This is probably my favorite episode from the entire show no doubt about it. Lane and Pete are pretty much tops in terms of my favorite characters so having both at the center of the episode is just absolutely amazing.

I wanted to cry a little because Pete actually has an episode long story. Haven't had that since season 2, IIRC.

That fight scene? I'm glad it was Lane and not Ken or Roger or even Don.

Pete Campbell, death watch.

Wow, awesome episode.

Someone paraphrased the appeal of this show as consistently good but occasionally brilliant. It is this kind of episode that makes Mad Men among the best shows on TV. All these threads come together and weeks of good episodes become even better in hindsight.

I agree that almost everything in this ep was perfect.

I hate to repeat myself over and over, but this show allows me to do it... it's just fucking great. This is how you write a show!

Amazing episode.

The Whitman guy shooting from the tower, the dripping water at the end of the episode - it feels like foreshadowing to me... Pete is going to lose his shit soon. At first I thought early mid-life crisis, but there's something more going on here.

Lane. Boring English guy who's not a copywriter and doesn't shmoosh the clients. Well I guess he's going to be a boring character and drag down the show? Nope. He's as interesting as any character on this show.

The chick in Pete's driving class reminded me a lot of a young Scarlet Johansson (ie. Ghost World era).

What's funny was when I saw Mr. Deeds, I was a big fan of the newspaper editor. Later realized he was the same dude from Benjamin Button, and I also liked his character there.

I was also coincidentally a fan of Lane Pryce back when he first arrived....and only later realized that it was the same actor. Nice job Jared Harris!

The first time I saw him was in the movie Happiness. He played one of desperate chick's scummy Russian boyfriend Vlad.

I like the sound of that...will have to seek it out.

The drip coming back at the end didn't seem part of the narrative to me because we'd seen Don fix the sink, and if it came back, it would mean Don didn't really fix the sink -- slightly undermining what occurred earlier. Rather, the dripping at the end seemed more of an audible shorthand recap at the end of the narrative of how life is going for Pete lately.

Actors want to direct, and they often get the opportunity on a long running TV show, and usually it doesn't amount to anything. However I thought John Slattery did a masterful job. There was just a natural flow in the early office scenes that you'd expect from people (in this case the characters) who've been working together a long time. Also top notch writing.

I loved Roger calling himself a writer - a great call-back to this hilarious thing:

I thought this episode was dreadful. Absolutely tedious to slog through.

What was even more telling was the look on Don's face after he said it...as if he let the biggest secret slip in front of the people who know him best. That was an incredible moment.

Also, I totally agree with what is happening to Pete. I remember way back when, fans were speculating who was actually falling in the opening credits. Consensus said it was Pete. And that might be looking like a totally accurate statement.

I don't see them killing off Pete. If anyone jumps, it's likely Cooper.

Regardless of who that's supposed to be, I doubt the fall in the title sequence is meant to be taken literally.

Just watched it last night and I also thought this was the second-best episode of the series after The Suitcase. But to be fair, part of the reason The Suitcase was so special was that it was a deliberate change of pace episode, focusing almost exclusively on the Don/Peggy relationship. This episode was a full ensemble and just worked so well. So many little things, like Don fixing the sink, Joan's unexpected reaction to Lane's awkward pass, the sweetness of the friendship between Peggy and Ken, the evolving dynamic between Don and Pete -- it was all there and it all worked. I loved this episode.

A few quick questions :
Didn't Lane and his wife divorce last season and wasn't she in England? Did they reconcile or am I just confused about their history? I certainly remember his relationship with the Playboy Club waitress and thought he was a divorced buy then.

What's the story with the "Pact" between Ken and Peggy? Was it to be totally honest with each other or was it that if one was leaving the firm, they would tell the other and go as a team? Was that covered previously, because I don't remember it.

Wasn't the firm in dire financial straits at the end of last season? Has that all just been resolved? They don't seem to be as focused on the bottom line now.


By the way, I always love how they're so focused on a particular moment in time. Seriously, who else would write an episode that involves both England's World Cup victory on July 30, 1966 and Charles Whitman's tower shootings two days later? I never even caught the "Whitman" near-slip by Don. Seriously, this show is brilliant.

Dude!

If you enjoy being mentally raped and feeling total disappointment in the human race...see HAPPYNESS

This. X1000

Let's just say that you have never watched anything like that.

And also: Richard Speck (from last week) + Charles Whitman = Dick Whitman?

Foreshadowing? This show doesn't do coincidences like this.

I was speaking metaphorically. Pete is falling deeper and deeper into what he doesn't want and fall even further when he does actually do what he wants to do (see whore house).

Not much to add from what's already been said.

Pete getting his ass kicked by Lane was definitely the highlight of the episode. I started to LOL as soon as Lane rolled up his sleeves and told Pete to put up his dukes.

I also liked the conversation Pete and Don had in the cab.

Good stuff all around. Normally I don't see the big deal with an actor directing an episode of their own series, but I thought Slattery did an especially good job with this one.

scoth water and ice, let it melt, drink half, order another...

slattery is awesome

I loved the plot descriptions of Ken's sci-fi.

"I read the one in Galaxy about the girl who lays eggs"

I wonder how many takes it took for Peggy to deliver that line with a straight face.

Surprised if Kartheiser doesn't get an Emmy nomination for that episode.

I thought far and away the best part of the fight was just watching the reactions of Don and Roger.

Pete already knows about Dick Whitman. He tried to blackmail Don in Season 1. It would be reasonable to assume the entire office knows by now.

The entire office? No way would I wager that. Pete, Megan and Cooper are the only ones I would bet know, Don has no reason to reveal his identity, but he's becoming more relaxed about talking about this actual childhood.

Have ya'll seen this?