Mad Men 1.13: Nostalgia

More correctly known as "The Wheel," this and first episode ("Smoke Gets In Your Eyes") are both up for Emmy awards. "Smoke" was breathtaking, but "The Wheel" left me stunned for months. Cross your fingers!

Pete is visiting with Trudy's parents. Father-in-law Tom's company just bought Clearasil. He encourages Pete and Trudy to have children.

Don doesn't want to go to Thanksgiving with Betty's out-of-town relatives.

Harry has been living at the office. He tells his wife on the phone that he's been staying at Ken's place; she won't let him come home.

Then I have some confusing notes to the effect that Pete's father (or possibly his father-in-law) called Cooper and now Cooper is angry with someone. I assume this has something to do with Clearasil but I'm not sure.

Betty's friend Francine has been a basket case ever since giving birth. She found a $18 phone bill. It was full of calls to Manhattan. She found out her husband had been calling a woman and meeting her twice a week at the Waldorf. She wants to poison him and the whole family, including the kids. Betty doesn't know what to say, but when the mail comes, she takes the phone bill.

New head of accounts Duck is laying down the law. Also, client Kodak is unhappy with them.

Peggy, Ken, and some other guys are auditioning voice actresses for the Relax-a-cizer (the vibrating "weight-loss" belt, wink wink). The guys favor an older woman who isn't especially pretty, but has a good voice. However, Peggy favors the young pretty one.

Don comes home early with some work. Betty wants attention. She tells him about Francine and Carlton. Don claims that he never liked Carlton. Betty is outraged and tries to hint to something to Don about cheating husbands.

Don's mind is somewhere else. He contemplates Kodak's newest invention, a circular tray for a slide projector. Kodak wants to stress the research and development that went into their product.

Peggy is not happy with Annie, the pretty voice actor she chose. As Peggy becomes more critical, Anny begins to cry. Peggy fires her. She has Ken console her, make a date with her, etc., and then call Rita - the older woman with the better voice.

Don calls Adam's hotel. The clerk gives him the bad news that Adam hung himself. He left his money to the building - the city took it.

Betty opens the phone bill and sees night calls to a number in Manhattan. She calls and realizes it's the doctor. He doesn't recognize her voice, though, and thinks she's a different patient who keeps harassing him.

Don goes back to the office, where he catches Harry camping out. He doesn't take much notice. He wants to talk about the Kodak wheel.

Betty goes to the market. She sees young Glen waiting in Helen's car. He says he's not supposed to talk to her. Betty doesn't care. She says she can't talk to anybody. She's sad. Glen offers his mittened hand to hold. She wants assurance from him, but he's nervous and isn't sure when his mother is coming back. Betty leaves.

Pete brings in the Clearasil account. Cooper gives him a bonus and a copy of that stupid Ayn Rand book (I should have been more specific but I didn't write it down).

Betty goes to the psychiatrist and talks about Thanksgiving, her father's girlfriend Gloria, and her mom. She feeds him some info knowing that he will pass it on to Don: she would be happy if she didn't think that Don was being unfaithful. She shares other thoughts she wants Don to know about the family, sex, and her insecurities.

Don does the pitch to end all pitches for Kodak. I cannot do justice to it; I'd be embarrassed to try, so I'll just get it over with:

The Kodak guys are excited about their high-tech gizmo; Don has taken it in a completely different direction. He tells them that "nostalgia" means "pain from an old wound." He has loaded the wheel with family pictures. He shows them that their invention is not the spaceship they think it is; it's a time machine. It's not a wheel, but a carousel - bringing us backwards and forwards through time.

His eyes glisten as he looks at baby pictures of his kids and photos of his wedding. Harry runs out in tears. Kodak is blown away. It's a deal.

Afterwards, he asks Peggy to write the Clearasil ad. Pete is offended. Don promotes her to Junior Copywriter.

Joan is very snotty as she shows Peggy to her new office, which she will split with some guy named Victor.

Suddenly Peggy doesn't feel good. She goes to the ER, complaining of a "stomach ache" from a bad sandwich. The doctor examines her briefly and says "you didn't mention you were expecting." Peggy is in total denial and gets up to leave. She doubles over in pain. The doctor calls for a psychiatrist.

Pete comes home and isn't thrilled to see Trudy's parents again. He says he has a headache and needs to lie down.

Peggy won't hold her baby or even look at it.

Don's family is still at home when he gets there. He decides to go for Thanksgiving with them after all.

Don snaps out of his daydream and comes home to a dark house. They've already left.