Blowhard, Esq. writes:

1. Don has sold his penthouse — for $85k, or $492k in 2015 dollars — and is now homeless. “This place reeks of failure,” his real estate agent says. Pardon me, but I’ll take a half mil “failure” any time.

2. California geography shout-outs this episode: Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Palos Verdes, and Biltmore in Santa Barbara. I’ve been to a couple of hoity-toity lawyer events at the Beverly Wilshire and it is indeed a swanky place. We also get accurate directions to Hanna-Barbera studios, right off the 101 in Universal City — “Sunset to Highland to Cahuenga”.

3. Traveler’s cheques have pretty much disappeared, right? I remember my family getting some for a trip to Canada in 1986. I’m guessing we were the last people to use them.

4. Happy to see Captain Pike (aka Bruce Greenwood) show up to woo Joan. Now how soon before some geek argues that MAD MEN and STAR TREK take place in the same universe?

5. Joan in that blue dress.

6. It’s probably unlikely, but I’m hoping we get more from Ted Chaough before the season is out. I liked when he was the cocky pissant challenging Don.

7. New York geography: The Oak Room at The Plaza and we find out that Joan lives on 12th St.

8. I don’t have a screenshot, but we get brief glimpses of The New Yorker and Newsweek magazines in this episode. Some of my UR comrades have worked for both of those publications.

9. My favorite line of the episode goes to Mathis who yells at Don, “You don’t have any character, you’re just handsome. Stop kidding yourself!” Take it from me, someone who has quit two jobs in the past year — there are few things more satisfying than telling off a shithead boss as you walk out the door.

10. My second favorite scene was watching Sally’s teenaged friend throw herself at Don and Don being only too happy to flirt back. Jesus, Sally is gonna be one fucked up teenager, isn’t she?