Waldorf Stories
Encyclopedia
"Waldorf Stories" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Mad Men
, and the 45th overall episode of the series. It was written by Brett Johnson
and series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner
, and directed by Scott Hornbacher
. The episode originally aired on the AMC channel in the United States on August 29, 2010. This was the same evening that Mad Men received the award for Outstanding Drama Series
at the 2010 Emmy Awards
.
(Jon Hamm) wins an award at the Clio
television advertising ceremony, but the celebration is cut short when the team has to return to the office for a meeting with clients from Life Cereal
. Still tipsy, Don bounces several ideas off his potential clients, but the only one they like was one Don inadvertently stole from Danny, Roger's wife's cousin, and an applicant for a job at the firm. When Don learns the source of the new slogan, he tries to buy it from Danny. Danny refuses money, insisting he wants a job. Don agrees, not bothering to hide his disgust. Returning to the celebration, he loses an entire weekend to debauchery. He leaves the party with a woman only to awake 2 days later in bed with another woman - one he's never met, but one who knows Don's real name. In flashbacks, Roger Sterling
(John Slattery
) remembers how he met Don as a fur salesman who hounded him for a job at Sterling-Cooper.
Peggy Olson
(Elisabeth Moss
) is having problems working with the new art director
Stan Rizzo (Jay R. Ferguson
). As they spend a weekend together working in a hotel room, she finds a way to counter his accusations that she is uptight. Pete Campbell
(Vincent Kartheiser
), meanwhile, is not pleased that Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
) is trying to bring back Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton
) to the firm. Campbell finally agrees to welcome Ken back, but only as his underling.
, appreciated the episode as an opportunity to "explore in greater detail a series of related questions" the season had presented so far. This included the relation between the old, experienced employees at the firm and the younger, more ambitious ones. He also highlighted the scene where Peggy chastises Don for his misappropriation of the slogan, as an example of how reduced Don has become as a man. Walter Dellinger of The Wall Street Journal
wondered whether Weiner had "lost control of this show," with Don's dramatic emotional swings. He did, however, enjoy Peggy redeeming herself by humiliating Stan, after initially feeling under-appreciated at the firm. Time
' s James Poniewozik
gave the episode a generally good review, praising the "small details in the flashback scenes". On the other hand, he did find some of the "lighter elements," such as the challenging secretary Mrs. Blankenship, somewhat out of place in the show.
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
, and the 45th overall episode of the series. It was written by Brett Johnson
Brett Johnson (writer)
Brett Johnson is an American television writer. He has worked on the AMC drama Mad Men and has won a Writers Guild of America Award.-Biography:Johnson co-wrote the Mad Men episode "The Grown-Ups" with series creator and show runner Matthew Weiner...
and series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner is an American writer, director and producer of television drama. He is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and show runner of the AMC television series Mad Men. He is also noted for his work on the HBO series The Sopranos, on which he served as a writer and producer...
, and directed by Scott Hornbacher
Scott Hornbacher
Scott Hornbacher is an Emmy Award winning American television producer and director. He has worked in both capacities on the AMC drama series Mad Men. He shared the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Drama Series with the production team when they won in 2008 and 2009.-Biography:Hornbacher began his...
. The episode originally aired on the AMC channel in the United States on August 29, 2010. This was the same evening that Mad Men received the award for Outstanding Drama Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
This page lists the winners and nominees for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, since its institution in 1951. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys ceremonies, and has changed names many times in its history. It was first called Best Dramatic Show...
at the 2010 Emmy Awards
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, took place on August 29, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT...
.
Plot
Don DraperDon Draper
Donald "Don" Draper is a fictional character and the protagonist of AMC's television series Mad Men. He is portrayed by 2008 Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm. Until the third season finale, Draper was Creative Director of Manhattan advertising firm Sterling Cooper...
(Jon Hamm) wins an award at the Clio
Clio Awards
The Clio Awards are annual awards bestowed to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication. The categories include work in nearly all types of media, and the judges are advertising professionals from around the world....
television advertising ceremony, but the celebration is cut short when the team has to return to the office for a meeting with clients from Life Cereal
Life (cereal)
Life is a breakfast cereal made of whole grain oats, distributed by the Quaker Oats Company. It was introduced in 1961. The cereal's advertisements currently sport the slogan "Life is full of surprises".- History :...
. Still tipsy, Don bounces several ideas off his potential clients, but the only one they like was one Don inadvertently stole from Danny, Roger's wife's cousin, and an applicant for a job at the firm. When Don learns the source of the new slogan, he tries to buy it from Danny. Danny refuses money, insisting he wants a job. Don agrees, not bothering to hide his disgust. Returning to the celebration, he loses an entire weekend to debauchery. He leaves the party with a woman only to awake 2 days later in bed with another woman - one he's never met, but one who knows Don's real name. In flashbacks, Roger Sterling
Roger Sterling
Roger Sterling, Jr., played by John Slattery, is a fictional character on the AMC TV series Mad Men. He formerly worked for Sterling Cooper, an advertising agency his father co-founded in 1923, before he became a founding partner at the new firm of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce in late...
(John Slattery
John Slattery
John M. Slattery, Jr. is an American actor and director, best known for his role as Roger Sterling on AMC's series Mad Men. He has been nominated for many awards, and has won two SAG Awards with the Mad Men ensemble....
) remembers how he met Don as a fur salesman who hounded him for a job at Sterling-Cooper.
Peggy Olson
Peggy Olson
Margaret "Peggy" Olson is a fictional character in the AMC television series Mad Men, and is portrayed by actress Elisabeth Moss. Initially, Peggy is secretary to Don Draper , creative director of the advertising agency Sterling Cooper. Later, she is promoted to copywriter, the first female writer...
(Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Singleton Moss is an American actor. Her notable roles include that of Zoey Bartlet, the third and youngest daughter of President Jed Bartlet, on the NBC television series The West Wing , and secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson on the AMC original series Mad Men .-Early life and...
) is having problems working with the new art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Stan Rizzo (Jay R. Ferguson
Jay R. Ferguson
Jay Rowland Ferguson Jr. is an American actor.His notable roles include Taylor Newton in four seasons of the CBS sitcom Evening Shade, and a starring role as Rich Connelly in the 2005 NBC television series Surface, which was originally conceived as a mini-series and then expanded to a run of 15...
). As they spend a weekend together working in a hotel room, she finds a way to counter his accusations that she is uptight. Pete Campbell
Pete Campbell
Peter "Pete" Campbell is a fictional character on AMC's television series Mad Men. He is portrayed by Vincent Kartheiser.-Biography:...
(Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Kartheiser
Vincent Paul Kartheiser is an American actor known for playing Connor in Angel and Pete Campbell in Mad Men.-Early life:Kartheiser was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Janet Marie and James Ralph Kartheiser...
), meanwhile, is not pleased that Lane Pryce (Jared Harris
Jared Harris
Jared Francis Harris is a British character actor, well known for playing the obnoxious Mac McGrath in the Adam Sandler film Mr. Deeds, and for his portrayal of Lane Pryce on the AMC series Mad Men.- Personal life :...
) is trying to bring back Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton
Aaron Staton
Aaron Staton is an American actor. He is known for his role as Ken Cosgrove in Mad Men and his role as Cole Phelps in the video game L.A. Noire.-Personal life:...
) to the firm. Campbell finally agrees to welcome Ken back, but only as his underling.
Reception
John Swansburg, reviewing the episode for SlateSlate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
, appreciated the episode as an opportunity to "explore in greater detail a series of related questions" the season had presented so far. This included the relation between the old, experienced employees at the firm and the younger, more ambitious ones. He also highlighted the scene where Peggy chastises Don for his misappropriation of the slogan, as an example of how reduced Don has become as a man. Walter Dellinger of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
wondered whether Weiner had "lost control of this show," with Don's dramatic emotional swings. He did, however, enjoy Peggy redeeming herself by humiliating Stan, after initially feeling under-appreciated at the firm. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
gave the episode a generally good review, praising the "small details in the flashback scenes". On the other hand, he did find some of the "lighter elements," such as the challenging secretary Mrs. Blankenship, somewhat out of place in the show.
External links
- Official episode guide at AMC