Finally Someone Punches That Prick Pete

Mad Men, S05E05

Don was unable to turn down an invitation for dinner at Pete's where it was revealed that Cosgrove has been continuing to publish stories in his free time.  Lane introduced a possible account with Jaguar through some family connections, but a night out with prostitutes ruined the deal.  Tired of feeling like a paperweight at his own firm, Lane took out some of his frustrations by having a fist fight with Pete.  Losing that fight, as well as the attention of a high school girl he was trying to flirt with, put Pete in yet another position where he pitied himself and hated his life.

Don didn't have a big part in this episode, but the bits he did were great.  In general, Don seems to have no interest in hanging out with his coworkers after hours (who could blame him--they're generally unpleasant people with habits that encourage him to act astray).  Trudy really twisted him arm and made him come.  Don was right that Trudy could probably do a better job at closing deals than Pete.  Geez.  But it was funny to watch Don squirm and fight against going.  And he was just so adorable in the sports coat that Megan got for him!  He just doesn't seem like the sports coat kind of guy, so it was nice to see him in something other than his business suit.  Despite he was dressed for the occasion, I didn't think he would be very convincing as a guest happy to be there.  He did have a lot of drinks before he even got there.  I loved that.  But in the end, I feel like he had more fun than he expected, especially when the sink was spouting everywhere.  Not only did Don get to take off his shirt to fix it, but he basically schooled Pete in being handy.  That was the icing on the cake for me.

It was nice to see Lane trying to bring in a new client because I sometimes wonder what he does besides manage the financial books.  Pete was pretty condescending of Lane's ability to secure an account, but Roger (who probably sympathized him now that his position was becoming less important) was decent enough to give him some advice and let him try to close the deal himself.  I knew that Lane is too much of a straight man to use the tricks that Roger suggested, and it was so funny to watch him try to buddy up with the client through a common problem.  It just was sad that after he failed, Pete basically pushed him into the corner and told him that the "big dogs" were going to handle it from then on.  Maybe Lane's not the most aggressive businessman around, but at least he's not a dick like Pete.

I never thought that the guys would take the Jaguar client to a brothel.  I suppose for these guys it wasn't that surprising, but it felt a little odd watching Don sitting there alone.  I was glad that he was resisting all of the women around him, though.  I felt bad for Trudy in how easy it was for Pete to go into a room with some blonde.  It's nothing that Don surely hasn't done, but something about seeing Pete's happy wife and little girl at his home and then seeing him cheat with a woman that meant nothing to him was unsettling.  It was funny later on when the madam of the house was talking to Don and he remarked that he grew up in a whorehouse, but it wasn't as nice as the one they were at.  Just love how he answers people without editing himself much for the listener's sake.  When they were finally leaving Pete was acting like such an asshole because Don seemed like a "nun" to him.  He needed to shut up and stop trying to make Don feel bad about his past, just because he was trying to turn things around.  I didn't think that Don was looking at him with much judgment, but I think he did have the right to anyway.  Like Don said, he had the experience of ruining a good life with kids and being miserable.  If Pete could stop trying to project his own guilt onto others, maybe he could listen to Don and appreciate the life Pete has before he destroys it all (and ended up where Don was before he met Megan, which was nowhere good).

The best thing by far in this whole episode was when Lane found out that their night with the paid women had cost them the Jaguar account.  Apparently, the wife had seen some gum on his pubes, which easily told her what her husband had been doing that night.  Pete tried to whitewash it, boasting that they were just doing what Lane couldn't do in his initial dinner with the man, but Lane wasn't about to be pushed aside by the little moron anymore.  I loved Lane's line before he started to fight with Pete:

You're a grimy little pimp.  Soon as I raise my hands, I warn you, it shall be too late to run.

 Pete got in some blows on Lane, so it wasn't a one-sided fight, but Lane definitely won when he knocked him off his feet.  That was seriously one of the best fights I have seen on TV.  I was so glad that the other partners were just looking on in awe, not lifting a finger to interfere.  I think Roger was as excited to see it go down as I was.  I could watch that little fight all day long.  Was so good!

I feel like Pete deserved a good whooping.  If he hadn't done the prostitute, he might have done that high school girl he was desperately trying to get into the pants of.  It was pretty gross, even though I can't remember how old Pete is, but I know he's too old to be trolling for teenage girls.  Thank goodness that a more attractive, built, and age-appropriate guy came into their driver's ed class to cock-block him.  If anything, Pete should have felt grateful that happened before he messed around with an underage girl.  Instead, I feel like that just added to the self-pity he felt for himself.  What's there to be too depressed about?  If anything, I feel bad for Trudy if she ever finds out all the shit that Pete has done.  Starting with Peggy and ending with that prostitute.

In the elevator, Pete whined that Don didn't stop the fight because they were supposed to be friends.  Since when?  I know that Pete has always wanted Don to be his friend, but they don't have much in common beyond their job.  I almost felt bad for Pete, though, when he said that and Don had no response.  I understand why they would let Lane and Pete have it out--if Don had interfered, he might have damaged someone's manly pride, so it had to be done.  If Pete had said that to me, I might have asked him if he would have said the same thing if he had won the fight.  Probably not.  He'd be walking the halls like he was a king.  I hope that his pathetic sniveling didn't get to Don and make him think he should actually be a friend to Pete.  But why should he?  What has Pete really done for Don as a friend?  Does he deserve his friendship?

Oh, yeah.  Lane kissed Joan!  I thought maybe she was really angry about it, but she simply opened his door so that he wouldn't try anything else.  Maybe all those times she had fooled around with Roger taught her to be careful about get involved with the boss again.  Not sure.  I definitely think that Joan and Lane have something together, though.  It would be nice if they started a healthy relationship.  Not one of sneaking around in the offices (where I feel like most people can hear what you're doing anyway).

Lastly, I wonder if Cosgrove is really going to quit writing.  His narration at the end suggested that he wouldn't, but I guess if Roger's on his ass now (no thanks to Pete), he has little choice about publishing.  Though, why couldn't he just continue since no one knows his pen name except his wife and Peggy?  And Peggy isn't going to tell Pete, so why the hell not?  I'm bothered by the fact that he has to stop doing something that he likes because it happens to be something I enjoy doing.  As Cosgrove's boss, Roger has the right to call him out on things that might conflict with his employee doing his job, but I think that Cosgrove has proved that he can do both without it interfering with his job, so why not let him do as he pleases? 

One of my favorite episodes ever.  Don made me laugh, Pete got his ass kicked, and Lane stood up for himself.  I'm worried what Pete might do from now on now that his pride has been wounded and he's dropped to the lowest of low (according to himself).  Surely that can only mean trouble for the others, but I guess I don't mind as long as Don doesn't get too dragged into it all.  Don's finally getting to a pretty good place in his life--I won't stand for Pete to bring him along on his stupid sinking ship.