Plot

On Valentine's Day, the staff of the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency is hustling and checking out the newest office equipment. Don and Duck clash over an account, and Betty hears from an old friend.

It's Valentine's Day 1962, approximately 15 months since we last saw these cast of characters. On personal fronts, Don and Betty seem to have settled into an agreement of sorts that Don will try to be a better husband and father. Although Don makes a romantic gesture for Valentine's - dinner and a hotel stay at the Savoy Hotel - both Betty and Don realize there are still unspoken problems in their marriage. Joan and Roger have cooled off their romance, with Joan now actively dating. Pete and Trudy have worked out their early problems to now have what seems to be a supportive marriage, although the one stress in their lives is that they have not yet conceived a baby. And after an undisclosed leave of absence, Peggy has returned to her copy writers job at Sterling Cooper. There is much speculation among the men at the office as to Peggy's obvious weight loss, some speculating - correctly - that she had a baby, but wrong in that it is Don's (what else could explain Peggy's meteoric rise on the corporate ladder?), others thinking she went to a fat farm during her leave. On the work front, Duck is wanting a younger staff to provide the perception that Sterling Cooper is a hip, modern company with hip, modern ideas, this against Don's view of what is good for the company. Under this overriding directive, Salvatore and Peggy are working on the Mohawk Airline account. And the clerical staff is gawking over the newest office acquisition: a photocopying machine. The problem is it's size and where to put it.—Huggo

It's Valentine's Day 1962 and the men and women of Sterling Cooper may be facing changes. Duck Phillips, in charge of accounts, feels that the creative team needs younger people and as word gets around that Don Draper is interviewing people, worries set in. The team is also having trouble with creating a new campaign for Mohawk Airlines but Peggy Olson seems to be ahead of the rest. The office receives its first Xerox machine and Joan isn't quite sure where to put it. Harry Crane's wife is pregnant and Pete Campbell's wife is unhappy that they have not yet had a baby. Don's romantic Valentine's evening with wife Betty doesn't quite end as planned. Betty is also shocked to learn that her former roommate is now a call girl. Don is told by his doctor he is getting older and that his drinking and smoking is not good for him.—garykmcd

"Mad Men" - "For Those Who Think Young" - July 27, 2008

As "Let's Twist Again" plays the employees of Sterling Cooper are getting ready for the day. Joan zips up her red dress and puts on her earrings; Peggy, slim again, dabs perfume on her neck; Pete fusses with his hair while "Lovely" puts on his cufflinks; Someone is changing the locks on Don's office door.

We see Betty riding a horse around a track while a handsome female coach yells out instructions. She jumps a hurdle.

Don is taking off his shirt as a female voice asks him to step over. He's in a doctors office and the nurse is weighing him. She deems him a "big one." The doctor comes in and comments that Don hasn't been to the doctor in many years. Don says he eats a lot of apples. The doctor is sad that it takes an insurance physical to get middle-aged men - Don is 36 - to come in for a physical. The doctor takes his BP. It's 160 over 100, which is high. He takes a history. His parents: dead, dad at 41, mom at 22. Drinks per day: Don says 3. The doctor prods him saying he's trying to help him. Don admits to five and the doctor says "2 packs a day but you're cutting down." Doc asks if there have been any changes. He asks Don how he feels when he wakes up. Don asks the Doc how he feels. The Doc says Don lives too hard, and not just at the office and it will hit him all at once. Don says he's been feeling fine. The Doc writes him a prescription for reserpine, for his BP, and phenobarbital, to help him relax. The Doc tells him to take his health seriously and to buy a boat.

Betty is chatting with another equestrian mom who is upset that her daughter Becky has been hoarding the dimes mom gives her for lunch instead of eating. The friend hates the dishonesty. Betty observes at least she's watching what she's eating. The friend agrees that Becky has slimmed down. A male rider, being led by the coach, rides up and waves to the ladies. The coach asks if he wants to get off instead of riding into the stall. He declines. The friend says he's a prisoner of war. Betty says it's because he cant ride and that a man that age doesn't suddenly take up horseback riding. The friend protests he's only 25. The friend says that the man talks to her and since he's engaged there's no point in being aloof. Betty wouldn't know what to talk about. The friend wonders if Betty is scandalized and says they mostly talk about her and how Gertie has a crush on her. (We're guessing Gertie is the riding coach). Betty calls Gertie a sadist. As she gets in her car, the friend ponders why Betty doesn't mind getting manure in her car. Betty says "little children, what's the difference?" She lights up and puts it in drive.

At the office a gaggle of secretaries are crowding around the new, humongous Xerox machine. Joan's trying to figure out where to put it. She considers taking out the lockers in the break room. Hildy begs her not to take away the break room. Joan says she isn't taking away anything since this machine will make their lives easier. Kinsey, now sporting a beard, walks in and wishes them a Happy Valentine's Day -it's 1962 by the way- and snarks about how Joan is going to fit this gift around her neck. Joan thinks the machine needs an office of its own. Kinsey protests saying they're already doubling up on offices. Don's new secretary, whose name we don't know yet I don't think, marvels how her friend who works at Ernst & Ernst did her birthday party invitations on one of these newfangled machines. On colored paper!

In the conference room Peggy, Salvatore, Dale, Freddy Rumson, Cosgrove, and Paul are getting antsy waiting for Don and getting hungry looking at the sandwiches on the table. Cosgrove goes to eat as Kinsey walks in glad he beat Don. Kinsey's been burning the midnight oil and has no art to go with his pitch. Paul is aghast. Cosgrove goes to get a jittery Freddy a drink and asks Peggy if "these are all the glasses." Peggy says she doesn't know and volunteers that she has artwork for her pitch with Dale with a satisfied smile. Freddy asks Peggy to go see when Don is coming.

As she leaves they discuss her weight loss. Dale thinks Don knocked her up and she went away for a few months and dropped about 9 pounds, 8 oz. and comes back with a job. Kinsey jokes that Don's been screwing him for the last few years and he's got nothing to show for it. Pete enters and joins the conversation saying he thought they had proof that she went to a fat farm.

Peggy approaches Don's secretary asking when she expects him. The secretary says she was expecting him at the normal time until he called to say he was going to be late because he was going to the movies to see "Pinocchio." Peggy thanks her and as she walks away turns back and wonders if the secretary was trying to insinuate something about Mr. Draper's whereabouts. The secretary says she wasn't doing anything, she doesnt think. Peggy says she believes that and instructs her to always imagine Mr. Draper standing behind her when she speaks of him. The secretary freaks out that she's done something wrong- although she's not sure what- and wonders if Peggy is going to tell on her. Peggy asks where Mr. Draper is, twice, meaningfully. Her name's is Lois and she finally gets it and just says he's out.

It turns out he's out having a steak and egg brunch at a bar next to a twentysomething dude reading "Meditations in an Emergency" by poet Frank O'Hara. He asks the dude- sporting a neck scarf, tweed jacket ,and glasses- how the book is. He answers that O'Hara wrote some of it right in this very bar and another in the city. Don says that would make him feel better about sitting in a bar in the middle of the day, if he was getting something done. The dude replies, sarcastically I think, "yeah it's all about getting things done." Don asks if it's good. The dude replies, "I dont think you'd like it."

Joan enters Roger Sterling's office saying "you wanted to see me?" He says he wanted to see that "valentine heart." She says "on my way out," anything else? He tells her he's taking Mona to Lutece. He wants to know what the living are up to on this Valentine's Day. Joan says he loves his wife. He asks what happened to the Jewish doctor Joan was dating. Joan says he's not Jewish. Roger says he may not be anymore but he was. Joan says he sounds like a little girl and ask why he cares. Roger wishes her every happiness saying he's already admitted "this" is vicarious. ("This" seemingly being his coy little dance asking for details about Joan's dating life since they're no longer together, as far as we know). Joan says she already knows what day he's going to ask her (to marry him). Roger, as he walks closer to Joan, wonders if the doctor knows since he has a feeling there will be a penalty for passing that date. She says he knows.

Roger's secretary buzzes in Duck. Duck asks Joan on her way out if the girls got his candy gift. She says it was appreciated yet unappreciated. Roger appreciates Joan's "Valentine heart" on her way out his door.

Duck tells Roger they need an infusion of young blood at SC since the clients, like Martinson's Coffee, want to draw the Pepsi generation, who don't drink coffee. Duck points out that it's a young country, the president has a baby. Roger says it's already rotten with kids at SC. Duck says he means even younger, 25. Clients keep bringing it up. Duck asks Roger to talk to Don about it. Roger wants to know why Duck can't talk to Don directly. Duck says he thought that's how things worked around here and asks if Roger remembers saying he was a bridge between accounts and creative. Roger says "doesnt sound like me." Roger advises Duck to treat Don like all talent: like a business equal but assume there's an inner-child that wants to get his way. Duck says Don is not his first Creative Director. Duck reiterates that the clients want this.

Don finally arrives and Lois reminds him about his 12 o'clock in the conference room. Don comes in and everyone snaps to except Dale, who is sleeping. Kinsey offers his pitch for the Mohawk Airlines account. It's mostly Indian puns. "There's a new chief in the sky." Don is unimpressed. Peggy presents her pitch, complete with art from Salvatore. It's a photo of a folks on a plane with clouds outside the window with the tag line "Wherever Mohawk takes us" or "you'll love going there." Don is unimpressed and says it's not about Indians but the sense of adventure they represent. Someone offers dressing the "stew" as Pocahontas. Peggy wonders how wives will feel. Freddy says air travel is too expensive to waste on wives. Don talks about seeing "the hint of a woman's thigh" when getting on a plane. They call it a day agreeing to reconvene the next day for more ideas.

At the Draper house Betty tells the maid/nanny that Bobby is turning blue outside. She asks her daughter if she got a lot of Valentines. Apparently she did since the teacher made everyone give one to everyone else. Betty thinks this defeats the purpose. Daughter helps her take off her riding boots and asks to ride with mommy. Betty says it's too dangerous and reminds her of "what happened to the little girl in 'Gone With the Wind.'"

Roger comes in to Don's office saying "they say once you start drinking alone you're an alcoholic, I'm really trying to avoid that." Don figures that he's helping both of them then. Roger confronts Don about hiring some younger folks at the firm for Martinson's. Don balks saying clients should want to be unique, not conform and protests that young people don't know anything "especially that they're young." Roger gives him a list of names, that Kinsey made up, and says to give it a shot if only to prove Duck wrong.

Don is sitting in the well-appointed lobby of the Savoy hotel as a harpist and band played and well-turned out couples are enjoying Valentine's Day. He notices a young woman with an older man. Betty glides down the staircase a vision in pink lace and a big fur coat. They kiss. She loves this place. He knows. The May-December couple turns out to be Betty's old modeling friend Juanita Carson. (And we learn that Betty's maiden name is Hoffstadt). They chat. Juanita says she's in "decorating." The older gentleman looks a little uncomfortable. Betty gives Juanita her number hoping to get together to catch up. When they depart, Don informs Betty that Juanita is a "party girl." Betty is surprised. She wonders about what's next. He asks how she'd care for room service.

They enter a nice hotel room. Betty goes into the bathroom to change while Don sits on the bed. Through the bathroom door Betty wonders about being a "party girl" and how much they get paid. She supposes people get lonely on this day. She re-enters in a hot-for-the-period black lingerie-and-garters ensemble. Passing by into the bathroom Don gives her a "wow."

Over at the Campbell house Pete has returned home with a candy heart for "Lovely." She is distraught because Harry and Jennifer Crain are pregnant and she saw a dumpy old woman on the street with two kids in tow and she was also pregnant. Lovely feels like she's being excluded from a special club. Pete says not to worry and that she can't be too sad with everything that they have.

Back at the Savoy, Don and Betty are not stomping as he can't seal the deal. She says it's okay, they have all night. He rolls off. She lights up. She says she wishes he would tell her what to do, and then blames the fact that they had too much to drink. She says he should eat something. Don fumbles a room service order and Betty takes over. As she orders a filet mignon and crab and avocado Don flips on the TV. It's the famous Jackie O tour of the White House. Betty wants him to leave it on.

Also watching Jackie O is Salvatore and his, OMG, girlfriend. I can't tell if it's the switchboard operator from last season but I think it might be, she just looks a little more sophisticated. Also watching the tour is Joan, or at least she's trying to as her doctor boyfriend mauls her on the couch. Pete, however, is watching something else and scarfing down the rest of the candy heart.

The next day in the Draper kitchen Betty is boxing up baby clothes while talking to her best bud Francine about the Jackie O special. (Love that Cutthroat Bitch is on this show). Betty pretends like she didn't see it because she and Don were getting it on all night. Francine says not to rub it in since Cartlon the cheater didn't do much for Francine. Betty tells Francine about running into Juanita and pretends like it was her that pegged her as a call girl. She mentions that Don got her a fur coat. Francine says if a fur coat is prostitution than to sign her up. Betty can't believe how Juanita turned out since when they shared a room and talked in the dark she thought she and Juanita wanted the same things. Francine tells a story about finagling money out of her no-good gambler father as a younger woman by lying about taking trips to Havana.

Back at the office the gang is meeting at a table in the main office. Salvatore is disgusted with meeting out in the open. Pete brags they should meet in his roomy office. Kinsey calls him a braggart. Cosgrove congratulates Harry on his wife's pregnancy. Harry knows things will change but is excited. Kinsey shushes them as a new young team of writers come in for interviews. Kinsey is freaked about Duck's youth movement. Peggy arrives and is annoyed no one told her there was a meeting.

Don is looking through the book of the young team- a hyper American guy and a turtlenecked European of undetermined descent. They seem eager, self-satisfied, and young. Don asks them if they've ever been fired. (We don't see the answer).

Joan is still trying to find a place for the Xerox, it's in the hallway now. She sees Lois and admonishes her for crying in the breakroom. She explains Peggy yelled at her. Joan tells her to cry at home and correct her attitude towards "Miss Olson." She asks Lois if she likes the Xerox in the hallway. Lois thinks it looks good now but that it will become messy. (Ain't that like life?) Joan agrees.

Don sees the young 'uns on it. They shake hands. Duck arrives to shake hands. The kids say they're trying to stay on the down low with the meeting. Duck likes the direction Don is taking. Don says now that he's given Duck his babies and his Xerox machine if should throw in some elephants to make sure they can land Martinson's. Duck tells him not to get worked up and that there are other ways to think of things then the way Don thinks of them.

Peggy is in Pete's office with Salvatore and Harry going over Clearasil ideas. Kinsey enters to announce that even younger people have arrived. Peggy points out that she's only 22. Kinsey says she doesn't count. Cosgrove arrives to take Harry out for "Yay, you're pregnant drinks." Peggy says they still have to present to Don on Mohawk. Sal says Dale isn't here and Peggy points out that Mr. Draper doesn't care. As Peggy gathers her things Pete wonders what the big deal about kids is. He asks Peggy if she wants them. She says "eventually."

Peggy and Sal enter Don's office and present their new pitch. Peggy tries the line "Where are you going?" with art of a stewardess in a short skirt in the foreground in front of plane steps. Don says that could be taken two ways with emphasis on either the "you" or the "going." He's not psyched. She tries "come away with us." He's still not happy. Peggy points out it's what he wanted. He says it's obvious and he's uninvolved. He circles a background image of a little girl running towards the plane. Peggy calls it sentimental. Don says just because something has sentiment doesn't mean it's sentimental. He says they're talking about businessmen. She points out that he pointed out "business men who like short skirts" and adds "sex sells." He admonishes her for pat sloganeering, saying she's better than that and that the people who use that kind of reductive thinking believe advertising could be created by monkeys. She tries out a different pitch, from the little girl's point of view: "what did you bring me daddy?" Don likes it.

Peggy returns from her triumph to discover that Joan has decided to put the Xerox machine in her office, where the gaggle has returned to "ooh" and "ahh" over the machine right next to her desk. She is not happy.

In an elevator on the way out Don overhears two guys from another floor talking about bagging chicks in their office. They don't stop when a proper older woman gets on. Don looks askance at them and tells the one wearing his hat to take it off. (The polite thing to do in the presence of a lady.) The guy doesn't, so Don takes it off for him. When the elevator stops he waves the lady off in front of him.

On a dark road Betty pulls over as her engine begins to smoke. She gets out and waves down the next car asking them to stop at the next Esso station and ask for a tow truck.

Don arrives home wondering where Betty is. The maid/nanny, named Carla, says she went to pick up Sally at ballet. Don sits with Bobby who doesn't want to eat his yucky looking dinner. Don takes the plate and chips in.

Back on the road the tow truck driver tells Betty that a fan belt, which is what she needs is nine dollars. She only has three. He says the belt itself is $2.55. She gives him a flirty smile and asks if he can't just help out a "damsel in distress." (She doesn't want to be billed because she doesn't want Don to know. He thinks she's a bad driver. Even if she is, the tow truck guy says this particular problem isn't because of that.) Betty again tries to bargain with a smile. He asks if she's bargaining. She says she is. He fixes it. She gives him the three bucks and lingers on the exchange of money. They say their goodnights. (So what did he get out of the bargain? A smile and 45 cents? If that's prostitution, sign me up).

Back at home, Betty says she was delayed by another ballet mom in the parking lot. Don asks Sally to show him her moves. She does a few ballet steps. Later, Don is reading the poetry book from earlier. A voice-over of Don reading a few lines plays as he finishes it. (The lines begin "now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to seem beautiful again.") He inscribes the front page "made me think of you" and places it in an envelope. He goes to mail it while walking the dog. (sent to Midge, or perhaps Rachel Menken?)