Mad Men Season 5 - Page 32

Did you not see Don do the exact same thing for a test drive in the Jag? He simply handed him a check and took it for a drive just so the salesman wouldn't sit with him, essentially 'buying' the car if anything happened.

Why wouldn't she think they could afford it? He's partner of a fancy ad agency that just landed a major account and chairman of 4A's (which I assume is prestigious). Not to mention a housewife who the show made clear several times was a bit out of touch with the family's finances.

Yup. She just simply didn't know what was going on. I think they were used to having money, and whether through her ignorance or Lane's deception (or a smattering of both), she was probably under the assumption that they had more than they really did. If she thought she could afford to write out a check for a Jag, then she would have thought they could simply write out a check to cover Lane's tax bill; naturally they didn't, and Lane hid it all from her.

They didn't even ask him for id. If Don ever fucks up too bad, you know he could steal a car and take it to Mexico no trouble.

The more I reflect, the more I am pissed. He was a great vintage British guy, gave great texture to the office and always proved interesting. His attitudes and perspective were well constructed and thoughtfully written into the show. I just dont understand why they wrote him off.

Now what? Another boring ass affair? Another gay character (as if every show on earth doesnt have on already)? Another ethnicity?

Bad move on the part of the writers. I realize Lane, now that he's gone, was actually my favorite character on the show.

Is it possible he scored a new show or movie and had to leave? I dont think it makes sense any other way. I cant imagine they wrote him off by choice.

I just Googled 4A's. For all who didn't know, like me, It's the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

http://www.aaaa.org/Pages/default.aspx

Lane also got to deliver the funniest line of the season when he explained how the Jaguar deal blew up:

”Because he was caught with chewing gum on his pubis.”

Followed shortly by:

Bahahaha! That's great!

Right, but presumably Don knows how much money is in his checking account.
That latter bit is probably the real point, hadn't really remembered that about her.

Thinking about it now, Lane had been lying to her rather a lot about money, so it makes some sense. He was delaying the tuition payment for school because he didn't have the money, and spun it as "not wanting to give it to them early" or whatever.

Geez, now that I look back on it, he really did seem like he was in the hurt bag, didn't he? Poor guy. Then why does there seem to have been such a big disparity between his finances and Pete's? They were both junior partners, and I assume they held equal shares. Did Pete get money from his father-in-law? I don't remember.

I liked when he tried to get fresh with Joan when he was getting drunk at work and she told him to scram.

My perception was that Lane was a partner, but wasn't financially compensated to the same degree as the flashier partners. He said this episode that he had been "operating at a loss the last three years." Maybe school + taxes + wife's expenses? I think that's part of his big emotional response to the bonuses; yes, he needed the money to pay back his embezzlement, but he also just felt like he deserved one after getting shat on since the new firm opened.

Yes, but that's also true of Pete, who is also a junior partner. They own smaller stakes in the company. Also, the senior partners have money from the sale to PPL; neither Lane nor Pete would have that.

Pretty sure he's talking about the business here, not his personal finances. He was trying to convey his value to the company, operating the finances on a tightrope.

This is quite childish. What good is it if the show kills off annoying characters? You're supposed to feel bad he's gone.

Pete lives in the suburbs, doesn't have a child in boarding school, doesn't owe back taxes in crazy ass 1960s England plus his wife has her shit together. Not to mention his wife comes from some money.