So the Sterling Cooper & Partners staff including Don Draper and Meredith are fully swallowed up by McCann Erickson. She hands him an envelope which includes his Social Security card, some money and Megan’s wedding ring. She tells him Jim Hobart will be back and no napping is allowed.
Roger Sterling and Harry Crane are in the abandoned Sterling Cooper and they’re throwing shots at each other. Shirley tells him she’s leaving.
Some female McCann copywriters introduce themselves to Joan. They try to kiss up to Joan to get part of her Avon account. She’s not buying.
Peggy goes to get her office furniture and finds one of the SCP copywriters sitting at her desk. He’s leaving for another job at the end of the week. She orders him to call some people for her.
Don meets with Jim Hobart. Hobart tells Don he’s been wanting to bring him on board for ten years. Jim tells him he can basically buy what he wants. He and Ferg tell Don anything he needs will be taken care of. Don introduces himself as a member of McCann Erickson.
Joan is on a call with Avon when Dennis ruins it for her. She gets angry at him and tells him she didn’t read her briefing notes. He doesn’t take Joan seriously. And she’s pissed.
One of McCann’s secretaries brings Peggy flowers from McCann which were actually sent to all of the SCP secretaries. Peggy doesn’t have an office at McCann. The secretary tells Peggy she can work in the secretarial pool for now. Peggy refuses and says she can be reached at SCP.
Joan and Don meet in the McCann elevator. Joan tells him her transition has been rocky. Don offers to interfere. Joan says she’ll figure it out. She tells Don that he’s McCann royalty. She asks him to lunch. Don says later.
Meredith gives Don several options on his apartment plus decorative options. She says she’ll decorate for free.
Joan sees Pete and Ferg. Pete wants Joan on an account. She tells Ferg she wants the guy who messed up Avon off the account. Ferg tells her he’ll take care of it.
Back at an empty SCP, Peggy finds only one person there and the lights get turned off.
Don goes to a meeting where Miller Beer will be schmoozed. He gets a boxed lunch and Ted Chaough joins in. Some research guy comes in to introduce what Miller wants to bring in what will become Lite Beer. Don sees a new culture and every guy looking at the research. Don looks out the window and sees a plane flying over the Empire State Building. Don takes his boxed lunch and leaves. Ted Chaough notes Don’s departure, but stays and listens intently to the research.
Ferg comes in and tells Joan and seemingly takes Dennis’ side. Ferg tells Joan that Dennis will not be on the account. He tells her that they’ll work together from now on. He wants to take a trip to Atlanta to apologize to Avon. Joan says it’s not necessary. And it sounds like he’s coming on to her. Joan is puzzled. They shake hands. Ferg encases Joan’s hands in his. Ewwww.
Don visits Betty about Sally not calling him. She says Sally is independent now. She tells him she bought textbooks for her psych class. Don leaves.
Back at a darkened SCP, Peggy tries to make coffee, but she spills it and walks out.
Don is driving away from Betty’s house and drives towards Pennsylvania.
Richard visits Joan and as they’re in the afterglow, she’s not in a good mood. Joan tells him about her issues with McCann. She tells him that she’s staying over the $500,000 McCann owes her. Richard says she can get a lawyer or he can get “a guy.” Joan is interested.
As Don has been driving away from New York, he listens to the radio and hears Bert Cooper’s voice. All of a sudden, Bert’s ghost asks Don where he’s going. Don replies “Racine, Wisconsin” as he’s going to visit Diana. All of a sudden, Bert disappears.
Peggy’s secretary Marcia calls her to tell her that her office is ready, but she’ll have to work at a drafting table. Peggy is freaked out by her empty office. She hears noises. She walks around to eerie music and it’s Roger on the organ in one of the funniest in-jokes in this season. Roger asks Peggy for an errand. Peggy asks if he’ll drink Vermouth. Of course he will.
Jim Hobart sees Meredith at Don’s desk cutting samples. Jim notes that Don missed a Nabisco and National Cash Register (NCR) meeting. Meredith runs interference saying Don drove Sally to school. Jim wonders if Don is drinking. Meredith says she’s not concerned, but she really is.
Don has to take a leak on the side of the highway. Peggy looks at Roger cleaning out his office. He gives him an obscene painting from Bert Cooper. Roger asks what happened. Peggy tells him he was supposed to protect SCP, but sold it. Roger says he’s being shipped to an old folks home. Peggy says she’s excited about moving. Roger says he has regrets. And tries to get Peggy drunk.
Joan sees a box of chocolates from Ferg asking her to get together during the weekend. Joan is disgusted.
Don goes to a house hoping to find Diana, but finds someone else. Don poses as someone from Conley Research. He tells her that he wants to give her a refrigerator full of Miller Beer. But he has to give to Diana. She invites him inside. Diana’s daughter wants the prize.
Joan goes to see Jim Hobart and tells him that she can’t work with Ferg. Jim says she has to work with him. Joan says she had status at SCP as a partner. Jim says she has to work the McCann way and her partnership means nothing. Joan says she then says she wants her $500,000 that she’s been promised. Jim says no. Joan then threatens a lawsuit from the EEOC and bring in women’s lib protestors. Jim says McCann has power with the New York Times and they’ll print Mein Kampf if they tell it to. He offers to pay her 50 cents on the dollar. Joan says it’s not a negotiation. Joan says she’ll bring in a NY Times reporter. Jim tells Joan to get out and she does. Hoo boy.
Diana’s ex-husband comes in and threatens Don. Then Don pretends to be from a collection agency. He goes to leave. Then the guy comes out and confronts Don. He tells Don that Diana left a wake of broken bodies and asks Don to give himself to God.
Roger plays the organ in the darkened SCP. Peggy is roller skating around the office.
Roger sees Jim Hobart who’s pissed about the sale, Don and Joan. Peggy walks into McCann hungover with Bert’s painting in hand.
Roger sees Joan in her office and tells her to take the 50 cents on the dollar offer. She tells him to tell Hobart the deal is done, takes her Rolodex and leaves.
Don is on the highway and picks up a hippie hitchhiker. He tells Don he’s going to St. Paul. Don says he can go there. What are you doing, Don?
And we go out to David Bowie’s Space Oddity. Ground control to Major Tom. Wow.
Now to the videos. Matt Weiner goes inside the episode and explains what happened as best he can.
Let’s go over the fashion and the style of this episode with Costume Designer Janie Bryant and others.
And now to Joan’s confrontation with Jim Hobart that eventually ends with Joan leaving McCann.
And finally, here’s the next-to-last cryptic promo we’ll ever see for Mad Men.
Just two more episodes left. Gah.
