Mad Men S4E4 "The Rejected" - B-

This week's installment of Mad Men is titled "The Rejected", and its certainly not hard to figure out why. Scene after scene this week reflect the episode's title, and apparent theme, by giving us a parade of people either in the process of, or dealing with the aftermath of, being rejected. Some deal with it with indignant denial, some are are traumatized, and yet others seem to use the rejection as a reason to venture into uncharted waters. One with anger and bitterness, the other with cheerful joy and bitterness. Aside from a cavalcade of rejectees we're also treated this week to a rare view, through the Draper lens, of the effect of the destruction of relationships upon the rejector. There's deft directing by John Slattery, crisp and poignant acting by Elizabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser, and competent yet uncharacteristically boring writing by Keith Huff & Matt Weiner. All of that and, thank God, the return of Ass-Hole Pete!!


The show opens this week with a 1965 version of a "conference call", featuring Don & Roger doing the 1965 version of a "hand hold" with Don's secretary/time-bomb Allison surreptitiously on the line scribbling notes. They're going over the ad restrictions for cigarettes and if there's a meta-comment on anything here I'm missing it. What I DIDN'T miss however, is the nice little meta-comment on Mad Men's unique look: "Low angles, wide lenses...". Sniggle. Sniggle again as Don goes for a shot of something to make this phone call easier and asks aloud, "Why is this empty?" "Because you drank it" is Allison's immediate retort and it took me **snap** that long to realize this plot-line was coming to a head tonight! The parade of rejection starts nice and early this week here as Peggy, accompanied by Dr. Faye Miller, steps into Don's office to discuss the direction being taken on the Pond's account. After being reminded about the direction ("indulgence/ritual") Peggy is given praise by Don...right in front of the repeatedly ignored Allison. Slattery shows a flair here as the shot is composed with Allison juuuuust barely in the bottom left corner, still surreptitiously listening in, but to which conversation is she listening? I think her breakdown later, in front of both of these women, reveals the answer.


Pete & Lane hang in the doorway apparently waiting for a free moment during a busy day at SCDP. The appearance of them causes Roger to excuse himself from the conversation and escort them out into the hallway, not before we're treated to Pete's announced rejection at not being involved in the "Lucky Strike call". Although any semblance of whining coming from Pete doesn't really count as the man has defined his familyhood, his marriage, and his mostly his career through self-pity and mopery. In said hallway, Roger rejects some more by informing Pete that SCDP must resign his Clearasil account because of the conflict with the much larger Pond's Cold Cream account. A blue man in a blue suit stands in the hallway, self-pitying like no other, after Roger & Lane both give him encouraging, and most definitely stronger than necessary, slaps on back. GOD that must have felt good for them to do.


Back in Don's office apparently Lee is calling them on their shit re: over billing his behemoth account. Don, Jedi master of the cover-up and deflect, invents a fire that compels them into action away from the phone. Roger follows suit and the teleconference with the client from Hell ends. Roger is allowed to escape however Don has just entered the 3rd concentric circle of Dante's Inferno(1) however, as Allison strides over and asks about the picture he just received in the letter from California. Don brusquely dismisses her inquiries, as well as her. He then looks up and sees a blinking neon sign reading: abandon hope, all ye who enter Allison.


Cut to: Pete walking into what apparently is his office. This scene begins with a sigh gag I didn't catch on to until later in the episode. This is another place I give Slattery credit, particularly his sense of comedy, for showing us later why the beginning of this scene was funny. Anyway, Pete enters and is startled by finding Harry Crane sitting in his desk eating a donut and reading the paper. Harry's useless once again this week for nothing else but expositing that Kenneth Cosgrove is getting married to an heiress or something. Blah blah blah exposition blah blah funny joke about the only place Harry's bus driver father in law can send him is the moon blah blah blah exposition that Kenny's at a big place and is "a comer". I think the main thing we get from this scene is that Pete is in a very bad mood and will perpetually be in competition with Kenneth Cosgrove. Oh, and Harry Crane has replaced Paul Kinsey as "douche bag extraordinaire".


Yay Peggy! I love me some Peggy. Peggy steps into the elevator and warmly greets a very young looking woman holding onto folder bearing an eponymous(2) pink slip. Noticing it, and realizing what it must portend, she offers genuine condolences to the toolbelt. Said toolbelt reveals that they aren't hers, that her name is Joyce, and that she's an assistant copy editor for Life magazine. Shaking hands with her new BFF Peggy gives her own rundown of vital statistics. Joyce then proceeds to break out some text-book Big Chief Rumbletummy "alone in an elevator" flirt moves by first showing pornography to the flirtee. Then by pulling the Richard-Gere-snapping-the-jewelry-box-on-Julia-Robert's-hand-and-we-both-giggle-uncontrollably move. You go, girl-boy.


Pete's father-in-law sits alone at a Manhattan bar as Pete strides up behind him. We learn that both men are "15 minutes early", which you may think is just a sign of nervousness, but I learned from Goodfellas it means that one of them is plotting to whack the other. Let me just say right here I loved this scene. I loved it because of everything that was said, and more because of everything that was unsaid and/or implied. As progressed I imagined their must have been a phone call from Pete to his FIL about getting together "to talk". None of this is pointed out directly to us in this episode but from previous seasons we know that their relationship is "strained". Not quite at Don Draper/Gene Hofstadt levels of contempt and disregard, but still. Not much is directly said during this scene but a great deal can be ascertained if you pay attention. Their both early as they both are trying to brace themselves for this discussion. Pete's FIL "Tom" can barely mask his distaste for his SIL when hurriedly states "We can eat anytime, OR NOT AT ALL." Meaning "lets do this and be on our way, prick". Pete requests some liquid courage(3) for his announcement. Pete stumbles and meanders his way through getting to his rejection of Tom's business, during which they don't even look at each other. I've had these conversations with relatives and dammit if this scene wasn't nailing the uncomfortableness inherent in such meetings. Pete rambles, Tom processes, Pete continues to ramble until he gets to the separation of their personal and business relationship, and poor Tom can't take no more. "You are some kind of high WASP all right", perhaps vocalizing the very thing he's resented about his son in law all along. Here it comes though, Tom pulls the old dipseydoodle on Pete and reveals that "he heard". He knows what? While Pete tries to figure out Tom's peculiar reaction, its revealed that Tom's not talking about zit cream. He's talking about Pete's baby cream(4). HAAAYYYOOOOOOHHH!! Trudy's preggers!! Pete's gonna be a daddy!! (again). Honestly, I was a little surprised by how excited Pete seemed to be about the news. He seemed genuine about it too. Pete The last great bit of business in this scene is done as Tom starts to run on about how he wanted more kids but blah blah uterus removed blah blah some kind of cyst or something(5) blah blah...and we see (and hear) Pete tuning him out, choosing to gaze off into the future. The sudden and immediate and scary assed future that awaits all men who hear that news.(6)


Pete bellows "Trudy!" as he steps into his apartment and we get to see this couple, who genuinely love each other and seem to be have the most successful relationship on the show, celebrate their upcoming bundle of joy. Awwwww. Pete remarks that he didn't expect to feel this way causing Trudy to query why he should know what this feels like at all. Fat suited Peggys dance through his head as he dodges the question. Pete FINALLY tells the truth about the Clearasil account but to the wrong member of the family. He laments his error in not revealing it at the bar but Trudy's like "no big let me tell him". I really thought he was going to let her too. How wrong I be.


Its a great day at SCDP and Joan's corralling the "chosen few" secretaries into the Pond's focus group established in the first scene. Allison, presumably upset because she's about to get beat out for the title of "world's most rejected secretary", snits to Joan "Why don't you have to do this"?. Joan, obviously upset that she's being lumped in with the "old & married" (read: rejected) secretaries snits back. Rowr. Hiss.


In the focus group peeping room, Don, Peggy, & Freddie are gathered as they're about to watch Dr. Miller "do her thang" on the unwitting secretaries in the adjoining room. The peeping room's day job must be as Joanie's office because she announces "Very well then, I guess I'll go work in Mr. Sterling's office". A phrase I believe she's uttered a couplefew times. Dr. Brooklyn asserts herself about some minor details regarding how she's supposed to be perceived by the lab rats err...secretaries. The rooms darkens and we see her enter the room though the window.
The Pond's focus group is a series of scenes which jump from the peeping room to the conference room (a table!) to seeing the conference room from the peeping room and really does a good job on playing with how manipulative this whole process is.


Don spies Peggy trying on the good doctor's wedding ring, which she took off to appear as "just one of the gals", seeing how she likes the look of it on her finger. Would a woman really do that? Peggy sees she's been caught and there's a great shot of Peggy looking sheepish, Don smirking, and Freddie oblivious to it all. So appropriate. Dr. Mindgames lays on some flattery and casual kickback talk trying to get these girls to open up about their "routine and ritual" of putting on makeup. Freddie asks Don, "Can you imagine? We're putting our financial future in the hands of 22 year old girls" to which Don lightheartedly replies, "Not mine". OUCH!(7)


One of the giggling gaggle share their story of make-ups and I can understand why the entire straight male audience of this show tuned right the fuck out during this scene, even though it was a good one. I just laugh to myself as I watch the actress, a gorgeous brunette, act shy and retiring as if she's ever been self conscious about how she looked. Up next is "Dottie". Dottie relates a tale of putting on cold cream while her boyfriend was in the room. While I love Mad Men there have been moments like right now, like Dottie's speech, and the responses of some of the other women to it, in which I have absolutely no idea what these women are talking about. I think its supposed to be honest and open but it soars straight over my head. Betty and Francine used to have talks like that. SO anyways, Dottie is sitting next to a secretary who's apparently half-giraffe because her neck starts somewhere around the 17th floor. The print of the dress and the hairdo aren't helping. E.T. the Extrasecretarial then spits out some bitter vitriolic boyfriend bashing and we see Allison suffering silently in the corner, hunched over. She comments its almost worse "When they notice you", to not be rejected (that's the gist anyway), and when asked to elaborate looks up at the 2-way and straight at Don who she knows is behind it. That part confused me because did they all know they were being watched? Or is Allison just that much smarter? Maybe its because she overheard the conversation earlier between Don, Peggy, and Dr. Coldheart? Dunno.


We hear, but don't see, Lane holler "Are you in there?". Pete's POV shows us why he didn't know, why Pete hates his office, and finally why Pete was so startled at Harry being in there earlier. I love this set-up. A visual gag I don't know is a gag until its revealed later. Am I the only one who didn't get it until this scene? Pete still hasn't broken up with Clearasil, even though Roger already told Pond's that they were going out and that Clearasil was a total slut. Pete reveals to Lane his wonderful news and Lane shits all over it. He then apologizes, offers congrats, and awkwardly leaves.


Back in the Pond's focus group the estrogen has reached Def-Con 4 levels and hankies and Kleenexes are flying about the room willy-nilly. They either just screened Steel Magnolias in here or this slumber party has gone horrible awry. Apparently Dottie knows all to well what its like to be one of the rejected and its all coming up. Freddie is killing it here with the comments. Talking about cold cream and shithead bastard men soon takes its toll on Allison and she breaks down sobbing. Freddie again scores a "HA!". Don squirms in his chair, as I do too, as we're both frightened speechless as what Allison might do or say. But no, she bails. The ever compassionate doctor assures the rest that Allison has rejected them all, "If she wanted to be around us, she would have stayed". Peggy has a heart however, and goes after her. But not before telling Don that "[she]feels kind of responsible". Oh Peggy...you have no idea how wrong you are on this one. You'll soon learn, my dear...you'll soon learn.


She approaches the still sobbing Allison who turns to greet her with "Oh. Its you". In that one comment we know she's upset that: a) Don didn't come for her, b) Don has sent her rival for his affections (in her mind), c) Don's back in the focus group drunkenly trying to nail Dottie. I think its all of the above.


Peggy invites Allison to the privacy of Don's office in which we get yet another dipseydoodle reveal as Allison confides her feelings of being rejected to Peggy. If she was looking for compassion or empathy however, then we're just going to have to chalk up another point against Allison being a good judge of character. Peggy returns to the peeping room and gives a spiteful "No she's fine" and Elizabeth Moss cannot get enough praise from me with how much she can do with so little.(9) The gorgeous wall flower (who we later learn is "Megan"), stops by to ask "Is she okay?" in regards to the blubbering Allison. To which Dr. Fuckyomama wonders contemptuously "Who?". If you look real hard you can actually see the frost and ice crystals drop off her tongue as she says it. Just before they can discuss the results Joan steps in and reclaims her office. Man she didn't wait a second. Joanie doesn't like being one of the rejected.


Hey its Kenny!! Its Kenny everybody!! You remember Kenny right? Kenny Cosgrove...of the Vermont Cosgroves? Yeah, the published writer. Good friends with Sal from the art department. Loves syrup?? That's him! Kenneth joins Harold and Peter for the lunch Harold exposited in his other scene. He can only stick around long enough in this one to exposit that he's either a Jew...or now that he's in television he's talking like a Jew. Pete & Ken sit amiably enough for all of 4 seconds before Kenny confronts Pete about the "shitty things" said behind his back. Lot's of "I heard you said" and Pete's denials are fucking great. I've never noticed this before but Kenny looks kind of like a Muppet. Maybe Bert. Anyways, Kenny's somewhat unhappy at his new place and has apparently bounced a few places. We learn here than Kenny Cosgrove is now one of "the rejected", and would love a chance to be working at SCDP. I'm not sure if Pete recognizes this for what it is though. Basically its an affirmation that "he's won" his battle with Kenny. He was chosen, Kenny was not. He's happy with a future ahead of him, Kenny is not. I think its at this moment Pete decides the course of action we see him take at the end of this episode. Pete congratulates Ken on his upcoming nuptials. However Pete cannot congratulate his sworn enemy without trying to one up him with his own announcement. He relates the fact that Trudy is "with child" and Ken, who can actually feel joy for another person without complaining about what he doesn't have, chuckles good-naturedly at the news. He offers, "Another Campbell...just what the world needs".


Don slowly and resignedly makes his way into his office where he knows Allison awaits. He tries to steamroll her and as she gets up to leave, I actually a utter a loud "Yes!" as she shuts the door to confront him. Fuck yes I was proud of her, and Don really had it coming. Allison forces Don to acknowledge what happened between them and describes her plan of action: quit and find a job with a woman boss, or at least a male eunuch. Before she goes however, she would like a letter of recommendation from Don. And here is where I called "bullshit" on the writing. Don Draper would not be so utterly clueless, so unable to see the forest for the trees on this one, as to say that "better still" Allison could type up her own letter and he'd sign it. Come on. This girl is BEGGING for him to say one nice thing about her. To treat her with a level of approval and affinity, even just for what she did as his underling, and he can't see that? This master salesman and viewer into the innerworkings of people's wants and needs? BULL and SHIT!


Just as astonished as I am, yet within arms reach of something throwable, Allison goes all Jai-Alai and wings some object'dart at something breakable. Ho Ho would be proud. She runs out of the office, Don calling after her (like he should have done earlier), and I got 50-50 odds on who knew the whole story first: Peggy or Joan.


Guffaw moment with Peggy peeping over at Don. Buzzing on Peg's intercom announcing that Joyce is here to see her. At least I think that's what she said. Hell she might have been verifying an order of a Happy Meal and a McShake for all I could understand of it.


Joyce is in the lobby hitting on Megan and I salute her for her taste. We see Cooper in the background chilling sock less, natch. Joyce lesbians that she's got a party in her pants in a loft somewhere downtown and invites Peggy. When she leaves, Megan says "She's kinda pretentious" to which Peggy almost swoons and utters "I know." Now I wasn't sure what direction they were going to go with Peggy becoming friends with Joyce, but I decided that this was the point in which Peggy definitely knew her new friend had all the tendencies of a 3 dollar bill. I'm glad the direction they did go with it, that Peggy wasn't phased at all by Joyce being gay and Joyce not being phased at all by Peggy not being interested. I think Peg was more happy at Megan deciding that Joyce was pretentious because of what had happened earlier in the focus group. I'll get to that a bit later.


ARRRGGHH(10)


And we're back...and so is my long lost friend Pete Campbell, Professional Ass-Hole. Been a long time, Pete. Trudy tries to run interference for him and be the one to break the news to Daddy, but my main man's having none of it. He won't even let dude make a fucking drink here. I can't even put into words how cold blooded Pete is here. I've tried. Nothing I write can do it justice. So I'll just repeat it: Tom: "I know...you need a bigger apartment!" Pete: "Every time you jump to conclusions Tom, I respect you even less". Mother. Fucker. Ladies and gentleman, this is the man who took him out to celebrate with champagne just a few scenes ago. The man who saved his ass by bringing him Clearasil for his new venture. Some might be grateful for the gesture, but Pete insists "I'm through auditioning". I think he means he's through auditioning for EVERYONE. Sterling, Draper, Cosgrove, and even his father in law...Pete's shown and proved. Basically, "I gave you a grandchild...you need to reciprocate". Pete demands the whole shebang from his father in law. The thing of it is: Pete's absolutely right to do this! I can't even be mad at him for it. All the while he's going into it I was thinking "No..don't...its too much...don't cross the streams Pete!". But he's 100% correct in this play. For the company and for his future career, that is. Tom was forever going to be the condescending father in law, holding his future over his head, doling out what he thought they needed when he though they needed it. Pete saw the play and he stepped up and took it. And Lord have mercy Pete shrugging off Tom's weak "you sonuvabitch" might have been my favorite cold-hearted Mad Men moment since Don's utterance of "God KNOWS they'd be better off" to Betty regarding the kids going with him. Welcome back Pete, you've been sorely missed.


So we see Peggy climbing the stairs to an artsy fartsy proto-Warhol party. Now I've been anticipating backlash to this aspect of Mad Men ever since the season began. As its evolved, Mad Men has become a show that chronicled the trubulance of 1960s America. Just from the focus of articles before the season began trying to predict what events it would cover, which trends would be seen, which characters would change and how, etc. I realized that inevitable there would be a portion of the audience just ready to hate which direction they decided to go with it. I firmly believe that no matter how the show deals with its time and place this season there will be those who will label the efforts as being contrived or obvious. And they'll be right on both accounts. Thats what the show does. I just hope people will criticize on merits other than the fact that they decided to include "X" or had character "Y" witness event "Z", algebraically speaking of course.


So Peggy meets up with Joyce and one of the nudes. Peggy's request for beer gets greeted with a joint. Did Anna stop by or something? If there was any doubt in her mind about which way Joyce swang, and I don't think there was because Peggy stares a little too long at a guy walking by (hinthint), it was extinguished with a sapphic lick upon the neck while Peggy hits the chronic. Peggy takes it in stride and confrims her straightness. Joyce takes being rejected in stride as well, probably because she knows she could kick her boyfriend's ass.


Don stumbles through the door and tries to write a rejection letter. Realizing it would be as phony as any recommendation letter he could write, he gives up. Or was he just not wanting to confront how sad it was starting? Dunno, but Don is one sad fuck this season.


Back at the party, Peggy meets Abe and "the artist". Peggy is ever the ad woman here as she meets them. When asked if she likes his film, which apparently has some sacrilegious images or something to do with Catholicism, she cannot even give her own answer. "I don't think I'm supposed to" she replies. This is a woman who understands that everything has an audience. Everything has a target. Even amongst these artsy-fartsy folks who have creative endeavors as "day jobs" she sees through it and knows his film is meant to sell you something. Uh-oh...its a raid!!! Peggy plays 30 seconds in Heaven with Abe and Joyce comes and gets them from out of the closet. The closed captioning shows Joyce saying "If only..." right here but its not on the audio. Abe "Scoop Scooperstein" smells a story brewing and runs of to cover it. Peggy and Joyce flee through the night. Oh for fun...

HILARIOUS reveal here as DFon walks up the hallway to see the new secretary Joan has requisitioned him from the supply closet. Blankenship, Ms. She looks 100 and sounds 200. This woman probably bathe dRoger when she was a spry young woman of 60. No way in Hell Don fucks this one. Right? Pete reveals his bonanza to Sterling, Draper, & Pryce, Lane. Misters. Congrats & huzzahs!! I'm mad Harry didn't show up and say "Mazel-Tov" and then just walk off.


Peggys going on and on about her new ultra-cool and hip best firends and then asks the "John/Marsha" guy (who I'm just going to call "Not-Sal") if he knew Malcolm X was shot. He replies that he has and chides her on her newfound awareness. The human ostrich walks in and asks if these two want to go in on a bottle of champagne for "the Campbells". Not-Sal offers to sign the card and Peggy, not knowing whats coming, goes about her business. When its her turn to sign however, she sees that it has a picture of a stork on it. I wonder if the secretary posed for it. Peggy can't bring herself to sign. Not-Sal reveals his interests lie in apart from his namesake's as he gets off the best line of the episode: "I would get her so pregnant". Peggy needs air.


Peggy congratulates Pete and the misdirections continue. Although this one doesn't feel forced because why in the world would these two ever discuss babies? There is so much between these two that was so wonderfully started 3 seasons ago. So much left unsaid and unresolved. They don't talk about it, ever, and they can barely even speak here. Vincent Kartheiser looks about half the size and with non of the confidence that he just possessed 15 seconds ago.


Don rejects Dr. Miller's (she's a she) findings about the failure of the test. He rejects her insistance on going with Freddie's original choice of direction. he rejects what she does and that what has been done is any indication of what can be successful. Is he rejecting reality?


Peggy is summoned to lunch with her new wild group of friends. She asks Megan if she'd like to join and, I think, is glad she declined. Peggy is glad that her new friends, and by extension her, is rejected by the likes of Megan. Peggy doesn't want to be one of the gals in the focus group and validates this by accepting Joyce's "pretentiousness" as just something positive the Megan types can't fathom. Fantastic work here as Peggy heads out the door with her friends for lunchtime fun, Pete gathers with his lunch group for business, and the two catch a glimpse at each other heading their own ways towards their own futures. Futures that probably could not have been had they become parents together.


And what would that future look like? Maybe it would be Peggy coming down a hallway, many many years from now, moving slowly, yet still faster than Rubicon, while Pete asks her "Did you get Pears?". Or is that the future Don can only view from across the hallway now that Betty has rejected their marriage? Since she's rejected him?


Question:
Does anyone think Pete was so pissed about Pond's because that was Freddie's account? I know they're different departments and all...
Is Harry Jewish? Has he served any other function that exposition this year?
Pete took being rejected as a spur to go out and get more business, Allison took it as a spur to get defeated and get the fuck out. Is this a man/woman thing? Or a character thing?
Did anyone else the Peggy/Pete relationship represented by the old couple?


NEXT EPISODE:
Who's got Roger in such a tizzy?


(1) The one reserved for fathers who bail on birthday parties.
(2) Now, the pink slip reads "REJECTS" rill bold across it. Some sources I looked at gave that (well, actually it gave "The Rejects") as the episode title. Others I looked at gave "The Rejected" as the title. Whatever, I think The Rejected fits better.
(3) Dewar's on the rocks (for those who keep score).
(4) Okay, I apologize for that
(5) Good writing here as this is a possible explanation for Trudy's previous inability to get pregnant.
(6) I didn't get the if its a boy $1000 if its a girl $500 thing, but from listening to Matthew Weiner's commentary tracks on the previous episodes I'd wager both of those amounts together that this is something that came from one of the staff writer's families or something. Every weird family thing done on this show seems to come from the real life experiences of the creators.
(7) This is my first year following Mad Men as it airs and I just want to say I HATE COMMERCIALS
(8) Bit of continuity error here as the papers doc are holding go from in front, to bosom, to in front, to bosom again. I am jealous of those papers.
(9) Do you think Peggy set Don up here by leaving Allison in his office to stew?
(10) As I said, first year following, hate commericals, blah blah blah...so I'm FFing through them and I stop when the show comes back on. Wait what? what the fuck is this Suave shit? Is this what companies are doing now to get people to stop FFing through commerical breaks? Making the commericals look like the show so we're tricked into stopping? Kudos Suave guys, you got me on that one.