Mad Men Roundtable: “The Suitcase”

Just watching the previouslies, I knew this was going to be a good episode.  But I had no idea that I would be watching the best episode of the series to date.  I say that without reservation.  And if Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss don’t get Emmys next year, I will be shocked.

It’s May 25th, 1965, the day of the Muhammad Ali v. Sonny Liston bout.  Just about everyone at the agency is going to watch, and they all seem to think Liston will win.  Harry’s got the tickets–they’re watching via closed circuit at a movie theater– and is a big enough jerk to be charging some of the younger guys for them.  When Danny calls b.s., Harry says, “you’re such a Jew”, while Mrs. Blankenship doesn’t get the fuss over watching “two Negroes fight.”  She says she could see that just by dropping a dollar bill on the sidewalk.  Isn’t casual racism and anti-Semitism fun, kids?