Wasn't the main London ad man Charles Shaughnessy from "The Nanny"?

Hi Spek1! I love your spinach reference! It did seem Duck was sharper, and more focused after drinking alcohol.
When he took that first sip of his martini, he looked like he was in heaven.

Did you notice, before he went to see Roger and Bert he popped a breath mint?
He must have had some "liquid nerve" right before, and didn't want to smell.

He may be better at his job when he drinks, but he also seems to indulge in alcohol when he's going to do something contemptible and underhanded. His real interest in peddling Sterling Cooper is to secure his own position and jump over Don. Note what he says about Creative having to report to him in his position as President of International Relations. I also don't think it was his position to initiate this discussion with the international agency, nor to reveal Roger's financial situation. He lies to Sterling and Cooper, and says the agency called him about this possibility, not the other way around. Duck also drank before he abandoned his dog, if I'm not mistaken. He drinks so that he won't have to face the moral consequences of what he is doing. He needs to perform in a moral vacuum and have the assuredness and cut-throated attitude that requires. At bottom, he's not a bad guy, because he is bothered enough by the environment that he drinks to blot out his concerns. I'm not sure, Pete, for instance, even has the first qualms, although it can be pointed out that Pete was more reticent to exploit his father's tragedy for Sterling Cooper than Duck was, but that was natural enough, as it was his father.

Duck is throwing a Hail Mary at the end of the game trying to save himself. Remember what he did to his Irish Setter? That's how Duck feels about himself. Duck is very afraid and thus desperate. This scheme will backfire miserably.

By the way, an employee owes his employer a fiduciary duty of loyalty, which Duck has clearly breached. In essence, he is brokering the sale of his employer, without his employer's knowledge, and receiving a substantial kickback in return.

Yes, it was. A really good actor, and a pleasure to see him again - I hope we see more of him on Mad Men, although I have a feeling Duck's plan will sadly go awry.

Hobo, dead right about Duck's lack of fiduciary loyalty. I can't believe Bert and Roger are falling for this guy's con again! Somehow, I can't believe that they may be playing Duck as much as he's playing them. If they fall for another one of his harebrained schemes again, well, then it's a miracle that Sterling Cooper ever kept afloat all these years.

I have an idea the board is not going to let Bert and Roger just do what they want. In the preview a board member is asking Roger where Don is (another partner even if it is only 12%), so the board members are not completely rubber-stamp sheep (I hope). Roger's looking for a payoff to his divorce settlement, and I think Bert's just looking for retirement funds. So.......

I think Charles Shaughnessy from "The Nanny" was Viscount Willy, the Euro-trash.

Jamm54: I'll bet the older woman in the preview is Bert's sister, who's also a partner. Do you think Bert Cooper is a closet homosexual? I have always thought that a possibility. Will Sal be outed by Kurt?

No, no, the Nanny's Mr. Sheffield most definitely did not play the Euro-trash - he was the British ad man who kept pushing Duck to drink his martini - the older distinguished one.

Oh no, I can't believe Kurt would be that insensitive about Sal. Even though I've had gay friends tell me they can always "tell" about others, I can't feature (for that era) that Kurt would insensitively "out" Sal. Though his friend, Mr. Smith (what is that guy's first name anyway?) chided him for announcing he was a homosexual to the group (out of concern for Kurt, I believe).

Which leads me to another question. Didn't it seem like Mr. Smith and Kurt (or Smitty) were passing themselves off as a couple (or as someone said on the forum a while ago, the ambiguous gay couple) rather than just a creative team? Why?

Remember Don asking both of them if they were married, and they made some remark that led you to believe they were a "couple" besides having a creative partnership. So......is that to create an aura of mystery and up their desirability for being hired (like being "modern" by hiring out of the norm for that era)? Certainly different, regardless of their sexuality.

It's possible Bert is gay or bisexual. I forgot Roger mentioning Bert's sister being on the board. If they are dumb enough to be hoodwinked by Duck again, then they deserve what they get. And it confirms that Duck is a better advertising man and strategist than either Bert or Roger could ever aspire to be.