“The ego sings of castles and kings and things that go with a life of style.”

If there’s one thing we can take away from “The Quality of Mercy,” it’s that Don is a lucky bastard. With Sally keeping his little neighborly affair a secret, she therefore saves pretty much all the trouble for him in the entire world. Meanwhile at the office, he’s doing everything he can to make Ted and Peggy feel bad about their little run-in at Rosemary’s Baby, not to mention Ted practically waiting on Peggy’s every idea hand and foot. Even though Don has done the same thing countless times before, jeopardizing everything on behalf of his own personal agenda, he continues on with his monstrous ways to make up for, um, the lack of excitement in his own world? Or something.

Megan appears more awakened to the fact Don just might not be the one she had always hoped for—especially when Sally’s friend Julie kept calling her Mrs. Draper in last week’s “Favors”: Megan was definitely not having it! In the morning when Don subtly adds a little extra flavor to his morning OJ (ahh yes, screwdrivers and eggs!) to cure one of his recurring hangovers, it is never more apparent that the two former lovebirds are drifting. He even straight up ignores her at the end of the episode when she invites him to bed, and sleeps in one of the boys rooms drunkenly. “Just stay home today. Can you do that for me?” Megan begs of her absent husband.

I was honestly worried about Ken for like, half the episode (seriously, guys!), and I’m pissed no one took more notice of his agony when we see how sometimes getting an account isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Like, you gotta get shot in the eye in order to get their attention. Or at least that’s how it seems with Chevy. But that’s not flying with Mr. Ken, nope. After that little hunting incident in Detroit that’s left him lookin’ like a pirate, he’s giving a giant middle finger to advertising, leaving Pete in charge of Chevy; Ken will take care of the New York side of business. Pete makes it clearer than ever about his feelings towards the mysterious (and totally gay?!) Bob Benson, which leads him to do a little background research on his supposed experience. Via Duck, it turns out Benson’s just another phony bologna who was lucky enough to have some “blue blood connections,” only having worked a short while as a PA. The rest of his record? “Might as well be written in steam.”

It’s like, Sally grew up into this mature adult in a matter of two episodes. She decides she wants to go to boarding school, because lord knows how important her education is. AKA: she wants to get the hell out of whatever is going on in her family situation. And she hates everyone (I would too!). When Betty takes her visit to the school for an interview, Sally ends up getting into some mischief of her own while spending the night: inviting her childhood buddy Glen Bishop (missed you, Glen!) and his creeper friend Rollo to booze, where we learn she knows how to make a Tom Collins! And despite the little incident towards the end of the night where Rollo basically forces himself upon her, Glen pulls through and saves the day. The next day Sally of course receives “glowing reports” from Miss Porters regarding her interview, when little does she know the night was filled with booze and cigarettes.

I love Peggy, but she’s really been annoying as of late. It’s like, OK: she has some “juice experience,” but what else, really? I mean, she can’t even kill a little spider for Christ’s sake! And now she wants $50,000 for an asprin ad (no matter HOW priceless Don’s “WAH WAH WAH” was)? Nuh-uh. Not havin’ it. Though Don was in the wrong for intervening the way he did, “tattling” on the two for over-budgeting, Ted and Peggy do need to snap out of their little buddy buddy phase that’s creating tension in the office (Ginsberg is NOT amused!). It’s getting expensive!

Sad about the season coming to an end, but foresee a very juicy finale next week titled: “In Care Of.” Take a looksie at a preview here.

Quotables:

• “I want to make you a real breakfast. You look terrible.” – Megan “So do you.” – Don
• “I don’t know what’s going on, but you have to pull back on the throttle a little, honey.” – Megan
• “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” – Cutler
• “See that tree over there? Pretend it’s Ralph Nader and let’s get a drink.” – Ginsberg
• “Cran prune sounds like a glass of diarrhea.” – Ginsberg
• “Cranberry. Cranapple. Grapeberry. That would be CRAN-PRUNE.” – Ted
• “You finally found a hooker that used traveler checks?” – Don
• “Harry’s such a pain in the ass!” – Megan
• “I’m supposed to throw around a football. I should go.”  – Ted
• “I hate Detroit. I hate cars. I hate guns. I don’t even want to look at a steak anymore.” – Ken
• “They’re fat yahoos in cheap suits. I’m done.” – Ken
• “Don told them that was the secret: color.” – Roger
• “I think Peggy should be on it. She has juice experience now.” – Ted
• “Would you ever leave New York Annie Oakley?” – Pete
•  “I once had a client who cut my wife’s breasts.” – Cutler
• “I want to be a grown up, but I know how important my education is.” – Sally
• “Henry thinks she could be an ambassador someday.” – Betty
• “My dad’s wife is MY age.” – Sally
• “I know how to make a Tom Collins!” – Sally
• “Residuals: you cant let them sneak up on you.” – Don
• “Your judgment is impaired.” – Don
• “I’m off limits.” – Pete
• “Now get me a cigarette and give me some details!” – Betty

(photo via Incoherent)