- Lane's entire world comes crashing down after getting busted for forging Don's signature on a check, and Sally experiences an awkward rite of passage while spending the weekend with the Drapers.
- Don learns about Lane's forged check. Don's subsequent discussion with Lane and Don's unilateral decision about what to do about Lane's fraud without telling any of the other partners about the fraud itself lead not only to Lane making his own decision about his future but also Don beginning to think more about SCDP's future as a whole. Don's thoughts about going after bigger accounts leads to even more maneuvering in-house, this time affecting Ken and Pete most directly. Meanwhile, the Francises are planning on going on a weekend ski trip, on which Sally doesn't want to go. An exasperated Betty decides that if Sally is going to be a bother, she will send Sally to stay with Don and Megan regardless of what Don and Megan want. Sally's visit with Don and Megan adds to more strain between Don and Megan as they go about their own lives over the course of Sally's stay - Don's having to do with the work issue around Lane and its aftermath - which Sally tries to use to her advantage in testing the waters in her relationship with Glen, who she wants to be her boyfriend. But an incident while with Glen brings Sally closer to her mother.—Huggo
- The partners have a decision to make when Jaguar proposes a different way for the ad agency to bill them. It leads Bert Cooper to open the mail and find the canceled check Lane Pryce had forged. He speaks to Don who says he'll take care of it. Don calls Lane into his his office and immediately asks for his resignation. Lane is understandably upset but no one is prepared for what happens next. Don also decides he's tired of dealing with only small accounts and gets Roger to arrange an appointment with Dow Chemicals. Sally meanwhile spends the weekend with Megan and Don but something unexpected happens while she's out with her friend Glen.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "Commissions and Fees" - June , 2012
Don is getting his haircut when a dude, Jed Covington, from a competing agency comes in. He congratulates him on landing Jaguar saying it's a "big win for your little agency" and he heard Jaguar loved Pete.
At a lunch Lane is offered a position with the prestigious Four A's on their fiscal control committee. They're impressed with the work he's done at SCDP. Lane accepts but tells them not to expect any miracles.
The first meeting of the partners including Joan is brought to order by Scarlet who doesn't seem to know how to run things. Upshot: Jaguar has put in a request for a fee structure versus straight commission. Lane explains the fee structure. No one understands it. Pete announces Dunlop Tires, which are used on Jaguars, are interested in coming aboard. This is good news. Scarlet wonders if they should vote on the fee structure issue. Don says he already says no and wonders if he should leave so the rest of them can do whatever they want. They decide to "look into it."
The Francis' are going on a ski trip but Sally is being sulky and difficult so Betty pawns her off on Don, calling him at the office and saying that, in lieu of strangling her, she's sending her into the city for the weekend.
As he gets off the phone Bert comes in with an accusation. In trying to evaulate the fee issue he went through the books and found the canceled check for Lane Pryce's bonus and Don's signature on it. He is angry. Don says he'll take care of it. Bert tells him that he can't keep being the good little boy while the adults run the business.
Don calls Lane in and confronts him with check. At first, Lane tries to play it off but Don won't allow it. Lane then offers the angry, tin-eared response that he's never been adequately compensated for all he's done for the firm and its formation and helping it stay afloat. This doesn't wash so he tries real remorse. Don tells him he must resign. Lane begs but Don is resolute, saying that he can no longer trust him. Don says he'll cover his loan and Lane spits out how easy it is for Don to come up with $7500. Lane wonders how he'll explain his firing to his wife and son, and realizes that he will lose his work visa. Don says he'll tell them that it didn't work out because it didn't and it will be better because it always is. He tells him to take the weekend and think of an elegant exit and that Cooper doesn't know anything. They shake hands. Lane says he feels a bit lightheaded. Don tells him it's relief. He says he's started over a lot and this is the worst part. He seems truly sympathetic but, again, resolute.
Lane goes to Joan's office. She congratulates him on the Four A's chairmanship. She wants to take a vacation. He is rude to her about looking at her in a bikini and tells her bon voyage. She tells him to take his drunken merriment elsewhere. He goes to his office and looks out his snowy window and downs his drink. He takes a look around his office. Spins in his chair and gazes at the snow.
Roger is on the phone with a girl, apologizing for leaving early. Don enters out of sorts. He tells Roger he's tired of this piddly shit and pretending that they're going somewhere when they're not. He grouses that Dunlop is another Topaz or Mohawk. He claims he wants Chevy, American Airlines and Firestone. He then tells Roger that Ed Baxter told him at the American Cancer Society event that the Lucky Strike letter poisoned their business. Roger tells him to not let that wax figurine discourage him. He says Don used to love "No" and if Don wants Firestone Roger will get him a meeting. Don says he wants Ed Baxter-- and Dow Corning- instead. Roger asks "what about Kenny?" since Baxter is his father-in-law. Don says "then fire him."
Sally arrives at Don and Megan's saying her mom's such a phony. Megan wasn't told Sally was coming and is, understandably, annoyed.
Ken has an after work meeting with Roger. Roger explains about Ed Baxter and Dow. Ken says he can't help. Roger says they're counting on that. Ken wonders what's going to happen when Ed calls him. Roger says he'll be out for a drink with his boss. (See what he did there?) Ken slyly says there's nothing he can do to muck it up now and that he'd hate to bring it up with Cynthia by accident. Roger asks what he wants, some kind of partnership? Ken says he doesn't want to be a partner - he alludes to the episode with Joan - he wants to be forced onto the Dow account. He doesn't want Pete involved in any of the meetings. Roger agrees.
Don heads home and meets Roger in elevator and Roger tells him he got a meeting with Dow on Monday which means Don has 48 hours to pull together the pitch. Roger tells him not to lose his nerve because he liked the guy he saw in his office today.
Don arrives home to find a steaming mad Megan who can't believe he didn't remember to call her to say Sally was coming. He explains he was preoccupied because he had to fire Lane and explains why. She's surprised, he seemed so honest. He tells her she can't tell anyone. She says it's time for dinner with his daughter and work can wait.
Lane goes home and he's drunk. Rebecca is waiting in her coat and hat and wants to go to dinner. He doesn't want to go. She says she's very proud of him, saying that he had a good day that turned into a bad day and he's taking her to dinner, no arguments. In the parking garage she walks him to a brand new Jaguar. She explains the purchase, saying that he never spends any money on himself, just on her travel and Nigel's school fees, and she wanted him to have something nice. She wrote a check to the nice man at the Jaguar dealership who gave her a good deal when she explained who Lane was. She wants to go for a ride but he runs behind a support column and vomits.
Don works at home while the girls head out to the movies. In a diner Megan's friend Julia talks about men. Sally says she has a boyfriend but isn't sure he likes her likes her. Julia points out that he's probably not her boyfriend then but Megan says great romances often start out as friendships. She tells Sally a boyfriend is a person who makes you feel special and holding hands is plenty good enough. Sally orders coffee and dumps in a heap of sugar. Later that night she calls Glen and invites him to come visit in the city. He hedges, saying it's too far and it's too hard to leave school. She says for a year he's been saying he wants to visit her. He says he'll come.
At the Pryce house Lane tells an eager to go for a ride Rebecca that he has some loose ends to tie up and can't go for a ride. That night he plugs a garden hose into the car's exhaust pipe and tries to kill himself except he can't get it to start. He heads to the office very late in the night and we see him typing.
The next morning Don goes to his meeting and Megan has an audition. She tells Sally to do her homework and not watch TV or use the juicer. Sally jumps up the moment Megan leaves to get ready. The doorbell rings and Sally appears in full make-up wearing the white go-go boots to answer the door. Glen chides her for not looking through the peephole and tells her how nice she looks. They leave the apartment, heading for the natural history museum. Once there, they wander around looking at the exhibits and talking. Glen mentions being bullied by the older boys at school. Sally says Henry was bullied too and now he runs a city. She says she knows it's wrong but she wishes Henry would leave Betty. Glen confesses he told the guys at school he was coming into the city to "do it" with her. She says he can say whatever he wants but that's not how she likes him. He says him too and they basically come to the conclusion that they feel more like siblings toward each other. Sally says she isn't feeling well and heads to the bathroom. There she discovers she's gotten her period and freaks out. She ditches Glen and takes a taxi home, all the way to the Francis'.
Meanwhile Megan comes home and is distressed when Sally isn't there. Glen shows up for his bag, explaining that Sally left him at the museum and that he looked for her. Betty calls Megan and explains that Sally just needed her mother. Megan invites Glen in to work on his paper in the apartment before his 7 p.m. train.
Back at the Francis house, Betty gives Sally a hot water bottle and hugs her and says even though it's unpleasant it means everything's working for a baby when Sally's ready and maybe she'll have a beautiful girl and tell her all this one day.
Don and Roger wait for their meeting. Roger tries to buck Don up and says if Baxter baits him he wants Don to punch him in the balls. Don asks what happened to Roger's enlightenment. He says "I don't know, it wore off." The meeting begins with Ed and other Dow bigwigs. Their banter has an edge when Baxter accuses them of being vindictive about Lucky Strike. Don changes the subject to Dow and how lazy their current ad company is and how he wouldn't settle for the 50 percent market share they have now. "Even though success is a reality, its effects are temporary," says Don, who also deftly defends napalm and Dow's making of it. He tells them, almost angrily, "You don't want most of it, you want all of it and I won't be happy until you get all of it." He is on fire. He thanks them and leaves, Roger in tow.
Concurrently, Joan tries to get into Lane's office but she can't really open it because something is blocking the door and something smells foul. She goes into Pete's office next door and says she thinks something is wrong. Pete jumps up on his couch and looks through the window and cups his hand to his mouth. Harry and Ken do the same. Ken hops down and puts his arm around Joan who by now has figured out that Lane has killed himself in his office.
Don and Roger come back from their meeting to find the office deserted except for Pete, Joan, and Cooper who tells them the news. Don sits and holds his head. Pete explains Cooper sent everyone home and said there was a building emergency. They're waiting for the coroner to come and take the body. Joan begins to cry again. Don says they can't leave him like that. He, Roger, and Pete push their way in and find him hanging on the back of the door. They cut him down. Roger finds a letter on the floor addressed to the partners. Cooper reads it: it's a boilerplate resignation.
Don heads home still dazed. Glen is still there. Glen reminds him of his mother Helen Bishop and how they were neighbors in Ossining. Don offers to drive him back to school instead of waiting for the train. He tells Megan he had a bad day and will explain later. In the elevator Glen asks why everything you think is going to make you happy turns to crap. Don says he's too young to think that way. Glen notes that it's true though. Don asks Glen if he could do anything what would he do? Apparently he asks to drive Don's car because we cut to him driving as Don gives him a hand at the wheel. Glen is psyched.
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