Mad Men, S05E12
Lane's embezzlement was discovered, and Don asked for his resignation. Don demanded to have a meeting with Ed, in order to stop settling for smaller clients and go for the bigger players. Sally came to stay with Don, but when both he and Megan were gone from the house, she had Glen come to the city and they went out together.
We all knew it was just a matter of time until someone found out about Lane forging Don's name on a check, but I still didn't think that they would sack him. After all, Lane is a partner with a name in the firm, so I thought he might be given a little slack. But Don rightfully couldn't trust him anymore and asked him to quit, without asking him to reveal the crime he had done (or pressing charges against him). I just felt bad for Lane because he risked a lot to quit his job in England and come with them to their new company. He brought up the point that he had invested money into the firm that he had been trying to get back all this time, while Don was living the life where 7500 dollars was nothing to him. And despite that he stole money, you don't think of Lane as some sneaky, debased human being who deserved whatever came to him. It's just so sad that he was basically struggling all this time, while keeping nearly everyone in the dark all the while, but he never made it. Perhaps if Lane wasn't so committed to solving his problems on his own (putting an unreasonable amount of burden on his shoulder), things might have turned out a different way.
With his whole world coming down on him (and Lane seeming like not the type as Don is to rebuild his life), it was no shock that the new car Lane's wife bought was almost his deathbed. However, I was happy that the car wouldn't start and he couldn't suffocate himself. I couldn't imagine how hard that would have been for his wife to find that later (or to hear about it from someone who found him in the garage later). I was really praying that Lane would take it as a sign to not give up so easily, but of course, there was that horrible scene where Joan couldn't get into his office. I knew it could happen, yet I still couldn't believe that Lane hung himself! It just seemed like such a waste! Unlike most flawed characters in the show, I wanted to see him come out on top one day--he deserved it. But instead, he died where he worked (and had suffered the most) and had plenty of confused witnesses to his death.
Lane's death wasn't just a tragedy within itself, but a personal blow to Don who had been the one to ask him to resign. Don, unlike any of the other partners would have been, hadn't taken Lane to the cleaners for what he had done, but I'm sure that Don felt regret when he heard of Lane's news. I liked that Don wouldn't wait for the coroner to come and took down Lane's body so that it could be at rest in a more dignified position. I also think that it was particularly hard for Don to see that happen to Lane because this situation is quite similar to what happened with Don and his brother. He washed his hands of someone and next thing he knew, that person had killed himself. It's no wonder that Don is often trying to rescue people all the time--people sometimes die when he doesn't! Thus, I find myself sad for Don, too, as much as I am sadden by Lane's passing.
Another thing that wasn't too uplifting was Don and Roger's meeting with Ed. I can see why Don would want to stop bending over backwards for companies like Jaguar when he could be getting better companies. Of course, despite that letter he wrote against Lucky Strikes has branded him a traitor against most of the big dogs, I admire that Don hasn't rolled over and died just yet. I just don't think, even with his passionate speech about working hard for them until he got them everything, is going to impress hard-headed guys like Ed to hire their firm. I'd love for one of Don's hard pitches to get them something better than a car dealership that they had ensure by offering some sex, but I won't hold my breath. People are stubborn, and their opinions aren't so easily swayed by strong words. I just hope that maybe they will let Don's work speak for itself and not be dissuaded by his gusty stand against a former client.
It was good that Sally was in this episode because it provided a little comedy relief. Her and Glen's sort of date was so funny to see. Despite that Sally denied liking him in "that way" and Glen claimed she was more like his little sister, it still looks like they are moving away from being friends with each other. It was so cute that they were just walking around at a museum together and that Sally got all dressed up (and made-up) just for Glen (not that he was that impressed). It's a shame that their time was ruined when Sally suddenly got her period and ran back home! I mean, that is so crazy! Sally was awful to do that to someone she made sneak out of school and come see her three hours away. Who does that?? I'm surprised that Glen wasn't more pissed about it than he was.
Also, I give some props to Megan for handling the situation with Glen so well. She neither chewed out Glen for being there when he shouldn't have been, nor ratted out Sally to Betty when she found out she had gotten home safely. Sally owes her big time. She was just lucky that it was her period and not something else that Betty might not have been so sympathetic about. However, I get the feeling that Betty felt like was a little better than Megan because Sally had run home to her about her period instead of talking to Megan about it. I could understand why Sally would want her mother then, but I just wish that Betty didn't have to be so smug about it to Megan.
After Don came home and had one of the worst days ever, I was worried that Glen was going to get an earful from him, but instead they had this moment of understanding that was surprising, but welcome to me. As random as it was that he offered to take Glen home three hours away, it was nice that Glen sort of voiced the theme of this episode about how things you want turning into shit against your will. I liked that Don wasn't about to agree with him or let him know that he has no idea how bad things can get, but instead tried to cheer the boy up by letting him drive his car. That was so cute and weird! And as weird at it was, it seemed like that was the best ending for this episode that I could ask for. I just didn't know what Don might have done when he came home if there wasn't a distraction there. Thank goodness Sally had invited him over. Anything that can take Don's mind off the series of unpleasant events that keep happening around him sounds good to me.
Didn't think that after last week's episode of the women taking different methods to further their careers could this episode top that. I will miss Lane on the show, and I hope that his memory won't be wiped away so easily as if he wasn't an important part of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (what will happen to their name?). With another major player in the office gone, what will happen to the functions of their business? Will Don be able to fix these holes that have formed in their business or will he be moving on as if they didn't exist? Next time is the finale, so I'm worried about what bombshell they might drop to leave us with until the next season. I hope that there won't be anything as drastic as another death (or another person leaving the firm), but so far Mad Men has been on point every time this season, so they have the ability to do just that. If anything good can happen before this season ends, I would love to see Don make progress against that letter that has blacklisted him with many businesses. With that, I could just manage to not see the world that Don lives in as so freaking bleak.
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