- The bosses come in from London to reorganize Sterling Cooper, but a key player's career is sidetracked by a freak accident. Meanwhile, as Joan prepares to leave her job, her husband gives her some bad news.
- A lot is happening at Sterling Cooper in the lead up to Independence Day. The office will be closed on July 3rd, and the staff are looking forward to the holiday. July 2nd will be Joan's last day before she settles into being a housewife as Greg is primed to be promoted to Chief Resident of Surgery. But plans change when Sterling Cooper's British parent company representatives are coming for "an inspection". This essentially means that the office will now be open on July 3rd. Ken is buoyed by this news as he has just brought in another lucrative account, John Deere tractor. Bertram and Roger believe the visit really is to provide an official evaluation and promotion for Don, with who the Brits were impressed ever since the takeover meeting when Don overthrew Duck Phillips. They think he will get a creative executive position, splitting his time between New York and London. To make the visit smoother, Bertram wants Don and Roger to reconcile their differences. But when the Director and Chair arrive with young dynamic Guy Mackendrick in tow, it is Guy who delivers the unexpected news to the masses. It ends up being an eventful day for Guy in the office. It also ends up being an eventful time later that day for Don as he meets with an old acquaintance. At the Harris household, there is also an unexpected turn of events. And at the Draper household, Sally has been totally ignoring baby Gene. Betty's attempt to get Sally to bond with her new baby brother fails. Don eventually learns what is troubling Sally.—Huggo
- The staff of Sterling Cooper prepare for a visit from the new British owners just before the July 4 holiday. Bert Cooper tells Don that he thinks the creative director is in for a big promotion but when the bosses arrive and lay their plans on the table, the senior staff is not very happy. Don gets a call to meet the well known hotelier Conrad Hilton and on seeing him, realizes they have met before. It's also time to say goodbye to Joan as it's her last day at work. The farewell party for her leads to a serious accident that will affect everyone at the agency. Joan is also not not in good spirits as her surgeon-husband Greg has received bad news at his work. Meanwhile, Betty and Don have to deal with Sally who refuses to have anything to do with her newborn brother Gene. Betty thinks she is jealous but Don finds out it is something else.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "A Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency" - Sept. 20, 2009
At the Draper house Don goes to turn off Sally's light but she claims she's afraid of the dark. He says home now and nothing can hurt her. Except the mess in her room. He tells her if she cleans up he'll get her a night light.
We see a memo calling for a Sterling Cooper staff meeting. Everyone gathers in the reception area to hear the announcement from Lane that the director and chairman of Putnam, Powell and Lowe are coming for a surprise visit which will be both friendly and serve as a performance evaluation.This will mean the postponement of their planned day off (July 3). People are not psyched. He tells everyone to continue to operate at height of productivity and get their offices ship shape.
Bert and Roger ask for a word with Don. Joan thinks this is just perfect. It turns out the secretaries were planning a going away party for Joan. Peggy, of course, hadn't heard about the party and wants to buy Joan something.
Hooker tells Harry and Pete that they'll need to give quick presentations to the Brits and suggests Kinsey shave his beard. He freaks and asks who these people think they are. Hooker chuckles and says he was kidding.
In Bert's office Don notes that it's real subtle to invade on the 4th of July. Roger notes the British are coming. Bert theorizes their coming to see Don to decipher his American genius and offer him a creative umbrella promotion, with a dual position in both London and New York. Don looks like he likes this idea. Roger waves bye bye to Don. Bert tells them to keep up the congeniality when the British arrive. The men pretend they don't know of what he speaks. He tells them to kiss and make up already.
Cosgrove drives in on a riding John Deere mower. He's sealed the account. People are impressed. Pete and the other inform him of the British invasion and one account guy points out that Ken got the account just in time. "l guess I did," he says with a smile.
At home, Bobby and Sally visit Betty in her room where the baby is sleeping. Bobby says he is bored. Betty tells him to go bang his head against the wall since only boring people are bored. He strokes the baby. Betty tells him to go play and tells Sally to come over to see the baby, Sally declines. Betty smiles at her pig in a blanket.
Roger and Don get shaves and Roger gets a manicure. Roger tells an apocryphal tale about his dad getting in a car accident and having his arm severed. Roger says "it's my company why should I be nervous." Don replies, " because you sold it." Roger wonders if that's what he "did" to Don, sell the company and net Don a half million dollars. Don says that no one said Roger did anything. Roger says the problem with Mona was that she started judging people. He doesn't like being judged. Don says they don't need to talk about it anymore, he promises. Roger says he was looking for gratitude. Don thanks him and they're done.
Joan tells Hildy to get the deliveries early so the office will look bustling when the big guns arive. Hooker arrives and counsels Hildy that maybe Joan's party should be postponed until after the Brits' visit. Hildy is fuming that he spilled the beans. He smugly says Joan knows everything, probably including this. Joan says she's off to make a celebratory dinner for her hubby.
In the Draper kitchen Betty appreciates Don's smooth new face and makes him chicken salad. He asks after Sally and the nightlight. She says doesn't remember her being that resentful of Bobby and that she won't even go in his room. Don tells her about the British coming and wonders if she would want to live in London. Of course she says and wonders what he knows. He just smiles.
Joan is asleep on couch when her hubby comes home stinking drunk. This was not a celebratory drinking session. He was passed over for the chief resident position. She wonders about another hospital. He says not in New York, maybe Alabama. She wonders if he was fired. He says he doesn't want to talk about it. He says Ettinger, the chief of surgery they hosted for dinner, told him he had no brains in his fingers so although he's still a doctor he's probably washed out as a surgeon. Joan says she married him for his heart not his hands. He points out that with a year of residency left she'll have to keep her job. She says it's too late. He tells her to get another one.
In the Draper marital bed, Don smiles a satisfied smile. In her room, Sally looks at her nightlight.
The gang from P, P & L - our old friend St. John Powell, young gun Guy McKendrick, and Harold Ford show up at the office meeting folks and shaking hands. (As they walk by Kinsey's office he's strumming a guitar and singing.)
Guy, handsome and young, walks around handing out compliments to Peggy, Pete, and later Don. We get to hear Guy's impressive CV in Bert's office- he's got a bunch of degrees and landed big accounts. Everyone is mutually impressed. \
Powell and Ford visit Lane and drop a bomb: they think he's done such a great job - in 9 months he's trimmed excess, increased billing, and there's been nary a complaint- that they're shipping him to Bombay. They present him with a taxidermied snake in a basket as a gift. Lane is less than psyched -his wife and kids have just gotten settled- but he falls in line.
Later in the conference room Guy presents the new reorganization flow chart.
At the top is himself as COO along with Don, still just as Creative Director, and Bert Cooper. Don looks disappointed
He says that triumvarate will oversee the the three departments: creative art and copy, accounts and the combined media dept.
Accounts, he says will be headed by Ken and Pete- after whose name he says for the moment- and the media department will be led by Harry.
Bert points out that Roger is not on the chart at all. Guy realizes this and says it's an oversight and a lackey quickly sharpies in Sterling's name on the overhead projector sheet under Bert. Guy says basically nothing is changing. He says the visit is more about keeping the communication lines open, sharing creative genius, media savvy, and the unbridled acquisition of new business. He tells them it's time to tell the troops so they can transition after the holiday. Don, Bert, Roger,Harry and Pete stay behind in the conference room and Harry asks what just happened. Pete say they reorganized them and Harry's the only one who got a promotion. Roger confirms this. Bert apologizes to Don for his wild imagination
Sally shows Betty into her clean room but Betty's not there to scold her. Instead she pulls a gift from beneath the pillow which she claims is from baby Gene. It's a Barbie. Betty says baby Gene just wants her to know that he wants to be Sally's friend and says that Sally is very important to her too. Sally puts the Barbie on the bed.
Back at SC Guy announces the news with a champagne toast. But says the questions about the news can wait because this night should be about Joan's farewell. He wishes her caviar and children and all that is good in her new life. She breaks down and cries. Hooker brings out the cake.
Pete, Ken, Kinsey, and Harry wonder what now since they keep adding people above them. Pete says one more promotion like this and they'll be answering phones. Ken thinks they should go say hello.
Peggy and Don drink their champagne. She observes it's good. He does not agree. She heads off to get some grub.
Don's secretary tells him he's got a call from Conrad Hilton's office. He's intrigued and takes the call. Hilton's secretary wants to set up a meeting. Don suggests right now and heads over to the Waldorf.
Roger visits Bert in his office to blow off steam about not even being on the chart. He says he's being punished for making his job look easy, but conceds that Guy is a great account man. Bert asks him what he thinks that job all about. Roger says "listening to people and never saying what's on your mind." Bert corrects him saying it's about letting things go so you can get what you want. Roger takes his leave. Bert reminds him "we took the money, we have to do what they say."
The party continues. One account guy is worried about being drafted. The stoner creative guy (Smitty) tells him not to worry since he's too old and also, the smart people get Stateside desk jobs.
Peggy pulls Joan aside to tell her that she doesn't want Joan to think she never listened to her but that not everyone can be Joan. They notice Smitty riding Lois on the mower through the office. Joan says she can't believe she's going to miss this. Peggy tells her that's she's really happy Joan got what she wanted. Joan wonders if Peggy's getting sentimental. As they're having their moment, Lois, who clearly can't drive, drives the mower over Guy's foot. Blood spatters over the guys and the walls. Peggy faints and Pete catches her. Joan yells at Hildy to get a tourniquet. Guy, understandably screams and freaks. Joan quickly ties the tourniquet to Guy's leg.
Don meets up with Conrad Hilton and realizes he's the man he met at the country club. Hilton shows him his forthcoming cover of Time magazine. He tracked him down to get him to look at an ad campaign. Hilton asks what he thinks and Don says he thinks Hilton wouldn't be in the presidential suite if he worked for free. Hilton says he wants some friendly, free, advice.
Don looks at the ads that employ a city mouse/country mouse theme and says he doesn't think anybody wants to think about a mouse in a hotel. Hilton says that was his idea and wonders if Don has something better? He might. HIlton asks what he wants. Don says he'd love a chance at his business. Hilton tells him the next time someone like him asks a question like that to think bigger. Don replies that snakes that go months without eating sometimes choke when they finally get a chance to eat because they're so hungry, so for him, it's one opportunity at a time. A secretary enters and says Don has an emergency call.
In an office the guys, all down to their now not bloody undershirts, are dazed. Harry is pissed about what this means for their future. Roger arrives to soothe nerves. (As a custodian squeegees blood off the wall.) Cosgrove takes responsibility. Someone points out that he might lose his foot and Roger jokes that this is too bad since he just got it in the door. Roger assures them that somewhere in this business this has happened before.
At the hospital Joan, her dress covered in blood, gets a Dr. Pepper. Don shows up and gets the 411. Guy lost his foot. They sit and wait for more news. Don says despite the circus, he hopes Joan knows that she's going to be terribly missed. She says it's nice to hear especially from him. She muses Guy probably felt great when he woke up this morning. "But that's life," she says. "One minute you're on top of the world, the next minute some secretary's running you over with a lawn mower." They're both giggling when the men from PPL walk into the room.
St. John, Ford and Lane arrive. They thank Joan for her quick thinking. St. John says it's all over for Guy which is too bad since he was so promising. But now that he's missing a foot and the doctor says he'll never walk again they'll have to reconsider the reorganization. Don is surprised they think Guy is all washed up, one foot or no. Powell and Ford go to see Guy.
Don tells Joan to get home to her lucky husband. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and smiles meaningfully and walks away. Lane offers Don a Dr. Pepper. Lane ruefully says it was not a great day. He felt like Tom Sawyer going to his own funeral and not liking the eulogy
Back at Casa Draper, Barbie's in the bushes. Don puts it back in Sally's room
As he enters his bedroom Sally starts screaming. He runs in and consoles her. Betty comes in with the crying baby. Sally screams some more. Betty doesn't know what to say. Sally says Grandpa Gene isn't supposed to be here anymore but he is since "Gene" sleeps in his room, looks like him, and will probably sound like him too. Don says he's a baby and to go to sleep and that there's no such thing as ghosts...
Back in his room he tells Betty it has to stop. Betty says Sally is jealous. Don says she's not jealous, she's scared and it's because they named the baby Gene. Betty says she's a child and she'll get over it, and now he has to. She says this is what people do, name their kids after their parents, to keep the memory alive. Don points out that he hated Gene and Gene hated him so that's the memory. Sally comes in and apologizes. Betty says it's okay, everything's fine.
Don brings Sally into the baby's room, picks up the baby and tells her to come over. She sits on his other knee and smiles down He says "this is your little brother, and we don't know who he is yet or who he's going to be and that's a wonderful thing."
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