“Saint Peter don’t you call me ’cause I can’t go, I owe my soul to the company store.” – 16 Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford

A total solar eclipse is featured in this episode, and the characters are warned not to look directly at it throughout. Along this same line, Don, Betty, and Peggy have the choice in this episode to face their fears and go after their desires, but the possibility of getting burned is always there. I really loved this episode and after two and a half seasons, it was nice to see the impenetrable hustler-king Don Draper get taken and backed into a corner.

The signing of a three-year contract with SC has Don losing his cool. He can’t stand up to Cooper who finally pulls the Dick Whitman card he’s had since season 1; he can’t stand up to Betty who sees Don’s refusal to commit on paper as a sign he may skip out at any moment, “What’s the matter? You don’t know where you’ll be in three years.” Good form, Betty. It’s only after being drugged and robbed by two hippie-hikers, that Don returns to SC and signs. Hilton helped set a lot of this in motion, and whenever he’s around, he makes Don look like a shaky-kneed novice. No where to run to now.

As much as it makes sense, the Peggy/Duck romp was gross and caught me off guard. Peggy never has any luck when it comes to talking privately with Don, she always seems to come into his office right after he gets chewed out. After being berated by Roger, Don then goes fucking off on poor Peggy, reminding her, “You were my secretary” and tells her to quit asking him for things; like a father cutting his spoiled child off from the trust fund. This would send most people directly into the arms of another. Previously, she’s gotten down with Pete and Burger-Boy, both individuals who don’t really know what they want. So her sleeping with a driven guy like Duck who has shown interest in her on the professional plane makes sense. Plus, what woman wouldn’t get down after Duck offers to take their clothes off with his teeth? I’m sure this won’t keep up, but if Don (or Pete) find out about their little sexual tryst, the ramifications at SC are going to be huge.

The scene in Peggy’s office where Pete tells her to send back the Hermes scarf = Classic Campbell.

Here’s the song the episode appropriately closed with, “16 Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

- Oh Mars