| New Amsterdam | |
|---|---|
| |
| Production | |
| Season One Episode 04 | |
| Air date | 9 August 2007 |
| Written by | Matthew Weiner |
| Directed by | Alan Taylor |
| Previous Marriage of Figaro |
Next 5G |
"New Amsterdam" is the fourth episode of Mad Men, Season 1 and the fourth overall.
Synopsis
Pete's professional and personal lives become more complicated as he struggles to assert power in each. His parents dismiss him and Trudy's parents overpower him in apartment hunting and he further alienates Don and endangers his own position at Sterling Cooper. Pete decides to take a risk that will cost him the job. He is subsequently discovered and fired; however, Bertram Cooper has other plans in store for Pete. Helen Bishop asks Betty for a favor.
Trudy steals Pete away.
Detail
The guys at Sterling Cooper are listening to a Bob Newhart comedy album when Trudy Campbell enters the office, much to Pete's dismay. Pete introduces Trudy to the office, and as Trudy and Peggy shake hands, Peggy and Pete share a knowing glance before Trudy declares she's "taking Pete away" for a surprise. They look at an apartment, and Pete explains that his $75-a-week salary won't cover the $32,000 apartment. Trudy insists that the two will get a mortgage, and that they are a "young couple, who just needs a little help."
Don and Rachel share an awkward moment.
Rachel Menken is back in the office, when she and Paul run into Don in the Art Department. Shocked to see Don there, Paul insists that Don walk Rachel out. Don attempts to make small talk with Rachel but she cuts the conversation short and tells Don they both know how they would "like things to be." Don tries to take her to lunch but she rejects his invitation.
Betty trying to avoid Helen Bishop's ex-husband.
That evening, Betty Draper takes the family dog for a walk down the street after putting Sally and Bobby to bed and reading them a bedtime story. She sees a man banging on Helen Bishop's door, yelling, "Dammit, Helen! Open the door!" He sees her and tries to get Betty to allow him to use the Draper's phone, which she refuses by saying she "doesn't allow strange men" into her home. Helen swings by the Draper household to apologize to Betty for her ex-husband. Helen says that she is thankful for Betty's help and tells her that her ex-husband had extra-marital relationships while they were together.
"All that whoring and complaining...".
That same night, Pete tries to discuss his finances with his father, Andrew Campbell, who calls Pete's profession "complaining and whoring." Pete's mother Dorothy remains impartial. Pete attempts to explain what he does and mentions that he and Trudy have found a place and probably need some help to purchase it. Cynically, Andrew rejects Pete's request, saying that it "is not a good idea." A disappointed Pete provokes his father by bringing up the time that he helped Pete's brother Bud Campbell after he hit a woman with a car. Pete asks his father what the cost of helping Bud was, and Andrew replies, "We gave you your name, and what have you done with it?"
"No one knows...".
Later, Pete and Trudy are getting ready for bed when Trudy asks if Pete brought up the subject of helping with the apartment to his parents. Pete tells Trudy his father has recently had health issues, and he didn't want to over stress him. Emphatically Trudy asks what is wrong with Andrew and Pete, disappointed by the nights events, responds that "no one knows."
Don making his pitch to Bethlehem Steel.
The next day, the conference room fills for a Bethlehem Steel meeting, complete with the company head, Walter Veith. Don tries to sell a campaign based on a picture of the Manhattan skyline with the words, "New York City, brought to you by Bethlehem Steel." Similar boards showcase Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Walter does not quite understand the campaign, but gets the gist of it. He notes that he isn't a "city man" himself and thinks the ads present steel as an afterthought and focus too much on the cities rather than the product.
Don confronts Pete.
Before Don can convince him, Pete jumps in and tells Walter that they'll come up with something else. Don insists Sal show Mr Veith out, then he shuts the door and angrily tells Pete to stick to his job. Pete describes himself as an "independent thinker," and says Don is not the only one who gets to come up with "great ideas" before storming out the room in a huff.
"Glen, get out!" - New Amsterdam.
Betty prepares dinner when Helen interrupts; her babysitter cancelled and she begs Betty to keep an eye on her son Glen while she heads to the Kennedy headquarters. Compared to the Draper residence Helen's house is a mess. Helen rushes around trying to look for her shoes while Glen plays the piano. She tells Glen that he is not allowed to iron without her there, and to stop playing while the baby is sleeping. Betty looks on in confusion while silently judging the state of the house before Helen says her goodbyes.
Betty consoling a neglected Glen.
Betty has Glen watch TV while she heads off to the bathroom and snoops through the drawers. As soon as she sits down she is interrupted by Glen, who stands at the doorway and watches her. She yells at him, closing the door in his face and exclaiming "What's wrong with you?" He is upset and cries and apologizes, and she accepts his apology while consoling him on the couch. He asks her for a piece of her hair, saying that she is "like a princess." Apprehensive at first, she eventually cuts off a small lock and gives it to him.
Pete has dinner with Trudy and her parents.
Pete and Trudy visit her parents, Jeannie and Tom Vogel, who are far more down to Earth and friendly than Pete's stern family. They compliment Pete's profession while Trudy talks Don up, calling him Pete's "boss," which Pete denies. Trudy tells her parents that they found their dream apartment, and describes the apartment to her father who is happy to finance it for them. Pete is not pleased with the offer, having wanted the help to come from own his parents. He protests the investment but Tom insists taking his generosity since he would do anything to make his daughter happy. On the way home Pete petulantly declares that he does not want his independence taken away by his in-laws. Trudy chides him, saying that it doesn't matter where they get the money from at the end of the day, as long as they are getting the apartment.
"Bethlehem Steel, the backbone of America."
Ken and Walter sit at a booth in a hotel bar. Pete invites over two twenty-somethings whom he introduces as his "cousins" to help ease Walter's worries. While waiting on drinks Pete pitches his concept, "Bethlehem Steel, the backbone of America". Impressed, Walter asks whether Don asked Pete to pitch him that, but before Pete can answer Walter tells Pete to "get off the clock" and that the only backbone he's interested tonight is the lady next to him.
Don produces a new copy.
Helen comes back from work and thanks Betty, promising to return the favor sometime. Betty insists that Glen was no problem and that the evening was nice and quiet. Before Betty leaves Helen hands her some literature on John F. Kennedy. At home, Don is asleep with a yellow legal pad of ideas still beside him. Betty takes a peek at Don's and sees a page that reads "New York, oh little town of Bethlehem" before turning off the light.
"You picked the wrong time to buy an apartment." - New Amsterdam.
The following day the group reconvenes with Walter to discuss the campaign. Don tries to pitch his new idea, but Walter brings up the one Pete pitched the night before. Pete is happy, while Don is infuriated. Irritated that Pete overstepped his bounds and went behind his back, Don orders Pete to "get a cardboard box. Then put your things in it." As Don exits, Sal tauntingly tells Pete that he chose the wrong time to buy an apartment. Pete, visibly distressed over his firing, head to his office, kicking out Harry and Ken while they listen to a comedy vinyl. Inside, Pete pours himself a drink and sits on his couch while holding back tears.
"That little shit." - New Amsterdam.
Don bursts into Rogers office furiously announcing that today is Pete's last day. When Roger asks what Pete did, Don explains that while he was up the night before, trying to fix the mess Pete created, Pete was out with Walter pitching his own copy. Roger calls Pete a "little shit."
Betty has a session with Dr. Wayne. New Amsterdam.
At Dr. Wayne's office, Betty tells him about her concerns over Helen and her children. She is almost certain that Helen is not only jealous of her, but of everyone on the street, yet at the same time she feels sorry for Helen, who has to support herself with her "sad little job." Eventually she talks about Glen as a roundabout way of discussing herself. She says that the person he needs the most is not giving him what he needs, and that he is neglected as a result.
Burt telling Roger and Don what the situation is with Pete. Episode: New Amsterdam.
Don and Roger Sterling meet with Mr. Cooper in his vast, Japanese-style office to discuss Pete's termination. Because of Pete's family history as a descendent of Dorothy Dykeman, an old and vastly wealthy New York family, Pete is their "in" to events and social gatherings and they can not afford to fire him at the moment. He also mentions that the Dykemans, who own "everything north of 125th Street," won't be very forgiving if they fire Pete, and that will put the agency in hot water with many prospective upscale clients. Don bitterly makes the accusation that Pete is of more value to the company then himself, but Burt insists Don stop being petty, as there is a "Pete Campbell at every agency."
Roger squaring up to Pete, in New Amsterdam.
Roger and Don tell Pete he's not fired, and it was Don's idea to fight to keep him from being terminated while both Roger and Cooper wanted him out. Roger decrees that Pete is to follow Don's every order, he's Pete's "commanding officer" and Pete should "live and die in his shadow." Before leaving Roger asks if Pete understands, and Pete promises he won't let Don down. Roger quickly tells him to never say that.
"Young people have no one to look up to, because they look up to us."
Back in Don's office, Don and Roger share a candid moment. Roger opines that Don's generation drinks for the wrong reason, because they are trying to "lick some imaginary wound," while Roger's generation drinks because "it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it." Don mockingly sayd that "shaky hands" are also common in Roger's generation. Roger advises Don to stop competing with Pete, not just on a personal level, but for "the world."
Pete in his new apartment, New Amsterdam.
Pete and Trudy look at their brand new apartment, purchased in part by Trudy's parents. The realtor invites a Mrs. Clifford Lyman, a member of the co-op board, as well as Trudy's parents, to view the apartment. Upon meeting Pete, Mrs Clifford Lyman is excited at the idea of a Dykeman living in the same building as she and her husband. It's revealed that Pete's great-great-grandfather was a farmer alongside Isaac Roosevelt. While Trudy shares stories about Pete's famous family, Pete stares at the view.
Cast
- Jon Hamm as Don Draper
- Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
- Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell
- January Jones as Betty Draper
- Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway (credit only)
- Bryan Batt as Salvatore Romano
- Michael Gladis as Paul Kinsey
- Aaron Staton as Ken Cosgrove
- Rich Sommer as Harry Crane
- Maggie Siff as Rachel Menken
Guest Starring
and Special Guest Appearance by
Also Guest Starring
- Darby Stanchfield as Helen Bishop
- Christopher Allport as Andrew Campbell
- Alison Brie as Trudy Campbell
- Joe O'Connor as Tom Vogel
- Randy Oglesby as Walter Veith
- Andy Umberger as Dr. Arnold Wayne
Co-Starring
- Channing Chase as Dorothy Campbell
- Barbara Kerr Condon as Mrs. Clifford Lyman
- Rene' Hamilton as Elaine
- Maxwell Huckabee as Robert Draper
- Stephen Jordan as Dan Bishop
- Kiersten Lyons as Charlotte
- Haley Mancini as Wendy
- Julie McNiven as Hildy
- Shelia Shaw as Jeannie Vogel
- Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper
- Marten Holden Weiner as Glen Bishop