5G

5G
Production
Season 1 Episode 05
Air date	16 August 2007
Written by	Matthew Weiner
Directed by	Lesli Glatter
Previous New Amsterdam	Next Babylon

Intro

Don wins an award for his advertising genius, resulting in his photo landing in the paper; consequently Don is faced with his unreconciled past. Ken gets a short story published in The Atlantic Monthly, spurring an envious twinge in Pete, who in turn lands Trudy in an awkward situation. Peggy is challenged with the obstacles of Don's secrets, choosing to share them with Joan.

Synopsis

The episode starts with Betty Hofstadt and Don Draper, home from a ceremony, in which Don has won an award, the "Newkie". Tipsy Betty and Don discuss the evening. Betty comments that the award would "look good" in his office. The following morning, Don and Betty wake up hungover at 8am, Sally bursts into the room loudly, when Betty comments that she has a headache. When Sally points out the award Don comments that not only did he win one, but Roger did too.

Betty and Don wake up with a headache. 5G.

Ken has good news. 5G.

When he arrives at the office, Don is welcomed by many people congratulating him. Allison the receptionist tells Don that even Advertising Age ran a picture. Peggy Olson tells him that Pete Campbell had given up waiting on him due to Don's tardiness, unaffected by Pete's lack of presence Don jokingly calls him "rude". Peggy congratulates both Don and Ken. Ken wrote a short story, "Tapping a Maple on a Cold Vermont Morning", that was published in the acclaimed Atlantic Monthly. Pete, Paul Kinsey, and Harry Crane are not happy with the news, especially after it is revealed that Ken has also written two novels. The group meets to discuss the Liberty Capitol Savings account, who are not happy with the latest promotional work. Don rallies back and forth commenting that the women are not the ones who visit the bank. They come up with a new "Executive Account", a private account solely for businessmen.

Peggy overhears something. 5G.

Peggy intercoms into Don's office that he has a phone call from Bix Beiderbecke, a name that Midge Daniels has used. Peggy accidentally overhears part of his conversation where Midge tells Don "I want you to pull my hair, ravish me and leave me for dead." Although Don comments that he is "at work" and therefore she shouldn't be calling him, he nevertheless leaves for "lunch", which Peggy knows is not true.

The men discuss Ken's success. 5G.

Back in Pete's office the men discuss Ken's short story. Pete's conclusion is that Ken doesn't deserve the success he has achieved because he comes from a working-class family. As a writer himself, Paul is jealous of his success; commenting that he has his own stories, one in particular about himself, getting drunk and ending up in Jersey City "with a bunch of negros, and the surprising thing is we all got along, could you imagine how good that story could be?". Harry remains nonchalant.

Don sneaks away. 5G.

At Midge's apartment, Don tells Midge that she cannot call him at work. Mad that he left the topic of the conversation until after they had finished Midge retaliates "I'm sorry your life is in a million pieces, it might be easier with one less". Don reassures her that he likes where their relationship is, and apologizes for hurting her feelings. Midge relays the notion that it "must be intense" for him, although she "likes being [his] medicine".

Pete asks Trudy to read his writing in envy of Ken, in 5G.

At home, Pete has Trudy Vogel read his own short story, still upset about Ken's success. He sees it as Norman Mailer caliber, but she finds it a bit too modern: "I just think it's odd that the bear is talking," she says more used to classic stories. He asks her to talk to her former fiance, Charlie Fiddich, who is in the publishing world, to get the story printed in a more prestigious publication, such as The New Yorker. He also comments that Ken's story is bound to get him some recognition, and Pete rather see's Ken as his competition as a fellow account executive. She reluctantly agrees after Pete passively aggressively persuades her: "let's show Charlie Fiddich what he's been missing", although she is confused why Pete wants anything to do with Charlie after learning that he was Trudy's "first" and was apparently outraged by the news.

Traffic meeting, 5G.

The next morning, Don arrives at the office, greeted by Peggy who is still thrown over Don's indiscretion the day before, she tells him that the traffic meeting has already commenced in the conference room. Roger compliments and insults Ken simultaneously for using his creative talents outside the office: "The story itself wasn't much to my liking, but I think it showed an uncanny understanding of what most people like". During a meeting, Joan Holloway goes down the list of clients, including Maytag, Rio de Janeiro, and Lucky Strike as each account and creative executive updates each companies work status.

"His name is Adam Whitman." - 5G.

Peggy interrupts and tells him that a man named Adam Whitman is waiting in Sterling Cooper's reception area. Visually thrown by the visitor's name, Don hesitantly excuses himself from the meeting. Adam is waiting and states, "I know I'm grown up, but Dick, it's me, your little brother," Adam tells Don that he works as a janitor at the Empire State Building, and had seen Don's picture in Advertising Age in some trash. Although, Don refuses to recall who he is and Adam notices that Don cannot even look at him and pursues Don further. Giving in, Don agrees to meet with him at a nearby diner, Deelite at noon that day. Don returns to the conference room, and with noon approaching fast, Don remains distant throughout the duration of the meeting. After the meeting is over Roger condescendingly comments that he is "glad everyone can make it sound like they are working so hard".

"It's me Dick..." - 5G.

At the diner, Don once again denies being Dick, yet Adam knows the truth. He asks why Don did what he did, provoking Don to answer, "I couldn't go back there". Don carefully listens to Adam as he recalls seeing Don in a window in his uniform, knowing Don wasn't dead. He then asks "what kind of a name is Donald Draper". Don justifies this by stating that people change their names, and it's not a deal. He asks about "her", to which Adam recalls "Mom?"; Don answers "She wasn't my mother, she never let me forget that." Adam tells Don she died of stomach cancer to which Don replies, "Good."

Don comes face to face with Adam, in 5G.

Adam then shares that Uncle Mack took her death pretty hard, and that he is also deceased. In a candid moment Adam tells Don he has a lump in his throat, seizing his ability to eat anything, he then asks whether Don missed him at all; to which Don replies, "of course I did." Don apologizes but Adam reinforces that fact that he is not mad at Don, all he wants is an opportunity to be part of his life, and as a child he would imagine the day he and Don were to reunite; Adam begins to ask whether Don has a wife, or children. As Don stumps out a cigarette he announces he is leaving, and that he is not paying for lunch because the altercation between the two of them "never happened" and tells Adam to forget everything and never come to see him again.

Trudy meets with Charlie Fiddich. 5G.

Trudy eventually makes it to Charlie Fiddich's office to see if he'll publish Pete's short story. Charlie expresses he would've rather had lunch with Trudy, as opposed to a brief meeting in his office. It turns out he's far more interested with Trudy than with the story, even though he did enjoy it - he mentions that whether he liked it or not doesn't play as a factor, and what matters is that he publish it. She does not want to cheat on her husband and Charlie knows that Trudy will never leave Pete. He confesses that he misses her and that he can "keep a secret", hinting at an extra-marital affair. Attempting to bargain Trudy romanticizes the idea, offering them to rekindle in the future; "when we're old, like in the movies". Charlie insists he must have her as she is and Trudy ultimately turns him down.

Peggy finds herself in a pickle. 5G.

Betty has arrived at Sterling Cooper to all go for a scheduled family portrait. Peggy thinks that Don is spending his time with a woman and does not know how to effectively lie to Betty about why he is not in the office. After Betty introduces Peggy to Sally and Bobby, Peggy ushers the Draper family into Don's office in an attempt to buy time as she tries to conjure a sufficient cover. In a state of panic, Peggy weaves her way around the office, running to Joan asking her what she should do. In a smooth victory of once again guilt-tripping Peggy into telling her what she speculates Don is up to, Joan is not happy to have been made aware of Don's infidelity and tells her that it's part of the job to cover for him. She insists that Peggy return to Don's office, "entertain Betty's brats" and allow Don to make up an excuse when he returns.

Joan seizes the opportunity to torture and taunt Peggy. 5G.

Peggy is horrified that she has shared a possibly destructive part of Don's life with Joan, to which Joan seizes the opportunity to make Peggy feel bad about it: "You shouldn't have told me. I’m not going to tell anybody, but you shouldn't have told anybody that."

Meanwhile in Don's office, Sally and Bobby have chocolate stained faces, as Peggy keeps Betty talking. They chit-chat about boys and blind dates Peggy frequently gets set-up on, although her primary focus at the present moment is her work. The phone rings and when Peggy answers its Joan on the phone taunting "How's it going?" Peggy replies "No thank you, I'm staying in." In an attempt to level with Peggy, Betty asks how Don is treating her and how well she is settling into Sterling Cooper.

"The color is all wrong!" - 5G.

Peggy does nothing but sing Don's praises, while in a moment of self-loathing Betty comments, "You must know him better than I do," reigniting Peggy's anxiety. At that moment Don arrives. He apologizes for being late at the printer and not checking in with Peggy. Before Don and Betty leave, he tells Peggy "Don't worry about it." Peggy lets out a huge sigh of relief.

Betty and Francine. 5G.

Betty sees the proofs of the photo shoot the following day, and is not happy with the results, and complains to Francine Hanson. She complains that Don was late, that his work is more important to him than his family, which in turn ruined the entire shoot, and that she wants to take the pictures again partially because she believes Sally looks "fat" in them. Francine then asks Betty whether she'd rather be a part of Helen Bishop's family portrait, and that Carlton is always late too. Betty then turns the conversation onto the fact that at Don's office she doesn't get the "royal treatment" being the trophy of one of the companies most competent executives. She compares Sterling Cooper to a "foreign country, where I don't speak the language." Francine once again agrees with her view, before coming up with the conclusion that their husbands are much better outside of Manhattan.

After a successful meeting with Liberty Capitol Savings, in which they all agree on a campaign to offer men "Executive Accounts" that are separate and private from those of their family, Don returns to his office. As he sorts through his mail, he notices an envelope addressed to Donald Draper. Inside is a photograph of Don, 20, in his uniform next to a 9-year-old Adam. On hotel stationery is Adam's address and room number.

Trudy quizzes Pete, in 5G.

Pete arrives back home, where she tells him the good news; Charlie offered to publish his story in "Boy's Life" Magazine. Pete is not thankful in the least with the news and Trudy admits that she could have gotten him published in "The New Yorker", but doesn't understand why he'd put her "in that position."

Don saying "Goodbye" to Adam once and for all, in 5G.

At dinner, Don and Betty discuss summer vacationing plans. Don is distracted and enters his study where he burns the photograph and calls Adam. Don arrives at the Times Square hotel room, though Adam's joy to see him soon fades. Don opens a briefcase, which is filled with stacks of money. He offers Adam 5,000 dollars to leave New York and never see him again. Adam is distraught. They hug and Don leaves.

Trivia

• The title "5G" refers to the episode number, Adam's room number in the hotel, and the amount of money Don gives him.
• The scene with Don and Adam in the diner was shot in downtown Los Angeles at the Quality Café, which has also been used in Training Day, Se7en and other movies.
• The meatloaf Don and Betty eat at dinner is a recipe of Matthew Weiner’s mother.
• The scenes with Don and Adam later in the episode were shot in an actual hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Cast

Main Star

• Jon Hamm as Don Draper
• Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
• Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell
• January Jones as Betty Hofstadt
• Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway
• 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 (credit only)

Guest Star

• Rosemarie DeWitt as Midge Daniels
• John Slattery as Roger Sterling
• Jim Abele as Jack Konig
• Anne Dudek as Francine Hanson
• Alison Brie as Trudy Vogel
• Andy Hoff as Charlie Fiddich
• Jay Paulson as Adam Whitman

Co-Star

• Alexa Alemanni as Allison
• Maxwell Huckabee as Robert Draper
• Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper

Quotes

Peggy tells Joan of Don's infidelity, in 5G.

Peggy: "Oh my God, Joan I need your help."
Joan: "Let go of me."
Peggy: "Mrs Draper is here and they’re having their portrait taken and he snuck out and I don’t know who to lie to."
Joan: "Calm down, just breathe slowly."
Peggy: "Mr Draper is out and, I don’t think I'm supposed to know where he went."
Joan: "That happens."
Peggy: "But they’re having their pictures taken today, and I would've reminded him but he slipped out before I could. Its his fault. He comes and goes and never says anything."
Joan: "Where is he?"
Peggy: "I make an excuse to Mrs Draper, she could catch him in it, especially if she just leaves. Or even worse, he’ll know that I know where he was."
Joan: "Where is he?"
Peggy: "I don’t know."
Joan: "You do know, and you’re going to tell me; or Im not going tell you what to do."
Peggy: "I cant believe you."
Joan: "Well?"
Peggy: "He sees this woman. He saw her the other day. He came back all greasy and calm."
Joan: "No!"
Peggy: "Oh God, now I've told you. I'm the worst secretary in the world."
Joan: "Who is she?"
Peggy: "I don’t care. Please hurry."
Joan: "Peggy, use your noodle. You’re making this so complicated. You go out there and you entertain her brats, get them some Hershey bars off the cart. And tell her you don’t know where he is and you forgot to remind him. It is the truth. And when he comes back, let him have an excuse. And he’ll have one. And you just start apologizing for well; just how stupid you are."
Peggy: "Its probably what I would've don anyway. Oh God, now I really shouldn't have told you."
Joan: "You shouldn't have told me. I’m not going to tell anybody, but you shouldn't have told anybody that."
-- Peggy runs to Joan, 5G.