Mad Men 1.11: Indian Summer

October, 1962.

Adam Whitman puts on his best suit and hangs himself.

Peggy's mom fixes her up with a blind date.

The madmen notice that Joan has been a real bitch lately.

A client wants to sell a weight-loss belt. It's a "passive exercise regimen." Research shows that wives like it, but it doesn't seem to work. Peggy's gained some weight, so they decide to let her try. She's happy to do it.

She takes the belt home. It fits like underpants, plugs into the wall, and vibrates. It's very efficient.

It's a hot night. Betty is alone. Don is with Rachel.

The next day, Peggy has difficulty explaining the belt's effect to Don. Finally he gets it (he barely even blinks) and encourages her to write something up. He tells her to think deeply about the problem, then forget about it and let the idea come to her.

An air conditioning salesman comes to the house. Betty is in a somewhat sheer housecoat. The guy asks for a glass of water, but once he's in the house he begins his sales pitch. She lets him look around upstairs and give a professional opinion. Finally Betty tells the salesman that her husband would prefer to use Sears. She sends him away.

Rachel's sister disapproves of Rachel's married boyfriend.

Betty tells Don about the salesman. He's upset that she let a strange man into the house.

Roger comes back to work. The guys note his poor coloring and ask Joan to fix it since he has an important meeting with Lucky Strike. They joke about Nixon's arrogance, and not accepting help.

Betty's friend Francine has had her baby. She seems to be suffering from a heavy case of the baby blues. Betty tells Francine the salesman was "very pushy." (He asked for a glass of water!) The friend is surprised that Betty told Don about him.

Roger has a thick deli sandwich and and a cigarette at the Lucky Strike meeting. They don't get very far before he has another heart attack right at the table. Mona blames Cooper. Cooper tells the Lucky Strike guy not to worry; that Don is handling everything.

The madmen are worried about what this could mean for the company, but they also realize that it might open some spots in the organization for them to move up.

Peggy is making as bad an impression on her blind date as possible, smoking and bragging about her Manhattan job. Her date is a truck driver. He has his own truck and route. They're bragging back and forth having an ego contest. The guy tries to apologize and make nice, but Peggy self-righteously flaunts her ambition at him.

Don calls the psychiatrist for a report. The doctor says Betty seems to be getting worse. He thinks she needs more sessions. Don is annoyed; this therapy is costing money and accomplishing nothing, just as he had expected.

Peggy pitches the belt at an internal meeting (no client). She has renamed it "The Rejuvenator." She talks about it causing "feelings." These "feelings" provoke some mildly crude conversation, mostly about someone's wife (I forget whose), though the madmen are respectful to Peggy personally. Based on the conversation in the meeting, they decide to go with the word "stimulation."

Betty notices that the washing machine is jumping with an unbalanced load. She snuggles up against it and thinks about the "pushy" salesman. It's hot! She needs to fan her face when she's done.

The Rejuvenator client meeting goes well. Peggy asks Don for a raise. Don tells her to be less timid.

Cooper makes Don partner. Roger is getting better. Cooper thinks Ayn Rand would like him. (Sure, but she'd also love a scarecrow if it was stuffed with money.)

Pete walks in and asks if Roger's dead. He sucks up to Don.

Peggy gets a raise and coverage for her desk. She asks Don if she can tell Joan. (Like Don would care!)

After work, Pete tries on Don's office for size. While he lounges at the desk, the mailboy leaves a package for Don. Pete takes it home.

Don tells Betty about becoming partner.

Peggy hits the belt again.