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Would Bert leave Roger to work with Don? (Season 3)

posted 8 years ago by SheHateMe (37)
4 replies | jump to latest

Of course Don and Roger are on the outs over the contract thing... Don finds out they're all going to be sold again and goes to Cooper to plot a way to start over... Bert warns Don he might not like what it will take and says "We're going to need accounts" and points out that Americsn Tobacco is their most important account, and adds, "But that's Roger...!"

In that moment, it seems possible that Bert wouldn't be averse to leaving Roger out of the conspiracy (he literally blames him for the company being sold)... but it also could be that he is just patronizing Don a bit, because he knows that there's no way to break away from Putnam Powell and Lowe without Roger, so it won't hurt to let Don believe he'd do it for him.
Knowing that Cooper sees the big picture, and knows he never has to choose Don over Roger makes it hard to know if he ever would.

What do you think - if it wasn't necessary to include Roger in the plan, would Bert side with Don, or not?

[–] Catbookss (13664) 8 years ago

Good question, and a tough one to answer.

Bert has known Roger since he was a little boy, and is obviously fond of him. He kept a photo of Roger as a child in his office, and had some type of relationship with Sterling Sr. that went beyond business.

On the other hand, Bert was nothing if not a pragmatist, and a great fan of Ayn Rand. So ultimately I think yes, Bert would have ditched Roger to work with Don, if he thought it was in his best interests. With some regret, but I think he'd have done it anyway.

[–] SheHateMe (37) 8 years ago

Good points.
I think it may have been an easy choice if Bert were to hear that Roger didn't want to leave the company - but on the other hand, the way that was found out was by Don agreeing that Roger needed to be involved to start over, and the two approaching Roger.
I don't know that Don had the foresight to plan starting from scratch nor the resources. Maybe if he still would've had Hilton to keep them affloat there might be a way to move on without Lucky Strike and thus let Roger go. If there were some reason Roger wasn't needed, I also think Bert may move on - maybe using his blame for Roger's part in the company being sold to justify it - but only if Bert thought it was the only way.
However, I have a hard time imagining Bert doing it behind Roger's back. I think Bert would find it necessary to give Roger a chance to join before moving on. I could be wrong, though, I do have doubts.
I'm leaning towards his "We're going to need accounts" line of thinking being his way of being loyal to Roger while, appeasing Don and preparing him for the idea of Roger needed to be invited to join - rather than his tone that suggested to Don that Roger was a necessary evil.

[–] Catbookss (13664) 8 years ago

If there were some reason Roger wasn't needed, I also think Bert may move on - maybe using his blame for Roger's part in the company being sold to justify it - but only if Bert thought it was the only way.

I agree, and with the rest of your post. Bert would have preferred to not kick Roger to the curb, and he wouldn't have done it behind his back. Bert observed a lot, quietly, and generally kept his cards close, but I don't recall him doing anything behind anyone's back.

Don and Bert probably would have made a good team. They had, after all, worked well together for many years. But they would have needed to get in a good accounts guy, because neither of them were good at it, although Bert was better than Don, who was too much of a loose cannon, and Bert knew that. Even if Don had been able to retain the Hilton account, he still wasn't an account man and Hilton was unpredictable and unreliable.

They would have had to bring in someone who could bring some serious billings with him. At that point it wasn't either Kenny or Pete, so they'd have had to woo a heavy hitter away from another agency.

I think Bert would have been genuinely torn, but that if push came to shove, he'd have ditched Roger. The reality is, though, he didn't, nor did he even suggest trying to find another account guy to replace Roger and Lucky Strike, so you may be right.

[–] Information-Police (4895) 7 years ago

From the moment Bert said that I thought it was his way of getting Don to agree to having Roger join them in the new firm.