A Day's Work (S7x02)
Airdate: 20 April 2014
Written by: Matthew Weiner, Jonathan Igla
Directed by: Michael Uppendahl
Running Time: 47 minutes
Matthew Weiner and his creative team faced a profound challenge as Mad Men approached its conclusion. The series’ initial triumph lay in its meticulous and fascinating recreation of a bygone era—one that no longer exists in the same way for modern audiences. However, as the narrative progressed towards the end of the decade, the world depicted began to feel increasingly normal, recognisable, and, frankly, banal. The distinctive cultural friction that once defined the show began to subside, replaced by a more predictable order that the writers sometimes struggle to enliven. In this context, the content became less interesting and occasionally relied on structural gimmicks that lesser series might employ. The second episode of the final season, A Day's Work, serves as a prime example of this tendency, leaning heavily on a device that feels increasingly hollow.
One such cheap trick is the utilisation of holidays as a narrative anchor. Mad Men has previously excelled at using Thanksgiving and Christmas to explore character dynamics, but here, the show adopts the Valentine’s Day framework. Strangely, given the advertising industry’s inherent commercialism, the holiday is treated less as a thematic exploration of romance or deceit and more as a hollow ticking of a box on the calendar. It feels like an uninspired attempt to force a theme into a script that might otherwise struggle to find one. The title itself is ironic: it refers to Don telling people he is working, when in reality, he has been suspended for months while retaining his pay. He spends his time trying to piece his life back together, using allies like Dawn to keep himself informed about the office while actively avoiding social interactions with friends and colleagues from rival agencies. He politely dismisses overtures from Dave Wooster (David James Elliott), who inquires about job prospects and rumours regarding Don's meltdown during the Hershey pitch.
The episode's plot is set in motion when Sally and her roommates travel to New York for the funeral of one of their peers. For Sally, this is merely an excuse for a shopping spree. When she arrives at SC&P headquarters to visit Don, she is shocked to find Lou Avery in his office. Lou, clearly uncomfortable, is forced to lie about the situation. Dawn, who was supposed to handle Sally, is on break, and Lou, unhappy about the lapse, demands she be replaced. Joan, managing the secretarial pool, refuses to fire Dawn and instead send her to reception. However, Bert Cooper, despite his claimed progressive stance, still finds it inappropriate for a black woman to occupy a visible spot. The solution proposed by Cutler involves Joan relinquishing his office managerial duties to focus on the Butler account, a move that allows her to move upstairs. Joan, ever pragmatic, subsequently designates Dawn as the office manager—a position that keeps Dawn invisible, as per Cooper’s wishes, but grants her significantly more power and autonomy. The episode highlights the systemic racism of the time; specifically, it illustrates how white workers at SC&P could not tell Dawn and Shirley apart, a detail that Bert Cooper uses to reinforce his prejudice.
Sally returns home, and the dynamic between father and daughter shifts. They share an awkward conversation during which Don admits he is "on leave." He agrees to drive her back to Miss Porter's, and their initial hostility transforms into genuine bonding during a lunch stop. Don comes clean about his suspension, revealing the reasons behind his absence. Sally, showing surprising maturity, refuses his suggestion that they leave without paying the bill. This segment is the only truly compelling part of the episode, offering a cathartic authenticity that the surrounding material lacks.
Elsewhere, Pete Campbell remains in California. Despite the change of scenery, Pete is still plagued by professional frustration; SC&P continues to treat Bob Benson, the man he despises, like royalty. His girlfriend Bonnie, a real estate agent, highlights his shortcomings. In New York, Peggy faces a different kind of frustration regarding Valentine’s Day. Her secretary, Shirley, receives flowers from her fiancée, which are mistaken for flowers from Ted Chaough. This misunderstanding causes Peggy to lose her nerve, leading her to lash out at Shirley and demand her reassignment. This behaviour frames Peggy as petulant and unprofessional, complicating her situation considerably.
Written by Matthew Weiner and Jonathan Igla and directed by Michael Uppendahl, A Day's Work is a solid, well-directed, and well-acted episode. However, it feels unremarkable and distinctly "filler" in nature. The audience learns little new about the characters or the world they inhabit. The central theme of shifting power dynamics is an interesting subject for a late-stage episode, yet the execution is spotty, particularly with regards to Peggy's characterisation. The episode relies on the pretence that Don is working—the "trick" of the title—while he is effectively unemployed, suggesting a narrative that is slowly putting pieces in place for the future rather than delivering a standalone story. Ultimately, it is a serviceable episode that highlights the struggle to maintain the show's unique voice as it approaches its conclusion.
RATING: 6/10
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