And then some great ads the kid pulled out of magazines for "inspiration."

Since the kid's exhibiting poor professional form all around, Don and Peggy don't give his book a second thought. Well, Peggy doesn't. Don, however, is experiencing a bit of nostalgia for his early days under Roger's drunken wing. Meanwhile, Roger, with no real work to do, props his wingtips up on his groovy mod desk and records priceless bits of Ogilvy on Advertising-type wisdom. That is to say, it's completely dry, and nothing he spews into that microphone is nearly as good as his wobbly, boozy one-liners. Which is a shame. Someone should make those into a book. I mean, really, when I heard "My favorite flavor of ice cream was chocolate, but my mother would only let us get vanilla because it was the only flavor that wouldn't stain anything,” I wanted to cry. And then help my SELF to a Canadian Club. But I digress.

In the midst of all this somewhat inane reminiscing, the Mad Men discover that SCDP is up for a Clio, a prestigious industry award (well, at it was until 1991, anyway). And while Peggy's ecstatic (the winning ad was partly her idea), Don is sort of meh about it. Typical. Peggy gets a little something and Don has to take it away.

Except for that braying jackass Stan, that is. Peggy's new partner is a chain-smoking ball of obnoxiousness. And since he can't seem to "get liberated" enough to come up with some fucking layouts, they've got to work the weekend. And of course, Peggy won't be going to the Clio ceremony. That's reserved for Don, who goes, wins, and comes back to the office to flex his bravado muscles for the Life Cereal people, selling them the slogan he saw in that awful book earlier in the day. Drunkenly reasoning that his work here is done, and that he is, indeed, the MAN, Don then proceeds to go on the bender to end all benders, actually leaving the Clio statuette behind at some bar.

Roger, although himself completely trashed, still manages to keep his shit together long enough to rescue the statue from some dicey situation near a urinal or in an alley, or wherever Don's been finding himself waking up lately. But, before you think, “Whoa, that’s pretty fucked up,” consider that Duck, at the beginning of the ceremony, was so plastered that he actually heckled the emcee.

So, that’s all Friday evening. Friday night, Don does the following, based on what we (and HE) can piece together:

At this point, Peggy has to GO TO DON’S APARTMENT to get him to reconsider (or at least pay for) that kid’s headline. It’s been a rough weekend for her too: Stan’s a total dick, insulting her body, her relationship with Don, and her talent as a writer before whining some more about how he needs to “get liberated” to do any real work. Apparently this means “get naked,” and that’s what Peggy does, because she’s sick of being stuck in that room with him while he’s just plain stuck for ideas. Being called out like that isn’t doing Stan too many favors. First, he’s wearing the longest pair of briefs I’ve ever seen, and secondly, he pops a boner almost immediately, which Peggy has endless fun taunting. And who can blame her? It’s the only thing she’s got in her arsenal; these men are doing everything they can to hold her back. The least she can do is call a tiny penis like she sees it.

Elsewhere in the groovy halls of SCDP, Pete hears that Cosgrove is probably joining the agency, and of course, this incenses him. He asserts himself as a partner at the firm, and tells Cosgrove that he needs to ensure that Cosgrove will “take direction accordingly.” Then he tries to make some awkward small talk. It’s classic Pete. And I love the tension between him and Ken.

As Don’s drinking problem becomes more and more apparent to everyone around him, he remains oblivious. And nostalgic. In this episode, we learn that Roger met Don while shopping for a mink for Joan. Roger spies an ad Don did for the fur store, and Don sends him off with the mink and his portfolio. Roger rebuffs him. Don shows up at the office. Roger rebuffs him again. Don offers to take him for a drink. “It’s 10AM,” Roger says. Cut to the bar. A few boozy hours later, Don’s hired and the two wobble out to the city streets. It’s the start of a beautiful relationship.

Or ugly. It depends on your point of view.

Miz J blogs at Ask Miz J.