Signal 30 (15 Apr. 2012)

While Lane needs some help closing with a potential new client, Peter begins to crack under the pressure of both his home life and work life.

Director:

John Slattery

Writers:

Matthew Weiner (creator), Frank Pierson,

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
Aaron Staton	...	Ken Cosgrove
Rich Sommer	...	Harry Crane (credit only)
Kiernan Shipka	...	Sally Draper (credit only)
Jessica Paré	...	Megan Draper
Christopher Stanley	...	Henry Francis (credit only)
Jay R. Ferguson	...	Stan Rizzo (credit only)
Robert Morse	...	Bertram Cooper
John Slattery	...	Roger Sterling
Alison Brie	...	Trudy Campbell

Storyline

Lane is trying to break ties with his homeland. That doesn't stop Rebecca from making friends for her and Lane with the Bakers, compatriots from England. Lane does however feel that he can take advantage of this friendship with Edwin Baker by bringing his company's business, Jaguar, into SCDP, as Jaguar is trying to enter the US market. Despite being the sole Brit in the office and thus the logical choice in his own mind to deal with a fellow Brit, Lane has no experience in account management. The process of Lane learning how to become an account manager and him being the reason SCDP gets Jaguar's almost seemingly surefire account makes Lane evaluate his professional life. Meanwhile, Pete is feeling restless in his marriage, one result from which is eying a high school senior in his driver's education class. Life at work is different as he feels he is gaining more power in the office. A small measure of that office power is being able to convince a reluctant Don and Megan to attend a ...

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 2012 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lionsgate Television, Weiner Bros.

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Signal 30 (1959)

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Soundtracks

"A Beautiful Mine"
(uncredited)
Written by by Rjd2
Performed by Rjd2

User Reviews

Focus on Pete and Slattery

When the opening credits rolled, I was interested to see what Slattery would do behind the camera. Overall, I think he did a decent job. He seemed a bit focused on segues, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It may be that I focused on them as well, because I was looking for what he might do in the director's chair.

**Spoiler Alert**

Direction aside, the story was a microcosm of Pete. From the first episode, he has had a supplicant/hate relationship with Don and this installment played heavily to both sides of that relationship. He is like a child meeting his idol when Don shows up for his couples night. That is, until Don usurps his role as domestic master in the faucet saga. I believe his reaction to this manifested itself in the following Jaguar night on the town.

The other side of Pete, if it is truly another side, defines the second side of this episode. His pursuit of sexual conquests outside his longstanding and now marital relationship, finds two avenues. The first, and more telling, is his adolescent pursuit of a high school, driving class student. The second is his all too easy bordello participation during a client outing. The first is circumvented by a classmate, putting him in the same position of inadequacy he feels around Don.

Pete is weak. Pete has always been weak. Pete remains weak, in spite of the power he has gained.

He wants to be the handsome guy. He wants to be the talented guy that the girls fall for. And as much as he hates the guys that he wants to be, he squelches that hatred in an obsequious attempt to curry favor with those same guys. As long as they are above him on the social/corporate ladder.