Joan
Not many thoughts on Joan from last night’s episode.  That being said, I couldn’t help but wonder if Joan’s hire for Don’s replacement secretary was a passive aggressive move on her part considering what happened to Allison.

Betty
Again no thoughts on Betty – she wasn’t in this episode at all, but it looks like she might be the focus of next week’s episode from the previews.

Allison, Dr. Faye Miller, Trudy, Joyce, and Don’s New Secretary
Allison, as I predicted, turned in her resignation, albeit in a very loud way.  Once again I think Don thought he was being kind, but came off as an asshole in telling her to write her own recommendation letter.  I think it further confirmed for her that their night together didn’t mean anything to him – she was just another girl, and didn’t care deeply about her, the way she wanted him to.  It was interesting how she assumed though that he slept with all his secretaries, when in fact, she’s the first we’ve seen him do that with.

Faye’s interaction with the girls in the secretary pool during the focus group was amazing.  I liked that they showed all the little things she does to seem like “one of the them” so they’ll open up to her – the nametag, eating first, etc.  Don’s suggestion that the women seemed to only care about it marriage because it’s what they’ve been told by advertisers was fascinating.  He addressed the idea that social attitudes and values are dictated by what men like him come up with to sell products, in a very direct way.  I’m curious though why everyone is so anti-marriage in terms of using it to sell cold cream.  I was surprised by Don’s reaction when Faye told him, based on the focus group, to use marriage to advertise.  I wonder if part of his rejected Faye’s opinion is in backing up Peggy’s, or if it’s a progressive side of him that is showing up in his business?

I found it bizarre that Trudy was scared and upset when Pete came home after she found out that her father told him about the pregnancy.  As we’ve seen over the past few seasons, she supports him in his work 110% and this episode was no different as she offered to break the Clearasil news to her father, to save him the awkwardness of doing so.

Just want to add that Don’s new secretary is hilarious.  I hope they keep her on his desk for at least a couple of weeks.

Leave your thoughts on Joyce, Dr. Faye Miller’s focus group, and anything else in the comments.