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Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Premiered: October 5, 2003
[replays]
Synopsis
A flashback to the last week of July and the origins of the Bergstrom Lowell firm.
Guest Starring:
Talia Balsam (Gail)
Jennice Fuentes (Anna/Woman in Red)
Elliott Gould (Bergstrom)
Robert Prosky (Tommy's Dad)
J. Smith-Cameron (Tommy's Wife)
Appearing as themselves:
Michael Albanese
Clifford Ayers, Ph.D
Ami Copeland
Jennifer DiStefano
Vance Gay
Christine Gette
Brooke Harrison
Heather Heimbuch
Bernard Kruger, M.D.
– Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, New York Weill Cornell Medical Center [bio]
Charles Perla
– Architect, principal of DMS|Perla, a Washington, D.C. architectural consulting firm [site]
Locations: (all Washington, D.C., unless otherwise noted)
Soho Grand Hotel, 310 West Broadway, New York, NY
– Francisco stays here while in Manhattan; location also used in the Jon Favreau film "Made." [site]
Hotel Tabard Inn, 1739 N Street NW
– Gail Lucas and Maggie eat lunch in the garden patio of this hotel's restaurant. What was Gail eating? [lunch menu] [garden patio]
The Jefferson Hotel, 1200 16th St. NW
– Tommy meets his father and his much younger fiancé Anna here; a Loews Hotel, located four blocks from the White House. [site]
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, 3100 South Street NW
– "Located in historic Georgetown on K Street between Wisconsin Avenue and 31st Street on the site of the historic Georgetown incinerator." Maggie and Gail Lucas go for a massage at the spa located in this hotel. Which massage treatment did they receive? [massage menu]
Procedural Terms & Trivia:
Movie/TV References
– While in a taxi going into Manhattan, Francisco reads the New York Times (dated July 25, 2003) and we see an ad for "Terminator 3", starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie was released in the U.S. July 2 and Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy for the California gubernatorial recall election on August 6. When Francisco visits Bergstrom, the reclusive backer of the political consulting firm Bergstrom Lowell, Bergstrom watches "Mildred Pierce", a classic 1945 film noir starring Joan Crawford and Eve Arden (who was nominated for an Academy Award® for her role in that movie). Bergstrom refers to "Our Miss Brooks", a TV series (1952-56) starring Arden (who also starred in the 1956 movie version). Arden often played the wise-cracking friend of female leads.
"a money fabric"
– During discussions with the interior decorators working on the new offices for Bergstrom Lowell, Carville asks if a blue/gold color scheme is being proposed because it is "a power color." Matalin asks if a particular swatch is "a money fabric." She offers that it is useless asking her husband for opinions about such matters, as he is "a finished product kind of guy."
Swing Votes
– On the phone with a client, Tommy Flannegan (John Slattery) discusses their media strategy. In September they will go after the "swing votes... Nascar Dads..." A swing voter is someone who has no allegiance to a particular party and who may upset a race by voting unpredictably.
Congressman Darrell Issa
– California Congressman who largely financed the campaign that led to the October 7 gubernatorial recall vote. He is seen on TV at one point in this episode and Maggie refers to him as being cheated out of any gubernatorial hopes that may have influenced his efforts.
Uday and Qusay
– Referred to twice in this episode, they are the two sons of Saddam Hussein who were killed by U.S. troops in Iraq on July 22. The U.S. military released photos of them on July 24 as proof that they had been killed. This episode takes place July 25.
Bounce
– Gail Lucas offers to get tickets for Maggie to this Stephen Sondheim musical, scheduled to play at Washington's Kennedy Center this fall. Bounce is based on the lives of two brothers, Addison and Wilson Mizner, and their entrepreneurial adventures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wilson Mizner originated many famous quotes, including, "Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet them on your way down."
"Fuckin' Kobe Bryant!"
– Bergstrom suddenly blurts this out when Francisco leaves. Bryant was charged with sexual assault on July 18.
Hallway to Tommy's Marriage Counselor
– Compare the lighting in this scene to the scene in the bar at the end of episode three where Tommy seemed pre-occupied, even dazed.
Council for Middle-East Progress
– Bergstrom has a list of 12 names on a white board and erases all of them but this one--the organization that Bergstrom Lowell considers representing in episode 3.
"A plainclothes detective was killed?"
– Francisco corrects Bergstrom's understanding of a political assassination that occurred in New York on July 24, 2003 (the day before they meet.) Othniel Askew shot and killed New York City Councilman James E. Davis inside New York's City Hall building. Askew was then fatally shot by a plainclothes police officer.
Universal Mold Release
– Francisco's curiosity is piqued by a can of "universal mold release" he finds on Richard Bergstrom's table. Richard claims it was left by a worker who was removing asbestos; however, its more usual application (by sculptors, candlemakers and other craftspersons) is for removing molded material from a cast.
"I'll tell my dad I saw you."
– Francisco says this when he leaves Bergstrom. We know nothing yet about Dupré's family except that he was "concieved" in San Francisco.
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