Things aren't going too well.
Betty's off to Reno to file for divorce so she can marry Henry, about whom Don has just found out. He has no choice but to move out.
Winter is coming, and Don is informed through Conrad Hilton that McCann-Ericson is buying Sterling Cooper along with Putnam Powell & Lowe. Don wants no part of McCann, and the agency's impending doom recalls the circumstances of his father's death during The Great Depression.
He gets together with the other partners and they immediately plot to create a new agency and take their business. Lane, once again facing the prospect of redundancy, is promised a partnership if he fires Don, Roger, and Bert. Knowing he'll get fired first thing on Monday morning for this, he gives everyone the weekend to get a crew together and steal whatever they need from the office. They bring in Peggy (who declines at first), Pete (whose talents are finally being recognized), Harry and Joan. Then they rob the place.
Their company of eight starts working out of a suite in the Hotel Pierre. Goodbye, Sterling Cooper. Hello, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce...
This episode contains examples of:
- A Simple Plan: The second half of the episode.
- The Caper: As the description implies, the episode plays more than a few nods to a heist story.
- Caper Crew: The SCDP eight fill the crew roles in various ways.
- Don is the Mastermind.
- Roger is the Partner In Crime.
- Bert is the Backer, with shades of the Legendary Thief.
- Lane is the Inside Man, with shades of the Roper and the Fall Guy.
- Joan combines the roles of Coordinator and Fixer.
- Peggy and Pete are both New Kids.
- Harry is the Muscle.
- Naturally, all of them are the Burglar.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Jane, of all people, has taken a serious interest in the Texas Book Depository.
- Continuity Porn: The moving out sequence is full of items from past episodes. Notably, Pete walks out of the office carrying his hunting rifle.
- Deadpan Snarker: Roger, even more than usual.
- Flashback Echo: To Archie (Don's father), who during The Great Depression broke with the local agricultural collective to go it alone; this led directly to his death, as he was drunkenly preparing his horse in order to go and sell his wheat himself when the horse kicked him in the head.
- Internal Reveal: Don finds out about Henry Francis and Betty from an offhand comment Roger makes. He's not happy.
- Loophole Abuse: Sterling Cooper's staff can't quit in order to avoid working for McCann Erickson, because the non-compete clauses in their contracts would effectively end their advertising careers, or at least put them right back at the bottom of the career ladder. However, those clauses don't come into effect if the staff members are fired — and fortunately, Lane, who has every reason to want to get back at PPL, is in a position to do so. As the icing on the cake, Lane provokes his boss into firing him as well.
- Mundane Made Awesome: Roger, Bert, Don, and Lane's plan to start a new agency is relatively bureaucratic in nature but is portrayed almost like a high corporate heist.
- Moral Myopia: Don's spent three seasons and longer being unfaithful to Betty with a number of different women, continuing his philandering even after said philandering almost cost him his marriage in season two. When he hears from Roger that Betty is preparing to leave him for Henry Francis, he's furious, telling Betty in no uncertain terms that she will get nothing from him financially, he'll take the children from her, and accuses her of being a slut, even though she and Henry haven't even slept together at this point. That said, he does seem to realize he's suffering this trope because before the episode ends he somewhat makes up with Betty over the phone and doesn't follow through with any of his threats, allowing the divorce to happen.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: There have been three stable anchors to the show to this point: the Drapers' marriage, Sterling Cooper, and Don wearing white dress shirts. As of this episode, Don and Betty are divorcing; and Don, Bert, Roger and Lane are striking out on their own, with Pete Campbell managing accounts, Peggy Olsen for copy, Harry Crane in charge of media and Joan Harris as office manager. At least Don still has his shirts.
- Playing Sick: Pete, who's throwing a sickie in order to go to an interview with a rival firm. After Roger and Don charm him into joining their new firm, he assures them it's safe to shake his hand because he's not really sick.
- Put on a Bus: Ken Cosgrove, Paul Kinsey, The Smiths, and all the secretaries and artists.
- She's Back: Joan returns after being called in by Roger to help with emptying the office and starting the new agency.
- Start My Own: Roger, Bert, Don and Lane, unwilling to work for McCann, start their own agency.
- Title Drop: Three times, never quite verbatim.Cooper: Lane, please shut the door and have a seat.Roger: Close the door, have a seat.Don: Shut the door and sit down.
- You, Get Me Coffee: Subverted; when they're clearing out the office, Roger orders Peggy to get him coffee, but she refuses.
