Mad Men and Race

Fifth episode of Season 3 of "Mad Men" is a bit slower-paced than most, and somewhat less tense. Betsy delivers a baby boy - that's main plot development. She names him Eugene, after her father, and apparently against Don's wishes - so are we setting up for a son that Don will be cold to, as Betsy is to her older children? At the office, Don being pressured by the Brits to cut corners and save money. As a result, he refuses to give Peggy a raise. Peggy is being recruited by old Season 2 smoothie and screw-up, Duck, now at another firm (and on the wagon). Obviously she won't go, but things are not going well at Sterling Cooper. Pete Campbell almost loses the Admiral TV account by suggesting that they target advertising toward "negroes." Racial issues are nipping at the heels of this story: references to the assassination of Medgar Evers (which have upset Sally Draper), a tense conversation in the elevator, during which Pete asks the elevator "boy" what kind of TV he has and why. The "boy" is too proud to answer. Don does not do much in this episode. He has a long conversation with a guy, a prison guard, in the waiting room. It's odd that they pass in the corridor later and don't greet each other. More significant, Sally's teacher, Miss Farrell, whom Don has been eying, calls the house to apologize for something she said at a meeting, an obvious pretext to talk to Don. Something's going to be happening there, but we're not sure what. Will somebody please think about the welfare of the kids, for five minutes?