Three Up, Three Down: Mad Men, "For Immediate Release"

Three Up

1. Don Draper. It's kind of a miracle win for Don, as he started out by firing Jaguar - Herb wanted a kid who writes fliers for him to review Don's work, so you can imagine how that went - which put the firm's plan to go public in jeopardy (Don was unaware of the plan) and pissed of Joan, who now feels like she slept with Herb for nothing (as she noted, she was able to deal with him, so Don should have been able to).

But there are two things that saved the night for Don. First, he gives Al Rosen some decent advice about making one's own opportunities, which puts Rosen's long term needs ahead of Don's short term desire to nail Al's wife. Second, Don come up with the idea that landed the new Chevy account - the merger of SCDP and CGC.

2. Roger Sterling. Roger proves he can still work accounts by using a spy - an airline club room hostess who he's also bedding - to find out when executives are traveling so he can chat them up. This is how he meets a Chevy exec - in town to meet with other agencies about a new car - and lands SCDP a shot at the account. He also proves adept at the spycraft himself, ordering a fake Gibson - water and an onion - while plying the Chevy guy with Jim Beam.

3.Marie Calvet.  In town for Mother's Day, Marie continues to be implacably French - offering up her Mother's Day flowers to Al Rosen when he needs to come up with a gift to Sylvia from their son and talking smack about Herb's wife during the abortive Jaguar dinner (in French, thankfully). This is more entertaining than how it reads on the page. She gives Megan some sexist but apparently successful advice about reconnecting with Don (provocative dress) and gets to give Roger the business when he calls after blowing off the Jaguar dinner.  Very entertaining.

Honorable Mention: Spy music. The music on the show is usually great, and I have to admit to having much love for the spy/wacky plan music that's been showing up. Pretty much anything Roger does should get this for a soundtrack.

Three Down

1. Pete Campbell. Pete is playing a central role in the public offering, and even gets nice words from Cooper about how his work laid the foundation for things. He even appears to be in line for a rapprochement with Trudy, who has him over for the weekend and is taking note of his renewed interest in her.

But then things get all Campbelled up when, at a whorehouse to celebrate looming IPO riches, he runs into his father in law in the hall. Awk-ward. While Ken says nothing will happen - the only way for both men to come out of the encounter unscathed is to not say anything - turns out that Pete's father in law pulls Vick's account because he is not right for his daughter. This leads Pete to tell Trudy about her father, which wrecks any progress the two of them has made (though Trudy may be coming around to thinking Pete is telling the truth).

Oh, and Pete manages to spill the beans on the IPO during a very public confrontation with Don, which starts with Pete tripping on the stairs. Pete's right to be mad, but he looks like and idiot, as usual.

2. Peggy Olsen. She and Abe have bought their building in a transitional neighborhood, and Peggy's not buying into it thanks to Abe's attempts at renovation, their junkie tenant, and kids who apparently live on their stoop. Her disillusionment turns into actual illusionment when she starts picturing Ted Chaough when getting down with Abe. She also expresses a distaste for change which blows up in her face when she finds out about the merger and that she'll be working for Don again in some capacity. And they ask her to write the press release about the merger with almost no guidance.

Oh, and she mentions that she loves Bobby Kennedy. It's going to be a tough 1968 for Peggy.

3. Ted Chaough. First, he learns that Gleason - the pessimistic artist partner - is dying of pancreatic cancer, and that buying his share out after his death will probably lead to the end of the firm. Any hope of rescuing things is wiped out when he learns that SCDP is pitching Chevy, as two small firms will cancel each other out. And then he has to swallow the idea of merging with the enemy, which is really the only way to both land the account and keep both firms afloat (SCDP having lost Jag and Vick's at this point). In between all of this he also manages to kiss Peggy (he's at least tipsy when he does so), which isn't going to help his marriage.

Honorable Mention: Trudy Campbell. Learning that your husband went to a brothel while he explains to you that your father was also there will not be a highlight of Trudy Campbell's life. That she may be giving the idea fair consideration rather than sticking with the denial she gives Pete might be worse, give how it will change her relationship with her father forever. I'd have bumped this up to the bottom three except the revelation also put her relationship with Pete back on the skids, which is good for her.