Episode 3.03: My Old Kentucky Home
May 3 and 4, 1963
Friday, May 3
Sterling Cooper
Smitty, Paul, Peggy, and Harry are auditioning a young woman named Hillary for the Patio commercial. Harry is turned on; Peggy reminds him he’s just an observer. Ken and Pete come in to tell them that Bacardi is coming in on Tuesday and Don wants copy Monday morning. Paul, Smitty, and Peggy are stuck working the weekend, and are told that Ken, Pete, and Harry are attending Roger and Jane Sterling’s Derby Day party on Long Island.
Joan, Alison, and another secretary are heading out to lunch when Jane Sterling arrives. After an awkward silence, Joan tells the girls to go ahead, and she and Jane have a strained conversation, all polite on the surface.
Peggy heads to her office and is greeted by Olive, her new secretary.
Ossining: The Draper residence
Don is greeted by Betty, who complains her father had another incident; this time he thought he was on KP duty. Don is unenthused about the party, but Betty wants to go.
In his room, Gene is listening to Sally read him The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Don comes in with Bobby riding piggyback to tell Sally it’s bedtime.
Saturday, May 4
Sterling Cooper
Peggy has her head on the desk, Paul is golfing with Harry’s frat paddle, and Smitty is making drinks. They drink and try to think about a Bacardi Beach campaign. When Peggy goes into the kitchen she finds that Olive has come in, feeling she should work when Peggy works.
While Peggy is in the kitchen, Smitty asks Paul where he gets his pot, and Paul pulls out someone’s number.
Draper residence
Betty is getting dressed for the party and calls Sally to help her zip up. Sally goes into Grandpa’s room, sees his money, and takes some.
Harris residence
Greg is vacuuming and Joan is setting the table for a dinner party. They argue about the place settings, and Joan finally decides to serve buffet style so that there’s no concern about seating.
Draper residence
Don and Betty are in the living room when Gene comes in, outraged that his five dollars is missing. Carla and the kids witness the whole thing. Don and Betty leave.
Sterling Cooper
Paul’s college friend Jeffrey arrives and sells them four joints. They light up.
Long Island
The Derby Day party is in full steam as Don and Betty arrive. Harry and Jennifer greet them, followed by Ken and the Campbell’s. Trudy takes Betty’s arm and they go for a tour.
Draper residence
Carla is going through Gene’s bedsheets looking for the money, Carla and Gene argue. Sally comes out of her room, Gene sends her back to look some more.
Sterling Cooper
Peggy wakes up from her couch and leaves her office. Olive is sitting outside. Olive warns Peggy not to go into Paul’s office, Peggy realizes what they’re doing and she heads to Paul’s office. Smitty lets her in. Peggy insists she wants to smoke some marijuana.
Long Island
Roger sings in blackface to the amusement of many of the guests. Pete looks horrified. Don wants to leave, but Betty wants to stay, so he walks off. He finds an empty bar and asks for a drink, but the “bartender” is not a bartender and introduces himself as Connie. Don makes them old fashioneds. They talk about their backgrounds.
Sterling Cooper
Smitty is stoned and trying to think of Bacardi slogans. All four are very high. Jeffrey mocks Paul’s background, and Paul kicks him out. Jeffrey and Paul start arguing about singing while Paul continues to kick him out. Jeffrey goads Paul into singing, which he does, and coaxes Jeffrey to join in.
Long Island
Betty is waiting outside the ladies room when a stranger approaches her and warmly asks her what pregnancy is like. Their conversation is quietly flirtatious as he touches her belly. Trudy comes out, the moment is gone, and the women go back out to the dancing.
Harris residence
Joan serves drinks in the living room, there are two other couples, doctors and their wives. The women talk in the kitchen.
Draper residence
Carla calls the kids to dinner. Gene is already seated but refuses to eat. He wants his money. Sally sits under the dining room table, takes the five dollar bill out of her sock, throws it into the kitchen and then pretends to find it on the floor. Gene insists she bring it to him, and she does so, clearly terrified. Nothing further is said. Carla eats standing.
Long Island
It’s evening, and Don brings drinks to Betty and Trudy. Jennifer insists they she and Harry go over to the Campbells and Drapers; Harry is awkward. Roger, Jane, and Bert show up and introduce Henry Francis, who is the man Betty met earlier. The Charleston begins and the Campbells turn out to be crazy good dancers. They clear the dance floor, much to Jennifer Crane’s disgust.
Sterling Cooper
Paul is reciting Hollow Men while lying on the floor. Jeff is gone. Peggy and Smitty are sitting on the floor, very stoned. Paul is having a paranoid fantasy while they work on the rum commercial. Peggy gets a great idea and goes to her office, all kinds of happy and inspired. When she gets back, Olive is still there, disapproving. Peggy, incredibly stoned, reassures her.
Harris residence
The head of surgery praises the other doctor for a procedure, and then it comes up that Greg got “a bad result” from the same procedure. There’s an awkward pause which Greg fills by insisting that Joan perform for the crowd. Although Joan says no, Greg gets the accordion, and Joan gets up and sings C’est Magnifique, staring daggers at Greg.
Long Island
Betty wants another bite before they leave. Jane comes up to the table to serve herself, very drunk. The Drapers help Jane to sit down and Jane blurts about their separation, humiliating Betty. When Betty walks off, Jane begins grabbing at Don; Roger comes up, angry at what he sees. He takes Don aside and confronts him about it; Don calls him foolish.
Draper residence
Sally tiptoes to Grandpa’s room and says goodnight. He tells her to come in and she does, afraid. He hands her the book to continue reading and she does.
Long Island
Roger and Jane are on the dance floor. Don stops to watch. He finds Betty off by herself on the lawn and kisses her passionately.
I thought it memorable and unusual when Henry Francis said to Betty, "I wish you were waiting for me," before their brief exchange in which he tenderly touches her pregnant stomach. Looking back on that scene, it is so linked to what comes later. I didn't think as much of it at the time, but for a man to say to a pregnant woman, "I wish you were waiting for me," and then request to touch her stomach, is very telling. Granted, Betty is not your typical pregnant woman. She was startlingly beautiful even with the big tummy. But I realize now that his tenderness, his gentle touch, his obvious appreciation of her beauty and her impending motherhood must have moved Betty in so many ways. To her, Don was so removed and unable to voice any real tenderness. No wonder she started to fall for Henry. He was everything Don was not. He would take care of her, not just financially, but emotionally as well.
Hudsunn, I think that's true. It's also true that Betty made many remarks about how her "condition" made her unattractive, so to be flirted with at that moment must have been deeply moving. (And I've been pregnant; I can attest to how disconcerting it is to suddenly be completely invisible to men when you're used to flirtation.)