While hunting in Michigan with two Chevy executives, Ken Cosgrove is accidentally shot in the side of his face with birdshot. Back in New York, Ken — now sporting an eyepatch — confides to Pete Campbell that he can no longer deal with the personal stress that Chevy is causing him. Pete sees this as his opportunity to finally handle Chevy and suggests to Ken that he manage the account. The firm's partners agree to the arrangement, and have Bob Benson on the account, too.
Looking to get rid of Bob but unable to fire him, Pete asks Duck Phillips if he can have him headhunted for a job elsewhere. Duck finds that Bob lied about his background, and tells Pete. Pete tells Bob of his discovery, but reveals nothing to the firm so that he can maintain control over Bob, remembering his experience finding out Don's true identity.
Don takes a day off from work, and Harry Crane calls to tell Don that Sunkist wants to expand their print ad campaign to television. Don initially cites the conflict with Ocean Spray, but changes his mind after seeing Ted and Peggy at a movie together. Peggy's idea for St. Joseph Aspirin is over-budget but Ted, who is clearly in love with her, supports her. Don secretly informs the client, who demands a meeting which Don attends. During the meeting, Don seems set to expose Ted's feelings for Peggy, but instead claims that Ted's strong support for Peggy's idea is actually because it was Frank Gleason's last idea. Don then warns Ted that his affection toward Peggy has been clouding his judgment. Peggy is furious with Don for this, calling him a "monster".
Betty informs Don that she and Henry are considering sending Sally to boarding school. Betty and Sally take an overnight trip to visit a school. To ingratiate herself with the girls at the school, Sally calls Glen and he comes round with a friend, Rollo. While Glen goes off with one of the girls, Rollo tries to pressure Sally into being intimate. When Sally tells Glen, he beats his friend up. The next day, while driving home, Betty informs Sally that the school's feedback about her was positive, and finds out over a cigarette that Sally's relationship with her father has declined.
This episode contains examples of:
- The Alcoholic: Don's drinking has gotten to the point where Megan notices it. His attempts to go cold-turkey underline the episode, undoubtedly contributing to his demeanor.
- Boarding School: Sally brings up wanting to attend a boarding school. Betty later asks why she wants to go, to which Sally states that she wants to grow up but also that her education is important to her. Some of it is definitely to get away from both of her parents.
- Bookends: The episode begins and ends with Don laying in the fetal position.
- Broken Pedestal: While there was strain before, Don completely ruins his relationship with Peggy when he humiliates Ted during the meeting with the St. Joseph Aspirin account.
- Chekhov's Gun: Once again averted with Pete's gun, which is still unused. He gets it out and cleans it in anticipation of going hunting with the Chevy execs. Clara comments that a gun of that calibre would only be good for shooting squirrels.
- Everyone Can See It: Ted and Peggy are not subtle about their feelings for each other.
- Gilligan Cut: When talking about Bob's false credentials, Duck says he's never heard of this sort of thing before. Pete simply says: "I have". Cut to ... Don.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Don notices the close relationship between Ted and Peggy and starts sabotaging it.
- Idiot Ball: Harry tried to pay a prostitute with traveller's checks, according to Don.Harry: I wish I hadn't told you about that.
- Jerkass: A couple in this episode:
- Don notices that the ad that Ted and Peggy made will be really over-budget. Rather than advising him about it, he forwards this to the client, which requires an urgent meeting. During the meeting itself, Don appears to insinuate that Ted and Peggy are in a relationship before saying that the campaign was Frank Gleason's last idea.Don: It's OK. Tell him, Ted. [Pause] You don't want to say anything? I'll tell him.
- The Chevy executives. As Ken explains to Pete when telling the story about his getting shot in the face...Ken: On the way to the hospital, they tried to stop for lunch!
- Don notices that the ad that Ted and Peggy made will be really over-budget. Rather than advising him about it, he forwards this to the client, which requires an urgent meeting. During the meeting itself, Don appears to insinuate that Ted and Peggy are in a relationship before saying that the campaign was Frank Gleason's last idea.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Don humiliating Ted during the meeting was completely unnecessary, but he does have a point that the campaign would have gone over-budget. Moreover, Don also points out that everyone in the office can tell that Ted has feelings for Peggy.
- Keeping the Enemy Close: Pete finds out through Duck that Bob's resume and background story are completely fraudulent. Rather than having Bob fired, Pete opts to keep Bob around on the condition that Pete is off-limits, and that Manolo stay away from his mother.
- Love Makes You Dumb: Ted, with Peggy. Her ad idea is a good one, but it would have gone way over-budget and he should've pointed this out. The fact that he did not leads to his getting humiliated by Don.
- Noodle Incident: A particularly
squicky one ... to wit, the circumstances under which Roger held Lee Garner Jnr.'s balls. Especially given the latter's Depraved Bisexual tendencies. The look of horror on Bert's face when Roger reveals this piece of information says it all. - Oh, Crap!: Peggy and Ted, when they realise that Don's about to expose their relationship. In the end, though, he merely torpedoes any chance of Peggy getting the credit for her ad idea.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Betty notes that Sally doesn't want to go to Don's apartment but brushes this off as trauma from the robbery. It's only when Sally remarks, "My father has never given me anything". that she realizes that something has gone horribly wrong.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Peggy calls Don out on his egregious behavior since the merger:Don: He's not that virtuous. He's just in love with you.Peggy: Well, you killed him. You killed the ad. You killed everything. You can stop now.Don: I'm just looking out for the agency.Peggy: You're a monster.
- Shout-Out: The movie that Don, Megan, Ted and Peggy go to see is Rosemary's Baby note . Peggy uses it as inspiration for the St. Joseph Aspirin ad.
- After Clara makes a comment about Pete's gun, he addresses her as "Annie Oakley".
- Truth in Television: Chevy execs circa. 1968 really would have hated Ralph Nader
— following the publication of Unsafe at Any Speed in 1965, GM went out of its way to try and discredit him.
