Mad Men - S5E5 - Signal 30

This week Matthew Weiner turns the wheel of characters and it lands on Pete, the man that the audience loves to hate and can’t help but not watch. The episode “Signal 30” begins with Pete watching the driving instruction film of the same name. Pete has obviously decided that living out in the country requires him to have a driver’s license and most likely a large car that he can show off in the future. While there he begins flirting with a young high school senior. A girl that probably reminds him of what his wife used to be like before she started only wearing curlers. As she taps her sandal we transition to Pete not being able to sleep due to a leaky faucet. Getting up he goes and grabs his trusty toolbox and then “fixes” the drip and believes that he has fixed his life.

Eventually through much subterfuge, Pete and Trudy are able to have Don, Megan, Ken and Cynthia over to their house for dinner. After Don wins the best dinner jacket award and Pete shows off his stereo, which is the same as a metaphor for a man in his 40’s needing to buy a long sleek car, they sit down for a nice awkward dinner. But surprisingly only for Pete. He is consistently seeking approval from Don in this episode. The highlight of the dinner is the story from Ken about the robot that maintains a bridge. Pete simply scoffs at this story, but Don shows actual interest. Showing that Don is clearly more interested in personal things than just having a big successful job and the illusion of being happy. I think it is important to note the reference to the gun in this episode. We haven’t heard about it since season 1 and this little reminder should be a reminder to the audience. A general rule for TV is you don’t introduce a gun without it going off.

Soon after dinner, Pete’s sink fix breaks. In comes Super Don to save the day with little or no help needed from anyone, including the tool box. As the Pete’s quick fix breaks we also see the rest of the illusion of his perfect family façade break as we are leave the house party with the image of him not taking any responsibility for his baby. Even though the baby is crying she clearly is not the saddest one in the room. To counteract this Pete continues hitting on the high school student, but is shot down thanks to someone Handsome (literally and figuratively). This leaves only one place were Pete can try to feel important and that’s work. But this episode takes care of that too.

Before finishing up the Pete Campbell line let’s take a look at Mr. Pryce. Lane is desperate to move on from London. He is happy in America and wants to let go of England. His wife isn’t the same and they go to an English pub where they watch England win the World Cup in soccer. While there he gets the opportunity to bring in new business in the form of the car company Jaguar. Seeing that he has little else to do Roger gives him advice in a great scene that will earn him another Emmy nod. Probably one of the best Roger scenes of the show. Lane tries and fails. Pete of course pushes him aside, asserts his dominance and says that they will take care of his friend. Which, of course, means taking him to a whore house.

At the whore house we get a little more insight into Pete. He longs to be the king. When the lovely lady takes him to her room, she tries the wife waiting for her husband to be home. He has that so it doesn’t work. She tries the virgin, he just lost that so he’s bitter, doesn’t work. Finally she simply says, “You’re my King.” Bingo! At the same time we see again how Don has grown as he doesn’t partake in the establishment. And on the ride home Pete wonders why Don is disappointed in his actions tonight. Don simply replies that he thought Pete was happy and he is just throwing that all away. When Pete accuses Don of having done the same thing, he makes it clear that he is finally happy with Megan, and he wouldn’t throw that away.

Their late night escapade does have repercussions though. After Ken is turned in for writing by Pete, Lane learns that the client’s wife found chewing gum on his special area and the agency loses the account. This makes Lane furious and he takes it out on Pete, who is kind of enough to tell Lane that he has no purpose here. And thus begins the greatest fight of all time as Lane and Pete square off as the other partners watch in disbelief and enjoyment. Lane is able to knock Pete down and leaves the room. Later Joan comes to take care of Lane, who wanting to show his manhood and because he falls in love with any girl that is nice to him, kisses her. Classy Joan just gets up, opens the door and then sit backs down and congratulates him for doing what everyone in the office has longed to do, punch Pete.

The episode ends with Pete talking the elevator down and telling Don that he has nothing. As Pete watches the senior girl he was flirting with be taken advantage of by Handsome it closes on him lying awake listening to the slow drip. For a long time I’ve been expecting Roger to take the plunge off of the building, but I’m starting to think Pete may be headed for an early exit.