Episode 4.09: The Beautiful Girls
Three consecutive weekdays in July, 1965 (Clearly more than a week has passed since Don and Faye’s first date, so it’s not June; the discussion of vacations indicates it’s not yet August)
Day One
SCDP
The back of Don’s head has a phone call about a lunch meeting.
Don’s apartment
Don and Faye finish having loud sex. It’s clear they’ve been seeing each other for a while, and that this is the “lunch” he was arranging. He heads back to the office and leaves her to lock up.
SCDP
Roger, on the phone, complains angrily that whoever the other person is won’t publish his book. Jane phones; he’s uninterested in taking her call. Joan comes in, Roger tries to flirt, she walks out. Caroline tells Roger that Joan is touchy because Greg got called up and is going to Vietnam right after basic training.
Don arrives back from “lunch.” Peggy wants to see him right away, but he puts her off. She goes to her office, where Joyce (her friend from Episode 4.04) and Stan are both waiting. She makes plans for after work with Joyce.
PJ Clarke’s
Peggy and Joyce are drinking and talking when Abe (whom Peggy met and kissed in Episode 4.04) arrives. It’s apparent that Joyce arranged this; she leaves the two of them alone. They flirt.
Joan’s apartment
Joan is watching TV in her pajamas when two Swedish massage therapists arrive; a “gift from a friend.”
PJ Clarke’s
Abe and Peggy are discussing politics and corporate America. Abe tells her that Filmore Auto Parts won’t hire Negroes in the South. She defends her industry, and then brings up sexism, which he doesn’t think exists. She’s annoyed and leaves.
Day Two
SCDP
Bert and Miss Blankenship are discussing a crossword when Don arrives. He’s expecting Dr. Miller.
Joan enters Roger’s office to thank him for the massage. He asks her to dinner. She turns him down and is annoyed that he seems to expect repayment.
When Peggy arrives, Abe is waiting for her with an essay he wrote.
In the conference room, Faye is presenting to Filmore Auto Parts. The three brothers who own the company argue whether they’re selling to professionals or to everyone. Ken and Don also disagree. Megan comes in and whispers to Don, who is startled by what he hears and leaves. Sally is in reception with a stranger. The woman explains that Sally snuck aboard the train and she found her. Don thanks the woman and then has Ida Blankenship call Betty.
In his office he speaks to Betty, who seems more upset with Don than with Sally. She tells Don to “enjoy” taking care of Sally; she’ll pick her up tomorrow night. Don is shocked. He leaves Sally in his office, telling her not to move, and goes back to the conference room.
Peggy confronts Abe, his essay could get her fired. She’s angry and rips it up. He thought she’d be flattered that she inspired him to write. He leaves, assuring her he won’t bother her again. Peggy sees Miss Blankenship apparently nodded off, and goes to wake her; she falls over dead. Peggy screams.
Megan gets Don out of the conference room (again). Miss Blankenship is there on her desk, Joan and Caroline are crying, Peggy is stunned. They realize she has to be attended to without either Sally or the Filmore brothers knowing what’s going on. Don returns to the meeting. The Filmores agree on a strategy. When the meeting is over, Don asks Faye to take Sally to his apartment. She’s incredibly awkward with Sally.
A little time passes. The coroner is taking Miss Blankenship out. Bert and Roger are now there, and Bert makes sure she goes to a funeral home. Roger is upset and Joan goes to speak with him. Megan tells Don he should go home, and he agrees. Joan and Roger walk past the creative area, where everyone is joking and drinking, into his office. She closes the door and gets them drinks. He is depressed and insists she have dinner with him.
Don’s apartment
Sally and Faye are watching TV when Don comes home. Faye can’t wait to leave, he thanks her.
A restaurant
Roger and Joan are eating in a rundown place, where apparently they used to go. He clearly misses her but isn’t pressuring her.
Don’s apartment
Sally questions Don closely about Faye.
A NYC street
Walking after dinner, Roger and Joan are mugged; Roger takes over, making sure the mugger gets what he wants calmly. In the terrified aftermath, Joan kisses him, and soon they’re having sex against a wall.
Don’s apartment
Don puts Sally to bed. She wants to live with him, but he says it’s impossible.
Don goes to write in his journal but puts it down without writing.
Day Three
Don’s apartment
Don awakens to discover that Sally has made French toast. With rum. She convinces him to take her to either the Central Park Zoo or the dinosaur museum until noon.
SCDP
Roger and Bert are stymied writing Miss Blankenship’s obituary. They call Joan in. She writes something appropriate. When Bert leaves, Roger apologizes. Joann says she’s not sorry but they are both married.
Don and Sally arrive. It appears to be nearly five. Don joins Ken, Stan, and Peggy for a Filmore meeting. They discuss a jingle. Peggy pointedly suggests Harry Belafonte and asks why they’re doing business with Filmore. Megan calls Don out to meet Betty, but when Don goes to get Sally from his office, she refuses and begins screaming that she won’t go. Faye hears the screaming and asks if they’re okay. Don begs Faye to talk to Sally, but Sally tells her to shut up. Don grabs Sally’s arm and she yells, breaks away, and runs down the hall, then falls. With everyone watching, Megan gets her up and hugs her. Then Don brings her to Betty in reception.
Joyce arrives at reception. Megan, who appears tearful, knows she’s looking for Peggy.
Don goes into his office, where Faye is waiting. She’s angry that Don put her in that position with Sally. He apologizes and holds her.
Joyce goes to Peggy’s office with another after-work invitation. They discuss Abe, and Joyce tells Peggy that women are supposed to hold and be formed by men. Peggy doesn’t believe that and doesn’t want to go out.
Joan, Faye, and Peggy take the elevator down together.
