The Suitcase (5 Sep. 2010)

Don deliberately delays returning an important call from California, because he knows it's bad news about Anna. Instead, he keeps himself occupied by forcing Peggy to miss her birthday dinner to pull an all-nighter with him for a client.

Director:

Jennifer Getzinger

Writers:

Matthew Weiner (creator), Matthew Weiner

Stars:

Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Hamm	...	Don Draper
Elisabeth Moss	...	Peggy Olson
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Pete Campbell
January Jones	...	Betty Francis (credit only)
Christina Hendricks	...	Joan Harris
Jared Harris	...	Lane Pryce (credit only)
Aaron Staton	...	Ken Cosgrove
Rich Sommer	...	Harry Crane
Kiernan Shipka	...	Sally Draper (credit only)
Robert Morse	...	Bertram Cooper (credit only)
John Slattery	...	Roger Sterling
Mark Moses	...	Herman 'Duck' Phillips
Alison Brie	...	Trudy Campbell
Matt Long	...	Joey Baird
Jay R. Ferguson	...	Stan Rizzo

Storyline

It's May 25, 1965, the date of two milestones. First, it's the much anticipated heavyweight boxing rematch between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay. All of the guys from the office are planning on watching the fight at the Loews movie theater, making a night out of it with dinner and drinks beforehand, with Roger and Don having work plans with the Ponds clients before the match. And second, it's Peggy's twenty-sixth birthday. She receives an initially intriguing birthday present from Duck, the present which she quickly realizes is less substantial than at first glance. But it ends up not being the greatest birthday for her when she and Don butt heads over the latest campaign for Samsonite, this argument for Peggy an extension of her recent negative feelings toward Don. But working on the campaign, which makes Peggy miss her birthday dinner with Mark (the dinner which for Mark is more important than he initially lets on) and Don miss both his work function with Roger and the fight, leads ...

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Movie Classics (AMC), Lionsgate Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in September 2010 Elisabeth Moss mentions that this is her favorite episode of the show.

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Quotes

Don Draper: That's how this works. I pay you for ideas.
Peggy Olson: You never say 'thank you'.
Don Draper: That's what the money is for!

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Connections

References Thunderball (1965)

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Soundtracks

"Bleeker Street"
by Simon & Garfunkel

User Reviews

Mad Men's Golden Moment

The Suitcase was an excellent episode, possibly one of the finest in the series. No, scratch that! THE best episode of the series to date. I am sure Mad Men fans will look back upon this episode as the best, or at least one of the best.

The Suitcase showcased Don Draper and Peggy Olson's relationship, one that is very rare to Don in his type of life. It showed how important they are to each other, and it showed both Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss at their finest acting, and their amazing chemistry really comes through. Their vulnerabilities that they are able to express to each other is rare to both. Both Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss have proved over time, this episode in particular, that they are the finest actors on the show, and it is about time that they get their due. The writing in this episode is masterful, and I am sure that upon next year's Emmys the episode will be on the list of nominees.

The Suitcase keeps adding on to an amazing fourth season that, if it keeps on this path, will probably stand as the show's best season. I feel like giving this episode a standing ovation, because it is not every day, or every year, that a Television episode this amazing hits the air waves.