07E08 - Severance

McCann Erickson's fifty-one percent purchase of Sterling Cooper has led to bigger changes to SC than most of the partners or higher account executives realize. The partners are now all millionaires, and they believe that they can leverage McCann's business to further their own. Topaz is one such account, which is causing problems for Joan and Peggy, the account leads. Topaz, whose primary business is affordable drug store hose, is being squeezed from below by Hanes' new mass market line, Leggs, which not only sells in drug stores but also supermarkets. In consultation with Don, Joan and Peggy go into a meeting with McCann account managers to discuss the proposal. The mixed results lead to an angry Joan evaluating the way she presents herself, while it affects a blind date Peggy has with Mathis' visiting brother-in-law. The Topaz account and another creative involving a commercial where the chosen model will wear a chinchilla fur coat makes Don think about someone from his past. What he eventually learns about her leads to him trying to make amends in his own mind about their past relationship, as well as think about a waitress he sees in a diner, she who triggers an emotional response with what is going on in his more open life, which includes an imminent divorce from Megan. And Ken's father-in-law finally retiring leads to thoughts between Ken and Cynthia about Ken's own future and what he really wants. What Ken decides to do is spurred by something that happens at work.