiss.

The lesbian joins Peggy in her office and she discusses Abe and men as soup and how they try to make women a pot and who wants to be a pot anyway? Peggy disagrees saying she doesn’t believe that. Joan and Faye wait for the elevator and get in one. Peggy asks them to hold it and they do. Peggy takes her place as one of the “Beautiful Girls” in between Joan and Faye as the elevators door close.

So Ida "The Old Battleship" Blankenship died, poor extremely old thing. How they disposed of her was hysterical, hiding it from the clients. Don and Faye grew closer. Sally screamed for help only to be thrown back into the clutches of Betty the wicked witch of the west. Peggy chose what team she was playing for. Joan and Roger "reminisced" about days of old. I liked them together actually, always have. Looks like some rough days could be ahead for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. A storm is brewing.