SPOILER ALERT, so keep your eyes Drape-d, Mad Men obsessives…
Season Seven, Episode Four: “The Monolith”
Written by Erin Levy; Directed by Scott Hornbacher
This week’s episode was all about the future – from the arrival of a computer at SCP to talk of going to the moon. Both Don and Roger are confronted with challenges, and Peggy is put into an awkward position of power.
Quick Breakdown
The episode opens with Pete and Bonnie having dinner out in L.A. Bonnie claims a man has been staring at her and making her uncomfortable. When Pete rises to confront the man, he realizes it is George from Vicks. Pete learns his ex-father-in-law (Tom) had a heart attack and that George left Vicks for Burger Chef. Pete quickly sees the opportunity for a new client (and only has a brief moment of concern for Tom).
The next morning in New York, Don arrives at the office to discover the first floor completely empty. There’s a phone dangling off the hook and no one around. He hears noises coming from upstairs and finds the whole staff is gathered for a big announcement. Jim is announcing a new computer – Harry has finally won. The computer is going into the creative lounge, which seems significant and causes some concern for Ginsberg, Stan, and Peggy.
After the meeting, Don goes to his office, which is Lane’s old office. He drops a cigarette, and it rolls under a cabinet, where he finds Lane’s old New York Mets pennant. (For those who are convinced Mad Men will end with Don’s death, him moving into Lane’s office is one more sign).
In the conference room, Jim, Roger, and Lou have a phone meeting with Pete and Ted about Burger Chef. Jim wants Ted to do it and come back to New York; Ted doesn’t want that and suggests they put Peggy on it. Pete, of course, doesn’t like the idea of Peggy being fully in charge of a national campaign (Oh, Pete) and wonders why Don isn’t being discussed. They agree Don can be involved, which pisses Lou off. (God, Lou, we all hate you.)
But Lou has a plan of his own and calls Peggy into his office. We know from previous episodes, Peggy is not Lou’s favorite person, but he needs her now. He offers he a raise and tells her she’s going to be in charge of the Burger Chef campaign. She can assemble a team, but it must include Don. (Peggy is really getting the shaft this season).
Don has nothing to do but has managed to hang Lane’s Mets pennant on his wall. (The pennant gets a lot of screen time in this episode.) He hears the installation of the computer going on outside his office and goes out to talk with the computer guy. They have an odd conversation about the power of the computer and how “these machines can be a metaphor for what’s on people’s minds.” The future is here. The question is how does Don fit into it? How do any of the older characters fit into it?
Peggy has to break the news to Don and decides to pull a power move. In an especially great moment, she has her secretary bring Don into her office; Peggy explains the situation and assigns Don and one of the other copywriters to come up with 25 tags by Monday. Don doesn’t say a word and then goes to his office, where he throws his typewriter against the wall.
On the other end of the office, Roger is surprised by a visit from his grandson, ex-wife (Mona), and son-in-law (Brooks). They’ve come to tell him that Margaret has run away with some hippies to a cult upstate, which was foreshadowed in the first episode of the season. Mona blames Roger, saying, “She’s a perverse child who only thinks of herself” (meaning she’s just like Roger). Mona thinks she will listen to Roger if he goes to get her. Brooks, however, wants to go himself. Roger agrees with Brooks.
On Monday, Don comes back to work with no ideas and refuses to go to Peggy’s meeting. Instead, he sits in his office and plays solitaire. Meanwhile, Roger’s gets a message from Mona saying that Brooks is in jail upstate after trying to bring Margaret home. Roger leaves to try to fix it. Don is still in his office not doing work. The computer guy comes by and asks for a light and questions Don about the power of advertising when it comes to computers. Don pulls out the old charm (which we haven’t seen for a while) and gives a convincing speech.
He also realizes a potential client, but no one is around to share the news with expect for Bert, who isn’t very impressed. He tells Don that he isn’t understanding what’s happened and that they don’t really need him anymore. Don counters with “I started this agency,” but Bert has the last word: “Yes, along with a dead man whose office you now inhabit.” (Burn!)
Don’s conversation with Bert pushes him over the edge. Rules or no rules, Don needs a drink. He goes to Roger’s office (because he’s gone) and steals a bottle of vodka. (This can’t go well.)
Meanwhile, Mona and Roger head upstate to try and save Margaret and get Brooks out of jail. Mona is upset and says, “She only had one job and that was to find a husband and she mucked it up.” (Like some of Betty’s moments, this scene really helps highlight an important shift in thinking between generations).
Roger and Mona arrive at the commune, which is like you would expect: a rough looking farmhouse and hippy people all around. Margaret comes out to greet them and seems in a happy mood. But after some pushing, she snaps at Mona and says, “I don’t pray to dad anymore.” Mona has had enough and wants to go, but Roger decides to stay and hear Margaret out.
Back at the office, Don is drunk and calls Freddie to go to a Mets game (the pennant again). Freddie arrives and tries to get Don out without making a scene. Don, however, wants to go say something to the computer guy. He gets in his face and keeps telling him, “I know who you are.” (Oh Don, pull it together.) Peggy sees them leave for the day and is rather frustrated. Joan comes by and listens to Peggy’s troubles and tells her that Don has rules to follow and he might be breaking them. Peggy feels this was purposely dumped on her, but Joan (as always) says they probably weren’t thinking about Peggy that much.
On the commune, Roger is peeling potatoes and hearing about the philosophies behind the commune. Roger isn’t convinced that there’s no hierarchy, but he isn’t going to turn down some weed. They smoke and go to sleep in the hay. Before they do, Margaret tells him how she’s very happy and that she’d like to go the moon someday. After she thinks Roger is asleep, Margret goes off with some guy to have sex.
The next morning, Roger tells Margaret it’s time to go. He’s not giving her a choice. Roger says he understands the temptation, but she has a son and she’s can’t just leave him. He picks her up; she struggles, and they both fall into a pile of mud. Margaret says that it’s not that hard to leave her son and points out how Roger ignored her as a child by going to work all the time. (Kind of a fair point, but mostly spoiled rich girl complaints.) Roger gives up and walks away.
Back in the city, Don wakes in his apartment with Freddie, who is offering him some coffee. Freddie took Don home and not to a Mets game. (Good call.) Freddie asks Don, “What the hell are you doing? Are you just going to kill yourself?” (He’s actually making sense.) He tells Don that he needs to buck up and go to work.
Freddie’s tough-love speech works. Don pulls it together and goes back to the office. Peggy comes by and Don tells her he’ll have the tags by lunch. The episode ends with Don at his typewriter finally working again.
Rating
B+
This season is really breaking Don down and seeing just how much fight he has left in him. This week’s episode saw Don falling quickly into his old habits (drinking and ignoring responsibilities) but also saw him make a change right at the end. It also challenged old ideas with the future and put generations against each other. Roger is frustrated by Margaret’s decisions partly because he is jealous of them and fearful of what the world looks like when adults make these kind of choices. Much like the fear of what a computer might do to an office environment.
Now for some random thoughts and my favorite moments of the night…
Bert is getting some killer lines this season.
I love the use of Lane’s office and Mets pennant in this episode.
Can Don really keep this up? Can he be a team player?
That computer is huge! Oh 1969!
