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Mad Men Season 3 Episode 6

Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency

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AIRED: Sep 20, 2009

9.1

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Episode Summary

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A surprise visitor shows up at Sterling Cooper. Sally is unnerved by something. Joan receives surprising news.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

Good episode.

7.5

By thefanof, Feb 24, 2011

Not outstanding, by any stretch of the imagination, but the same, fun Mad Men we all know the show is capable of, but up until right now has not delivered this season. There were good jokes, some unexpected shockers, and the usually lackluster January Jones stepped up her acting and portrayed a somewhat believable mother for once.

I still have to question where the show is headed as it does not look like they are setting up any huge storylines for the finale, but knowing Matthew Weiner he should have something up his sleeve and surprise us all, or we can at least hope.moreless
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This is the rebound point...Btw, congrats on the Emmy..

9.0

By sequoa84, Jan 15, 2011

Now that the season is at the half way mark, it is typical if the show to switch gears. We've seen this trend in previous two seasons, and it should most probably be case this time as well.

Well, Matthew Weiner would be doomed if he had given us a slow moving artistically inclined episode, minutes after winning the Emmy for best drama and best writing. Thankfully, episode 6 did in a way blow our minds off with some insane storylines. At the same time, the writing was still of good artistic value with a number of symbolic references. The story was truly a tribute to Joan Holloway's character. I mean, I am not complementing the actor Cristina Hendricks. She's good, nevertheless, but definitely not outstanding. The character in essence reflects the inner pain of someone, whose hopes have been shattered in every way possible. She did train Peggy Olson, who went far up the corporate ladder. She helped Harry Crane with his TV job in the hopes of getting a creative position, only to find that job given to someone useless. She married a promising surgeon in the hopes of fame and money, only to realize he was incompetent. And for all her efforts at Sterling Cooper, she doesn't even get a farewell party.

The pain was expressed in a subtle way, when Guy the new boss from England acknowledges her services and throws a liquor rave at the office. And what we see after that will easily go into history as the most shocking moment ever. The gory scene of Guy's foot getting ripped of with a splatter of blood that showers everyone around, was just the adrenaline rush needed to switch gears. So following the blood bath, we see the new corporate structure which shattered the hopes of everyone at Sterling Cooper, come down like a pack of cards.

Don has problems at home, with Sally thinking baby Gene is grandpa Gene who has come back again. Betty behaves hard with her kids, now clearly obsessed with the new baby. This necessitates Don to step in and do damage control.

There were like a million lines, which I can interpret in various ways. Overall, this was an immensely satisfying episode.moreless
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The pot boiler continues to simmer ...

9.0

By Jooj, Dec 05, 2010

Certainly the goriest episode of Mad Men yet! he office is shaken up by a visit from the top brass in the UK, who end up leaving foot loose but definitely not fancy free! An offer is made and mistaken for something else by the head of Hilton hotels. Joan and Don have an interesting, blood stained encounter in a hostpial waiting room, possibly destined for more than just a working relationship. But then maybe not, Mad Men has a habit of throwing us these curve balls, perhaps we were just being allowed to see what might have been in an age where people were more self aware, expressed themselves more openly etc. But then slick, rigid fifties ways are about to be shaken up by the social revolution that was the 1960s, there's discussion of the vietnam war and the credits roll to the tune of Bob Dylan's "The Times they are a changin'". Don and Betty's marriage continues to function, for now.moreless
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lots of amibition foiled in this episode. A new british star of PPL visits, Sally has troubles adjusting to the new baby, Joan's last day isn't what she thought. A lawnmower has a big part lol.moreless

7.5

By guyroy1971, Aug 22, 2010

This episode is kinda larky and reminds us of the first season with the partying and secretary's on the guys laps and boozing. There was dark comedy in how the brit was dispatched. The episode starts with PPL announcing that big wigs will be visiting. It turns out one of the Brits is being groomed for greatness and was to be giving a prime position in Sterling Cooper. He is a young hotshot and gives out lots of generic compliments that he only has to change the gender when speaking.

It looks like the Americans are second banana in their own agency as poor Roger was ignored in their restructuring and even Don got a comeuppance as he thought he would be promoted and the Brits really only wanted him to train the new guy. They are cogs in a big company and no one seems to like it.

Even Pryce seems to be just a cog too, as this episode highlights he isn't a bad guy, he is just doing what they wanted of him. His is unliked because his job is thankless and because he is a stranger in the office. His bosses attempt to assign him to Bombay saying its a promotion, but it is hard to see how India is a promotion is advertising. New York is Mecca in the ad world.

Joan's ambitions look to be ruined as her doctor husband will not be a well to do surgeon. She tries to be supportive, but I think that marriage is on the rocks. She is too prideful to admit this at the office, and goes along with leaving and the party, although she looks like she is about to break down.

Before she leaves, the show again highlights her competence, even with a guy who lost a foot. She is very good at her job and she was the queen bee there. How she will get by being a housewife is a big question, as her husband turned out to be a frog instead of a prince.

The way the resolved these crises was a bit of a cheat and a dues ex michina with the lawnmower, but it was funny and jarring. The show needed a change of pace and this episode filled the bill.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Jon Hamm	Don Draper
Elisabeth Moss	Peggy Olson
January Jones	Betty Draper
Vincent Kartheiser	Pete Campbell
Aaron Staton	Ken Cosgrove
Bryan Batt	Salvatore Romano

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Jamie Thomas King	Guy MacKendrick	Guest Star
Judy Kain	Olive Healy	Guest Star
Carol Locatell	Miss Wakeman	Guest Star
Kiernan Shipka	Sally Draper	Recurring Role
Jared Harris	Lane Pryce	Recurring Role
Alexa Alemanni	Allison	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

John Slattery as Roger Sterling on Mad M...

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John Slattery as Roger Sterling on Mad M...

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Jon Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men from t...

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- Chelcie Ross appears as Conrad "Connie" Hilton, who was the founder of the Hilton Hotel empire.
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QUOTES (1)
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- Hooker: Mr. Kinsey, you might want to shave your beard.
  Kinsey: What? Who the hell are you people?
  Hooker: That was a joke.
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NOTES (2)
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- Continuing The Sopranos/Mad Men connection, the title of this episode is similar to The Sopranos epsiode, "Guy Walks Into A Psychiatrist's Office" (Season 2, Episode 1).
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- Featured Music:
  "Come On Twist" by Jody Reynolds
  "Song to Woody" by Bob Dylan
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ALLUSIONS (2)
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- Joan: We could hire some prostitutes...I know your prime minister enjoys their company. Hooker: Secretary of War...
  
  This is a referenced to the British Secretary of War, John Profumo, who resigned on June 5, 1963 due to a sex scandal.
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- Cooper: (talking to Don and Roger) Everyone wants Martin and Lewis.
  
  This is a reference to the comedic team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
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