The thing is that if Don is your moral compass, you have lost yourself as a company.

You are right, but then too, I got the impression that he felt this way about *Joan*. If it had been any other secretary the Jaguar people wanted, he wouldn't have been so agitated. There is nothing moral about it if it is dependent on one person.

As Peggy is waiting for the elevator at the end, looking towards the doors of the offices, FAQWife was terrified that she would step into an empty shaft. She literally grabbed my arm. THAT would have been fucked up.

trust me. this whole household was worried about that too!

Beau was coming undone and I told him: look, if she looks in the elevator before walking in, she is in good shape.

At the end, I said "damn you Matt Weiner. You did that shit on purpose."

is it possible Joan's husband will go over her share of the partnership?

This just occurred to me.

My vote is on him getting fragged by his own troops in 'Nam. :-)

But, yeah, a lot depends on the divorce laws in NY at the time -- I'm not even sure that they had no-fault divorce, but that divorce suit contained "grounds" made up or otherwise.

Maybe it turns out that Doctor Rapist CAN count.

New York didn't have no-fault divorce until two years ago.

I was so glad to see Peggy's smile at the end -- no better feeling than leaving a job psyched for the next one. And I do hope she stays on the show.

I'm so torn - I think leaving was so right for Peggy but I'm worried about what it will do for the show.

I'm certain Peggy will stay on the show. It's not titled Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, so they can follow her to another ad agency. Be nice if Ken went with her and they competed against their old firm. And then they hire Sal! Yay. (Just dreaming. Sal's probably in L.A. working as a director of commercials by now.)

I think that's what they're setting up for next season.

Speaking of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, I'm thinking they're headed towards Lane's suicide.

I wouldn't be surprised if Burt dies, Roger retires and the firm breaks up and maybe we see a Cooper Olson Campbell firm by the last season. Or something like that.

So, I have been reading some critics reactions to the episode on twitter and some claim that it was one of the best eps of the series (!!!!) while others are pretty disgusted by the episode - not only the events that transpired, but also because in some instances, the critics feel characters acted out of character (!!!!).

I am wondering what you all think about this. I am definitely not in the former camp. I liked the episode but didn't enjoy it. I think the objectification of women was a bit too on the nose in parts. But what I cannot reconcile is whether I think the characters acted out of character. I think Don didn't at all. I think Pete did. The whole time. But what about Roger, Bert, and most particularly Joan? From what we have known about her, would she have done this? Was this a set of plot contrivances to get her to this place (e.g. finance problems, appliance maintence, divorce, Pete lying to her). She is at once strong but one who has put up with all kinds of bullshit (her husband raping her). So perhaps she would do this figuring it would offer he long-time financial security?

The only problem is that I think Joan is too smart not to figure that once this step has been taken, this might make it easier for such a request in the future. Perhaps from the same asshole. You aren't going to tell me this wouldn't have crossed the mind of a "real" Joan.