'Mad Men' Recap: Chinese Wall

We all knew there was no competing with last week's superb "Hands and Knees." Maintaining that level of shock and awe for the last four episodes of a season is just impossible (and cruel to viewers with high blood pressure). So we can't be too mad that "Chinese Wall" was the poster child for filler episodes: the plot did move along, but just barely. Clearly the crazy is being saved for the last two episodes of season four, which are approaching far too fast for this Mad Men fanatic.

"Chinese Wall" opened with Peggy and Joyce returning from a beach weekend. And who should be pressed up right against Peggy in the crowded car but – drumroll please – Abe! He and Peggy end up sleeping together, and prove to be an absurdly adorable couple. This might be my only correct prediction this season, so it's time for a Pete Campbell victory dance.

Kenny is out to dinner with his fiancée and her parents when an ad man at a rival firm offers his condolences over Lucky Strike. Since Roger kept that insignificant little detail to himself, Kenny's surprised. He assembles the A-Team: Pete Campbell (at the hospital, where Trudy's in labor), Don (about to get it on with Faye) and Cooper (not shown but probably watching Japanese porn while wearing really long socks). They all convene at the SCDP office, where they are joined by Roger. Still too much of a pansy to admit he knew, Roger fakes a break-up call with Lee Garner, Jr. and then offers to fly to North Carolina to change his mind.

Of course, he doesn't go, but still pretends to be there so he can escape the office. He also calls Cooper from "Raleigh" to tell him the account is lost for good. Cooper, Don, Pete, Ken and some dude named Joe gather the staff together to break the news. They ooze all the forced optimism they can muster before returning to work.

Ted Chaough meets Pete at the hospital to offer him a baby gift…and partnership at CGC. Pete had been reluctant towards his father-in-law's hints before, but Don did just blame him for losing Glo-Coat. He must have been considering it. We never get a definitive answer, but could Pete leave SCDP? It's a scarily real possibility. If it happens, it's also guaranteed to reduce Pete to a Betty-sized role in the show, so Vincent Kartheiser is likely rooting against it as much as we are.

Next, we are treated to two lover's spats. Roger shows up at Joan's place after she failed to visit him at the hotel (he confessed to her earlier that the whole North Carolina thing was kinda bullshit). He tries to kiss her, but Joan has had enough. She says she can't do this anymore, and really means it this time. They share a sad, solemn goodbye. (But I'm still holding out hope that Jane and Greg both somehow die in Vietnam and these two get back together.)

Stressed-out Don vents to Faye about SCDP's nervous clients. She mentions unhappy clients at other agencies she consults in passing. Don presses her to give him the names, which doesn't go over too well with Faye. She yells at him for putting her in that position and refuses to compromise her ethics. ("Ethics?" Don ponders, in absolute confusion.)

Peggy's freaking out over her Playtex pitch, so Stan promises to help her "relax." Unsurprisingly, for Stan, "relax" means "creepily lock the door and try to make out." Peggy is pissed, but Stan insists she's been giving it off, referencing the delivery boy she took back to her office (that was actually Abe, being a cute boyfriend). She rejects him yet again, so for revenge, Stan doesn't tell her that she has lipstick on her teeth before the Playtex meeting. But she nails it anyway. So screw you, Stan.

In the midst of all this, we learn that Trudy delivered a baby girl, squelching all those miscarriage rumors that were floating around the Internet. Guess something good (besides Peggy having a stable relationship) had to come out of this episode.

Then, something happened that we all thought might transpire, but didn't want to believe: Don and Megan had sex. That lingering look he gave her at the end of the last episode was certainly a red flag. Yet at the time it was easy to write off as Don being in awe of her naïveté. So when Megan started coming onto him, and assured him that she wouldn't have an Allison-esque tantrum, it was in a way expected, but still upsetting. Whether or not you like Faye, she's undeniably good for Don, and they had such an oddly committed relationship going. So the cheating was disappointing. We also have to wonder if Megan will actually live up to her word or turn hysterical.

Well, Faye showed up at Don's door in the end with a client for him to meet, allowing Don to feel like the enormous dick he is. The poor woman sacrificed her principles for him, and he slept with another secretary (I suppose we should be thankful he passed on Ms. Blankenship). Seems like Don's old ways might doom this couple after all. It's a shame, but old habits die hard.

We're now down to just two episodes, so it's time to get in any last-minute predictions. Will we learn that Joan faked the abortion? (I say no.) Will Pete take Ted up on his offer? (I say maybe, but Don has to really piss Pete off first.) Will Roger do something drastic, in light of losing Joan and Lucky Strike? (I say absolutely.) Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. The horses are about to leave their gates.