Basket of Kisses

Summer, 1960

Day One
Ossining: The Draper Residence
Sally and Bobby play with Polly (the dog) in the back yard while Betty gardens. Their neighbor releases pigeons, to Sally’s delight. The neighbor waves and Betty waves back.

Broadway: The Broadhurst Theater
Don is in a Broadway theater lobby during the intermission of Fiorello! (which ran at the Broadhurst from 1959 to 1961), when he sees Jim Hobart of McCann-Erickson. Hobart says he got the Israel tourism account (see Babylon). He says he ran into Jim Jordan from BBDO with Frank from Y&R at the health club, and the three were discussing Don’s brilliant “Jesus Over Rio” campaign (mentioned in Babylon). Jim is trying to woo Don to his big fancy agency, calling Sterling Cooper the farm leagues.

Hobart asks Betty is she’s an actress, and she says she modeled. He remarks on her resemblance to Grace Kelly and suggests Betty model for him, for his Coke campaign.

On the drive home, we learn that Don declined dinner with Jim and his wife, and Betty tells Don about the modeling offer.

Day Two
The Draper Residence
It’s the next day. Francine and Betty are talking. Betty tells Francine about the offer, and that she used to model. Francine says her husband (Carlton) calls Betty “Grace Kelly.” Betty talks about her modeling career; Francine is excited by the notion of working in Manhattan, and then Betty reveals said she got started after college, living in Italy and working with an Italian designer named Giovanni. She shows Francine the clothes “Johnny” designed for her.

Francine is shocked the relationship with “Johnny” was platonic; neither suggests he might have been gay.

Sterling Cooper
Don arrives at work, Peggy says Salvatore needs to seem him about Menken’s. She also hands him a confidential package. It’ a towel from the health club Hobart mentioned last night. Don calls Hobart, and Hobart begins to woo Don in earnest. He mentions that their clients include Pan Am, Coca-Cola, and Esso (that’s Exxon for you young people). He talks about the prestige and excitement of working at a big firm, and makes an offer of a three-year contract at 35k.

Dr. Wayne’s Office
Betty discusses getting the modeling offer from Hobart, again saying “I was a model you know.” She tells the story of meeting Don: She was modeling at a photo shoot, he was a copy writer at the fur company. He saw that Betty was reluctant to give back the fur coat she was modeling. He asked her out, she said no. Three weeks later, the coat arrived at her apartment. Soon they were engaged and she got pregnant. They moved to Ossining so as not to raise kids in Manhattan, and, Betty says, “Suddenly I really felt so old.”

Betty talks about her mother, how she was always concerned about looks and weight, and criticized Betty for eating, yet when Betty became a model she hated it and called Betty “a prostitute.”

Dr. Wayne says “You’re angry at your mother,” and Betty is shocked. She sits up to turn and glare t him, saying “You don’t listen to what I say and then out of nowhere you provoke me.” Their interaction is argumentative for a few more minutes.

Sterling Cooper
In a conference room, the guys (Pete, Ken, Paul, Harry, Salvatore) watch a spot of Jackie Kennedy delivering a campaign message in Spanish. They discuss the Nixon campaign. Don doesn’t want the account. They argue and discuss strategy.

The Draper Residence
Don comes home to find that Betty doesn’t have dinner ready, she says she called. Don blames Peggy’s extra work.

Betty tells Don she wants to take the modeling job; she promises the kids will be okay and dinner will still be served. Don is reluctant, but says he can’t stop her.

Day Three
Sterling Cooper
Peggy leans over and rips her skirt; she’s gained more weight.

In the break room, the switchboard girls say their work is boring; Joan thinks it would be juicy, but they say they stop listening. Peggy comes in with a sweater around her waist, Joan asks her about it and when Peggy explains, Joan offers to loan her an outfit.

Roger comes into Don’s office with golf clubs, grumpy. Roger knows Don has an offer because the clubs are a gift from Hobart. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a big agency: Roger confesses that a big agency is daunting; a possibility of failure. Going to someplace like McCann-Erickson would be starting over. Roger also says he’ll take it personally if Don leaves, Don says it’s just business, but Roger doesn’t think so.

The guys all sit in the open area of the office and discuss Don’s offer, which is now public because of the golf clubs. They watch Peggy go past in Joan’s outfit. Paul and Ken snark at her and make fun of her weight.

McCann-Erickson
Betty shows up for the Coca-Cola shoot try-outs in a 1950s evening dress, the other models are all in daywear. When Hobart and his art director come out, Betty apologizes for her gaffe.

Sterling Cooper
Harry and Pete discuss the Secor Laxative account. Then they discuss college and their frat days; a frat prank gives Pete an idea: Buy up TV air time in undecided states for Secor so that Kennedy is blocked from buying that time.

The Draper Residence
It’s that evening. Betty gets the call that she’s got the job. Don says he’s happy for her, and Betty gets amorous. They make love in the living room. Yowza.

Day Four
The Draper Residence
While Ethel nods off while babysitting, the kids run wild.

McCann-Erickson
Betty is at the photo shoot.

The Draper Residence
Sally and Bobby watch the neighbor’s pigeons when Polly leaps and snags one from the air. The neighbor tells Sally “If I see that dog in my yard again, I’m going to shoot it.” The kids run inside.

Don arrives home that night. Over dinner, Sally is quiet and sad. Betty said she sent Ethel home at 4.

At two in the morning. Don and Betty are asleep when Sally comes in crying from a bad dream. She says “I don’t want anyone to shoot Polly,” and tells them what happened.

Betty puts Sally to bed. Don wants to confront the neighbor, Betty says she’ll talk to him. Don begins to spin it as Betty not being home, but she is clear that has nothing to do with it. Betty is amused and charmed by Sally’s tears.

Day Five
Sterling Cooper
Harry and Paul and (reluctantly) Pete are praising the Lucky Strike campaign to Don. Cooper and Sterling come in and ask about the Secor buy. Harry and Pete ‘fess up, clearly believing they are in trouble. The bosses, though, understand what they’ve done and congratulate them. Don congratulates them as well but when Pete tries to take advantage, Don shoots him down.

After the meeting, back in Pete’s office, Hildy brings a bottle of whisky as a gift from Mr. Rumsen. Pete offers her a drink, she says no, and Pete does his piggy flirt act at her. All the guys giggle while she stiffly tolerates it.

Peggy brings Don an envelope from Hobart with pictures of Betty doing the photo shoot. Don, disgruntled, goes to Roger’s office and tells him he’s staying. After a brief negotiation, Don ends up with a salary of 45k and no contract. Don wants the option of leaving advertising some day, and having a different life.

Don has Peggy put a call through to Hobart. Don indicates he thought the pictures were a cheap move, and Hobart indicates that Betty will lose her job as well.

In the break room, Peggy returns the dress to Joan. Joan tells Peggy she’s not doing well. Peggy says she’s proud of being the first girl doing writing since the war, Joan tells Peggy she’s overweight and it’s a problem, whereas writing is a big nothing; it’s clear “doing well” means “attracting men” to Joan. Peggy retorts with “I know what people think of you” and implies that Joan is a slut. She then says she realizes that Joan is trying to be helpful.

McCann-Erickson
At another photo shoot, Betty gets fired. The art director lets her keep the dress. Betty cries.

Sterling Cooper
Back in the open area, the guys are hanging around drinking and watch Peggy go home. Ken makes more remarks about Peggy’s weight; Pete punches Ken and then jumps him. Roger and Don leave together, ignoring the fight. Paul makes Ken and Pete shake hands.

The Draper Residence
That night over dinner, Don asks Betty how it went. Betty lies, says they love her but that she decided to quit, she wants to be a housewife. Don, who knows she’s been fired, doesn’t let on he knows otherwise. Don says to her, “It’s my job to give you what you want.” Don tells her that her job as a mother is the most important thing to him, he doesn’t care about a nice dinner on the table, just the mother stuff. He praises her skills as a mother. Then he praises the dinner and strokes her arm.

Day Six
The Draper Residence
The next day, at one in the afternoon, she’s still in her nightgown. She goes outside, still in her nightgown, and shoots at the birds, continuing to shoot again and again as the neighbor yells “What the hell are you doing?”

Back to Season 1 Episode List