| A Tale of Two Cities | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Production | |
| Season 6 Episode 10 | |
| Air date | 2 June 2013 |
| Written by | Janet Leahy and Matthew Weiner |
| Directed by | John Slattery |
| Previous The Better Half |
Next Favors |
Intro
Cutler, Gleason, and Chaough prepare to make radical changes to the firm while Roger and Don visit a client in Los Angeles. Joan's decision to go after a new account on her own leaves Pete furious and frustrated.
Synopsis
Don and Roger head out to California to meet with Harry and a few clients. Jim Cutler, no great admirer of the former SCDP creative team, sees this as an opportunity to flex some muscle. Not relishing the idea of babysitting Don's account, Manischewitz Wine, Jim convinces Bob Benson to take his place, along with Ginsberg, on an account meeting.
Joan, under the impression that she's on a blind date, discovers that the real opportunity is a genuine shot at Avon, a cosmetics business. She tells Peggy, who advises her to speak with Ted, who in turn puts Pete on the job. Pete shows little consideration for Joan's accomplishment and swiftly pushes her aside. He instructs her to set up a meeting with Avon that includes just Peggy and himself. When the luncheon meeting occurs, Peggy is surprised when Joan shows up, not Pete. It turns out that Joan did not inform Pete about the meeting. After the meeting, Peggy conveys her extreme displeasure that Joan bucked protocol. Joan is insistent that she will win the business. Pete becomes apoplectic when he finds out that the meeting occurred without him. He pleads his case to Ted, but after the Avon executive calls, asking for Joan, Ted acquiesces and allows her to continue with the client acquisition.
A backdrop that runs throughout the episode is the 1968 Democrat convention. The Vietnam War and the convention riots are particular topics of importance. The differing opinions on the issues of protest and law enforcement are explored between the characters.
A business meeting with Carnation starts off in an awkward fashion as political talk is cut short by the incoming executive, who feels it's neither the time nor the place to discuss such matters. There's tension in the meeting as the boys from Carnation convey their feeling that New York ad agencies are a bit pompous and are generally inattentive to their needs. Later, they head to a swinging party in the Hollywood Hills, where they run into Danny Siegel, who worked for SCDP for one day several years ago. He is now a relatively significant Hollywood producer. Roger thoroughly enjoys cutting Danny down to size with a series of insults and an obvious attempt to steal his girlfriend. Danny says that he hates to resort to violence, then surprises Roger by punching him in the groin, dropping him to his knees. Elsewhere, Don smokes hashish, and just as he kisses one of the amorous partygoers, he's tapped on the shoulder by a delusional vision of Megan. He then encounters a vision of the soldier he met in Hawaii. Finally, he sees himself floating facedown in the pool. The next thing he knows, he is on his back, coughing up water. Roger, who has apparently saved him from drowning, is kneeling over him.
Ted gets back from his meeting with Chevy, which went very well, when he and Jim are interrupted by Bob. Bob tells them that they are in danger of losing the Manischewitz Wine account. Jim is not upset, considering it's Rogers account anyway, and he invites Bob to join the Chevy team.
Don and Roger arrive back at the office, where they are updated by Jim and Ted about everything that has been going on in their absence. Jim and Ted suggest changing the name of the firm to Sterling Cooper & Partners. Pete is unhappy with this decision and feels that the firm is changing in a detrimental way. He storms out of Don's office, stops at Creative, grabs a marijuana cigarette from Stan, and commences smoking it himself.
Trivia
- Bob Benson was listening to an audio version of Frank Bettger's classic book from the 1940s, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling. It was highly influenced by Dale Carnegie, with whom Bettger later lectured.
- Ginsberg, most likely quoting Robert Oppenheimer whom was quoting Hindu scripture, says " Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds."