Watching (Mad) Men: S6 E12 Recap: The Quality Of Mercy

Spoiler Alert: This blog is published after Mad Men airs on Showcase in Australia, Monday at 5.15pm EST. Do not read on unless you have watched this week's episode which is also available for download Tuesday mornings on iTunes.

This Week On Mad Men: Bob Benson is out of the closet: his blue-blooded, Beloit-schooled, big-smiling ways a façade; he just another Don Draper, a hustler from the inbred boonies whose CV —whose very identity— is “written in steam”. For Pete, keeper of Don's secrets, that means keeping Ken close, his newfound nemesis closer. Drunk Dick, dodging his about-to-combust marriage, is now wed to his job; keeping an “eye out” for SC&P by trolling Peggy-eyed Ted, his own in-office rival; daring to lecture another on thinking with their wang. Don's a sanctimonious “monster”, whose daughter so longs to avoid him she's willingly going to boarding school. In oversized bow and schoolgirl plaid, Sexual-Awakening Sally's still a little kid; her bad-girl façade —dialing up Creepy Glen and joint-rollin' pal for some hazing-ritual blazing/drunk-on— not yet extending to actual casual kissin'. No-longer-fat-and-sad Betty, unlikely proud mother, offers Sally a passing-the-torch smoke.

How Big Is Thy Weiner?: In a season filled with extended Rosemary's Baby homage, a Polanski-aping ad-spot makes it all overt.

Pete Campbell's Punchable-Weasel-Face Watch: When Pete “nobly” takes Chevy off Ken's hands, ol' Mr. Cooper punches him with mocking words: “crocodile tears, how quaint!”

Anthony Carew

Screening every Monday night, 5.20pm and 8.30pm, on Showcase