Notes from the break room: The Benefactor | Television

November 2021 · 6 minute read
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Notes from the break room: The Benefactor

Our episode by episode reviews of Mad Men's second season continue with Don assuming the role of enforcer with shocking effect

Spoiler warning: Don't read on if you haven't seen any of the first series of Mad Men, or the first three episodes of series two. Watch The Benefactor on iPlayer.

"A guy like that must know how to make a charming apology, or he'd be dead."

Last night introduced two new dramas into the Sterling Cooper office, namely The Jimmy Barrett Problem and Harry's Wage Dilemma. So let's have a look at them both:

First off, Jimmy Barrett – a famous comedian hired by Sterling Cooper – insults the portly wife of the man whose potato chips he's promoting with a stream of weight-related zinger. The chips contract is suddenly in doubt and the consequences of Barrett's act include: Don sleeping with Barrett's wife, Don sacking his meek secretary and, finally, Don assaulting Jimmy's wife in order to force the comedian into apologising. Cripes.

I suggested after episode one of this series that Draper had calmed down but here, well, you wouldn't mess with him. When Mrs Barrett tells Don that Jimmy doesn't care about "some glib ad man", we see him whirr into mad man action. The notion that a slimy comic could push Draper about was pretty laughable anyway, but if we doubted his ability as a fixer before, we definitely don't now.

We've seen Don in the role of professional firefighter for Sterling Cooper before – you'll remember him saving the Lucky Strike pitch in the very first episode – and tonight he unscrews the pooch with terrifying effect. The most shocking moment of all – the one that has you turning away and thinking "did that really just happen?" – is the moment Don grabs Bobby Barrett under her skirt in a gesture of desire turned to assault. Remember those moments in The Sopranos when Tony went from gentle giant to an utter horror (the murder of Big Pussy, for example)? Well, Don is obviously no Tony but, after witnessing his near-breakdown at the end of series one and his Valentine sweetness so far this series, for him to suddenly act in a way more befitting a character in a David Peace novel brings his ruthlessness horribly back to the fore.

Last week I also mentioned the strength of Don's loyalty. Well, I take it back. His sacking of his secretary Lois who, poor girl, simply tried to cover for him while he was at the movies, was extremely harsh – today it would be industrial tribunal harsh (what wouldn't at Sterling Cooper?). Sure, Don is lovable now and then, and we know he's had a hard, dark and confusing life – but does he have to be such a dick? No pun intended.

Anyway, back to the office.

Last night's main subplot involved Harry Crane, who at the opening of the episode is accidentally handed Ken Cosgrove's payslip. Harry opens it, only to find that Ken earns 50 per cent more than him. There's a bit of light relief as Harry tries to fix the envelope, but the story serves as a nice reminder as to everyone's place in the office. As Sal points out, Harry's salary might be commensurate with his worth to the company:

Sal: "Isn't media a meritocracy?"
Harry: "I've got merit."
Sal: "As in, 'this place can't run without you?'"

The expanding Mad Men world is helping the show to form new layers. Not only are we learning more about the supporting characters, but we're meeting their other halves and understanding their family dynamics. Harry's wife is pregnant and wants to be able to say that her husband is doing well. Harry feels under pressure to feed his family and wants more money – but gets bought off by Roger with the offer of a new title as Head of TV. It may be a tokenistic one-man island job, but most likely, it'll distract him while the likes of Pete, Ken and Paul race to try and usurp Draper.

In this video, Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner argues that this episode is all about what married couples do for each other. It would be glib to disagree with the showrunner but, for me at least, Jon Hamm's performance is so powerful that all you're left thinking about is Don – his flaws and his motivations. For all we've learned about his past as Dick Whitman, his imbibing of Don Draper and his professional voracity we still know nothing about what really drives him. He's a Gatsby who's got his Daisy and escaped Jay Gatz. So what next?

One final point. As the Drapers drive home from dinner at Lutece, Betty starts to cry. She claims it's because she's so happy at Don letting her into his business life. It sounds like an obvious red herring but, heartbreakingly, I think she was telling the truth – which just goes to show how little Don shares with her. For all Betty's mutual flirtation with Judge Reinhold-lookalike Arthur, her private life has nothing to even compare with her husband's.

Notes:
The zinger of the series so far came at the stables:
Arthur (deadly serious): "You're so profoundly sad."
Betty: "No, it's just my people are Nordic."

How good was Patrick Fischler as Jimmy? Catch him as Phil in Lost in a fortnight. Mad Men fans have debated without conclusion as to who the Jimmy Barrett character is based on. Suggestions include Don Rickles and Jerry Lewis. Any thoughts?

As I'd never heard of Mohawk or the still-frying Utz potato chips, it never really struck me, but is Mad Men justified in its many product placements? Think of the Lucky Strike, American Airlines and Heineken mentions. I'd argue yes as they're fairly integral to a plot deeply rooted in the reality of ad world. Here's an excellent New York Magazine piece that just about agrees.

Culture watch:
Betty's riding buddy Sara Beth compares hapless rider Arthur to Montgomery Clift's character in A Place in the Sun, a film based on An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. The book's protagonist reinvents himself after accidentally killing a kid. Before falling in love with a poor girl and a rich girl – ultimately ending in tragedy. An omen of things to come for Don?

There's a bit of debate on the blogs about what film Don was acutally watching on his afternoon off. I certainly didn't recognise it. Any help? Meanwhile, some great research/translation regarding the clip's dialogue.

Don Draper promiscuity rating:
Ding! One extramarital tryst. Don washing his hands as soon as he arrived home signifying misdeeds done. Will these hands ne'er be clean Don?

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