Mad Men Season 7 Review: Episode 5 - The Runaways

Don Draper had a threesome and made his most badass business move in years, but this episode will only ever be known as: "The one where Michael Ginsberg cut off his nipple and gave it to Peggy."

Occasionally Mad Men throws a curveball that takes us all by surprise, and Ginsberg's breakdown may well have been the most shocking since the infamous lawnmower foot massacre of season one.

Some have criticised Ginsberg's breakdown as coming out of nowhere, but he has always been something of an abrasive loner, and his daddy issues and trouble with women have been well documented before. Not to mention the small matter of him being born and raised until five in a concentration camp. There are certainly understandable reasons for his nip-slicing and there has been plenty of hints.

In his erratic, troubled mind however Ginsberg's actions were caused by the office's new computer, which ignited a series of hilarious scenes of technophobia that set us up for a tragic end twist.

As he was carted out, Ginsberg warned his co-workers to "Get out while you can!" An undoubtedly prophetic statement, even if the reasons were nothing to do with Ginsberg's fear of computers turning people gay.

The Runaways started spritely enough with Stan Rizzo discovering a comic strip written and drawn by the loathsome Lou Avery. The creative team find it hilarious, but when Lou finds out he shouts them down, calls them all "flag-burning snots" and forces them to stay late in the office.

This doesn't work for Don Draper, who earlier that afternoon discovered that Stephanie – the niece of Anna Draper, the deceased woman Don once described as the only person who really knew him – is seven months pregnant and in Los Angeles.

Don sends Stephanie to Megan's house and makes plans to join them that weekend. His phone dialogue with both women were telling. He was attentive and interested in Stephanie, but distant with Megan despite the worst of their recent marriage-threatening fight seemingly laid to rest.

His reaction to both is understandable given how often he speaks to Megan and how rarely to Stephanie, but it did reflect what was to follow.

Megan was instantly cautious of Stephanie as a woman of importance to Don, and eventually her fears got the better of her as she wrote Stephanie a cheque for $1000, essentially paying her to leave.

Don – delayed by Lou – eventually arrives to find her gone, and Megan and her friend preparing for a party.

Another – very different – party was held at the Betty and Henry Francis household. The topic of Vietnam came up and Betty gave an opinion Henry didn't necessarily agree with. A fight soon erupted, with Henry's sexist ways coming to the forefront and Betty's displeasure with life as a housewife also reinforced.

Young Bobby Draper overheard this, leading to a nice scene with sister Sally – who had returned home following a nose injury sustained at school while "sword fighting with golf clubs" (probably a lie). The siblings bond a bit over their shared desire of escaping their mother.

Meanwhile at Megan's party the divide between Don and Megan is made more apparent when he watches on from outside as his wife dances innocently enough with a younger man. Later, following a chance meeting with Harry Crane at the same party, he takes a trip to the bar with him.

Returning later Don finds the party over, and Megan ready to instigate a threesome with Don and her friend Amy – a desperate move as Megan strives to make a connection with her husband.

Don may have been tired and not quite in the mood, but he was never going to turn down a threesome. Regardless, Megan's plan fails and the next morning Don finally gets to speak to Stephanie, grins from ear to ear and then immediately announces plans to return to New York, leaving Megan as disillusioned with her marriage as ever.

The reason for his hasty return emerged at the bar where Harry had told Don of a conspiracy devised by Lou and Jim Cutler to get the Commander Cigarettes account and force Don out.

Commander were among the cigarette companies Don made enemies of when he publicly decried the industry in an open letter to the New York Times.

As a way to win the situation however, Don crashes the pair's meeting with the company and sells both his allegiance and insider knowledge of the company's enemies – hoping to prove himself as a valuable asset in any deal with Sterling Cooper & Partners.

Seemingly successful the episode ends with Don casting Lou and Jim away in a cab despite their barbs about his brazen attitude and supposed naivety. Don shrugs each off with defiance, turns and whistles for a cab emphatically, triumphantly.