TV Review: Mad Men 5.5, 'Signal 30'
This was a really good character-based episode.
rating: 5
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(WARNING: Significant spoilers follow) Ah, Beethovens Ninth. No matter how many other times and places I hear it, including tonights episode, it shall always and forever be linked in my mind with one thing: Die Hard. It was used to such great effect in that movie that its now inexorably linked for me. Mad Mens use was interesting, and almost ironic, given that the music is also known as The Ode to Joy and the person who seems most keen to play it, Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), is anything but joyful. Yes, this story is about Pete. But its also about Ken Cosgrove/Ben Hargrove (Aaron Staton) and Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) and people just generally feelingwell, not as much joy as they should. Lets start with Lanes story. He gets so few. Its nice to have an episode that spends time following him as he lives life as an ex-pat in the USA. We got to see him doing all sorts of British things this week, including watching the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany. Spoiler alert: England wins. After the match, Lane becomes chummy with a fellow ex-pat who works for Jaguar. So much Britishness, I half expected a reference to Doctor Who, but I see that the show was on hiatus during that week, so I guess I can excuse that not happening. Anyhow, next thing you know, Lane has managed to get a meeting (to the surprise of everyone), and it looks likely that the firm will soon be representing Jaguar. He gets a bit of surprisingly good advice from Roger Sterling (John Slattery), and then heads off. The meeting goesawkwardly. But a second meeting is scheduled without Lane and that ends up being far more interesting, as well as leading to the first bit of blood this season. I will say that I loved that the writers are focusing a bit more on Lane and his situation. Clearly hes a man who has started to feel very useless at his job (rather like Roger, really). Its good to see him trying to do a bit more, even if its not successful in the end. As for the other major plot, we have the Emasculation of Pete Campbell. Ah, poor Pete. Doomed to have a good job, a beautiful wife, and a house in the suburbs. How ever does one manage? He seems quite discontent and has decided to start making some changes in his life, beginning with learning how to drive. Yes, since he grew up in Manhattan, he never needed the skill. Being 40 as of Wednesday and not having learned to drive myself, I can empathize. He also finds himself checking out a high school student and later flirting with her, something which seems a tad on the unwise side. Luckily that flirtation gets killed by the arrival of an attractive male high school student who mistakes Pete for the class instructor and then steals the girl away. His embarrassment continues. A faucet in his home has sprung a leak and is keeping him away. He manages to get it to stop, only to have it break in spectacular fashion during a dinner party with him, Trudy, Megan, Don, Ken and Kens wife, Whatshername. Pete believes he can fix it again, but before he has a chance, Don does a bit of a Superman move and fixes it himself. Things worsen for Pete when he cheats on his wife and then gets called out on it (lightly) by Don. So, yeah, all in all, not a great day for Mister Campbell, but the worst is yet to come. You see, Pete, still wounded, makes the mistake of insulting Lane rather egregiously. Lane challenges him to a fistfight in the conference room. I know cooler heads should prevail, says Roger as the fight is about to start. But am I the only one who wants to see this? No, Roger, you arent alone. It was nice to see Petes smarmy little face get smacked around a bit. The rest of the episode includedwell, not a lot, really. It was mostly about Lane and Pete and their various stages of unhappiness. Though we did also learn that Ken Cosgrove is writing fiction as Ben Hargrove. Not just any fiction, mind you. Science fiction. Yes, hes a nerd, ladies and gentlemen. This was a really good character-based episode. I was pleased all around with the outcomes of the stories for Lane and Pete, and despite how I dis Pete, I do feel a bit of sympathy for the guy. Yes, hes a smart-ass little twerp, but he does genuinely seem to be making an effort at being successful by his own skills and abilities and thats not a bad thing. Finally, a shout-out to a Braniff airplane crash reference on the show. Yes, Braniff. Before they were a South Park thing, they were a real thing and had a crash at the time this episode takes place. I think on the whole, I prefer them to be a South Park thing.