# Mad-Men: 4.08 "The Summer Man" (open spoiler) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550 "2010-09-13T01:08:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/102 "2010-09-14T14:37:23Z")
Other than getting out of the military early (which was, admittedly, very major) Dick has done little as Don Draper that couldn’t have been accomplished as a name change. When asked about his past he talks about his own (Dick Whitman’s midwestern farm upbringing) and the same with military experience, he never tried to profit in any way from Draper’s family or achievements, and everything in his rise from salesman to ad exec and partner was accomplished 100% on his own merits. If he was publicly exposed as Dick Whitman by somebody who was really vindictive (not like Pete did to “we are not amused or concerned” Burt Cooper but in a newspaper let’s say), would Don be in any great trouble other than embarrassment? Is there a statute of limitations on desertion from the military (remembering Korea was not a war if it’s relevant)? Or for identity theft if the next of kin of the person you’re impersonating has given you her blessing? I’m guessing a good lawyer could get him off by claiming temporary amnesia or other injury related to the accident that killed the real Draper, but just curious if it would be likely to be prosecuted in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/103 "2010-09-14T14:42:36Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > would Don be in any great trouble other than embarrassment? Is there a statute of limitations on desertion from the military (remembering Korea was not a war if it’s relevant)? I think there’s no statute of limitations for desertion, and for purposes of prosecution, it doesn’t matter whether there has been an actual declaration of war. > [@](#): > > Or for identity theft if the next of kin of the person you’re impersonating has given you her blessing? Identity theft requires you to be stealing something or defrauding someone. Someone would have to step forward and say they’ve been defrauded by Whitman’s assumption of the Draper identity. Or if Don accepted some benefit fraudulently. I’m guessing he must have got some kind of G.I. benefit that Draper would have received. > [@](#): > > I’m guessing a good lawyer could get him off by claiming temporary amnesia or other injury related to the accident that killed the real Draper, but just curious if it would be likely to be prosecuted in the first place. I would think that the desertion would very likely be prosecuted. And “temporary amnesia” wouldn’t hold up when someone is carrying on for several years. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/104 "2010-09-14T14:57:32Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I don’t get so many roll eyes at the diary. It’s totally realistic for a person to start a journal or diary when they are turning, or trying to turn over, a new leaf or change behaviors. It’s so common IRL it’s almost cliche. “Journal” thoughts are not like out loud thoughts, they are often far more philosophical, introspective and musing of what might have been. I have no problem with him attempting to write a diary, my problem was with the voice-over. It was kinda corny and also, vaguely broke the fourth wall imho. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/105 "2010-09-14T15:09:38Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m guessing a good lawyer could get him off by claiming temporary amnesia or other injury related to the accident that killed the real Draper, but just curious if it would be likely to be prosecuted in the first place. Absolutely no question this would be prosecuted. The military has no sense of humor about this. It was in a combat situation, too. With a new war looming, they would make him a public example and ask for maximum jail time. There is also a well known[media case](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Flytrap_%28WKRP_in_Cincinnati%29). > [@](#): > > “Venus Flytrap” is the pseudonym used by disc jockey Gordon Sims, the evening DJ at the radio station WKRP. His real name is not revealed until late in the show’s first season. The background of his character is complicated, but can be pieced together from various episodes. > > Gordon Sims is from New Orleans. His parents were divorced and his grandmother raised him. At the age of 22, he was drafted into the U. S. Army and served in the Vietnam War. After seeing another soldier called Weird Larry go crazy and commit suicide, Gordon had enough of the war and deserted (with only a month remaining on his tour of duty and declining combat at the time); he spent the next several years hiding out under assumed names, which explains why most of his colleagues at WKRP didn’t know his real name at first. While he was on the lam, Gordon became a New Orleans schoolteacher and worked part-time as a disc jockey under the name “The Duke of Funk.” He became frustrated with his inability to reach his students (whom he described as “hoodlums”) and quit. > > Eventually, Venus turned himself in to military officials at the urging of Mr. Carlson; as he only had a month left when he deserted, Venus was given a general discharge and served out his remaining month, in the words of Andy Travis, “peeling potatoes.” Draper would not peel potatoes, unless assigned to the prison kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/106 "2010-09-14T16:13:20Z")
The diary wasn’t much narration was it? Maybe I should rewatch, it all seemed sort of vague philosphical musings. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/107 "2010-09-14T16:17:37Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > The diary wasn’t much narration was it? Maybe I should rewatch, it all seemed sort of vague philosphical musings. I wouldn’t call it narration at all. Don was not telling the story of the episode; his diary musings did not comment on anything in the plot. They were only revelations of his character and his isolation. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/108 "2010-09-14T17:33:01Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Someone on the writing staff is a swimmer, for sure. What Don was doing and describing was _very_ familiar – particularly the “I’m not swimming fast until the hotshot in the next lane tries to pass” thing. > > Actually, this whole episode was full of good stuff… even _with_ the irritation of Betty. Don looking to get his groove back. Peggy feeling her oats. Only Joan’s plot was a downer. Hah! I’m late to the party, having just seen it last night, but I kept thinking they should’ve called this episode: “How Don Got His Groove Back.” Great episode. Such terrific writing and acting. Loved it. The thing about this show is that they have so much more potential to tap into as they progress through the 60s. They’re only in, what, 1965? Things didn’t realy start shaking up until 1967. Yeah baby! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/109 "2010-09-14T19:26:33Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] The thing about this show is that they have so much more potential to tap into as they progress through the 60s. They’re only in, what, 1965? Things didn’t realy start shaking up until 1967. Yeah baby! [/QUOTE] So do you think that in the Summer of Love Don Draper- who’ll be roughly 40ish- would more likely be a Roger Sterling (i.e. still chasing skirts and loving good times but in business suits and Cadillacs) or a middle aged guy in Nehru jacket and love beads? Or, third option, married to a second wife and living in the suburbs again, this time for keeps? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/110 "2010-09-14T19:32:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Identity theft requires you to be stealing something or defrauding someone. Someone would have to step forward and say they’ve been defrauded by Whitman’s assumption of the Draper identity. Or if Don accepted some benefit fraudulently. I’m guessing he must have got some kind of G.I. benefit that Draper would have received. I doubt Don accepted any benefits beyond Mustering Out Pay. (Besides getting out of Korea early, that is.) Benefits were not just handed out as you got off the boat (or plane.) No, he went off to start a new life as a New Don Draper. I received education benefits because of the circumstances of my father’s death. Mom had to supply reams of paperwork; I had to appear at a government office & take tests. Real Don Draper’s education was paid for by ROTC, so it was part of his GI record. If Don had tried to go to school on the GI Bill, they might have recommended Grad School to build on his Engineering Degree but wondered why he wanted to start all over with some kind of 4-year Liberal Arts crap. Increased time in government offices would have been dangerous for him. If Don had stayed in Korea & survived, he would have qualified for that education & been eligible for other benefits. There was no reason he ever had to return to Podunkville. Did he ever regret that one foolish act? Probably. But he couldn’t just call the government & say “Oops, I screwed up. My Bad!” Because he was guilty of Desertion. Just not of Identity Theft–because he made things right with Original Don Draper’s widow. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/111 "2010-09-14T23:13:48Z")
I can picture any other man on the show in a nehru jacket and love beads, but not Don. (and having a hard time picturing stuffy Pete, too). ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/112 "2010-09-14T23:18:37Z")
What if it was a grey flannel nehru jacket? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/113 "2010-09-14T23:21:16Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > What if it was a grey flannel nehru jacket? 😛 and sandals with Gold Toe socks. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/114 "2010-09-14T23:35:11Z")
Do I have my seasons mixed up? I remember Joan was at the doctor earlier this season (I’m almost positive) and it was confirmed she was pregnant, by Greg, despite two abortions. What the hell happened to that story line?! What did I miss? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/115 "2010-09-14T23:37:14Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [QUOTE=John Mace] > The thing about this show is that they have so much more potential to tap into as they progress through the 60s. They’re only in, what, 1965? Things didn’t realy start shaking up until 1967. Yeah baby! So do you think that in the Summer of Love Don Draper- who’ll be roughly 40ish- would more likely be a Roger Sterling (i.e. still chasing skirts and loving good times but in business suits and Cadillacs) or a middle aged guy in Nehru jacket and love beads? Or, third option, married to a second wife and living in the suburbs again, this time for keeps? [/QUOTE] Well, he already smoked pot, and had a beatnik/hippie girlfriend, so who knows. Not likely, but they may bring her back and give Don a little bit of a double life-- corporate conservative by day, free spirit hipster by night! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/116 "2010-09-15T00:06:34Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > Do I have my seasons mixed up? > > I remember Joan was at the doctor earlier this season (I’m almost positive) and it was confirmed she was pregnant, by Greg, despite two abortions. > > What the hell happened to that story line?! > > What did I miss? I don’t recall her being pregnant, just that she was still capable of becoming pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/117 "2010-09-15T02:01:33Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > …I remember Joan was at the doctor earlier this season (I’m almost positive) and it was confirmed she was pregnant, by Greg, despite two abortions… Joan’s gone off the pill and her gynecologist (not Greg) told her that despite two abortions he didn’t detect anything wrong and see no reason why she can’t _get_ pregnant in the future. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/118 "2010-09-15T13:54:44Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > > [@kevja](#): > > > > Do I have my seasons mixed up? > > > > I remember Joan was at the doctor earlier this season (I’m almost positive) and it was confirmed she was pregnant, by Greg, despite two abortions. > > > > What the hell happened to that story line?! > > > > What did I miss? > > I don’t recall her being pregnant, just that she was still capable of becoming pregnant. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/119 "2010-09-16T09:10:40Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > > [@LawMonkey](#): > > > > At one of the [open discussions](http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/09/13/mad-men-a-conversation-season-4-episode-8/) I’ve been following this season (and to be honest, one of the more disappointing/less insightful ones), someone mentioned something about “the symbolism of the vending machine.” Aside from serving as a bit of a MacGuffin-like plot driver, and illustrating that SDCP is still counting every penny, I can’t see much in the way of symbolism. Anyone want to help me out? > > It struck me as an omen of the beginning of the end for the three martini lunch. Now, of course the secretaries can’t get away with those long lunches out of the office, but it does remind me of the policies of a lot of modern business, essentially “eat your shit and get back to work, cog”. It could represent a lot of things. It seems to be a novelty to the creative bullpen, a prop in their clown act. To Lane it means efficiency and profit. To Joan, it means frustration, possibly the specific frustrations that accompany technology. Frustration was a theme for this episode, tagged early with the Stones song. Don can’t drink as much as he would like but can’t say no as much as he thinks he should. Peggy’s almost always frustrated by something or someone, this time out it’s the boys who will be boys, Joan’s reaction, and a Life Savers shortage. Pete makes a brief appearance to say he’s suffered callus interuptus-- related to the vending machine antics, I’ll note. Joan’s stuck being responsible for a piece of technology she’s really not interested in and has only the most basic knowledge about. Peggy comes to her for help and Joan has to ask the sort of questions that’ll be familiar to anybody stuck with similar responsibilities. Was the exact change light on? Did you try putting in another coin? Did you call the help desk? Is this really worth it? Did you check your inbox? Are macros enabled? Did you try not being stupid? To some extent I blame her for her situation. She enjoyed doing the script work and did it well, but didn’t stick up for herself. She drank the marital and career kool aid-- actually wanted what was expected of her-- now she’s unhappy. Part of Joan’s unhappiness stems from her egregious (her word for it) failure to accept responsibility, a trait she shares with Betty. The vending machine also steals. So, uh, there’s that, too. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/120 "2010-09-16T15:53:08Z")
Is Trudy the only happily married woman on the show? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550/121 "2010-09-16T15:59:22Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Is Trudy the only happily married woman on the show? Roger’s wife, perhaps. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-08-the-summer-man-open-spoiler/553550.md?page=7)