Signal 30 (S5x05)
Airdate: 15 April 2012
Written by: Frank Pierson
Directed by: John Slattery
Running Time: 48 minutes
Mad Men has always been a series dedicated to the profound social changes of the 1960s, yet Matthew Weiner’s creation is arguably at its most potent when it favours a slow burn approach focused on character exposition rather than advancing the overarching plot. This patient, observant style has resulted in a catalogue of truly great episodes, the majority of which are defined by the quiet, suffocating pressures of domesticity and professional ambition. The brilliance of the series lies in its ability to craft fascinating, deeply flawed individuals, and few characters epitomise this complexity and nuance quite like Pete Campbell. He is a figure who appears forward-thinking in terms of business and politics, yet is plagued by a private life that is simultaneously repulsive and tragic. Season 5, Episode 4, titled Signal 30, brilliantly deconstructs this character, presenting Pete at a moment of supposed triumph—having clawed his way to the top of the corporate ladder at SCDP, secured a beautiful wife, and acquired a new home in the countryside where he can ostensibly indulge in independence and confirm his manhood. However, the episode immediately dismantles this facade, revealing that this new suburban state of affairs brings with it a myriad of challenges that he is ill-equipped to handle.
The episode opens by highlighting Pete's deep-seated inadequacies, starting with a malfunctioning spigot that taps incessantly throughout the night. Despite his claims of suburban competence, Pete is unable to fix it, and it takes a sheer lauk on his part to finally resolve the issue. Even more revealing is his inability to drive. Growing up in Manhattan meant he never learned, and now, in his new role as a suburban patriarch, he is forced to attend driving lessons. It is here that the episode derives its title from the 1959 road safety education film, Signal 30, a brutally graphic and terrifying educational tool that Pete is forced to watch. The juxtaposition of this terrifying, graphic footage with his mundane suburban existence is telling; it suggests that underneath his carefully constructed exterior, Pete is still a scared child going through a dangerous world. In the driving school, he spots Jenny Gunther (Amanda Bauer), an attractive teenage student desperate for a licence before college. Pete attempts to flirt with her, viewing her as a conquest that would further cement his status, but his mood is swiftly sunk by the arrival of Jim "Handsome" Hanson (Parker Young). Hanson is a younger, more virile man who effortlessly sweeps Jenny off her feet in a way that Pete never could, highlighting Pete's desperate need for validation in a world that seems to be passing him by.
The episode is set against the backdrop of the Summer of 1966, a period that was generally miserable for the United States. The public was still reeling from the massacre of the Chicago nurses, only to be further shaken weeks later by the Charles Whitman shooting rampage. It is a starkly different time for Lane, Pete’s native England, which had recently experienced one of its rare triumphs in the form of the national football team's epic victory over West Germany in the World Cup Final. This moment of national pride becomes a personal battleground for Lane Pryce. Rather reluctantly, he visits a specialised pub on the 30th of July to watch the television broadcast of the match, a ritual that brings him into close proximity with his countrymen. It is here that he meets Edwin Baker (David Hunt), a representative for Jaguar Cars who happens to be looking for an advertising agency to represent them in USA. Lane, who manages the finances, sees this as a golden opportunity to impress his partners and secure a lucrative deal for the firm.
Simultaneously, Pete is desperate to impress his partners, leading him to invite Don Draper and Ken Cosgrove to his suburban home. Neither man is particularly enthusiastic about the invitation, but they choose to indulge Pete, leading to a series of increasingly awkward situations. The dynamic is immediately strained when Ken’s wife, Cynthia (Larisa Oleynik), slips up and reveals that Ken is a prolific science fiction author on the side. This revelation is met with instant derision from Roger Sterling, who scolds Ken for not being 100 percent dedicated to his work. Later, the household plumbing malfunctions spectacularly, giving Don the opportunity to provide not only his superior house repair skills but also a display of his physical prowess. As the scene unfolds, Don casually removes his coat and shirt in front of three very impressed women, reinforcing his role as the ultimate alpha male in the room.
While Pete is trying to prove his worth through suburban domesticity, Lane informs his partners about the potential Jaguar deal. However, Baker has a specific requirement: he wants to have some "fun" before signing the contract. Seizing the moment, Pete manipulates the partners into letting him, Don, and Roger handle this "fun" while they leave Lane behind. The trio takes Edwin to a brothel, a classic setting for Mad Men sleaze. During the visit, Don is reminded of his real birthplace and decides not to take services, a moment of restraint that only highlights his complex relationship with intimacy. Back at the agency, Lane furiously informs the partners that the deal has collapsed. Edwin’s wife found evidence of his indiscretions, and rather than admitting his own role in the situation, Pete retorts with a homophobic insult directed at Lane. In a moment of explosive intensity, Lane challenges Pete to a fistfight. The partners, amazed and entertained by the spectacle, do not intervene. In the end, Lane wins, leaving Pete bloodied and humiliated.
Later, Lane is feeling thoroughly embarrassed by his outburst. When he is tended to by Joan Holloway, he misinterprets her gesture of concern as a romantic overture and makes a clumsy move, which is promptly rejected. This leaves him further humiliated, a stark contrast to his victory in the ring. Joan, ever the gracious professional, tells him that he did what everyone in the office wanted to do with Pete, offering a moment of solidarity amidst his public failure.
The episode ends on a cruel but fitting note for Pete, who is further humiliated by watching Jenny and Handsome petting each other in his driving class, a visual reminder of his own irrelevance in the arena of romance.
The episode was written by Weiner and Frank Pierson, an 82-year-old Oscar-winning veteran screenwriter who would sadly pass away shortly after its premiere. It was also directed by John Slattery, who had established himself as a solid directing choice from the ranks of the cast, bringing a nuanced touch to the interpersonal conflicts.
The main theme of Signal 30 is masculinity and the often funny, sometimes tragic, and occasionally violent consequences that arise when people hide their insecurities. Both Pete and Lane suffer from the same fundamental problem: they are desperate to prove their manhood in a world that constantly challenges it. Pete is, on the surface, a successful and forward-thinking business executive living a picture-perfect suburban life in the same vein as his role model Don Draper had in Season 1. However, he is deeply insecure about his true capabilities, which is reflected in his failure to fix a simple spigot and his inability to drive. His childishness and immaturity are evident in his inability to grasp his own age as he approaches a teenage girl like Jenny.
Lane also has significant issues, though they are rooted in a different history. Despite being a partner in the firm, he yearns for acceptance and popularity, trying to impress his peers with new contacts and opportunities. Yet, deep down, he remains the insecure boy who was physically abused by his father. His desire to prove his manhood manifests itself in the most violent, direct, and, in the case of his interaction with Joan, inappropriate fashion. The fight is the physical manifestation of this struggle, a primal need to assert dominance in a world where he feels perpetually inadequate.
Vincent Kartheiser is exceptional in his role as Pete, capturing the character's desperate need to be taken seriously while simultaneously revealing his pettiness and insecurity. Jared Harris is equally brilliant as Lane, portraying a man who is trying to hold it all together but is on the brink of collapse. The fight scene between their characters is the highlight of the episode, directed with a kinetic energy that makes the violence feel both visceral and slightly absurd. It is a sequence that would certainly appeal to a broad audience, satisfying the cathartic desire to see a pompous antagonist brought low.
Overall, Signal 30 is a very good episode of television that successfully deconstructs the myth of the American suburban dream. The writing by Weiner and Frank Pierson is sharp and incisive, and the performances are uniformly strong. However, the episode could have been slightly better if not for some all-too-obvious symbolism with taping sound at the end, which feels a bit heavy-handed in its attempt to frame the narrative. Despite this minor flaw, the episode remains a compelling study of two men grappling with the expectations of masculinity in a changing world.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
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