I don't really understand why Joan suddenly has to go back to work because he's not cheif resident. Is the difference in salary between chief resident and regular resident that significant? Or does it mean that if he's not chief resident, he won't get a job and then she'll have to work?

Jessica -- that was my thought, though it could be an accidental one.

Also, that NY Times review is excellent!

Is the difference in salary between chief resident and regular resident that significant?

I think so, yes - my impression is that as a resident he's still being paid basically a student's salary. As chief resident, he'd be promoted to a real doctor's paycheck.

I think that the difference in salary is that significant. (The Chief's wife seemed to suggest as much.)

Per Jon's speculation I thought it looked like Don face down, but I suspect that was the intended misdirect (much like the "Bye-bye Don" from Roger in the previews looked like a firing/downsizing but wasn't). Good call, Jon. I bet that's it.

LOVED this episode. I thought it looked like Don, too, and I was perturbed. Having it be Greg makes much more sense.

Scrappy, I thought it might be Don and he's had his first heart attack (a la Roger). He certainly has the habits to bring one on (smoking, drinking and that late-night snack of hash and eggs in last week's episode is probably not a new thing).

I think so, yes - my impression is that as a resident he's still being paid basically a student's salary. As chief resident, he'd be promoted to a real doctor's paycheck.

ah, I see. Of course, I think that it's stupid to quit before the job is confirmed, but if he was in denial and told her to, she's stuck. Poor Joan.

She's also in a pickle for finding a new job. She'll have to put Sterling Cooper as her last employer and if they check her references, they'll get John the male secretary and he will slam her.

Speaking of, it was interesting to see the rampant hostility towards him. She kept it pretty veiled for a while. I felt the foreshadowing with the "DONT call me" line.

OH, and I forgot to mention. My DH's late grandmother was Conrad Hilton's personal secretary all through the '60s, so the scenes where she called Don and came in during the meeting was very cool for us.

Scrappy that is SO COOL!!!

Jon & Jessica that was my theory exactly. That is,

assy doctor husband kills himself.