During an advertising awards dinner in which the two (2) competing boutique ad agencies Don Draper's and Peggy Olson's new firm are up for awards they are all advised that Martin Luther King was just assassinated on April 04th, 1968. No one is in the mood for awards nor for work the next day as there are riots taking place all over the country that night when MLK has been shot dead.
Let's face it, the assassination of MLK was devastating for the entire world. It certainly affected sales in many areas, and ads were pulled and replaced with 24 hour news on who shot MLK and why? Betty doesn't ask Don, she tells him to pick up the kids and grieve with them at his place. Don as usual neglects his duties as a father and expects Meghan to take care of his kids so she takes them to an MLK vigil in the park except for little Bobby who says he has a stomach ache. Don is then forced to play father to the (fake) ill Bobby who miraculously feels a whole lot better, so much better that he can sit through two (2) consecuitve shows with his dad of the original (1968) Planet Of the Apes.
There is a lot more going on, including Pete Campbell and Harry Crane verbally abusing each other in the office because of the affect MLK's assassination had on their lives both personally and in business,. Peggy is close to purchasing a condo close to where Don and Meghan live in a Tony area, and Betty and Henry Francis discuss Henry moving from the Mayor's office to running for an empty Republican senate seat.
The year 1968 was a very tumultuous year with many consequences for all race, religions and people with varying economic incomes and statures and this particular episode did a great job in summarizing and highlighting how all Americans were feeling at that point in time.
Let's face it, the assassination of MLK was devastating for the entire world. It certainly affected sales in many areas, and ads were pulled and replaced with 24 hour news on who shot MLK and why? Betty doesn't ask Don, she tells him to pick up the kids and grieve with them at his place. Don as usual neglects his duties as a father and expects Meghan to take care of his kids so she takes them to an MLK vigil in the park except for little Bobby who says he has a stomach ache. Don is then forced to play father to the (fake) ill Bobby who miraculously feels a whole lot better, so much better that he can sit through two (2) consecuitve shows with his dad of the original (1968) Planet Of the Apes.
There is a lot more going on, including Pete Campbell and Harry Crane verbally abusing each other in the office because of the affect MLK's assassination had on their lives both personally and in business,. Peggy is close to purchasing a condo close to where Don and Meghan live in a Tony area, and Betty and Henry Francis discuss Henry moving from the Mayor's office to running for an empty Republican senate seat.
The year 1968 was a very tumultuous year with many consequences for all race, religions and people with varying economic incomes and statures and this particular episode did a great job in summarizing and highlighting how all Americans were feeling at that point in time.