# Mad Men - "Shut the door. Have a seat." - (Spoilers after airing) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 8, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852 "2009-11-08T23:14:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/141 "2009-11-10T12:19:30Z")
As to stealing company files and taking clients: doesn’t the client own all items relating to them? For instance, if a client decided one day to switch firms, couldn’t they demand all material relating to their project (so long as they are paid up with the firm)? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/142 "2009-11-10T15:12:31Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Trudy is growing as a character and growing on me a little. Me, too. It’s surprising to see that she and Pete actually make a good couple now that they’ve come to terms on the baby issue. There’s an obvious affection between them that wasn’t there in the earlier seasons. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t buy Peggy agreeing to follow Don to the new agency, even though she’s my favorite character and the interactions between the two of them are the best part of the series. Moreover, not only did I understand the reasoning behind her initial refusal, I _agreed_ with it. When she told Don off I was cheering. I think she took a step backward in joining the new agency. I’m glad that Peggy joined the new agency because I love to see her interact with Don, Pete and Joan, but I agree she probably shouldn’t have. I absolutely agreed with her initial refusal, and I think she changed her mind because of her emotional ties to Don, not because that was the most rational decision. I thought she would talk to Duck about that position at Grey. But at least she’s demanding the respect and independence she deserves. Her matter-of-fact “No” when Roger asked her to get him coffee was a high point in the show. More than any other character in the show, Peggy has really grown and changed. ---
**Author:** ![Dorothea\_Book](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dorothea\_Book](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorothea_Book)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/143 "2009-11-10T15:20:08Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I’m glad that Peggy joined the new agency because I love to see her interact with Don, Pete and Joan, but I agree she probably shouldn’t have. I absolutely agreed with her initial refusal, and I think she changed her mind because of her emotional ties to Don, not because that was the most rational decision. I thought she would talk to Duck about that position at Grey. But at least she’s demanding the respect and independence she deserves. Her matter-of-fact “No” when Roger asked her to get him coffee was a high point in the show. More than any other character in the show, Peggy has really grown and changed. I dunno, **Weird One** , I think she made the right move. Don has a proven track record of promoting women rather than blowing them off (as was done to Joan by Harry even though it should have been clear that she was doing a great job with the TV accounts). Duck is a bit of a loser–maybe his position at Grey will turn out to be as short-lived as his connections at American Airlines. Don is the more talented and strategic of the two. From a purely instrumental point of view, Peggy can make as much hay out of the emotional connection as Don can. As she well knows he is a man with many secrets and no friends; and he trusts her. And though Peggy isn’t purely an instrumentalist she is someone who is learning how to balance these ends against her nobler sentiments. For these two it’s a marriage made in heaven–probably the only kind of marriage Don is capable of understanding and the kind that Peggy, to succeed in a man’s world, can and should value. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/144 "2009-11-10T15:45:31Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > My favorite line was, of course, Roger’s. > > “We’ve got tea!” He had some great lines, including: “So that’s it- December 13, 1963, four guys shot themselves in the leg.” Big props to Peggy for her reaction to Don’s “Peggy- in my office!” Don: “I’m not going to beg you.” Peggy: “You haven’t even asked me.” ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/145 "2009-11-10T16:01:26Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m just wondering if Cooper/Sterling/Draper still benefit from the purchase of PPL. No, but they wouldn’t anyway, because none of them had any interest in PPL. When PPL acquired Sterling Cooper, all of the Sterling Cooper owners got cash…none of them got any PPL ownership. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/146 "2009-11-10T17:23:58Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > And there was no such thing as an “Executive Suite” where you could just set up a business in a day. Main unmentioned problem with the hotel is that I can’t see them getting a direct line into their suite at that short of notice. Any incoming calls would have to route through the hotel switchboards. Joan mentioned they were installing several more phone lines, so maybe not routed through the switchboard since the hotel obviously knew what was going on. However, it was Joan’s comment that she didn’t want clients brought back to the “office”, nor meetings held in the hotel, that makes me think they’re hiding out and don’t want to be found. Maybe until all the repercussions fall out. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/147 "2009-11-10T17:30:16Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Joan mentioned they were installing several more phone lines, so maybe not routed through the switchboard since the hotel obviously knew what was going on. > > However, it was Joan’s comment that she didn’t want clients brought back to the “office”, nor meetings held in the hotel, that makes me think they’re hiding out and don’t want to be found. Maybe until all the repercussions fall out. It could be much simpler than that. The hotel room is far too small to accommodate both client meetings and working ad-men. How are Pete and Roger supposed to schmooze while Don & Peggy are creating? ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/148 "2009-11-10T17:42:16Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > However, it was Joan’s comment that she didn’t want clients brought back to the “office”, nor meetings held in the hotel, that makes me think they’re hiding out and don’t want to be found. Maybe until all the repercussions fall out. I just took it to mean that it’s hard to be taken seriously as a multi-million dollar ad agency when you’re operating shoulder to shoulder out of a hotel room. Especially when their entire client portfolio right now is people who knew them from the spacious offices of Sterling Cooper. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/149 "2009-11-10T19:07:57Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I just took it to mean that it’s hard to be taken seriously as a multi-million dollar ad agency when you’re operating shoulder to shoulder out of a hotel room. Especially when their entire client portfolio right now is people who knew them from the spacious offices of Sterling Cooper. That was my interpretation as well. I remember one of the 4 new partners saying something about how they had to execute it so that there was no apparent interruption in service as far as the clients were concerned (or something like that). Part of that is not revealing how shoestring-ish the whole operation is. Clients want to have confidence in their ad agency. The clients might have no issue with a smaller and less luxe office, especially if they spun it as “temporary offices” or something. But an office where the art department gets the bed and accounts gets half a desk? Nuh-uh. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/150 "2009-11-10T19:25:07Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It could be much simpler than that. The hotel room is far too small to accommodate both client meetings and working ad-men. How are Pete and Roger supposed to schmooze while Don & Peggy are creating? That’s what I thought too. This all demonstates just how vaulable Joan is. I doubt any of them even have a clue how to go about getting an functional office set up from scratch or how to rent officespace or equipment. Hell they probally aren’t even sure how to properly evaluate a potential office manager on their own. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/151 "2009-11-10T19:45:37Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > That’s what I thought too. This all demonstates just how vaulable Joan is. I doubt any of them even have a clue how to go about getting an functional office set up from scratch or how to rent officespace or equipment. Hell they probally aren’t even sure how to properly evaluate a potential office manager on their own. Fortunately, I think that Don, Roger, & Bert all appreciate the single most important thing about running the new agency. If Joan says to do something, they should do it. Pete & Beardface may be a different story; and I’m not sure about Lane and Peggy. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/152 "2009-11-10T19:52:47Z")
I think Pete and Trudy get along now because Trudy has accepted that Pete is the only child she’ll have :), especially after he begged her to stick around to prevent himself from raping the next-door nanny. I can imagine that Joan was able to finagle at least one main line into the hotel room- was I the only one that got off the couch and cheered when Roger said “I have to make a phone call.”? ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/153 "2009-11-10T19:54:38Z")
> [@Smokinjbc](#): > > I think Pete and Trudy get along now because Trudy has accepted that Pete is the only child she’ll have :), especially after he begged her to stick around to prevent himself from raping the next-door nanny. > > I can imagine that Joan was able to finagle at least one main line into the hotel room- was I the only one that got off the couch and cheered when Roger said “I have to make a phone call.”? I didn’t cheer exactly, but I was happy. It was only logical. I mean, when Pete Ross sees that giant flying robot sharks are about to destroy Smallville, he knows what to do, right? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/154 "2009-11-10T20:06:33Z")
Why doesn’t Don have any friends? Just as a side note Don is a very handsome man’s man, he can be very charming, and he 's quite talented, and very astute at advertising, but does anyone actually\* like \*him? I mean it’s not like he’s an outrageous asshole to the staff (except maybe Peggy) and he generally behaves himself around the office (Season 1 he told Pete to cool it WRT harassing the secretaries) , unlike some others. I don’t recall him having any real work buddies except maybe Roger (prior to his attempted seduction of Betty and marrying the young secretary). It’s just weird that he doesn’t appear to have any real friends at all except maybe the first Mrs. Draper and that relationship is very long distance. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/155 "2009-11-10T20:06:43Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > He had some great lines, including: > > “So that’s it- December 13, 1963, four guys shot themselves in the leg.” > > Big props to Peggy for her reaction to Don’s “Peggy- in my office!” > > Don: “I’m not going to beg you.” > Peggy: “You haven’t even asked me.” I believe it was “cut off their legs”. Lane Pryce had some of the best lines for me. Even his “well, then” when they decided on their little scheme was killer. It’s the accent and the all-business buttoned-up quality that really sells those little moments of enjoyment, like “Happy Christmas”. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/156 "2009-11-10T20:28:55Z")
I like how the Brits say thank you when what they mean is \*fuck \*you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/157 "2009-11-10T20:32:03Z")
For whatever reason, I like Lane Pryce a lot, and I’m glad he’ll be around more next season (at least it looks that way). Maybe he can be Don’s friend. It looks like Pete’s father-in-law is feeling better about him, since Pete was able to get Clearasil back as a client. So many great moments in the show. Don kicking the art department door in, Pete putting on his bathrobe and messing up his hair to pretend he was sick, Trudy “going to change the sheets”, everything that came out of Roger’s mouth, Lane telling St. John “Happy Christmas” but meaning “get bent”, Pete carrying the gun out of SC. ---
**Author:** ![brix11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@brix11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brix11)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/158 "2009-11-10T20:35:49Z")
Is Henry Francis divorced or a widower? I missed the assassination episode, but he has a daughter, right? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/159 "2009-11-10T20:48:53Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Why doesn’t Don have any friends? Because he’s not taking applications. He’s got people he works with, people he lives with, and people he fucks. That takes up all his time. He’s not much available to just hang out. Seriously, I don’t think that people don’t like him, they just don’t know him. He’s a pretty closed-off dude. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852/160 "2009-11-10T20:58:41Z")
That, and we’ve seen on multiple occasions that all his male neighbors / family friends are douchebags. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-shut-the-door-have-a-seat-spoilers-after-airing/516852.md?page=9)