Sterling Cooper David Steve

Welcome back! It's season 4! IT'S THE SIXTIES. The colours are different, the offices are different, the questions are the same 'who is Don Draper?' Roger has quite a few zingers this week, including 'they couldn't even send a whole reporter.' Betty and Henry are playing house in Don and Betty's house. Sally doesn't like sweet potatoes much. John, Marsha. mp3 download

We finished season three last week and we sort of finished the 1950s. It's 1963, JFK is dead, innocence is dead, oh and so is Camelot.  Not just JFK's Camelot, but Don's. SCDP has started! Oh, wait, I buried the lead here, we're joined by Cliff Dunn, one of the Mods at the facebook group 'Out To Lunch With Roger Sterling'.  Thanks for coming on Cliff! We talk about the highlights of the season, the low points, and what this means for the coming season. Oh and Cliff and I kept quiet while Steve made predictions. Cliff and I also picked episodes we want to hear Steve talk about, and we even touched on Star Trek, Yes Minister, cultural clashes, British Imperialism and the American Revolution. Enjoy! mp3 download

As we have seen in previous seasons, we have another finale that is a finale of finales.  It's like the last three or so episodes each season are all finales. Anyway, here we go!  It's a heist. Even the music is like a heist movie. 'Well, I suppose gentlemen, you're fired.' 'Happy Christmas!' Oh and Betty is on her way west while Carla looks after the kids.  How much do they pay Carla anyway? So now Steve knows where the podcast title comes from. mp3 download

 Or, are we? As Steve has predicted, and as I knew, the JFK assassination, the 'start of the 60s' is here. Looks like Roger and Jane's Camelot is in trouble.  Of course the big new is that so is Don and Betty's. Steve hates Duck.  I too am not a fan. SKEETER DAVIS is awesome. Flashbulb memories are a big deal.  Hey I can use MY expertise for a change!  Take that Dr. Dramatic Irony! Roger's wedding speech is actually quite heartfelt. Anyone else notice that Don is dressed like Oswald? mp3 download

Look, some of these titles can be tough to come up with.  You got a problem with that?  Start your own show.  Sorry, a bit punchy today. I envy Steve seeing this episode for the first time.  I'll say that again when we get to The Suitcase. Yup, Betty has figured it out sorta, and Don fills her in. Jon Hamm's 'face acting' is unreal in this episode, as is his, well, his acting. 'What are you supposed to be?' is on the nose, but also perfect. How long did Suzanne wait in the car? mp3 download

You know, the whole 'how do you know that you see colours the same as I do' is actually a rather silly and NOT deep thing.  It seems deep, but it's really just stuff kids say when they're high... (Err, or so I am told). Things are getting real for Betty, she has the key, and has opened Pandora's Box.  Or Don's box, but you get what I mean. Sterling Coo is for sale! Lane likes NYC.  His wife, not so much. Some really nice foreshadowing wth Paul Kinsey Theatre(tm). Kenny loves receiving telegrams, but he never sends them.  Don wonders how this helps. Suzanne's brother is visiting, and Don is getting calls at her place.  Paul didn't write down his idea, but he did talk to Achilles. We're getting close to the JFK assassination. mp3 download

  Don seems to be losing some of his Donness (which is a word I have just coined). Connie wants the moon, the Moon Don.  What about the Moon?  I ask Steve what the deal is on this. Sal is in action making an ad. Lee Garner Jr. is in action, trying to get action from Sal.  (I'm sorry, I'll show myself out)/ Poor Sal. I think this might be the only fundraiser for a political candidate to cover for an almost affair in the history of TV. Betty isn't sure if it's time for civil rights.  This sounds really awful, because it is, but it's really not math uncommon a belief from well to do liberal white people at the time (or now really....) mp3 download

Our episode is entitled 'Souvenir' which is also the French verb 'to remember' and I'm bilingual(ish) and Steve has a French last name, so I went with this.  Also my wife is a French professor.  Therefore, this is our title. Fantasy vs. reality this week. The fantasy of the trip to Italy. The fantasy of watching Davy and Goliath. The fantasy of sexually coercing the neighbour's au pair to, wait, Pete, dude, don't do that. The fantasy Trudy has about her life with Pete. Then there's the reality of all of those situations. mp3 download

  Damn, it was a real stretch coming up with a title this week. This is another really strong episode. It certainly has no overtly gross stuff like last week, though, I mean Peggy and Duck is pretty gross. Last week's weirdness pulled and pushed everyone in a bunch of different directions.  This week, people are pulled and pushed back to where they 'belong'.  You can have the New Economic Policy  all you want, but they're still going to collectivize your farm... Don certainly does understand design.  Betty realizes they need a soul for their house, so, she gets a fainting couch! Peggy, for reasons that escape me at least, is attracted to Duck. Don is grifted by some grifters. Don doesn't want to sign his contract. Don signs his contract. mp3 download

Before we begin, I'd like to say that both Steve and I know everything about you, you're a very impressive person. I've been waiting to do this one since we started, there are a few that I think when I watch 'ooh  I can't wait to talk to Steve about this and record it and put it on the internet!' Last week was about how constricting systems and roles are.  This week is about how the smallest thing, or the largest John Deere tractor, can change everything. Roger has some killer lines this week 'it's like Iwo Jima out that' and 'just when he got it int the door'. Roger is actually sort of sympathetic this week.  He admits to himself what his issue is, he doesn't like being mocked more than anything. Lois, is, well, I imagine she won't be working at Sterling Coo any more. I spotted more dramatic irony mp3 download