# Mad-Men: 5.13 "Phantom" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774 "2012-06-11T01:15:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Girl\_Next\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@Girl\_Next\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_Next_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/21 "2012-06-11T06:19:57Z")
I bow to **JpnDude** ’s skills. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/22 "2012-06-11T07:34:22Z")
Carrie Fisher has written in detail about her (completely voluntary) experiences with shock treatments. She’s a huge advocate for it; she says it works through chronic depression like no medication known to science and it’s not painful, but the memory loss (always recent memory) is a major pain in the ass. I wonder if (Rory) really has done this in the past and gotten a sort of electroshock absolution. Pete needs to join the Y and take some boxing lessons. Marie’s comment about Megan having the artistic temperament without the talent: needlessly cruel or concerned criticism? ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/23 "2012-06-11T11:17:48Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > It occurs to me that back in the first episode, Don tells Pete that he’s going to die a mid-level account executive in a little corner office. > > Tonight, Pete of course made a point of telling Don that his new office would have the same view as Don’s. A corner office is better than any other office. It has two walls of windows. Only the most successful executives get one. Don wasn’t telling Pete that he would be unsuccessful. He was telling him that he would be unhappy. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Was that Megan’s friend in the bar at the end? I’m pretty sure they were strangers. Don has just lost his respect for Megan and is going backslide into his philandering ways. > [@Mixolydian](#): > > Funny how quickly the insurance guy figured out that it was Pete who was screwing his wife. Who else would have said what Pete did? He knew his wife had had an affair with someone; that’s apparently part of her pattern. [/QUOTE] > [@alphaboi867](#): > > I wonder if her comment about being owed more than the 50K will come into play next season. It kinda sounded like a threat. I don’t think she meant it literally and it wasn’t a threat. It was face-saving. Remember, she accused Don of leading a man like Lane to dream of success. > [@](#): > > there was no mention about the 50K be borrowed from Chemical Bank either. He didn’t borrow it personally. It was just an extension of their already existing line of credit. There isn’t really going to be anything suspicious about it, especially since the dough is rolling in. > [@](#): > > Trudy’s a bitch and I’ll be happy to see this marriage break down. It really is amazing how oblivious she is to the fact that Pete hates commuting. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Do y’all think Beth really didn’t remember/recognize Pete, or that she was pretending not to? > > I think she was pretending. That would be cheap. I don’t think Weiner would do that. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/24 "2012-06-11T12:30:47Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > After all the bombshells the last two episodes, I wonder if the season finale will be fairly anti-climatic. > > From the last week’s previews it seems like Don will be talking to Rebecca Pryce about Lane’s death. I did think it was anti-climactic. It wrapped up some loose ends but I don’t think it was a great finale. Too much Pete and his housewife crush, too much Roger and Megan’s mom. I did enjoy Don and Rebecca Pryce’s scene, she was one bitter, bitter icicle! I thought for one giddy moment Trudy was going to say to Pete that it was time for them all to move back to Manhattan - which is ridiculous, as she is planning to have a swimming pool put in at her suburban dream house. But she gave her approval for him to get an apartment. Lot of good that’s going to do him now! I did think Don looked like re-warmed crap in most of his scenes, and he should have, because he was in such pain. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/25 "2012-06-11T12:39:41Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I wonder if her comment about being owed more than the 50K will come into play next season. It kinda sounded like a threat. Apparently nobody other than Don knows Lane was embezzaling funds, and there was no mention about the 50K be borrowed from Chemical Bank either. The $50,000 was additional money that Lane contributed to the firm after the loss of Lucky Strike. But what about whatever he contributed to the founding of the firm? Is his wife entitled to his original investment? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/26 "2012-06-11T12:42:58Z")
I was afraid that Roger was going to take LSD and do a Diane Linkletter. And I agree with Madame la Megan: “wah wah wah, I’ve been trying to act for a whole six months and haven’t gotten a job yet.” Toughen up, honey, or find another career. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/27 "2012-06-11T12:46:58Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The $50,000 was additional money that Lane contributed to the firm after the loss of Lucky Strike. But what about whatever he contributed to the founding of the firm? Is his wife entitled to his original investment? There is no way for the audience to know. It depends on how they set up the company. We know that SCDP had six years to pay back the $50k but that Don gave it all back right away. Presumably she doesn’t have any ownership and his stake went to the remaining partners proportionally. It’s surprising to me that she hasn’t left NY and gone back to England. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/28 "2012-06-11T13:16:56Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I did think it was anti-climactic. It wrapped up some loose ends but I don’t think it was a great finale. It was sort of monotone throughout. I think there was one line that made me laugh out loud (Don’s incredulous “We can DO that?” to Pete giving him proxy power for the meeting; you can just imagine these meetings dropping in attendance) and the only moment I felt real tension was Pete visiting the hospital where I assumed he’d be found by the husband. But then the train thing happened anyway. Not much in the ways of peaks and valleys so the end didn’t feel like that much of a pay-off. I liked it but it didn’t compare to the last couple weeks. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/29 "2012-06-11T13:33:04Z")
What was the point of Don’s toothache? When his dead brother appeared after the tooth extraction, I braced myself for a dream sequence–and all I could think was that would have been a waste of air time. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/30 "2012-06-11T13:40:46Z")
I suppose the obvious interpretation is getting rid of something rotten before it kills you (the dentist saying he nearly lost the jaw). He fights and fights getting it done saying it always gets better until finally he has it done. Then he gets Megan the part, new offices for SCDP, Pete gets his apartment, Roger’s off tripping, Peggy gets a trip to VA (which she seems tickled with, dogs aside)… everything’s coming up roses all around. Speaking of, my wife says Don’s gonna cheat in the last scene. I said he’d say he was with someone. Obviously one of us is wrong. But Don’s kept it in his pants all season and seemed once-again smitten when watching the reel. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/31 "2012-06-11T14:00:57Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > But Don’s kept it in his pants all season and seemed once-again smitten when watching the reel. Yeah, but the reel was the idealistic, pure, artistic Megan, not the Megan stooping to a tacky commercial. I agree with whoever said he has lost respect for her. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/32 "2012-06-11T14:08:20Z")
Don’s toothache is manifestation of his psychic pain - Lane’s suicide, and that bringing up a memory of his brother’s suicide after Don rejected him. Peggy is gone. Megan is bound and determined to pursue that career. Maybe guilt facing Rebecca Pryce who slammed the door in his face. Don is hoping that the toothache and his mental distress just goes away, but the tooth has to be extracted, he had to face that fact and take action. As for his inner troubles, that last scene at the bar indicates he is going to make himself feel better by reverting to his old ways, screwing around with strange women - his former way of taking action. He did look just awful in this episode. Still don’t know what the two screwing pooches meant, that Peggy saw. I’ll be reading comments about that hoping someone somewhere will have a good explanation, because nothing is just random on this show. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/33 "2012-06-11T14:08:42Z")
Peggy: “Boy, I have a slim chance of thinking up a new cigarette name here in Virginia.” [looks out window] “_That’s_ it! I’ll call it ‘_Two Dogs Fucking!_’” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/34 "2012-06-11T14:12:12Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Don’s toothache is manifestation of his psychic pain - Lane’s suicide, and that bringing up a memory of his brother’s suicide after Don rejected him. Peggy is gone. Megan is bound and determined to pursue that career. Maybe guilt facing Rebecca Pryce who slammed the door in his face. Don is hoping that the toothache and his mental distress just goes away, but the tooth has to be extracted, he had to face that fact and take action. As for his inner troubles, that last scene at the bar indicates he is going to make himself feel better by reverting to his old ways, screwing around with strange women - his former way of taking action. He did look just awful in this episode. > > Still don’t know what the two screwing pooches meant, that Peggy saw. I’ll be reading comments about that hoping someone somewhere will have a good explanation, because nothing is just random on this show. I think it’s just that she finally got to go on a business trip and it’s not the glamorous thing that she imagined. > [@Eve](#): > > Peggy: “Boy, I have a slim chance of thinking up a new cigarette name here in Virginia.” [looks out window] “_That’s_ it! I’ll call it ‘_Two Dogs Fucking!_’” Bravo! ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/35 "2012-06-11T14:16:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Megan looked prettier in the black and white screen test than she does in color. I thought the exact same thing. I’m not a big fan of plot lines that involve “visions” unless they’re meant to be humorous. So, the dead brother idea gets a thumbs down from me. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/36 "2012-06-11T14:42:20Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I suppose the obvious interpretation is getting rid of something rotten before it kills you (the dentist saying he nearly lost the jaw). He fights and fights getting it done saying it always gets better until finally he has it done. Then he gets Megan the part, new offices for SCDP, Pete gets his apartment, Roger’s off tripping, Peggy gets a trip to VA (which she seems tickled with, dogs aside)… everything’s coming up roses all around. > > Speaking of, my wife says Don’s gonna cheat in the last scene. I said he’d say he was with someone. Obviously one of us is wrong. But Don’s kept it in his pants all season and seemed once-again smitten when watching the reel. I think it’s pretty heavy symbolism for Don to walk away from Megan–dressed like a fairy tale, brightly lit, fawned over by attendants/film crew–into the darkness. The episode, like a lot of this season, touched on interesting subjects and moments but didn’t explore them. This was really Pete and Sally’s season. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/37 "2012-06-11T14:46:30Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Peggy: “Boy, I have a slim chance of thinking up a new cigarette name here in Virginia.” [looks out window] “_That’s_ it! I’ll call it ‘_Two Dogs Fucking!_’” You’ve come a long way, bitch! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/38 "2012-06-11T14:51:46Z")
Oh, now, that’s good about Peggy spotting the dogs, lol! She’s now travelling for her job, riding in an airplane to … well, Virginia. Not Paris! She spots the dogs, rather a mundane and faintly sordid sight, and quickly closes the curtain. There she is in the final shot, happily relaxing in her rather mundane motel room. It ain’t Paris, it lacks glamour, but it’s something! ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/39 "2012-06-11T15:35:19Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Trudy’s a bitch and I’ll be happy to see [her marriage with Pete] break down. I know I’ve missed some episodes; how is Trudy a bitch? I remember thinking as I watched the episode that she is far, far too good for Pete. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774/40 "2012-06-11T15:39:05Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Oh, now, that’s good about Peggy spotting the dogs, lol! She’s now travelling for her job, riding in an airplane to … well, Virginia. Not Paris! She spots the dogs, rather a mundane and faintly sordid sight, and quickly closes the curtain. There she is in the final shot, happily relaxing in her rather mundane motel room. It ain’t Paris, it lacks glamour, but it’s something! I was Peggy’s age when I first traveled for business. This was ~1976, and I flew almost exclusively on Southwest Airlines, or [“hot pants airlines,”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGYQEcR0beM) as it was known then. It was a heady experience, even if you were staying in a crummy motel. To me the epitome of being grown up was coming off the airplane with no one there to meet me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-13-phantom-open-spoilers/624774.md?page=3)