# Mad-Men: 7.08 "Severance" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920 "2015-04-05T22:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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 8, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/61 "2015-04-08T01:14:45Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Hells yes, on all points. I can’t think of anyone more suited to play DD than Jon Hamm. He’s cute when he’s on SNL or giving interviews or even his small part (Jon Hamm, small part: this does not compute) in _Bridesmaids_ but as Don Draper, holy crap. That first scene was indeed salacious and I ate it up. I KNEW I liked you! (And not just your screen name. 😉 ) On _30Rock_ he plays this goofball sort-of boyfriend of Liz Lemon and it’s just…icky. And have you see that [picture](http://thecommittedindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/jon_hamm_emmys_p_2013.jpg)of him with fluffy hair and a full beard? I adore facial hair, but not on Don Draper. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/62 "2015-04-08T03:56:27Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I was talking about this with a girlfriend (in my age group) last night and we said there isn’t one guy on the program that we would even be interested in having coffee with. \ Even Stan Rizzo and his luxurious beard? ---
**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 8, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/63 "2015-04-08T13:45:09Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Even Stan Rizzo and his luxurious beard? Appearance doesn’t get my attention. Beard-no beard, bald-full head of hair, short-tall, fat-thin–none of that is on my radar. There’s no guy on the show with a \*personality \*I’d like to spend time getting to know. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/64 "2015-04-08T17:37:58Z")
As to the waitress. Played by [Elizabeth Reaser](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0714147/). Not that good of an actress IMHO. She appears after Don tells a presumably made-up story from his childhood. His real childhood stories would have involved prostitutes and drunks. Given his “type” and the timing, I suspect there is a certain lady of the night in his past that he is trying to find (as opposed to Rachel). I think, though, that the Hershey bar hooker was a blonde, right? In the “previously” segment, the woman on the train giving Don advice seems to fit into this mold. Missed Woodstock, Manson murders, the Miracle Mets (remember all the Mets references from earlier?), etc. Why? Next up: Nixon invading Cambodia, massive student protests, Kent State, Jackson State, etc. The last of the Beatles. If they reach September, the Chevy Vega and Ford Pinto are released. Something of interest to the agency. (Note that [earlier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Health_Cigarette_Smoking_Act) in April, Nixon signed a major anti-smoking bill into law. Don presumably approved.) Peggy giving Joan advice on dressing in the office. Peggy can really hold a grudge, can’t she? The end of the scene with Joan buying the crappy clothes where the clerk brings up her former employment was nice. I don’t see the Peggy, new guy, can’t go to Paris thing as really upbeat. She’s not happy, she’s desperate and her foolish plan got trashed. Plus she has a mutha of a hangover, much to Stan’s delight. Too little of Ray Wise. Ted’s still a whiny jerk. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/65 "2015-04-08T18:24:34Z")
Does anyone know who played the first mink coat model? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/66 "2015-04-08T19:38:13Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Does anyone know who played the first mink coat model? This was in the Atlantic’s [recap](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/04/mad-men-the-beginning-of-the-end/389670/): > [@](#): > > (Trivia: The model auditioning for the part in the episode’s opening scene was played by the country singer Rainey Qualley, daughter to Andie MacDowell and sister to The Leftovers’ Margaret Qualley.) ---
**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:** [April 8, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/67 "2015-04-08T20:02:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > This was in the Atlantic’s [recap](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/04/mad-men-the-beginning-of-the-end/389670/): Thanks. I looked at her scant career on IMDb. You’re telling me that being drop-dead gorgeous and the daughter of a movie star doesn’t get you anywhere in Hollywood these days? My ideals have been betrayed! ---
**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 8, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/68 "2015-04-08T20:20:48Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Don tells a presumably made-up story from his childhood. His real childhood stories would have involved prostitutes and drunks. I don’t think it was made up. He says it happened to his aunt and uncle (without mentioning that they were raising him) and calls the brothel a “boarding house” (which was probably it’s quasi-legitimate cover). It’s essentially a cleaned up version of something that probably did happen. > [@](#): > > The end of the scene with Joan buying the crappy clothes where the clerk brings up her former employment was nice. Were they crappy? I assumed that it was a high-end clothing store. Pete sees Joan there when the one maid (nanny?) ruins her employer’s dress and goes to replace it. Pete presses the fact that he had replaced a (presumably expensive) dress when he forces the maid to sleep with him. Had the dress been a cheap crappy thing, I can’t where that would have worked. ---
**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 8, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/69 "2015-04-08T20:28:23Z")
According to the Atlantic recap, Joan worked for Bonwit Teller, a high end department store. ---
**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 8, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/70 "2015-04-08T21:47:33Z")
Yeah, those weren’t crappy clothes. Joan wouldn’t buy crappy clothes. And take it from any woman in the throes of Retail Therapy: crappy clothes have no medicinal effect. 😉 ---
**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:** [April 9, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/71 "2015-04-09T00:06:37Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > It was amusing that the audience is put in the position of sympathizing with Cosgrove, when he’s being fired in large part because of his class and ethnic prejudices toward the people at McCann. Is that what happened? I don’t recall any of it. Can anyone fill me in? > [@John\_Mace](#): > > [This](https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0SO80tS1CJVu_QAUbhXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzYTJnMG0zBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDVklQNjA2XzEEc2VjA3Nj?p=Paul+Newman+In+the+Sting&fr=ymyy-t-500) is the type of mustache Roger would have had. > . Roger in 1970 should have a moustache that Paul Newman wore to portray a character in the 1920s? ---
**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 9, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/72 "2015-04-09T00:19:39Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Is that what happened? I don’t recall any of it. Can anyone fill me in? The conversation was something like (paraphrased from memory): Ken: “I was part of the merger, I came with the furniture! You can’t blame me for walking! Everyone does that!” McCann Guy: “They don’t walk with $40 million in Birds Eye” Ken: “Of course they do” McCann Guy: “Well, they don’t go around calling the company they worked with [black Irish thugs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_people#Black_Irish)!” Ken (to Roger): “It’s true… look at him!” Ken also explains to Pete that he didn’t fit in at McCann because ““I’m not Irish. I’m not Catholic. And I can read.” The Wall Street Journal [has a little column](http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/04/06/mccann-mad-men-portrayal/) about the real life McCann advertising firm taking their fairly negative portrayal in last week’s episode in good stride. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/73 "2015-04-09T00:54:45Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Yeah, those weren’t crappy clothes. Joan wouldn’t buy crappy clothes. And take it from any woman in the throes of Retail Therapy: crappy clothes have no medicinal effect. 😉 Right. It was an Oscar de la Renta dress with pearl trim, and marabou cuffs. The very opposite of crappy. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/74 "2015-04-09T03:08:06Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The Wall Street Journal [has a little column](http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/04/06/mccann-mad-men-portrayal/) about the real life McCann advertising firm taking their fairly negative portrayal in last week’s episode in good stride. The comments have a woman saying that the sexual harassment was absolutely real and was applied to her daily and a man saying that it didn’t happen because he didn’t see it. Hmmm. Who to believe? ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/75 "2015-04-09T14:57:22Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Right. It was an Oscar de la Renta dress with pearl trim, and marabou cuffs. The very opposite of crappy. Except that Joan pointed out it was the same dress as the less-expensive one of a different color, which is why the sales attendant commented “Don’t tell Oscar de la Renta that.” Nonetheless, she bought the expensive version. Her goal wasn’t to look good; the identical dress could’ve done the same for her. She wanted to be wearing _Oscar de la Renta_. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/76 "2015-04-09T18:04:11Z")
I _know_ they were expensive. They are crappy in the sense of appearance. Ugh city. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/77 "2015-04-09T18:31:11Z")
Hey, it was 1970. Good taste had been in a coma for at least 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/78 "2015-04-10T16:49:39Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Hey, it was 1970. Good taste had been in a coma for at least 15 years. Not on _Mad Men_. People devote their lives to drooling over the clothing. Peggy excepted, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Enigma42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/87869e/32.png) [@Enigma42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enigma42)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/79 "2015-04-10T21:35:14Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > This comes pretty close to what I was trying to put my finger on in the my previous post. Perhaps someone more versed in production can help to dissect it, but it almost felt like it was filmed or lighted differently(?) It actually did look to me to be dimmer than usual in many scenes. I wasn’t sure though, thinking perhaps my monitor was to blame. Also, did anyone else think that the reveal of Ken’s revenge could have been more effective? I think it would have been better both from a standpoint of his character and for the audience if it had been left as more of a surprise. I envision it as going like this: Ken still surprises Roger and Pete at their meeting, but he tells them he is still looking at his options and he will reluctantly accept the severance package. Then he tells them in a very over-the-top way how much it has been a pleasure working with them, he wishes them the best, maybe they’ll run into each other again sometime. . . Really playing it up, in other words (not that those two could be expected to actually feel guilty about firing him). Now, in the next episode: Roger, Pete, maybe the guy from Mcann whose name I forget, plus whoever else would be expected to be in the meeting get called into to Dow to meet the new advertising guy who will be handling their work. While they are waiting to go into the meeting, Ken sees them and feigns surprise. He goes over and chats with them for a moment and let’s them know he has found a position at Dow. He leaves, telling them that he has to get ready for the meeting and, “See you in there. . .” Roger, Pete, etc. are non-plussed but dismissive, pitying him for having to stoop to exploiting his family connections to get a new job. Then, inside the conference room, Ken strides confidently in and it is immediately apparent that he’s the one running the meeting as the other folks at Dow defer to him. It is at this point that he says, “Won’t it be nice working together again? But I have to warn you that I’m very hard to please.” End scene on a close-up of Ken’s wide grin and then Roger and Pete looking at each other with unspoken dread. Ken had an almost manic sort of energy in parts of this episode, and in the above scenario, it would have played with the audience expectations a bit. It could give the impression initially that he is going to do something rash or dangerous, only to reveal his maneuver later. Obviously, he is doing this purely for revenge and not out of his own best interest anyway. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920/80 "2015-04-10T22:47:02Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > According to the Atlantic recap, Joan worked for Bonwit Teller, a high end department store. Some years ago the mall here had a Bonwit Teller, and OMG :eek: what a gorgeous little department store, like a gigantic jewel box. Chandeliers, Italianate murals painted on stucco walls as you wound your way through, little pieces of painted, gilded furniture for sale scattered here and there. Jewelry, silk scarves, beautiful ladies suits and dresses and shoes, all in the BEST of taste. It closed. An H&M with their cheap (looking. not pricewise, cheap looking) sleazy rags moved in. The beautiful murals were covered with drywall painted flat purple or white, with flatscreen TVs showing rap videos stuck up on them. The arrival of the shit emporium was a very big deal, - huzzah! though today they’re still there, barely, knocked down from two enormous stores to one small, drab one. … Going from Bonwit Teller to H&M was like going from…oh, having a peacock out in your garden to… a dirty chicken scratching around out in the yard. A real shame. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-7-08-severance-open-spoilers/716920.md?page=5)