- Don takes the kids to California and comes back with a surprise announcement. Meanwhile, Betty fires the kids' nanny before they move out of the old house over one questionable incident, and Peggy gets a shot at a new account.
- The staff at SCDP are taking their opportunities where ever they come. After Don's diatribe in the form of the advertisement in the New York Times against tobacco advertising, he and Pete have a meeting with the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society for their business. It's not so much the advertising contract of a non-profit organization that they want but those of the businesses for which the board members actually work. They ask Ken to use some social connections to leverage some of that potential. And based on a social conversation Peggy has with Joyce, Peggy pounces on an opportunity for another contract, but has to work fast to get it. Within all these goings-on, Don is taking some time away from the office to take the kids to California, where he has to deal with some aspects of Anna's estate. But Betty, acting on an emotional impulse in the process of moving to a new house, thwarts Don's plans, for which he has to make some quick last minute adjustments to those plans. The result for Betty is a feeling of isolation. In California, Don, feeling emotional while thinking back to his friendship with Anna but also seeing his children and himself in a more relaxed setting and thinking about a comment from Faye about reconciling the Don and Dick sides of his life, also makes an impulsive decision which catches everyone in his life by surprise.—Huggo
- Don's full-page advert in the NY Times has drawn the attention of the American Cancer Society. SCDP is more interested in the Board's members than the Society itself and try to get Ken Cosgrove to use his social connections to drum up business. Ken makes sure they know exactly where his priorities lie. Don's trip to California seems to hit a bump in the road when Betty fires the children's nanny, Carla, who was going to accompany them. Carla's crime: she let Glen Bishop into the house to say goodbye to Sally. Don's solution to his problem is to ask his secretary Megan to accompany them. She turns out to be a natural with the children but the trip turns out to be a life-changing event for her and Don. With Don away, Peggy Olson learns of an opportunity for a new client and she and Ken Cosgrove set out to snag it.—garykmcd
- Opportunity arises for Don and Peggy.—AMC Publicity
- "Mad Men" - "Tomorrowland" - Oct. 17, 2010
It's night and Don is sleeping. His door opens and it's Faye saying she still has to pack for a 7 a.m. flight thanks to him. He asks to be put out of his misery. She tells him to stop, that American Cancer loved his letter and will love him and then he'll go on vacation with his kids to California and have a ball. He says he has a sick feeling in his stomach. She tells him maybe it's not all about work, maybe that feeling might go away if he took his head out of the sand about the past. He says she knows it's not that simple. No, of course, she says but he doesn't have to do it alone and if he resolves some of it he might be more comfortable and feel a little more normal like everyone else. They kiss. She says she'll call him Tuesday when he gets back. He says he'll miss her. She smiles.
Later at the office Joan is pushing the mail cart, looking very unhappy. Lane gives her a letter with a promotion in it: director of agency operations. He says it's a title only for now since they haven't signed any new business in ten weeks there's no raise. She says it's "almost" an honor with a smile.
Don and Pete meets with the folks from the board of the American Cancer Society. They ask what made him write it. He says it was an impulse that he felt in his heart. They believe lung cancer can be avoided and the right campaign can thwart it and wonder how he might help. He offers an approach: a series of commercials run during teen-targeted shows like "American Bandstand" that show mothers and daughters and fathers and sons and that cigarettes are between, that the parents are not long for this world. It's not that their sentimental about their parents it's that they'll be feeling their own mortality, and the imminent death of their own childhoods. He guarantees that Lucky Strike will hate it.
Back at the office they report they got a meeting for another meeting. Pete says they loved Don. In Don's office Pete tells Roger that the board was filled with bigwigs like he said. Ken enters and they all have a drink. Pete tries to get Ken to invite his future father-in-law, who's in charge at Corning, to have a foursome with him and the man from Dow. Ken doesn't think it's worth the risk to his actual real life love Cindy, Corning man's daughter. He's very pessimistic clearly about the future of the firm.
Glen drops by the Draper-Francis household to say goodbye to Sally. Everyone's in the process of packing up. Carla says he shouldn't be there but lets him see Sally anyway. He goes to see her and Sally says he shouldn't be there but chats with him. He says in a few years when he drives he'll visit her in Rye. She offers to send him postcards. He says it's not that big a deal he says goodbye to people all the time. They hug. As he leaves he runs into Betty who freaks and tells him to get out. He asks why she hates him. She says she knows what he's doing and that "you could be friends with anyone!" (God she's jealous of her daughter. Yikes!) He says just because she's sad doesn't mean everyone has to be. He leaves. Carla apologizes and says she didn't see the harm. Betty asks when Carla became Sally's mother. Betty is livid, so livid that she fires Carla on the spot. She hands Carla a wad of money and says it's hard for her. Carla says someone has to look after them. Betty sasses back wondering where Carla's kids are, if they're all doctors and lawyers. Carla says she better stop talking now and takes off her apron. Betty asks where she's going. She says she's going to say goodbye to the kids. Betty says some other time, it would be too upsetting for them now.
Don meets with his lawyer/accountant who says Anna Draper's house got him 10 grand in profit, he wonders about the other house. Don isn't sure what it's worth. He wonders about the loss/investment in the firm. The lawyer tells him not to be impatient and maybe buy a place of his own. He gets a call from Betty. She tells him about Carla. He asks if he can hire her back for the trip. She says no. He wonders what he's supposed to do for the trip: meetings, flights, diapers. She says not to take them, they won't be surprised. He says they're going. They hang up.
Joyce arrives with a hot girl on her arm and finds Peggy. Her name is Carolyn Jones. They have a seat and Joyce explains Carolyn got fired off a modeling job for "Topaz". Harry enters and immediately starts hitting on her using his "director of media" title. He offers to see what they can do for her as they leave. Peggy gets a thoughtful look though.
Megan arranges nanny help for Don in California. He thinks it sounds awful. He offers her double her salary to come with him. She has no experience. He offers to foot the bill and give her some nights off. She's in. They arrive and Sally and Bobby are in heaven.
Ken and Harry report to Peggy that they may be able to pick up that account that Carolyn was fired off of. They're going in on the Monday holiday to try and get the job, and since the company, Topaz, are running out of time, they're a shoo-in.
Don arrives back at the hotel and Meg has taught Bobby and Sally a lullaby in French to sing to him as he walks in. Sally reports that's how they got Gene to sleep. Don is impressed. She reports that they played in the pool and bounced on the bed and should sleep well. He's impressed and reminds her that she said she didn't have any babysitting experience and that she's like Maria Von Trapp. She replies that she has lots of nieces and nephews back home.
The next day Don takes them to Anna's old bungalow to meet Stephanie and the notary regarding the sale of the house. Sally notices the "Dick + Anna '64" painted on the wall and wonders who Dick is. He says that's me, that's my nickname sometimes. He sends them out to pick lemons. Stephanie gives Don Anna's engagement ring, the one from the real Don Draper. She says she's not going back to school for the moment, she's not sure what she's going to do. She's got the rest of her life ahead of her and so does he. He looks over at the "Dick + Anna."
They get back to the hotel and Megan is playing in the pool with Gene. The kids asks him to come in but he declines. He heads back to the room and broods on the bed. Then he throws on his swimming trunks and jumps in the pool and plays around with the kids. Later, back at the hotel room, they pick all the rides they're going to go on at Disneyland the next day. Megan arrives with her French friend Camille. It's her night off to have fun but she wanted to make sure he didn't need anything else before she goes out. The ladies look lovely, they're going to the Whiskey-a-Go-Go.
In the nearly packed up house Betty and Henry fight about Carla. She apologizes for firing her without telling him. Henry can't believe she wouldn't give her a letter of recommendation and wonders what she really did and that it can't be just about the neighbor boy who Carla said was just a friend. He says he doesn't understand what she's doing, first, she said she didn't want to move because she wanted to give the kids stability and just as they're moving, she fires their nanny since they were born??. She says she wanted a fresh start. He says there is no such thing as a fresh start, lives carry on. She asks if just for once he could take her side. He says no one is ever on her side and stalks out.
Don is reading in bed, the kids asleep on the other bed when he hears Megan return to her room through the hotel walls and goes to knock on her door. He wants to go over the Disneyland itinerary. She invites him in so they can go outside and look at the view from the hotel balcony. She says she didn't really have fun with her friend, since they were only roommates in college. Don asks why she saw her then, she says she's not sure why she saw her, she's an actress now, appearing in two episodes of "Hogan's Heroes." She's rude too. She told Megan she could never be an actress because of her teeth. Don says he loves her teeth. Megan says he took elocution lessons when she moved to New York and the teacher said she had the mouth of a singer. They kiss. She pulls back and asks if he's sure they should do this. He says he's been thinking about her so much. They kiss some more.
Betty goes into Sally's room and lies down on the stripped bed, deep in thought.
Don and Megan lie in bed looking at each other. He asks if she was thinking about "this" when he asked her to come. She says it was the first thought that went through her head. She says she was going to miss him so much anyway. He says she doesn't know anything about him. She says she does, she knows he has a good heart, that he's always trying to be better. He says we all try but we don't always make it. He says he's done a lot of "things." She says she knows who he is now. She says it's getting light and he says he should get back before the sun comes up. She agrees and says she doesn't want to confuse them. He kisses her. He asks if he can knock on the door again tomorrow night or if this is just another one-off like in the office, he needs to know. She says he shouldn't be afraid. He says the Disneyland fireworks are at 9, he says how about dinner tomorrow night right her at 11. She says they're going to be together all day. He leaves and she smiles.
Ken and Peggy go to give their presentation to Topaz. They're a small company and they want something that will stand out. Peggy says she's wearing their pantyhose right now and it will be the one thing she doesn't change before she goes out. Ken goofs and says girls only need one pair. Peggy grimaces and the younger Topaz guy is all, if we only send every girl one pair we'd go out of business. So on the spot Peggy comes up with this tag line: "Topaz, the only pair of pantyhose you'll ever need... bad for business, good for you." The main Topaz man is impressed. He asks for another. She talks about showing different outfits, casual, sporty, and formal and tagline like "single pair, singular comfort." He likes that and challenges her to come up with yet another.
At breakfast Don likes the tableau of Megan and the kids that he sees at the table as he approaches. The kids argue and Sally spills her milkshake. Don freaks out, but Megan is super cool about the situation and he's impressed with her.The kids are taken aback with Megan's reaction, too, as they are use to Betty's yelling at them whenever something goes wrong.
Later, back in New York, Don sits on his bed fully clad for work as Megan wakes up late. He let her sleep in, he says. She wonders what's wrong. He says he couldn't sleep, he couldn't stop thinking about her. She says she's right there. He says he doesn't know what it is about her but when he's with her he feels like himself, how he always wanted to feel because he's in love with her and he thinks he has been for awhile. She freaks out. He hands her Anna's engagement ring. She thinks it's beautiful. He says when he saw her sleeping there he thought he couldn't imagine not seeing her there every morning. He asks if she'll marry him. She doesn't know what to say since it all happened so fast. He asks her to consider the number of things that had to happen in order for him to get to know her. He asks what it means? She says she can't believe this and then says yes. (Although it seems like she was going to say no.) He says the ring has been in his family. Not his family really, he says it belonged to someone very important to me. She says she has to call her mother. She wonders what they're going to do at work. He says they will tell everybody. He asks if she wants him to leave her alone or to talk to her. She asks if he speaks French. She calls her mom and starts speaking in French.
Roger calls in Roger, Pete, Lane, and Joan. Don announces he's getting married to Miss Calvet. Roger wonders who the hell is that. Joan says Megan. Lane congratulates him. Roger says "Megan, out there?" They call Megan in and offer her best wishes. Roger tells Don this is the way to behave.
Ken tells Peggy that Art Garden from Topaz called and that they liked ideas 2 and 4 and they got the job. They go to tell Don and they catch Don and Megan canoodling in his office post-announcement. Ken congratulates them and Peggy is taken aback but covers well. Don's phone rings and Megan goes to get it. Peggy and Ken break the news and Don is thrilled. It's a quarter million dollar account. Ken leaves and Peggy shuts the door and says "Wow." He says it's been going on for awhile and he appreciates her concern. She says she's happy for him then and that Megan is very beautiful. He says Megan reminds him of her, she's got that same spark and he knows Megan admires Peggy as much as Don does. They hug. He seems really, genuinely happy. She smiles at him.
Megan comes in and tells him it was Faye Miller again and it's not going to get any easier the longer he waits.
Peggy goes to Joan's office and the two bitch over the news with more than a little disgust: another exec banging and marrying his secretary. Joan says they'll probably make her a copywriter since he won't want to be married to a secretary. Peggy is mad that she just signed the first new business since Lucky Strike left but that's not as important as getting married... again. Joan tells Peggy about her useless title. Peggy grouses that a beautiful face comes along and everything else goes out the window. Joan tells Peggy she learned a long time ago not to get all her satisfaction from this job. Peggy immediately calls her on that and says "that's bullshit." They both giggle.
Don calls to talk with Faye over coffee. He claims he has something to tell her and that he wants to do it face to face, but she won't let him, she can tell. She tells him to get to it. He says he met someone and that they're engaged. She asks if he's kidding. She starts to cry and asks who she is. He says it doesn't matter, that he fell in love and that Faye was very important to him. She asks him if he will be taking an ad out in the Time to say he doesn't like her anymore? He obviously says that won't happen. She says she hopes he's happy and that she hopes the other woman knows that he "only likes the beginnings of things". He apologizes and says he doesn't know what else to say. She does, and she says it "goodbye"." And she hangs up and breaks down crying in her office.
Megan comes into Don's office saying she saw the light go off. He says it's fine and it's done. She says she loves him. They make out.
Joan is on the phone telling the tale to Greg and saying Don is acting like he's the only man who ever married his secretary, and that she's 25 years old to boot. He wonders when she's going to share her news that they are expecting and if she's showing at all since the picture she sent doesn't show anything. (He's on the phone at an army base somewhere). She says she'll take a new one and send it to him. He says not to worry about her figure, do what the doctor says, and he'll whip her and the baby into shape in no time. They exchange I love you's and hang up.
Betty is putting on make-up in the now empty kitchen. She's got one box under her arm. Don arrives. Betty was clearly waiting for him. He's showed up for the listing meeting with the real estate agent. He goes and pulls a bottle of booze out of a back cupboard. She pulls out a yellow coffee mug from the box. He pours them a drink. She wonders if he likes the new house. He says he does, it's got character. (Must've seen it when he dropped off the kids right?) She says she'll probably have to tear out the kitchen. She wonders if he remembers this place. He says he does. She says it's different. He asks isn't that what she wanted? She says she doesn't know, things aren't perfect. He says, so you'll move again. She says so much change has made everything difficult. He tells her about the engagement. She thinks it's Bethany. He says no, someone at work. She says "oh." She looks sad and then says "I'm very happy for you." He says it's okay. She says she doesn't know why she's surprised and asks if it's his secretary since she knows she took care of the kids in California. He says yes it is.The Realtor arrives and Betty hands him the keys to the house and tells him congratulations. They walk out of separate doors in the house.
We cut to Don and Megan in bed. She sleeps soundly, he lies awake and Sonny and Cher sing "I Got You Babe."
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content