MadMen episode 5 "Time Bombs"
(real title "The Fog")
In dramas, a 'time bomb' is a plot device or character that is introduced innocently,
then later suddenly becomes a important key part of the plot.
1. Is Sally in trouble at school or is Suzanne, her barefoot spinster teacher, just wants to see Don again?
Later she calls Don at home. She's been drinking, she's alone, her slip strap is loose, her blouse is unbuttoned! OMG!! My time bomb prediction is now ticking! Or is that her bio-clock?
Don says "nobody" called instead of saying 'that crazy teacher'. He'll follow up on that later.
2. Don mentions London Fog again, and how he's going to target the kid and teen markets. Another time bomb now ticking. This really did happen in the 60's. L.F. made a fortune making windbreaker jackets in many bright colors. Teens had to own several at once. Fonzie even wore them in S1 Happy Days. Long before "Members Only" came along.
3. Duck Phillips, now at a Jewish ad agency, sets off 2 time bombs. Peggy and Pete. He invites them to lunch. He fills Peggy's head with woman's lib phrases like: "It's your time"....Yeah, to plant the seeds of discontent so she will demand too much and get fired, or quit...that's his real plan. Then he can be a 'white knight' and hire her. Remember his speech about how expendable creative types are? He's no Mr. Nice Guy!
Pete is brought there to witness his lunch with Peggy, no other reason. Later, Peggy starts 'her bomb ticking' at Don with her "It's MY Time!"...to blow-up.
Pete will 'blow-up", and tattle tail on her, as planned.
4. At the Hospital waiting room. Don befriends prison guard Dennis. He seems real nice. Prison guards are not nice. Oh the Irony. Long drawn out scene, seems to be to tell Don to stop blaming his parents.
Dennis is worried about the "Breech Birth", which could kill both. Nurse Mousie comes out to tell Dennis his wife and baby are OK.
Later, Don passes Dennis wheeling his wife down the hall. Holding a bundled up baby, or still pregnant?? Dennis looks up at him, no acknowledgment at all. Maybe all is not OK? Don smiles, looks puzzled. Did that waiting room scene even happen...was it Don's dream? Did Don foresee what will happen with Dennis and wife?
5. Betty is dosed up..now in a "Twilight Sleep"? (or Twilight Zone?) She is dressed as Grace Kelly, walking down her street, holding a green caterpillar. Then she's at home. Dead Daddy is mopping the floor with blood. Dead Mom is next to a black man who is blind. Real "LOST" stuff here. Was she close to death?
She wakes up holding baby..now 'Eugene' for Daddy. A time bomb of trouble with baby to come?
6. Why does Black worker 'Hollis' buy an RCA vs. an Admiral TV? Blacks are buying Admirals. They were the cheaper brand. Sold in stores in ghetto neighborhoods, like Woolworth. So it was an obvious reason that escaped Pete. Hollis got an RCA cuz he's "upwardly mobile", and works outside the ghetto. It's the 'status brand'.
Time bomb of the birth of "Racial Marketing". The bigot exec's at Admiral don't like it, but know it.
7. The Limey boss, who is not a bigot, can see the wisdom of it...Hey the Beatles and Stones got famous singing Black R&B. The Brits made blacks cool to white kids, and OK to their parents.
If not for TV's, then how about for Cadillac's and Malt Liquor? Colt45 is still getting bad publicity for being marketed to blacks in ghettos today. Ask Billy Dee Williams.
8. Last scene. Baby Gene cries at night. Betty gets up to go to it...stops and hangs her head..in dread? Post-Natal depression? Is it even Don's baby? Who is Scott, baby's middle name?
In The previews: Again my prediction is ticking loudly. Sterling waves "Bye-Bye" to Don.
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