This was an explosive episode and it was in the first 7 minutes!
The backdrop is the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Ted Chaough is taking some Sunkist executives for a plane ride when he cuts the engine and practically scares them to death. Pete is still in New York and he’s an angry man in Jim Cutler’s office. Jim asks Ted WTF? Ted tells Jim he doesn’t want to be in advertising anymore and wants to be bought out.
Lou Avery is next into Jim Cutler’s office and asks WTF is up with Don Draper now that Philip Morris is taking Commander Cigarettes off the table and in-house. Lou complains. Jim kicks him out of his office.
Francine brings her sons, Sean and Neil to Betty Francis’ home. They’ll all room in the same home. Bobby isn’t happy to be host. Sally seems to be interested in Neil.
At Sterling Cooper & Partners, Pete, Harry Crane, Peggy and Don go over the pitch meeting for Burger Chef.
Peggy gets to her apartment where she finds Nick, Kashmir’s replacement. He was installing ceiling tiles and he gives Peggy her number. Julio, the neighbor’s kid asks for a Popsicle.
Francine and Betty talk about Don. Betty calls him “an old bad boyfriend, someone a teenaged anthropologist would marry.” Sally is getting ready for her lifeguard job.
Don’s secretary, Caroline, gives him a letter from Jim Cutler telling him he’s in Breach of Contract for barging into the meeting with Commander Cigarettes. Caroline makes a pass at him. She asks him what she can do. Don tells her to call his attorney and never kiss him again. She says not now and takes his handkerchief because Don is totally stunned.
Don storms into Cutler’s office to demand what’s going on. Cutler calls him “a bully and a drunk.” He dares Don to take a swing at him. Don then goes to Roger Sterling’s office and gives him the letter. Joan, Pete, Bertram, Roger, Joan all take votes on ousting Don. Jim votes yes and uses Ted’s proxy to vote yes. Joan also votes yes. But Roger, Bertram, Pete and Don vote no. And while Bert Cooper isn’t pleased, he calls Don a pain in the ass. Joan says she didn’t know about the letter, but is tired of Don costing her money. And while Jim says Don signed the stipulations, Joan says he should not have done that. We haven’t seen Joan say “You shouldn’t have done that” since season 1. Oh this is getting good.
Julio is back at Peggy’s apartment, but she finds that she’s moving to Newark. Peggy tries to comfort him as best as she can. And Peggy is sad that he’s leaving.
Don prepares to fly for the Burger Chef meeting and calls Megan out in California. He tells her that he’s tired of fighting and maybe he wants to move out West. She doesn’t seem thrilled at the possibility. He tells her he’ll take care of her, but Megan says he doesn’t owe her anything. It appears it’s the end for Don and Megan.
Roger storms into Bert’s office and wants to get Jim Cutler out. But Bert says no. Roger asked Bert if he wants Don out. Bert says not buying out Don when they had the chance cost them money and he’s loyal to Don because he’s on his team and Bert has to be a leader. Roger asks about Jim and Bert says he’s not on his team, but he has a vision. Roger leaves confused.
The SCP team heads to Indiana to meet with Burger Chef. Pete tries to give Don a pep talk. And when Don gives him a look after asking whether Megan is moving back to New York, the bitter Pete says, “Marriage is a racket!”
Sally and the Brothers Draper go to watch the Moon Landing. The SCP team in Indiana watches it in a hotel. Roger watches it with his ex-wife, son-in-law and grandson. This was a huge event. Can you imagine if we had Twitter back in 1969 how we would react?
Bert watching with the cleaning woman says “Bravo!”
Don calls Sally and asks her if she’s impressed, but she takes Sean’s line that the Moon Landing is a waste of money. He asks to talk to her brothers.
Roger gets a call at home and goes to the SCP office. Bert Cooper has died. He, Joan and Jim meet at 1 a.m. Jim starts to plot Don’s ouster. Roger leaves disgusted.
Sally goes out to smoke and Neil is outside watching the stars on Bobby’s telescope. He tells her smoking causes cancer. And after he helps her to see the stars, Sally kisses him. After Neil gets called inside, Sally lights up anyway. She has a lot of her mother in her.
Roger calls Don at his hotel to tell him about Bert’s death, Jim’s plans to cut him out and tells him to give Burger Chef hell.
Don goes to Peggy’s room to change plans for the presentation. He tells her because the partners want him out, she should do the presentation, win the business so it will be her account. Don says if he wins and is fired, she’ll have nothing. She’s nervous and balks. Don says she should do it no matter if Pete objects.
Roger meets with someone from McCann Erickson to see if they will buy SCP and get both Ted Chaough and Jim Cutler out.
Peggy then gives a knockout presentation to Burger Chef. Don is proud.
Roger meets Don at his apartment to him that Ted Chaough is part of the deal. Roger tells him if Don doesn’t accept, all that will be left is Cutler, Harry and the computer.
Roger gathers the partners. After Don does a great sell job to burnt out Ted Chaough, he gets the partners to agree to sell to McCann. Joan and Pete are thrilled about the money they’ll receive.
Peggy tells Don they won Burger Chef.
Don walks to his office to see Bert and he does a dance number (Robert Morse was a great song and dance man) “The Best Things in Life Are Free.” And Don is bit blown away.
That is it for the year. Holy frijoles.
Let’s go inside the episode. Matt Weiner, Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks and Vincent Kartheiser discuss the mid-season finale.
Fashion designer Janie Bryant talks about the stewardesses costumes. Ellen Freund, Property Manager tells about finding some TWA paraphernalia for the episode.
And let’s look back on the Moon Landing scene from the episode.
We’ll have to wait until next year for the last 7 episodes of Mad Men. Gah.
