Thursday, March 19, 2015

Re-watching ‘Mad Men’: S3/Ep7, “Seven Twenty Three”

A move-the-ball-forward episode that juggles three budding relationships: Don and Conrad Hilton, Betty and Henry Francis, and Duck Phillips wooing Peggy and Pete. In a time-twisting structure, we see the results first, then learn how they all got into those places. Don’s, as usual, is the most interesting, as he ends up picking up two hitchhikers who give him drugs then rob him. Though I guess Peggy and Duck ending up in bed together was rather shocking the first time through.

Best Scene: There isn’t one signature scene from this episode; the best moments come from all the sequences devoted to Don’s decision about signing a three-year contract required by Hilton. There are about a half-dozen of these and they’re all very good. In the end, Cooper essentially blackmails Don into signing the papers with a threat that hearkens back to the end of Season 1.

Best Line: Peggy to Pete: “Stop barging in here and infecting me with your anxiety.”

Grade: B

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