Episode 1.04: New Amsterdam
Three consecutive weekdays in April 1960
Day 1
Sterling Cooper
Pete and the guys are listening to Bob Newhart in Pete’s office, when Pete’s new bride, Trudy, unexpectedly arrives. Pete is annoyed, but Trudy has a surprise for Pete and wants to take him to lunch.
Pete introduces Trudy to Don, and he charms her. Peggy is there, and waves, but is not introduced. Pete gives her a look.
An apartment on the Upper East Side
Trudy shows Pete a beautiful Manhattan apartment. It is $32,000 (but the realtor says they can get it for 30). Pete points out that a down payment is a year’s salary, but Trudy insists they are a young couple and can ask for help.
Sterling Cooper
Don’s in a part of the building he doesn’t usually frequent, and there bumps into Rachel, who is with Paul. Paul suggest Don see Miss Menken out. At the elevator, Don asks, with some urgency, if he can see her, but Rachel rebuffs him.
The Draper home, Ossining
Betty reads to the kids, puts them to bed, and then goes out to walk the dog. She sees a man banging on Helen’s door and yelling. He says he’s Helen’s husband and asks Betty if he can use her phone. She refuses, saying “I’m sure you are who you say you are, but I don’t let strange men into my house.” He looks frighteningly angry, and she hurries home.
Helen comes by later to apologize. They sit and talk. Helen says her marriage ended when she discovered her husband cheated (apparently a lot). Helen says her goodbyes shortly after Don arrives.
The Campbell family home
Pete visits with his father, who is hostile and cold. Everything in the house is draped in sheets, apparently because they are going away for the summer. Pete tells his father about the apartment, saying “We’re going to need help with the down payment.” (Doesn’t ask, just states it as a fact.) Dad says no, he thinks Pete is spoiled and finds his work in advertising meaningless. In fact, he says it isn’t work.
Pete and Trudy’s apartment
As they get ready for bed, Pete lies to Trudy, telling her he didn’t bring the apartment up with his father because his father is in poor health.
Day 2
Sterling Cooper
In a presentation to Walter of Bethlehem Steel (conference room, with Sal, Don, Pete, and Walter), Pete undercuts Don while Don is pitching an idea to which Walter is cool. Don reminds Walter that he’d liked the idea initially, and after Walter leaves, he accuses Pete of souring Walter on the idea. Pete gives the I Have Ideas speech and storms out.
Ossining
Helen asks Betty to babysit so she can go stuff envelopes for Kennedy. Betty goes to the Bishop home, where Glen is playing the piano, and Helen is a whirlwind of apologies and last minute readying to leave. While Betty is with Glen, Glen goes into the bathroom while he knows she’s there and stares at her. After repeatedly telling him to get out, she must finally get up and close the door in his face. Afterwards, she tells him what he did was bad and makes him apologize. Then he crushes his face to her in a strange hug. He tells her she’s “very pretty” and asks for a lock of her hair. Eventually, she gives it to him.
A Manhattan restaurant
Pete and Trudy have dinner with Trudy’s parents. Trudy’s father, Tom, immediately volunteers to help with the down payment for the apartment. Pete turns the offer down but Tom insists. In a cab home with Trudy, Pete is angry.
The St. Regis
From dinner, Pete goes to the St. Regis hotel to meet Walter. Ken Cosgrove is already there, and Pete introduces them to two pretty “cousins.” Then Pete pitches an idea: The Backbone of America.
Ossining
Helen arrives home. Betty tells Helen nothing about what happened with Glen. She leaves. When Betty gets into bed that night, she finds Don falls asleep with sketches of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” on his chest.
Day 3
Sterling Cooper
Back in the conference room with the Bethlehem Steel team. Don presents his O Little Town idea, but Walter wants Pete’s (which he thinks is Don’s). After Walter leaves, Don fires Pete. Stricken, Pete goes to his office, kicks the guys”Harry and Ken”out, and throws the Newhart record out the door. (Hildy is unphased by the record whizzing past.)
Don goes and tells Roger that he fired Pete and what Pete did. Roger calls Pete “that little shit.”
Pete sits in his office. He downs a drink and breathes heavily, trying to hold back tears.
The psychiatrist’s office
In therapy, Betty talks about how sad Helen’s life is, and how sad she is for Glen. Significantly, she says “The person taking care of him isn’t giving him what he needs.”
Sterling Cooper
Roger and Don go to Bert Cooper, to tell him they’ve fired Pete. Cooper tells them Pete must be rehired because his family influence has value.
In his office, Pete lays on the couch with his box packed, when Roger and Don walk in. Roger tells Pete that both he and Mr. Cooper wanted him fired, but that Don fought for him to have another chance. He warns Pete to follow Don like a soldier following a commanding officer.
Afterwards, Don and Roger drink and talk about different generations. Don allows some of his despair and fear to show, but Roger isn’t interested.
The new apartment
Pete and Trudy take the apartment. Their new neighbors are thrilled by Pete’s family connections, and while Trudy and her parents boast about the family tree, Pete looks out the window uncomfortably, while we hear Ella Fitzgerald sing “I’ll Take Manhattan” and the credits roll.
