I agree, rl, it sure seems as if there is some kind of bond between Don and Freddy...likely a mentoring situation.

I hope they go back in time and explore the beginnings of DD at SC with Freddy showing him the ropes. Maybe Freddy bought a car from DD and decided he could use such a great salesman at SC and took him under his wing.

Can't wait for Season 3!!!!!!!!!!!

With Duck gone, maybe Bert will bring Freddy back to do Duck's job. Wasn't that supposed to go to Freddy to begin with?

I too got the impression that Freddy must have mentored Don in Don's early days at SC. I would love to have Freddy back!

when does season three start????

Freddy was a Copy writer and Duck is head of Accounts. Copy writers are ideas and creativity, accounts guys schmooze the customer, entertain etc. keep them happy. I read an article that was linked to the thread about the review. The guy who plays Freddy will MC the review in Vegas. He goes on to say MW specifically wanted him to play Freddy. He did say they make him look older for the show maybe we will see some flashbacks of Don and the earlier Freddy and see how they meet. The article said that he thought that Don's character probably started under him and somehow got promoted over him.

Interesting theory, rl1856. I wondered why Roger stood behind Pete and Duck (and against Don) in the firing of Freddy. I never saw Roger as a fan of either the Duck or Pete. (As I recall Roger was willing to back Don's firing of Pete -- it was Bert who saved Pete..."you never know where loyalty will be born...," etc).

If I had to posit a theory, mine would be that 2 things were at play in the firing:

1. Don saw this as a decent guy "getting shafted."
(And he was "miffed" at not being in on "the
meeting before the meeting" where he could
have exerted his influence for Freddy.

2. This was strictly all about a "power play"
between Roger and Don. Roger didn't really
care about Freddy's "incident." But Roger
did care, for some reason, about showing Don
that Roger could "play hard ball."

Perhaps Roger had found out about the "broken elevator incident? Or Roger just "needed" to show Don that he was still in charge...?

Well politics between Roger, Don and Duck were an undercurrent for most of the season. Initially we saw Roger explicitly side with Duck, until Duck asked to be considered for a partnership. Roger's backing of Duck in the fireing of Freddie was consistent with other things that happened, most notably when Roger pushed Don to embrace a younger creative perspective, when Roger agreed to go after American Airlines and later when Roger forced Don and Duck to make peace. I think Roger was motivated by money and promise of additional prestige within the NY Ad community. Bert and Don's motivation appears to be more idealistic- pure copy for clients that appreaciate it, knowing that appropriate renumeration would follow. Duck's motivation was to regain the prestige he had lost and he saw SC as a forum with easily manipulated principles.

Back to the question- response to Freddie's leaving were illuminating. Peggy's instinctive response "But I love Freedie !". In Don's response you could see genuine shock and empathy- this was someone he cared about. In their final scene together, Freddie confided to Don that he felt he was the most talented copywriter he had encountered. It is probable that he had promoted Don in much the same way as he initially promoted Peggy. Don and Freedie seem to share the same perspective on the Ad business and Don immediately noticed in Peggy what Freddie had already seen. I think there is a bond between the 3. Maybe betweeen S2 and S3 Freddie has gone to work for a rival firm and SC let a few accounts move over to help him out. Freddie is sober, working hard and during S-3 begins to go after some of the larger SC accounts that he had worked on, thus causing some conflict among the old friends. Freddie may even try to entice Peggy to move. Whatever happens will be interesting to watch.