| A Little Kiss, Part 1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Production | |
| Season Five Episode One | |
| Air date | 25 March 2012 |
| Written by | Matthew Weiner |
| Directed by | Jennifer Getzinger |
| Previous Tomorrowland |
Next A Little Kiss, Part 2 |
"A Little Kiss, Part 1" is the Season Five premiere episode of Mad Men. It was a two-hour episode and concluded with "A Little Kiss, Part 2". It is the fifty-third episode of Mad Men, overall.
Synopsis
Pete and Roger go head-to-head for Mohawk Airlines. Don appears happier as a newlywed. Megan plans a surprise party. Peggy has a hard time with a client. Joan grinds teeth with a houseguest, simulaneously adjusting into motherhood.
Protesting for Equal Employment Rights, A Little Kiss.
Detail
The episode opens on Memorial Day Weekend in May of 1966. We see into the offices of Young & Rubicam, where outside the window, African-American demonstrators are protesting equal rights of employment. Upon seeing the protest, young executives decide to throw paper-bags of water out the window. Soaked and angry, the protesters and journalist come up to the reception floor and catch the Y&R employee's in the act.
Bobby, Gene and Sally giving Don his birthday present, A Little Kiss.
Wandering through Don's new apartment, needing to use the bathroom, Sally stumbles upon Don's bedroom. There she steals a glimpse of the newlywed Megan Draper, half wrapped in a bed sheet. Don cooks breakfast for Sally Bobby and Gene, where they in return present Don with his 40th birthday present, a badger-hair shaving brush. Sally reveals to Bobby that they are giving Don his birthday present now, since they will be within Betty's care on Don actual birthday. Don drops them off later that day to Betty and Henry's new house in Rye.
Pete rides the train to work, where he encounters Howard Dawes. There he discusses his wife, Trudy and her troubles with baby blues after their daughter, Tammy was born; but since has returned back to normal. Howard advises Pete that there's a time in a man life where instead of getting the "5:05" train home, you take the "7:05". Back at the office Roger pokes at Caroline, who is manning both Roger and Don's desk per Joan's command; to spend more time at his desk and not Don's.
Joan and Kevin, A Little Kiss.
Joan is seen settled, although exhausted; into her new role as a mother to a healthy baby boy named Kevin. At her house she is joined by her mother Gail Holloway who is temporarily helping with the responsibility of taking care of Kevin, in Greg Harris's absence. Going out to get formula for Kevin, Gail takes a $10 bill from Joan's purse, this prompts Joan to ask whether she's buying "Kevin's formula or hers?". In a defensive attempt to get Joan off her back, she offers to take Kevin with her, offering Joan some well deserved rest.
Pete and Roger bump heads after Roger is seen hopelessly flirting with Pete's secretary, Clara - although taking a sneak peak at Pete's calender - on that cue the new Mr and Mrs Draper arrive into the office, showing up late.
In a quick status meeting Don and Roger mock the executives of Y&R - Don suggests that they write an ad for their own company siting "equal opportunities for all", to further Y&R's embarrassment.
Don completely smitten with Megan, A Little Kiss.
Alone in Don's office, we see Don completely smitten with Megan, coming onto her - she says if she is in his office or more than five minutes people "start to...". This prompts Megan to make tease Don by opening her blouse, as she leaves the office. Pete then reveals to Don that he has a meeting with Mohawk Airlines, even after SC dumped them for American Airlines.
Megan is then seen working along side Peggy and the other creative team members as a copywriter. Megan asks Peggy for her help on planning Don's surprise birthday party, by going through Don's Rolodex - selecting those Don hasn't fired.
Peggy helps Megan arrange Don's party, A Little Kiss.
Back at her apartment Joan is resting on the couch, she and Gail grind teeth once again, as Gail and Kevin return. Gail questions whether it is really the best thing for Joan to return back to SCDP, when her husband is a doctor. In a guilty ploy to try and talk her out of going back to work, Joan tells Gail she doesn't want to break her promise and that the company needs her.
Arriving at his scheduled meeting with Mohawk Airlines, he unexpectedly finds a tipsy Roger already having drinks before Pete's arrival; due to Roger's overly charismatic finesse he makes a better impression than Pete. Overflown with anger and knowing full well, Roger snoops at his schedule, Pete passive-aggressively marks a fake appointment with the executives of coca-cola, framing Roger to go on this false meeting at 6am.
Peggy's pitch falls short, in A Little Kiss.
Prepared and having working hard, Peggy makes her "Ballet of Beans" pitch to the Heinz executives, after the pitch falls flat and the client on a different page, Don promises the client they will work up a better pitch. Enraged that Don didn't stand up for Peggy or even fight or her presentation - she vents to Stan that after marrying Megan, Don has changed - choosing to not like the new kind and calm Don Draper.
On the evening of the surprise party, Megan presents her birthday gift to Don: She sings a French song, "Zou Bisou Bisou", and dances provocatively to entice Don, having the effect on one or more guests as well, especially Harry Crane. The guests clap and whistle with encouragement, where as Don looks on, face in palm; embarrassed. Also at the party Peggy bites at Don about having to redo the Heinz pitch. Jane and Roger seem unhappy with each other; in a string of dagger-ed looks from one another, Roger asks Jane, "Why don't you dance like her [Megan]"; leading her to reply, "Why don't you look like him [Don]?" - the only guest not in attendance is Joan, Roger reveals to Don he is relieved due to the fact if she were there, he wouldn't hear the end of it from Jane.
Megan serenades Don, A Little Kiss.
After the party, Don, tired of the day, reclines on the bed fully clothed. Megan asks if he enjoyed the party. He tells her not to waste money on such things because he doesn't care about birthdays anymore. Here we learn that Don has been 40 for half a year already, and he didn't have birthdays going up - to which Megan replies that "nobody loves Dick Whitman, I love you". Revealing that Megan does know about Dons past and loves him regardless. Not fazed by his demeanor, she teases and kisses him, wanting to talk about the party. He declines and insists on going to sleep, so she leaves the room. She then stands out on the balcony alone and sullen.
Cast
Main
- Jon Hamm as Don Draper
- Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
- Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell
- January Jones as Betty Francis (credit only)
- Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris
- Jared Harris as Lane Pryce
- Aaron Staton as Ken Cosgrove
- Rich Sommer as Harry Crane
- Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper
- Jessica Paré as Megan Draper
- Christopher Stanley as Henry Francis (credit only)
- Jay R. Ferguson as Stan Rizzo
- Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper
- John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Guest Starring
- Alison Brie as Trudy Campbell
- Peyton List as Jane Sterling
- Embeth Davidtz as Rebecca Pryce
- Mason Vale Cotten as Bobby Draper
- Charlie Hofheimers as Abe Drexler
- Larisa Oleynik as Cynthia Cosgrove
- Christine Estabrook as Gail Holloway
- John Sloman as Raymond Geiger
- Matt Riedy as Henry Lammott
- Jeff Clarke as Howard Dawes
Co-Starring
- Beth Hall as Caroline
- Alexandra Ella as Clara
- Irving Green as Troy
- Meghan Bradley as Julia
- Taylor Emerson as Robbie
- Steven Lee Allen as Jack Wyler
- Devin Skrade as Chip
- Brian Jack as Earl
- Dominic Dierkes as Lou
- Algerita Wynn as Woman
- Angela Sargeant as Other Woman
- Evan London as Gene Draper
Music
In this episode, the song Zou Bisou, Bisou is featured when Megan Calvet sings it to Don Draper at her husband's surprise party. The song was originally recorded in English by Sophia Loren and later converted to French by Gillian Hill. Because Jessica Paré's rendition of it was so sexy, it became an instant hit and it's now available on iTunes and as a limited edition vinyl single. You can buy it here.