Mad Men Recap: LSD parties, movie theatre encounters and how did Megan not get brain freeze from all that sorbet?

Date April 23, 2012

Photography courtesy of Michael Yarish/AMC

Last week, a little piece of gum caused some big problems but also gave us a chance to see Lane punch out Pete. This week, Canadian Semi Chellas wrote an episode (along with Matthew Weiner) that was paced so well it felt like the whole thing flew by in 10 minutes. In a break from convention, we separately joined Peggy, Roger and Don throughout the same 24-hour period. It may have been a real trip for one character, but everyone seemed to pick up some emotional baggage along the way. Here’s what we learned:

We’re headed upstate to Howard Johnson! »

When Abe yells at Peggy: “I’m your boyfriend, not a focus group,” what he’s really saying is…
“I know how to use what you do for a living to make my argument heard.” If only Abe knew what kind of “focus group” Peggy was going to be giving to a stranger in striped pants at the movies. He’d probably go Abe-s***.

When we see Megan wearing her lovely coral ensemble to work, we know that…
This Heinz pitch is a big deal to her. Coral is like her spirit ~~animal~~ colour.

When Peggy says to Heinz about her idea: “It’s young and it’s beautiful and no one else is going to figure out how to say that about beans,” what she’s really saying is…
“I am going to try channelling Don before he gave Megan his balls, and act like a cocky creative.”

When Stan says, “Women usually want to please,” to Peggy after she freaks out on the Heinz client, what he’s really saying is…
“Acting like Don doesn’t work for you, stick to the traditional skirt role.” And what he’s really thinking is: “I need to get this jacket off so everyone can admire my biceps in this tight shirt once again.”

When Peggy smokes pot with the stranger at the movies (and does other stuff), what she’s really showing us is…
She’s a magnet for guys in turtlenecks with frazzled hair. And she’s left-handed.

When Peggy is awoken by Dawn from her sleep on the couch, what Dawn is really thinking is…
“I never should’ve let Peggy in on how comfy Don’s couch is.” They’re going to have to get some kind of timeshare agreement worked out, we think.

When Ginsberg tells Peggy he’s a Martian, what he’s really saying is…
“I’m used to people feeling sorry for me, and this is my way of deflecting.” He’s just like Chandler from Friends! But seriously, our hearts broke a little, and it looks like so did Peggy’s. Also, the alien thing would certainly explain his fashion choices.

Photography courtesy of Jordin Althaus/AMC

When Roger tries to sell Don on the idea of a sex road trip by saying: “Alone I’m an escapee from some expensive mental institution; but the two of us, we’re a couple of rich, handsome perverts,” what we’re thinking is…
That sounds like a great band name: “The Handsome Perverts.” But Roger is barking up the wrong guy at the office for wingman duties. Something tells us Stan “Stretch Tee” Rizzo would make a great one based on his speech about the large-breasted date.

When we see Jane’s outfit for the first time in the elevator, what we’re thinking is…
She looks like something out of an episode of Star Trek. Captain Kirk and crew land on a planet ruled by an evil beauty who turns Kirk’s tears into pearls which she then wears in her elaborate updo/ponytail hybrid. Later, when we see that a decorative buckle so large the pilgrims could’ve sailed to America on it is also part of the getup, we find ourselves questioning Jane’s logic just like Mr. Spock would if he was a member of E!’s Fashion Police.

When Roger starts tripping, what we’re thinking is…
Even his high feels like an ad, filled with music punctuating products and a voiceover. We’d bet it’s an ad for some kind of men’s grooming range, as Roger looks so young and luminous. His hair is as white and soft as a unicorn’s mane, and his skin looks as unlined and pink as a plastic Pez dispenser.

When Roger and Jane admit to each other their marriage is over, what we’re thinking is…
Breaking up on LSD seems a pretty civil way to do things. Maybe all couples that aren’t sure if they want to break up should ask their marriage counsellor for LSD?

When Jane says of their divorce: “It’s going to be very expensive.” What we’re thinking is…
Forget what we said about LSD being a problem solver, kids.

When Megan says to Don in the car: “Tell me more about what we’re going to be doing in Howard Johnson so I can get some sleep,” what we’re thinking is…
Yes, Don please fill us in on what you plan to do to us, er, to Megan.

When Megan confronts Don with: “You like to work, but I can’t like to work,” what she’s really saying is…
“Why am I sitting here eating clams and watching you do your work when I could be back at the office doing my work?” This exchange is a far cry from the last time we saw them in a booth together in California, where Megan came off so carefree. This Megan is pissed. When Don has a flashback to them in the car after Disneyland, we’re also prompted to wonder what happened to those good times.

When Megan picks up the orange sorbet and starts shovelling it in her mouth to passive-aggressively give Don what he wants, what we’re thinking is…
You’re going to give yourself brain freeze! And, we see why you didn’t make it as an actress—your sounds of enjoyment aren’t going to win you the coveted Meg Ryan Award for Orgasm Eating.

When Don finds Megan’s sunglasses in the parking lot, what we’re thinking is…
With all this talk of murderers lately on Mad Men, is Megan in trouble? Or is Don the prince looking for his Cinderella who has lost her ~~slipper~~ shades? Either option, way to tie this episode into a larger story arc and symbolism Mad Men!

When Don kicks down the door, what he’s showing Megan is…
Even when he’s in the wrong, he’s still going to twist it so it’s her fault.

When Megan says: “Every time we fight it just diminishes this a little bit,” what she’s saying is…
“It shouldn’t be this hard all the time.” Don fell in love with Megan for her insouciant attitude, so why does he seem intent on controlling her? He captured himself a bird and by clipping her wings he risks losing her for good. (We paraphrased that from a fridge magnet.)

When Roger declares to Don: “I have an announcement to make, it’s going to be a beautiful day,” what we’re thinking is…
Unhappy Roger is hilarious, and a happy Roger has just as great timing. Also, is it OK if we start doodling “Mrs. Joan Sterling” in our notebooks?

Mad Men airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on AMC. Tune in next week, when Roger and the whole office take LSD and pitch Heinz on the campaign: “Putting the ‘high’ in ‘Heinz.’”