Mad Men: Shut the Door. Have a Seat. Rewatch
October 12, 2014 7:03 AM - Season 3, Episode 13 - Subscribe
(Season Finale) Don has an important meeting with Connie. Betty receives some advice. Pete talks to his clients.
It does seem like the Conrad Hilton story never was really resolved. I like to think it was more than just a set up to put Don into a position where he couldn't just leave the agency at a moment's notice.
This might be the best episode of the entire series.
posted by drezdn at 4:56 PM on October 12, 2014
This might be the best episode of the entire series.
posted by drezdn at 4:56 PM on October 12, 2014
I'd like to vote Joan MVP of this episode. She may not have her name on any doors (yet), but they're all kind of lost until she walks in the room. I love it when she gets the chance to be a poised, well-dressed badass.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:58 PM on October 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:58 PM on October 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
OK, so: Lane sends a Telex on Friday afternoon about the "firings," knowing that they wouldn't be read in London until Monday morning. Why not just wait until Monday morning to send the message, just in case someone in London does see the message and sound the alarm? It sets up the forced cloak and dagger pace of the rest of the episode, but I can't figure out any internal logic to drive it.
I always assumed this was for some sort of legal reason, like being able to sue Don, Roger, and Bert for stealing company information/files while they were on the clock or officially under the new ownership?
Actually, that sounds kind of feeble now I've typed it.
I love this episode. I love Don's speech to Peggy. I love seeing Joan in that context.
posted by mochapickle at 5:42 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I always assumed this was for some sort of legal reason, like being able to sue Don, Roger, and Bert for stealing company information/files while they were on the clock or officially under the new ownership?
Actually, that sounds kind of feeble now I've typed it.
I love this episode. I love Don's speech to Peggy. I love seeing Joan in that context.
posted by mochapickle at 5:42 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
My ex and I had an ongoing running gag about how Connie would call Don in the middle of the night and ask increasingly bizarre questions that were not worth waking him for.
"Hey Don, you ever been to Wisconsin?"
"Hey Don, you know where I can get a fresh lobster at 3 in the morning around here?"
"Hey Don, if gorillas could drive, do you think they'd use turn signals?"
I was sorry to see Connie go. He made every episode better just by showing up.
posted by Servo5678 at 5:51 PM on October 12, 2014 [10 favorites]
"Hey Don, you ever been to Wisconsin?"
"Hey Don, you know where I can get a fresh lobster at 3 in the morning around here?"
"Hey Don, if gorillas could drive, do you think they'd use turn signals?"
I was sorry to see Connie go. He made every episode better just by showing up.
posted by Servo5678 at 5:51 PM on October 12, 2014 [10 favorites]
Don goes to Bert, because Bert is the man who has actually made a firm before.
Don calls McCann a 'meat grinder,' but I don't understand why they don't want to work there. It's a soul-sucking corporate hellhole? Ok, whatever.
PPL cuts Lane loose like extra cargo from a sinking ship. If he's as invaluable as they said, there's no reason to let him go. But he doesn't wear the right tie...
Bert is the one who proposes making Lane a partner. And I forgot, but Lane is the one who actually has the mechanics of how to pull it off, stealing the accounts and heading out.
Don recognizes that Pete has some kind of ability to see what the next move is. But Pete is such a worm, he has no ability to capitalize on it.
Don's family is breaking up as SC is breaking up. Interesting.
Harry is happy to see Peggy, Pete is ... not.
We've never seen Lane happier than when he's been fired for 'lack of character.'
Betty seriously leaves her kids with Carla for what, six weeks? Later on she'll criticize Carla for not being there for her own children, which is hilariously ironic in a Karl Rove-ian way.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:38 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Don calls McCann a 'meat grinder,' but I don't understand why they don't want to work there. It's a soul-sucking corporate hellhole? Ok, whatever.
PPL cuts Lane loose like extra cargo from a sinking ship. If he's as invaluable as they said, there's no reason to let him go. But he doesn't wear the right tie...
Bert is the one who proposes making Lane a partner. And I forgot, but Lane is the one who actually has the mechanics of how to pull it off, stealing the accounts and heading out.
Don recognizes that Pete has some kind of ability to see what the next move is. But Pete is such a worm, he has no ability to capitalize on it.
Don's family is breaking up as SC is breaking up. Interesting.
Harry is happy to see Peggy, Pete is ... not.
We've never seen Lane happier than when he's been fired for 'lack of character.'
Betty seriously leaves her kids with Carla for what, six weeks? Later on she'll criticize Carla for not being there for her own children, which is hilariously ironic in a Karl Rove-ian way.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:38 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I always assumed this was for some sort of legal reason, like being able to sue Don, Roger, and Bert for stealing company information/files while they were on the clock or officially under the new ownership?
I think that's it. They have non-compete contracts, so they can't start a new business until they are no longer employed by PPL. I think.
posted by donajo at 9:41 PM on October 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
I think that's it. They have non-compete contracts, so they can't start a new business until they are no longer employed by PPL. I think.
posted by donajo at 9:41 PM on October 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
If I wrote the episode description for iTunes: "Pete wears pajamas. Don leaves the door unlocked. Allison stumbles upon a robbery. Trudy makes sandwiches."
Please, can we make this a thing for every episode going forward?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 7:01 AM on October 13, 2014 [5 favorites]
Please, can we make this a thing for every episode going forward?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 7:01 AM on October 13, 2014 [5 favorites]
Re: the legalities of starting a new firm under the noses of PPL, I'm a little surprised that they were able to use the name "Sterling Cooper Draper Price". I would've thought that the name "Sterling Cooper" was sold to PPL in the original purchase, and tacking two more names on at the end doesn't change it enough to make it legal to reuse. But ya know, IANAL.
This is my all-time favorite episode. Partially because I love a good caper, and partially because this is when I started watching the series as it aired, after catching up on seasons 1-3 on DVD. Seasons 2-3 always feel like they're dragging to me, because we learn the secret of Don Draper at the end of season 1, but it takes 2 more seasons for it to come to light in a way that has real consequences for Don. Now it feels like the story of Don Draper starts moving forward. He's cut loose from his boring suburban life and the expectations that he'll be a dutiful husband and father, he's finally his own boss, and the sky's the limit.
And of course, this is the episode where Peggy also starts asserting herself in a way that garners respect. She's been making small headway in establishing herself as a independent career woman but this is where it all gels. She flat out tells Don that she's not going to follow him around "like a nervous poodle", that she has her own career and her own ambitions and makes him feel like he needs her more than she needs him. Her telling Roger that she won't get him coffee is just icing on the cake. Love it.
posted by donajo at 7:46 AM on October 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
This is my all-time favorite episode. Partially because I love a good caper, and partially because this is when I started watching the series as it aired, after catching up on seasons 1-3 on DVD. Seasons 2-3 always feel like they're dragging to me, because we learn the secret of Don Draper at the end of season 1, but it takes 2 more seasons for it to come to light in a way that has real consequences for Don. Now it feels like the story of Don Draper starts moving forward. He's cut loose from his boring suburban life and the expectations that he'll be a dutiful husband and father, he's finally his own boss, and the sky's the limit.
And of course, this is the episode where Peggy also starts asserting herself in a way that garners respect. She's been making small headway in establishing herself as a independent career woman but this is where it all gels. She flat out tells Don that she's not going to follow him around "like a nervous poodle", that she has her own career and her own ambitions and makes him feel like he needs her more than she needs him. Her telling Roger that she won't get him coffee is just icing on the cake. Love it.
posted by donajo at 7:46 AM on October 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
Embarrassingly, I've watched this episode maybe fifteen times. It's such a great episode.
The scenes with Bert and Don trying to convince Roger to join up with them were fantastic. Roger speaking to Don: "You're not good at relationships, because you don't value them." That would give just about anyone something to ponder.
The difference between the 1963 Harry as opposed to the 1969 Harry is immense. From a slightly scared seemingly innocent doofus who wants to call his wife to get her advice to a short-sighted sleazeball who has no idea what a great fool he has become.
posted by cwest at 9:09 PM on October 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
The scenes with Bert and Don trying to convince Roger to join up with them were fantastic. Roger speaking to Don: "You're not good at relationships, because you don't value them." That would give just about anyone something to ponder.
The difference between the 1963 Harry as opposed to the 1969 Harry is immense. From a slightly scared seemingly innocent doofus who wants to call his wife to get her advice to a short-sighted sleazeball who has no idea what a great fool he has become.
posted by cwest at 9:09 PM on October 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
This is the first time Don says how much he wants to work, to build something. I think he forgets that for a while after this. But I love Bert's spiel to Roger: join or die.
Also hey! Trudy's using the chip n' dip!
posted by tracicle at 12:00 PM on October 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also hey! Trudy's using the chip n' dip!
posted by tracicle at 12:00 PM on October 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
This might be the best episode of the entire series.
It's my favourite so far. A ninja-level study in tangram/origami editing to fit so much content into 47 minutes- and yet still have room for Easter eggs (we see Pete taking his rifle with him as he leaves the SC offices, we hear Bobby's attempt to link his Dad's departure with his mislaying his cufflinks). At the same time it juxtaposes the separation in Don and Betty's marriage with that of Sterling Cooper and the new off-shoot. Roy Orbison's Shahdaroba "the future is much better than the past , in the future you will find a love that lasts". It highlights the thrills and wild optimism of divorce: the sudden freedom, the wide open pastures, the shock of the new. The hangover will not arrive until the next episode.
posted by rongorongo at 2:53 AM on September 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
It's my favourite so far. A ninja-level study in tangram/origami editing to fit so much content into 47 minutes- and yet still have room for Easter eggs (we see Pete taking his rifle with him as he leaves the SC offices, we hear Bobby's attempt to link his Dad's departure with his mislaying his cufflinks). At the same time it juxtaposes the separation in Don and Betty's marriage with that of Sterling Cooper and the new off-shoot. Roy Orbison's Shahdaroba "the future is much better than the past , in the future you will find a love that lasts". It highlights the thrills and wild optimism of divorce: the sudden freedom, the wide open pastures, the shock of the new. The hangover will not arrive until the next episode.
posted by rongorongo at 2:53 AM on September 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Probably my favorite episode of the series, because they managed to create a heist movie without leaving their offices.
Lane had to send the telex on Friday because it would presumably have a timestamp. They probably could have retrieved their materials prior to that point (when it wouldn't be outright theft as it actually was in the show's timeline) but the most important thing is that they were "fired" before they made any calls to snipe accounts.
It's a difficult choice, but I'm glad that even in this episode where Don is at his most competent and heroic, we see him being physically out of line with Betty after he finds about about Henry. Don's not a hero, at least not all the time.
That said, Peggy's first conversation with Don is a great moment for her, and their second is a great moment for Don.
The scene where Don comes home to find Sally in the guest bed and cuddles up with her is one of the most touching of their relationship, further informed by the fact that Sally thinks that room is scary but clearly went to sleep in that room because that's where Don would be.
Even without what we see of McCann in Season Seven, it makes sense that Don would be aghast at working there because he already sees himself as actualized in his role at Sterling Cooper. He's Creative Director and more or less does whatever he wants to. By this episode his interactions with Connie have taught him to stay away from accounts, and he's basically allowed his own vision for campaigns. He's got his dream. A "meat-grinder" like McCann would mean that he'd likely never be creative director and he'd have to kiss all manner of hateful asses to even move up the ladder. It's a non-starter (as, again, we see in Season Seven when he gives it the slightest bit of a go.)
But for all the goodness in this episode (and I think it's where Pete turns a corner into being even slightly sympathetic or likable) the best moment, perhaps of the series, is when Lane gets himself fired. Holy god, happy Christmas.
posted by Navelgazer at 11:14 PM on February 1, 2020 [1 favorite]
Lane had to send the telex on Friday because it would presumably have a timestamp. They probably could have retrieved their materials prior to that point (when it wouldn't be outright theft as it actually was in the show's timeline) but the most important thing is that they were "fired" before they made any calls to snipe accounts.
It's a difficult choice, but I'm glad that even in this episode where Don is at his most competent and heroic, we see him being physically out of line with Betty after he finds about about Henry. Don's not a hero, at least not all the time.
That said, Peggy's first conversation with Don is a great moment for her, and their second is a great moment for Don.
The scene where Don comes home to find Sally in the guest bed and cuddles up with her is one of the most touching of their relationship, further informed by the fact that Sally thinks that room is scary but clearly went to sleep in that room because that's where Don would be.
Even without what we see of McCann in Season Seven, it makes sense that Don would be aghast at working there because he already sees himself as actualized in his role at Sterling Cooper. He's Creative Director and more or less does whatever he wants to. By this episode his interactions with Connie have taught him to stay away from accounts, and he's basically allowed his own vision for campaigns. He's got his dream. A "meat-grinder" like McCann would mean that he'd likely never be creative director and he'd have to kiss all manner of hateful asses to even move up the ladder. It's a non-starter (as, again, we see in Season Seven when he gives it the slightest bit of a go.)
But for all the goodness in this episode (and I think it's where Pete turns a corner into being even slightly sympathetic or likable) the best moment, perhaps of the series, is when Lane gets himself fired. Holy god, happy Christmas.
posted by Navelgazer at 11:14 PM on February 1, 2020 [1 favorite]
Watching this again (for the second time this week, after catching up on how Season 3 set it up) my main takeaway aside from how fucking great this episode is is how much I like Pete in it. He's somewhere between too-paranoid and guileless and usually falls at one of those extremes but here's he's perfect, probably as a result of being so in-synch with Trudy, who is always his better judgment angel. (My favorite moment in this episode might be when Trudy calls for him to come in and have a private conversation with him, and he ignores her but gets the gist of what that conversation would have been and changes tack.)
posted by Navelgazer at 9:04 PM on February 3, 2020
posted by Navelgazer at 9:04 PM on February 3, 2020
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Final ep with Bryan Batt in the opening credits. *sigh* (I'll get over it now, I promise.)
Wild conspiracy theory of the day: what if Connie Hilton shows up again in the last few episodes? ("Some other time we'll try again." "Yes.") I dunno; I miss the crazy old coot.
OK, so: Lane sends a Telex on Friday afternoon about the "firings," knowing that they wouldn't be read in London until Monday morning. Why not just wait until Monday morning to send the message, just in case someone in London does see the message and sound the alarm? It sets up the forced cloak and dagger pace of the rest of the episode, but I can't figure out any internal logic to drive it.
Pete giving instructions to Trudy about calling the guy from Secor, followed by her planting a big kiss on him? High point of their relationship on the show.
Witty Roger retort of the episode:
Bert: "PPL has been sold to McCann. We're starting a new agency. We'd like you to join us as our new head of media."
Harry: "Are you kidding?"
Roger: "Yes, yes we are. Happy birthday."
posted by ChrisTN at 3:18 PM on October 12, 2014