Fantastic episode. Funny as hell and just some classic moments. Great stuff.

He said that they went for the next sales pitch right there in the room. Then Don replies "Biggest firm in town!" in a disgusted tone. Then Pete says that his firm had paid for the hotel room.
He should have keep the sales pitch at his Manhattan love pad.

Such a good episode. I really thought last season was perhaps the weakest in the show's history (surprising, since it's the season Weiner had the most time to plan), especially coming off of season four (and in particular, "The Briefcase") and episode one this season made me wonder if the show had perhaps lost it's touch, but these last two have been extremely impressive.

Not that it means anything, but everyone I know thought it was the best. I also got that feeling from the threads here last season.

Agree that last season was the best. I didn't like this episode but it could be because I watched it with commercials for the first time.

This show has only gotten stronger, last season was excellent.

I enjoyed the cheating wife's message to Don. He needs to find his peace, and clearly is heading downhill with the wife and at the office.

I'm calling Peggy destroying him slowly all season, and maybe next season, and just as she's about to give him his coup de grâce (she'll move up in her agency next year), she'll realize she loves him and save him.

anyone have an animated gif of Draper's face when being propositioned by that couple in the restaurant for some wife swapping? it was priceless.

oh, and they really are writing Draper as a big creep this year.

Great episode. Loved Harry's scenes. Don is such a hypocritical douche.

I too thought Ted's firm got the deal.

I have a non-animated version.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JWT

(JWT is the new name for J. Walter Thompson.)

Oh, that proves we're all wrong.

Yeah, that scene was SO awkward, and those facial expressions really sold it. I almost had to fast forward I was getting so uncomfortable.

Yeah I've given this show some crap over last season and the beginning of this one (not that it's ever bad), but this episode was among the best. The show is always best when SCDP features prominently, and it isn't focused on the characters and themes as much.

So apparently Ted ordering an "Old Spanish" was a likely nod to 30 Rock.

That sounds like the most digusting thing ever.

Lighten up, Francis.

I have this idea that they have focused so much on firm size because perhaps the ultimate solution is going to be that Peggy's new firm will gobble up SCDP and become Don's boss at the show's end. It's not difficult to imagine that the two firms would both be better off if they had a bit more clout.

I think Don would rather have a three way with the To Have and To Hold couple than sell his company to Ted.

I think Don would have a three way with Roger and Bert before selling the company to Ted.

Best episode so far this season.

Problem for Don is Bert owns 1/4, Roger owns 1/4, Don owns 1/4, Pete and the Price estate own 1/4, plus I guess each quarter kicked in 1.5% for the most expensive one nighter ever. If everybody is on board with a takeover except Don, he's screwed. If everybody except he and Roger are on board, they can now make it happen due to aforesaid one nighter. If we believe that this show has been carefully planned, it would actually pay off a number of themes this way.

ETA: Since Bert is without issue, I would presume at death his share will go to a charity that will then want to cash out. I imagine the Price share is also in the cash out position. That means it's Pete and Joan plus the two estates in a Bert death scenario. Joan will do the pragmatic thing. Pete will do what's best for Pete.

Didn't they already cash out Lane when Don cut the $50k check for his widow?

That was the advance they all put in when Lucky Strike left (the one that got him in trouble with the British authorities for I guess tax evasion). $100,000 for full partners and $50,000 for juniors. It was repayable in 5 years, but they repaid his at that time. That didn't account for any ownership interest in the company.