Raw Data: In Care Of - Part 1

These are initial observations for Mad Men episode 6-13 "In Care Of."  This is the Season Six finale and is written by  and Matthew Weiner and Carly Wray who on IMDB is billed as "assistant to writers" for the previous twelve episodes this season.

The episode directed by.....Matthew Weiner! who has directed the season finale for each Mad Men season.

I'm going to do this one backwards, a write up first, and then some bullets and observations about the episode.  

All Don's terrible and selfish behavior catches up with him, effectively alienating everyone and everything (sound familiar?).  His wife is walking out the door.  His partners are pushing him out the door.  His daughter wants nothing to do with him.  Even his underlings at work have had it up to their eyeballs with him.

When he's asked to take a few month's leave, and not given a return date, we recall alcoholic Freddy Rusmen in "Six Months Leave" when  he steps into the cab and says "Goodbye Don" knowing his time off means time's up at the old Sterling Cooper.

With all the death imagery in the season premiere, and revisited again, I'm wondering if it refers to Don's career suicide, or at least the end of the life he's led as Don Draper.

The partners ambush Don, earlier than he is even though he's early (for once).  Last time Don wasn't "in the meeting before the meeting" Pete was going to Duck about Freddy Rumsen's alcoholism, and pushing him out.   Here, well, they push another creative type out the door.

Pete, whose indebted to Don for paying his share when the company was going under, and Ted, who is indebted to Don for allowing him the California opportunity, are not in the meeting, either not wanting to face Don or already on their way to the new office in Cali.  Roger, surprisingly, stands with the other partners.  Considering Joan's mere five percent share (at least, that's what Lane suggested she ask for), one would think if Roger had taken a stand against Cutler and Cooper it may have not been possible to push out Don.

Roger clearly didn't fight for Don.  He may have told Don the same thing he told Bert Peterson when he fired him..."No one fought for you."  We saw the converse when Bob Benson was highlighted and about to be deleted when Joan spoke up for him.  All of Don's savvy and con artistry couldn't allow him to continue to treat everyone and the business so poorly.  Bob Benson is the new con artist in the agency.

The creatives are scattered about, with Ted in California, Peggy holding down the fort in NYC and Don going who knows where.  No doubt the account men are relieved to search for one less mood lightener/topic changer every time Don brings up the Vietnam War/whorehouses/whatever with some huge client.  The fact they do as well as they do is a weekly source of amazement.  Had I sat there in Ken's seat, I'd be forced to break into "The Aristocrats" after every one of Don's weird dark lectures, or someone makes fun of 9/11. 
'
Don's stolen an identity.  He's stolen ideas ("The cure for the common breakfast") and he's stolen opportunities (California, from Stan).  Now, he's being honest.  For all of Don's lying and scheming and manipulation to get a foot in the door at the bottom to eventually build a top 30 advertising firm mainly on the back of his creative genius, it is ultimately his conscious about the war and his single most honest moment, in perhaps both his personal and professional life, that pushes him over the red line and out the door.  Don wants the product, at least this product, to remain pure and innocent, without advertising to obscure and manipulate it before it reaches the public.  It feels a bit like Holden Caulfield wanting to preserve the innocence of childhood.  And it's this honest moment that Roger directly questions "Was any of that even true?"

Much of the problems between Don and Megan were left unsaid this season.  But they talk about the chance to get back where they were with the move to California.  Before it falls through, Don has a civil phone conversation with Betty on the phone, with Megan right there, when he affectionately calls her "Birdie".  Betty tells him there that the good can't beat the bad.  (Did Megan have a similar line?  Re-checking this.  Maybe it was Megan who said it)  Maybe it's then that Don realizes, as much as he tries to run and get a fresh start to try to chase that ideal life he can't have, Don plus in the key and enacts the failsafe, putting those final events in motion to walk into the ocean, as foretold in his ad in "The Doorway".

After Don gives the spot to Ted, Megan drops "You want to be alone with your liquor, your ex-wife and your screwed-up kids" on him, though I'm not sure how much Don wants to be around his kids.  Don blase-ly talks about them being bi-coastal and seeing each other occasionally.  It's almost as if Don knew he could try to re-start the marriage in California, but then realized he didn't want to, and gave the opportunity to Ted as both a gesture of good will but as a way to completely sabotage the marriage because he wants to be better and it is easier to completely tear it down than try to rebuild.