| The Doorway, Part 1 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Production | |
| Season 6 Episode 1 | |
| Air date | 07 April 2013 |
| Written by | Matthew Weiner |
| Directed by | Scott Hornbacher |
| Previous The Phantom |
Next The Doorway, Part 2 |
In the season premier, Don spearheads a new campaign, Roger gets some unsettling news, and Betty takes in a houseguest.
Synopsis
A scream is heard as a man performs CPR. "Oh my God," a woman yells.
Don reads Dante's Inferno on the the beach in Waikiki with Megan beside him. Later, back in their suite at The Royal Hawaiian, Megan offers Don a joint with the enticement, "You haven't had sex high. Makes it so much more intense." Afterward, they attend a luau where Megan is recognized as the character Corinne from the TV show To Have and To Hold.
Unable to sleep, Don sits at the bar where drunken PFC Dinkins asks Don to give away the bride at his wedding the next day. Megan rolls over to an empty bed the next morning. Stepping outside, she spots the marriage ceremony and snaps a photo.
Betty is ticketed for reckless driving as she, Pauline, Sally, and Sally's friend Sandy drive home from The Nutcracker. At home, Sandy gives an impromptu violin concert for the Francis family. Later, Betty says Henry is infatuated with Sandy.
Returning from Hawaii, Don and Megan greet their doorman Jonesy who, in a flashback, is revealed collapsing then being administered CPR by their neighbor, Dr. Arnold Rosen. Back in the present, Megan glances over her newest TV script. "I shouldn't have gone on vacation," she says, stating that she's only got one scene.
Betty joins Sandy in the kitchen where they talk about losing their mothers prematurely. Sandy admits that she's been rejected by Julliard and wants to move to New York City.
In her apartment, Peggy gets a midnight call from Burt Peterson informing her that a comedian on The Tonight Show has inadvertently undermined their Koss headphones ad.
In the apartment elevator, Arnold asks Don about his trip to Hawaii. Don invites Arnold to visit SCDP.
"The experiences are nothing," Roger tells his therapist. "You're just going in a straight line to you know where."
At CGC, Burt informs Peggy that The Tonight Show jokes referenced soldiers cutting off prisoners' ears in Vietnam. The "Lend me your ears" Super Bowl spot must be revised.
"I smell creativity," Don announces as he strolls into the SCDP offices, and Stan puts out a joint. When asked about his trip, Don replies: "I had an experience. I don't know how to put it into words." Don then walks in on a staff photo shoot where Pete asks about an upcoming Sheraton meeting.
At CGC, Peggy tells the Koss rep that the controversy is in his imagination. The Koss rep demands a new approach. Peggy assures him she'll have one soon.
Dow Chemical
Looking at boards for Dow oven cleaner, Don asks the creatives, "Why do they all have 'love' in them? It's a big word." As Arnold enters, Don lectures his team on "wearing out" the word "love": "We want that electric jolt to the body," Don says. "What's the difference between a husband knocking on a door and a sailor getting off a ship? About 10,000 volts."
Secretary Caroline weepily informs Roger that his mother has passed away. "For 20 years, she's been saying this is her last Christmas," Roger replies. When Caroline leaves his office, Roger raises his glass in a toast.
In her office, Peggy attempts to contact Ted Chaough, who is away on vacation, but fails.
Getting ready to have his portrait taken in his rearranged office, Don lights his cigarette and realizes he's using PFC Dinkins' lighter.
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
- Aaron Staton as Ken Cosgrove
- Rich Sommer as Harry Crane
- Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper
- Jessica Pare as Megan Calvet
- Kevin Rahm as Ted Chaough
- Christopher Stanley as Henry Francis
- Jay R. Ferguson as Stan Rizzo
- Ben Feldman as Michael Ginsberg
- Mason Vale Cotton as Robert Draper
- Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper
- John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Quotes
- “Midway through our life’s journey I went astray from the straight road and awoke to find myself alone in a dark wood.” -- Don Draper reading "Dante Aligheri"