- Lane searches for a way to get rid of a sizable debt, the firm prepares to pull out all the stops when it gets a second chance to land Jaguar as a client, and Don tries to comfort Joan when she reaches her breaking point.
- Lane faces a personal cash flow problem when he is informed that he owes the British government £2,900 for back taxes, payable in two days time. He comes up with a scheme using supposed SCDP funds, which don't actually exist, in the form of Christmas bonuses to all staff, including to the partners. But one problem after another with Lane's scheme have the potential of bringing his entire world crashing down around him. It promises to be a busy Christmas season since SCDP is once again in the running for the Jaguar account, the pitch from agencies to be done in mid-January, giving them about six weeks to come up with a presentation. Meanwhile, Harry gets a telephone call from old colleague Paul Kinsey to meet, which Harry reluctantly does. Harry ends up meeting a much transformed Paul. Although Harry does not agree with the transformation itself, he does get caught up in it. As Harry guessed, Paul does ask him for a professional favor. When Harry doesn't believe he can accommodate Paul's request without compromising his own professional standing, Harry has to figure out what to do. He decides to help Paul out in his own way. And Joan has an uncharacteristic outburst at the office when she is served divorce papers there. In part using the work required for Jaguar, Don provides Joan with some much needed emotional support.—Huggo
- Harry Crane has been doing his best to avoid his former co-worker Paul Kinsey but finally gives in only to find that Paul has joined the Hare Krishnas. Despite his faith, Paul is keen to write and wants Harry to try and push a script he's written for Star Trek. Harry agrees but a visit from one of Paul's Krishna friends, Lakshmi, makes sure he knows what they expect. Harry remains a true friend. Pete Campbell proudly announces that Jaguar has been in touch with him and that the firm has been invited to make a pitch for their business. He can't seem to generate any enthusiasm among the partners however. Lane Pryce finds out he owes $8000 in taxes in the UK and is at his wits end trying to figure out what to do. He decides to get funds from the firm, without telling anyone. After Joan receives divorce papers at the office, Don takes her out for a drink. He gets home quite drunk and to a very frosty reception from Megan.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "Christmas Waltz" - May 20, 2012
Lane's in hot water, Pete can't get no satisfaction, Harry checks out the Hare Krishnas and Don and Joan go for a ride and have a drink.
The phone rings in the middle of the night at Lane's house. It turns out our British friend is in some tax trouble back in old Blighty. Whoever his financial counsel is overseas basically tells him that if he wires $8,000 on Thursday his slate will be clear and he will stay out of prison. Lane is livid, and wondering how he'll come up with the cash.
He has a drink with the SCDP banker who agrees to extend them another $50,000 based on good first quarter projections. Lane presents this as a "surplus" at the partners meeting and suggests using it for Christmas bonuses to boost morale. Everyone agrees but shoots down his idea to cut the checks right away. So, totally stressed, Lane sneaks into the SCDP offices and writes himself a check and forges Don's signature on it. He wires the money and is in the clear. Until... it turns out that Mohawk Airline's machinists are going on strike and they're suspending all business, meaning those first quarter projections will no longer be true, which is what the loan extension was based on. Going from the frying pan to the fire the partners decide it would be prudent to forego their own bonuses and give only to the employee. This announcement is met with cheers but Lane is now royally screwed since he already gave himself his bonus.
Harry gets a call from his old pal Paul Kinsey who is now a-- wait for it-- Hare Krishna. Harry comes to a meeting, does some chanting, has a vision and meets Paul's sorta girlfriend Lakshmi. It turns out that although Paul is a believer, and apparently a great recruiter, he doesn't want to live his life with the little ponytail and the chanting. He just wants to be with Lakshmi, have a family, and write scripts for TV. He hands Harry a speck script for "Star Trek," called "The Negron Problem." It's apparently a thinly veiled take on race relations and is awful, which both Harry, Peggy and even Paul's girl Lakshmi seem to realize, but Paul doesn't. He wants Harry to pass it up the food chain to the networks. Not only does this cross an ethical line but since the script is awful Harry is hesitant. Then Lakshmi shows up at Harry's office and seduces him. He hesitates at first out of a "bros before hos" policy. She says she's only Paul's "girlfriend" in the loosest sense since no one owns anyone else in the blissful world of Krishna. He then stipulates that he's married, but Lakshmi says she doubts his wife burns for him the way he does and bends over his desk. He obliges. When they're done she reveals that she essentially duped him, she banged him so he would leave Paul alone, not because she's in love with him, but because he's a true believer who is a good closer. Harry is aghast. He meets Paul at a diner and says that although the "Star Trek" people loved the script they had to pass for legal reasons and Paul must never contact them. Harry hands him an envelope with $500 and urges him to go to L.A. right that minute, without going back to Lakshmi, and to try to make it as a writer.Paul, blissful, says a lot of people offered to help him but Harry was the only one who did.
Pete announces there's a new head of Jaguar, Lane's buddy Edwin embarrassed himself by vomiting in someone's lap at work, and they are back in the running for the business and they'll all need to buckle down to land the account. (Pete becomes increasingly annoyed that no one greets this news with cheers or congratulations.)
Don and Megan attend an avant-garde play called "America Hurrah!" which disparages advertising. (It's a real play by Jean Claude Van-Itallie.) Megan loves it, Don not so much. Megan tries to explain its messages and why he should be mad and that it's less about advertising than the emptiness of consumerism and he bitterly points out that no one's made a stronger stand against advertising than Megan.
Roger, drunk on Pearl Harbor Day, has a conversation with Joan in which we learn he knows that Kevin is his and has been trying to give Joan money which she has been refusing. He offers to take care of him through college. Joan says that's not a solution and if Roger isn't careful even less than a father, he won't be a family friend to Kevin.
Joan goes to reception and is served divorce papers and freaks out and yells at Meredith for letting the process server in. Don sees her meltdown and tells her to come with him. They head over to Jaguar. They pretend to be a couple looking for a new car. They banter with the salesmen and talking about taking a test drive in the XKE. It only seats two, so the salesman balks. The car is $5600. So Don writes a check for $6,000 and says: if we don't come back consider it paid for. They go to a bar and have a long drink. Don says he's not impressed with the Jaguar. She points out that, that is because he's happy and doesn't need it.
She explains why she got so upset, that by serving her in the office, Greg found a way to ruin her control in the one place she has it and can't believe he's divorcing her as if he had the moral high ground.
They banter about Don's early days and how he never hit on her or sent her flower. He says he was afraid since Bert said to never cross her and secretly wondered if she was a lesbian. He congratulates her on getting divorced and says now she gets to move on. She wonders to what, and how with a baby He says she'll find someone to share it with and points out a dude checking her out at the bar. He leaves her money for carfare in case it doesn't work out and drives home pretty drunk in the Jag.
When he comes home Megan is livid. She throws her plate against the wall and says she sat there like an idiot for somebody who doesn't give a shit about anybody. He thinks she's getting angry to get hot so he'll do her but she's not playing that game. She has him sit down and gives him a plate. She drinks her wine and points out that he used to love his work. He says it's different there now, implying he's unhappy since she quit. She says he loved it before he met her.
Roger brings Joan some flowers from reception, since the receptionist is now afraid of her: they're from Don
At the end of the episode when Lane announces the bonuses, Don also gives a great pep talk. He tells everyone to prepare to take a great leap forward to swim the English channel and drown in champagne because they are going to spend the next six weekends here, including Christmas, and they will land that Jaguar account. And, he says, "when we land Jaguar the world will know we've arrived." Everyone cheers. Lane looks very nervous.
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