# Mad-Men: 5.07 "At the Codfish Ball" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380 "2012-04-30T01:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [April 30, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/1 "2012-04-30T01:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=AMC] Don, Roger, and Pete team up to rustle up some new clients. [/QUOTE] Let’s see Roger & Jane are splitting, Don & Megan just had a major fight, and Peggy’s giving handjobs to random strangers at matinees. I wonder if they’ll be any fallout from the incident with Heinz. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/2 "2012-04-30T02:03:26Z")
OK, that was fucking hilarious! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/3 "2012-04-30T03:14:05Z")
Watching Roger with Sally was fantastic. Those two should go on the road. And I loved his crack about Dow Chemical and napalm. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/4 "2012-04-30T03:15:18Z")
Who plays Megan’s mother, Marie Calvet? She’s not listed on IMDB, either for this episode or in the general comprehensive cast list. She looks SO familiar. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/5 "2012-04-30T03:24:47Z")
Julia Ormond, who seemed to be a little too young to be Megan’s mother. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/6 "2012-04-30T03:36:55Z")
Megan did mention that her mother has excellent skin in the episode where Faye gives the skin cream focus group. I thought the episode was a bit uneven - I thought the whole thing with Megan being the one to finally impress the Heinz guy was boring, and I _like_ Megan - but the good parts were really good. Everything having to do with Sally was fantastic, especially her interaction with Roger. And speaking of Roger, he was very fun to watch this episode; it’s really nice to be rid of sad sack Roger. I loved Peggy and Joan’s interactions, and I loved Peggy’s response to Abe’s non-proposal. One question - where was Glenn? A summer camp? It looked awful. And at the end, was he wearing _just_ a winter coat? Buh? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/7 "2012-04-30T03:47:08Z")
I thought this was the best episode of the season. Nice to get back to the advertising and the related psychology, and to see the changing times illuminated with the “living in sin” reaction. I loved Pete’s demonstration of what he does as an account man. Glenn seemed to be at boarding school. Sally’s phone call got him out of bed so he threw on his coat. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/8 "2012-04-30T03:48:48Z")
Julia Ormond was fantastic as Megan mother, she and Slattery sparkled together. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/9 "2012-04-30T06:05:50Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > Julia Ormond was fantastic as Megan mother, she and Slattery sparkled together. Yup. This episode was a ton of fun. Napalm. I can’t believe Roger got a beej from Megan’s mom. I knew they would hook up, but that’s somehow worse. re: shacking up and the times: I got it much worse from my parents in the early 2000s, and I was only shacked up AFTER the proposal. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/10 "2012-04-30T07:58:57Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > Julia Ormond was fantastic as Megan mother, she and Slattery sparkled together. ## The scene where Sally caught them sparkling made me feel so sorry for her. I couldn’t tell, though, if it was just the horror of catching two adults in the act, or if she was jealous at Marie for stealing her date. (Obviously I don’t think she sees Roger as an actual boyfriend, but it’s not uncommon for young girls to develop crushes and Roger is charming and attractive in a way.) ## The last scene of the two couples and Sally “alone together” reminded me of a grouping for an Edward Hopper painting. Perhaps they stopped off for a [late night snack](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Nighthawks.jpg) on the way home. ## I loved all the cigarettes going at the cancer banquet. Whatever intellectual accolades he may have earned, Megan’s father is a first order bitter old horse’s ass. I’ve known several academics who have aspects of that scoffing at everybody who is more successful than he is in some way (financially in Don’s case) as if anything involving money is automatically degrading. (Her father reminded me of a particular professor I used to know who was paid a WELL above average salary (probably around $85k or so in 2012 money) yet talked like he was in poverty, was of course disdainful of anybody wealthy (they were automatically his moral and intellectual inferior) while his own lifestyle by his house and his car was among the most bourgeois people imaginable.) ---
**Author:** ![norvalnormal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@norvalnormal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norvalnormal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/11 "2012-04-30T13:08:26Z")
What was Sally doing with the fish on her plate after Roger left the table? There was something she had hidden beneath it? (“rewound” but for the life of me could not figure out) ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/12 "2012-04-30T13:18:30Z")
> [@norvalnormal](#): > > What was Sally doing with the fish on her plate after Roger left the table? There was something she had hidden beneath it? (“rewound” but for the life of me could not figure out) I think it had something to do with the fact that earlier in the episode, they said that Sally didn’t eat fish, and they made the kids pasta for dinner. But here she was, all dressed up at a ball and she tried fish; she is becoming a grown up. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/13 "2012-04-30T13:33:16Z")
I enjoyed the contrast Don receiving an award from the old boys club for his empty gesture towards big tobacco, while it was the women in the episode who were the real movers and shakers. The men were outmaneuvered all episode. Megan came up with the idea and saved the day with Heinz while letting Don take the credit with the chauvinist; the Heinz guy’s wife gave Megan the heads up, in defiance of her husband who was shafting the agency; Sally didn’t get to wear the make up or the go go boots, but she did get to go to the dinner wearing the minidress Megan bought; Peggy stood up against her mother and the convention of marriage. Most compelling were the supportive gestures from Joan to Peggy and then Peggy to Megan. Solidarity was a key ingredient in the advancement of feminism after all. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/14 "2012-04-30T13:53:21Z")
I found it kind of ridiculous that Roger was getting his bj behind an unlocked door in this big room sitting in a chair right on the center of the room. In reality they would have been a lot more discreet. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/15 "2012-04-30T14:00:43Z")
What is Megan’s secret mission in New York, that Papá scolded her for avoiding? Anachronistic dialogue: Don: “You guys are going to be en charette on Heinz.” Joan: “It is what it is.” And how is Sally getting away with LONG DISTANCE phone calls to Glenn? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/16 "2012-04-30T14:46:32Z")
Re Sally seeing Roger and (Step)Grandma: I think her reaction was pure shock, disillusionment, and probably revulsion. Like she said to Glenn when he asked how’s the city, “Dirty.” She already believes adults are sick and disgusting, and this confirmed it. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/17 "2012-04-30T14:50:15Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > What is Megan’s secret mission in New York, that Papá scolded her for avoiding? I assumed her acting career. She mentioned being a (failed) actress during Don’s birthday party before going to work at an ad agency because it looked interested the items she was exposed to it during her acting career. Agree that Sally was let down because Roger was making her feel all grown up with his banter towards her. He went from being Sally’s date to getting a blowjob from Sally’s step-grandmother in a half second. Note that she allowed the waiter to take her untouched Shirley Temple (given by Roger) when she returned to the table. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/18 "2012-04-30T14:51:18Z")
The hilarious final bit of Sally saying that the city was “Dirty” inspired Alan Sepinwall to start his first Tumblr. It’s a Mad Men/Watchmen mash-up called [Who Watches the Mad Men?](http://whowatchesthemadmen.tumblr.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/19 "2012-04-30T15:08:02Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Re Sally seeing Roger and (Step)Grandma: I think her reaction was pure shock, disillusionment, and probably revulsion. Like she said to Glenn when he asked how’s the city, “Dirty.” She already believes adults are sick and disgusting, and this confirmed it. It just occurred that Sally had two big adventures with two step grandmas who could hardly be more different (her stepfather’s mother and her stepmother’s mother). ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380/20 "2012-04-30T16:06:12Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > The hilarious final bit of Sally saying that the city was “Dirty” inspired Alan Sepinwall to start his first Tumblr. It’s a Mad Men/Watchmen mash-up called [Who Watches the Mad Men?](http://whowatchesthemadmen.tumblr.com/) I didn’t think Sally saying the city was ‘dirty’ was hilarious at all. There was a hint of genuine sorrow and disillusionment in her voice. I felt sorry for her, after having to see that grossness. She had, earlier, so enjoyed being at the dinner, feeling grownup, learning how to act less of a child. All part of the dismantling of one’s childhood innocence. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-07-at-the-codfish-ball-open-spoilers/620380.md?page=2)