Mad Men Recap: Hands and Knees (Do You Want to Know a Secret-Beatles)

I was a little nervous about last night's episode of Mad Men because last week's "The Beautiful Girls" was so good.  I figured this week was going to be slow and a bit boring. The season is winding down and now is when things get really tense.  Last season was a big setup to Don and Betty's divorce.  (Although you could argue the whole series thus far was leading up to that sitch.)

Things were going a little too well for Don and his cohorts at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the agency could be in it's last days. Don seems to be getting better at being a parent, or at least he realizes that his children aren't exactly happy with their mother.  He calls Sally to tell her that he's taking her to see The Beatles at Shea Stadium. Sally apparently has been avoiding talking to him, but who can resist John, Paul, GEORGE (Editor's emphasis) and Ringo? Seeing her freaking out over the phone and Betty being happy for her was cute. Hopefully their relationship has been getting better.

Sidebar: Did you know it's GEORGE HARRISON singing lead on Do You Want to Know a Secret -- and NOT John Lennon??  Lesson of the Day, kids.

Poor Joan...

After their post robbery tryst, Joan and Roger decided to keep it civil. They are both married after all.  Joan informs Roger that she is pregnant and he is shocked.  I saw this coming, but their reactions to it were strange. Roger seemed surprised that he was even able to impregnate a woman. She has been trying with Greg, and as we learned earlier in the season, Joan has already had 2 abortions. Roger takes her to a doctor who ends up scolding them as if they were teenagers, "you used this woman!"  He reluctantly recommends a doctor in New Jersey, and Joan goes by herself.  While sitting in the office, she talks to a woman who is there with her young daughter. It's a sad scene, especially after the woman asks Joan how old her daughter is.  She tells Roger that they"avoided a tragedy",  but I feel like Joan didn't actually go through with it.

Good Gawd, Roger...

Roger keeps apologizing, really just wishing that things could be different between them.  One of the things I always question is why Joan never wanted to legitimately be with Roger.  It's obvious they love each other, and she deserves better than Dr. Rapist.

Hey, Lane. Nice tie.

Lane's father arrives to once again beg his son to come back home to London.  He looked so disappointed holding that Mickey Mouse doll and those balloons. I didn't know what to think of Lane when he showed up with the other Brits last season, but he has become one of my favorite characters. He refuses to go, but invites him out to dinner and then asks Don to tag along. They go to the Playboy Club, where Lane has a key!

Hi, I'm Toni...I'll be your Bunny tonight...

One of the reasons he doesn't want to go back is his girlfriend, Toni, who just happens to be a Bunny at the Club. Robert didn't seem to mind, but I couldn't really read Don's reaction to her. He was probably jealous that he had landed a hot Playboy Bunny while he has been paying for prostitutes.  At his apartment, Lane formally introduces Toni and his dad. After she leaves he asks, "Are you more distraught that I found someone I love, or that she's a Negro?" I really wish he would have answered, but he really needed to bash Lane over the head with his cane. I felt so bad for Lane, his dad is a bully and he just wants to be with his Chocolate Bunny!

Pete, with his Bitchface--which is appropriate.

Usually, there is one story that dominates the episode, for this one is was Don's identity and SCDP's association with North American Aviation. I can't say I really cared about any of this.  Due to a mistake by Don and Megan about info on his application, NAA is doing an investigation and background check.  Two men from the FBI show up at his Ossining house to question Betty. She could have told them everything, but didn't.  Don cheated and lied to her during their entire marriage, but she still at least cares for him. He does thank her for not revealing anything and she later tells Henry about what happened. Don asks Pete to talk to a friend in the defense department to halt the investigation. He hints that he would flee to avoid getting caught and possibly leave him in charge. Uh, really? I hate that Don put Pete, one of the few people that know the truth about him, in such a desperate position. Pete did work hard for that account and now he has to throw $4 Million dollars away because Don doesn't want his secret out.

Scared out of his skinny tie, Don asks his lawyer to set up a trust for his children. Faye takes him home and while in the hallway they see two men who have the wrong address. Seeing Don fumble with his keys, sweating and then going into a full on panic attack over this was a bit jarring. He's finally starting to unravel. Although he trusts Faye, and maybe even loves her, I don't think he should have told her about what he did. I feel like we don't know anymore about Faye than he does and she could use the information against him. Pete comes by the next morning to tell him that he hasn't been exposed, and they could stop the investigation by dropping the account. In a meeting, Pete says that they lost the NAA account because of an error. Roger yells at him, so harshly that Bert tells him to apologize. Don doesn't say anything, or even try to defend him. The way that Pete is treated around the office, I'm surprised he hasn't tried to take a dump on one of their couches.

SCDP is falling apart, and it's scary. Lee Garner, Jr. told Roger that Lucky Strike, their biggest client, is dropping SCDP to consolidate their brand. All this after Lee sexually harassed Sal and made Roger dress up like Santa at the Christmas party for his own amusement. Roger begs him to keep things hush for 30 days until he can get things right back at the agency. Add this to Lane taking a leave of absence, things aren't looking good. The previews for the next episode are always so annoyingly vague, but it does look like something major will be happening with Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

There was no Peggy, or tight shirt wearing Stan. Trudy looked 19 months pregnant in her little pink negligee. The highlight of the episode for me was the Playboy Club. Naturi Naughton did a great job with her character, and I hope he we get to see her again. Megan, who was worried about possibly being fired (or dying, that's what happens to Don's secretaries) finally does something right about gets the two Beatles tickets. I don't know what Don looking at her putting on lipstick was supposed to mean, she's next on his To Do List? "Everything worked out." she said.

Somehow, I don't think it did.