Not my favorite episode of "Mad Men" by a long shot--though I also disliked most of the Don in California subplot in season two. I guess the point was being made in this first season three episode that Don will never be able to resist bedding an attractive woman if the opportunity presents itself, despite his alleged re-dedication to Betty and the kids. I was a bit surprised that Don would engage in a pretense about being FBI accountants, or whatever they claimed to be, with Sal. Sal is on a much lower rung of the corporate ladder at Sterling-Cooper. We have seen Don engage in this behavior with Roger, but then Roger is on his level in the firm. Perhaps the point of Don seeing the bellman in Sal's hotel room was to give Don some leverage over Sal for future use, though why he would need that I don't know. Having been a dedicated fan since the first episode, I am not dissing the series or the writing overall in saying this was not a very strong episode, particularly as it is one that viewers new to the series will use to determine if they will keep watching.
Review of Out of Town
