Mad Men: Chinese Wall Rewatch
November 19, 2014 8:29 AM - Season 4, Episode 11 - Subscribe
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce employees resort to scuttlebutt after an agency wide meeting is called.
Even though I've seen the episode before, the moment where Roger was in the hotel still felt like he might kill himself.
posted by drezdn at 9:07 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by drezdn at 9:07 AM on November 19, 2014
In retrospect, I really hate Abe "next we'll have a protest for women's rights, ha ha" Drexler. Noooo, Peggy! Don't go down that road.
Peggy is such a boss in this episode. She hands Stan's ass to him and then goes right out and kills the Playtex presentation, even with lipstick on her teeth. Looking ahead a few episodes, she's basically the reason that SCDP stays together. Don certainly isn't out there actually winning new business, like Peggy does here and with the Topaz pantyhose account in episode 13. Don's too busy writing ill-advised letters to the Times and taking his kids to Disneyland to actually win accounts.
posted by donajo at 10:02 AM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Peggy is such a boss in this episode. She hands Stan's ass to him and then goes right out and kills the Playtex presentation, even with lipstick on her teeth. Looking ahead a few episodes, she's basically the reason that SCDP stays together. Don certainly isn't out there actually winning new business, like Peggy does here and with the Topaz pantyhose account in episode 13. Don's too busy writing ill-advised letters to the Times and taking his kids to Disneyland to actually win accounts.
posted by donajo at 10:02 AM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Plus (looking ahead one episode) Peggy actually gives Don the idea for the letter (like she gave him the idea for his Clio winning ad).
posted by drezdn at 12:13 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 12:13 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
As the AV Club review points out: our first glimpse of Ray Wise, Ken's soon-to-be father in law.
posted by ChrisTN at 3:45 PM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by ChrisTN at 3:45 PM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Oh my gosh, that is Alex Mack in the beginning!
posted by likeatoaster at 7:39 PM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by likeatoaster at 7:39 PM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Plus (looking ahead one episode) Peggy actually gives Don the idea for the letter (like she gave him the idea for his Clio winning ad).
I think the germ of the idea for Don's letter came both from Peggy's reminder to Don of his "change the conversation" made to her. Also from Peggy's own orchestrated shennanigans with ham from the "Public Relations" episode. So - much credit to Peggy: but also some for Don: his knowledge of the Lucky Strike account would have made him well aware of the growing evidence on the harm of smoking.
It is easy to think of the current consensus against smoking as being a recent phenomenon - and it is true to say that legislation against it has only really into place in the last 30 years or so. But, by the time we got to the mid 60s the earliest studies showing the potential harm of cigarettes were already decades in the past - and well controlled trials had taken place since the 40s. Don would have known about the growing pressures to regulate the industry in the 1960s - and about the knowing power of those behind it. In fact it was maybe sales-related financial pressure on American Tobacco that were forcing them to consolidate ad agencies. It is quite possible that Don did not consider the potential up-sides as much as he did the idea of disrupting the conversation - but his letter would have been a pretty smart move.
posted by rongorongo at 1:22 AM on September 12, 2019
I think the germ of the idea for Don's letter came both from Peggy's reminder to Don of his "change the conversation" made to her. Also from Peggy's own orchestrated shennanigans with ham from the "Public Relations" episode. So - much credit to Peggy: but also some for Don: his knowledge of the Lucky Strike account would have made him well aware of the growing evidence on the harm of smoking.
It is easy to think of the current consensus against smoking as being a recent phenomenon - and it is true to say that legislation against it has only really into place in the last 30 years or so. But, by the time we got to the mid 60s the earliest studies showing the potential harm of cigarettes were already decades in the past - and well controlled trials had taken place since the 40s. Don would have known about the growing pressures to regulate the industry in the 1960s - and about the knowing power of those behind it. In fact it was maybe sales-related financial pressure on American Tobacco that were forcing them to consolidate ad agencies. It is quite possible that Don did not consider the potential up-sides as much as he did the idea of disrupting the conversation - but his letter would have been a pretty smart move.
posted by rongorongo at 1:22 AM on September 12, 2019
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posted by drezdn at 9:06 AM on November 19, 2014