| The Suitcase | |
|---|---|
| File:Duck-poop.jpg | |
| Production | |
| Season Four Episode 07 | |
| Air date | 5 September 2010 |
| Written by | Matthew Weiner |
| Directed by | Jennifer Getzinger |
| Previous Waldorf Stories |
Next The Summer Man |
"The Suitcase" is the seventh episode of Mad Men, Season 4 and the forty-fourth episode overall.
Synopsis
In the interim of the second Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston fight, the company finds itself in a bind with an upcoming deadline for Samsonite, Peggy and Don find themselves staying late at the office. This is the beginning of an emotional voyage for the both of them as they both reflect on their lives and look to each other for support. Don's biggest fear is realized as secrets about Peggy are confirmed.
Detail
While Joey Baird, Danny Siegel and Stan Rizzo work on the Samsonite account, Joan remarks about the mess they've created. Joey jokingly remarks that "although I am paid less, I am still not a janitor" before shrugging and walking off, leaving Danny and Stan to clean up the mess.
At the end of the day both Stan and Danny take off before Don or Peggy can keep them late in the office and miss the Ali vs. Liston boxing match.
It is Peggy's birthday and Mark has arranged a surprise birthday party with her family. After phoning several times from the restaurant to hear that Peggy is still working, Mark breaks up with her.
Duck sent Peggy a birthday present, a business card reading Phillips-Olson Advertising. Slightly stunned, she wonders why he was calling. Duck admits that the decision was mutual, though it was obvious he was fired. He tried to persuade her with the Tampax account, which he had quiet discussions with. Peggy was not sure if he was serious about the offer after hearing about the CLIOs. Duck wants to meet her tonight, though she hangs up on him.
Peggy on the phone with Roger after Don refused to come to the phone. Episode: The Suitcase.
Roger phones Don before the fight but Don says he is working on the Samsonite brief. The fight, anticipated by Roger for 18 months, is over in the first round in 30 seconds. Liston infamously falls to the ma
t from a punch that later on film will be shown to have only been mimed by Ali but never connected --the infamous "phantom punch".
Peggy and Don argue about his asking her to work late. She accuses him of taking her idea for Glo-coat and winning the CLIO award for his Billy the Kid ad. They reconcile and go out to dinner and then to a bar where they hear the fight on a radio.
At the end of the night, Peggy and Don arrive back at the office after a few drinks to celebrate her birthday. Don feels ill and is taken to the bathroom to throw up. While Peggy goes to her office to get a toothbrush and toothpaste for Don, she sees Duck roaming the halls of SCDP. She confronts him in Rogers office, about to defecate on one of his couches, mistakenly believing it to be Don's office. Peggy escorted him towards the exit, but Don saw him and confronted him. Duck called Peggy a whore, under the impression that he slept with Don as well. They get into a scuffle, but it ends shortly thereafter.
Stephanie leaves a message with Don's secretary Miss Blankenship, noting that it is urgent. Don dreads the news he will hear and does everything he can to put off returning the call. He corners Peggy into working on the Samsonite account with him later and later, eventually all through the night. Peggy's boyfriend breaks up with her because she stands him up for a dinner and is too attached to her job. Peggy airs several grievances with Don, they reconcile, and eventually he falls asleep exhausted with his head on her lap. After she too falls asleep, Don will suddenly awake and see Anna's phantom in the night.
In early dawn in New York the next morning Don calls --which is still night in California. In darkness on the west coast Stephanie answers, telling him that Anna has passed away. She tells Don that arrangements are unnecessary as she has donated her body to UCLA, and asks if she may stay in Anna's home, which he agrees to. Peggy awakens and overhears the conversation, and Don, realizing this, breaks down, noting that Anna was
Peggy and Don fall asleep together, Don taking Peggy's hand. Episode: The Suitcase.
the only person in the world who really knew him. Peggy says that's not true as she comforts him.
In the morning, Peggy visits Draper's office and they go with an idea for Samsonite saying that it'll knock out another suitcase brand, just as what happened in the fight between Liston and Clay. Don squeezes Peggy's hand referencing the first episode, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes when Peggy first took Dons hand, coming on to him. However this time they warmly smile at each other, solidifying the bond between them; mentor to protégé.
Cast
Main
- Jon Hamm - Don Draper
- Elisabeth Moss - Peggy Olson
- Vincent Kartheiser - Pete Campbell
- January Jones - Betty Draper (credit only)
- Christina Hendricks - Joan Harris
- Rich Sommer - Harry Crane
- Aaron Staton - Ken Cosgrove
- Jared Harris - Lane Pryce (credit only)
- Kiernan Shipka - Sally Draper (credit only)
- Robert Morse - Bertram Cooper (credit only)
- John Slattery - Roger Sterling
Supporting
- Matt Long - Joey Baird
- Blake Bashoff - Mark Kerney
- Alison Brie - Trudy Campbell
- Cara Buono - Faye Miller
- Jessica Paré - Megan
- Jay R. Ferguson - Stan Rizzo
- Danny Strong - Danny Siegel
- Melinda Page Hamilton - Anna Draper
- Caity Lotz - Stephanie
- Randee Heller - Miss Blankenship
- Audrey Wasilewski - Anita Olson Respola
- Jerry O'Donnell - Gerry Respola
- Myra Turley - Katherine Olson
- Mark Moses - Duck Phillips
Guest Stars
- Rachel Style - Veronika
- Lonnie Hughes - Delivery Man
- Steven M. Gagnon - Middle-Aged Man
Quotes
Peggy: "You know what? Here's a blank piece of paper. Why don't you turn that into Glo-Coat?"
Don: "Are you out of your mind? You gave me twenty ideas and I picked out one of them, that was a colonel that became that commercial."
Peggy: "So you remember?"
Don: "I do, it was something about a cowboy. Congratulations."
Peggy: "No, it was something about a kid, locked him in the closet because his mother was making wait for the floor to dry; which is basically the whole commercial."
Don: "Its a colonel."
Peggy: "But you changed just enough, so that it was yours."
Don: "I changed it into a commercial. What were we gonna shoot him in the dark, in the closet? That's the way it work, there are no credits on commercials."
Peggy: "But you got the Clio!"
Don: "Its your job! I give you money. You give me ideas."
Peggy: "And you never say thank you!"
Don: "Thats what the money is for! You're young, you'll get your recognition. And honestly, its absolutely ridiculous to be two years into your career and counting your ideas! Everything to you is an opportunity! And you should be thanking me every morning when you wake up, along with Jesus for giving you another day!"