I wondered if old Coop had stored that "Dick Whitman" nugget away for later use. You're right, indigo. Very devilish looking.
I'm still trying to understand though. Are Coop and Roger (who was such an idiot to call Betty!!! Gawd! What a stupid drunk he is!!) afraid that Don will run off and work for Hilton and leave SC....taking the huge account with him? They are such a couple of low down punks. Except that the Brits are the ones everyone works for...are Roger and Coop their puppets now?

I've always thought Bert looked like the Devil, even in the early episodes. His obvious glee after he gets Don to take the contract home was totally creepy! And of course, everyone has his or her price, but they've ALL sold out or they wouldn't be in the business of "growing bullshit". The funny thing is, and it's true in the movie "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (also known under the name "All That Money Can Buy") that when the seller of his soul gets what he wants, it's not what he wants. There's always something better just out of reach. The Catch-22. Damn that catch!

I love the part in the movie when Old Scratch (Walter Huston) collects the miser's soul, in the form of a moth, and wraps it in his handkerchief. Good for you, Indigo, for mentioning one of my oldest, most favorite films!

Hi Indigo!
I agree with Jolie 10. Bert was holding this Dick Whitman ace card up his sleeve. It lets us know that Bert has always known. This could be part of the puzzle of how Don got his job at SC.

I was amazed when Don told Bert to keep Roger away from him. That will be interesting...
And, I am disappointed. I loved Don and Roger together.
Now, I am longing for the "old days" at SC (two seasons ago)!

60's Child: I agree that Bert blackmailed Don into signing the contract, but I don't think he knew about "Dick Whitman" until Pete spilled the beans. Remember his "who cares" response?

I think Don went to SC directly from the fur company where they "nurtured him like family" (Bert's words).

Bert can really get tough when he has to.

Right on 60's, Roger and Don, people want Martin and Lewis!

That scene showed us just who's boss. BC is definitely the sly fox that seems "out there", but definitely knows what he's doing. I liked finally seeing Don have to "get in line" with everyone else.

I concur on loving Roger and Don. I want them to kiss and make up.

I dunno. I think Bert may someday regret making Don sign that contract. When Don had the option to leave (sort of as an at-will employee) he worked for the challenge, pleasure of coming up with the goods. He was good at it, appreciated for it and was actually more of a team player than he may become in the next few years now that he "belongs" to SC. He gets paid regardless and may just decide "screw it" and coast like Roger, going through the motions and finding something of interest on the side.

Or he may just walk. Pack the kids in a station wagon, set Betty up financially, and head to California to start over again, maybe with cars, or just live in a small house on the ocean near Anna.

Gotta Serve Somebody
Bob Dylan

You may be an ambassador to England or France,
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage,
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage,
You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk,
You may be the head of some big TV network,
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame,
You may be living in another country under another name

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a construction worker working on a home,
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome,
You might own guns and you might even own tanks,
You might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banks

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy,
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy,
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray,
You may call me anything but no matter what you say

You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Poor Don.

He should have told Cooper to get the hell out of his seat. :)

Don was the dynamic maverick that had the freedom of not working under a contract. Now he's just another aging schmuck working for the man.....another suburban serf dressed like all the other dads. He's no longer the entrepreneurial youth peeing in the car trunks of the rich, rising up to pursue the "American dream" under his terms. At least he now has a fat wallet.

His last desperate, pathetic attempt at freedom and his fading youth ended with a ghostly warning from his Hillbilly father, his reality therapist. At least there is a quiet dignity with being a Hillbilly and having rough hands.

Don, you might as well get fat, lose your hair, take your high blood pressure medicine and hope a women will sleap with you out of pity :)

Then again, you might just be growing up. :)

The reality of this episode I guess is that we all have a boss.

Its great to know that TV still has great acting and phenomonal writing.

Hi E-roc!

Did you think there was a bit of a "chair theme" in last nights episode?

The interior decorator and the chairs.

Conrad Hilton sitting in Don's office chair, (and the interesting psychological power play), Don stood for a few seconds as if he expected Hilton to give Don back his chair, and then took another chair on the other side of the desk. Hilton was letting Don know who had the power in that simple seating scene.

Then, there is Betty and the antique chaise.

Betty in Don's desk chair at home (and that damn locked desk drawer)!! That drawer is getting to be the running gag on MM!

Bert in Don's office chair right before he forced Don to sign the contract, another power play.

If I missed any, please add them.

Thanks for all of your interesting comments! Don't you think that the writer's set up the scene with Bert and Don brilliantly by earlier having Bert make the comment about someone else's eccentricity? I think that this served as a salient reminder of his own behavioral oddities and brought into sharper relief his lack of viability as a real threat to the movers and shakers at SC. We, the audience are lulled into a false sense of security. Then...BAMM!!!

Jolie10: I think Roger and Bert are manipulating the situation with Hilton. Has Don actually spoken to Connie's lawyers? Don seems to be taking their word for it that a contract is required.

fifty-two: I know "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is one of my favourite films. Have you ever seen a film called "Mephisto"? It's based on a book by Klaus Mann. The Faustian theme is set in pre-WWII Germany. Fascinating stuff!!

60's child: Sigh...I love Don and Roger together, too. I'm looking forward to seeing how that one plays out.

BC: Great song. Thanks for sharing the lyrics.

Auburn-- I'd like to see him leave Betty. I don't think she's good for him, as far as fighting for his soul. She's so far from having any awareness of how shallow she is. I love a good redemption story, and I think Don has a better chance without her.

Betty-- I love it!

E-roc-- wicked joke! Agree about Don's reality therapist. Has he always seen himself through Archie's eyes? That could be good or bad. I think Don has only lately gotten to the the place where he is able to laugh about Archie to himself.

Indigo-- I missed that one, but I see it won best foreign film in 1981. Thanks for the pointer-- I'll try to find it.

E-roc-- what do you make of Don telling his vision to 'shut up'?

LOL, Bert as Mr. Scratch. Seems like a perfect fit.

Betty...Thanks for that great old song... on point, as ever.

Jolie.. I get you about the lawyers, but think in the real business world at Connies level, so to speak, that the lawyers would insist on and get the contract, as a part of their (Hilton) contract with SC. I think I remember a line from Connie as he is leaving..something to the effect of: 'the lawyers will do their thing, but you and I will be (communicate) like this..' I took it to mean talking with candor and informality. I dunno... my best guess...

Hi 60s child. Thank you for bringing up the "chair" theme. I missed it. I remember Betty saying at the beginning of the episode...."Don you spend your entire day judging objects......etc"

You know 60's, it reminds me of "musical chairs".....and power play. I was in a sales training class at a large company and in between sessions they'd have us play goofy games to break up the monotony. One of the games was "musical chairs" I saw adult men in their 30's and 40's literally fighting for chair space and rolling on the ground when the music ended. It was interesting that the HR people were eyeing it very closely as if judging to see who was the most competitive. Cooper was saying physically and non-verbally: "Don, I have your chair and the jingle is up" When don goes home Betty breaks all the rules with her own "fainting sofa" and she can take or leave if the music is playing or not.

Hi fifty two. I think that Don told his vision to shut up because his father was telling him not what Don "wanted" to hear but what he "needed" to hear. In a weird sort of way, Don's Pop may be his only best friend.

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