re: Mad Men Season 6, Episode 11 "Favors"

Bob is a figurative character much like a Cormac McCarthy character. He represents the inner thoughts and feelings and needs of the characters around him. A foil of some sorts.

For example, take his relationship with Joan. She just lost her husband because he cared more about the military and pride than his own family. She got a promotion to partner because she was persuaded to sleep with a grotesque client and then the men at the office disrespect her as a partner because she's a woman.

Here's comes Bob Benson. He's exactly what Joan needs. A male figure who cares about her and her child and is good with her mother and makes her feel good about herself without focusing solely on sex. It seems like he doesn't focus on sex at all.

When Benson entertains the clients for Ted and Cutler, he's exactly what they need - a young guy with their sole interests at heart and not someone playing games between the partners. We misconstrued his celebratory dance as a selfish pat on the back for getting more responsibility, but in reality, he was just displaying - and notice it was right in their faces - his belief in the Cutler and Ted way of doing things.

However, there is a yin and yang effect with Bob. Jim Cutler. Cutler is ruthless. He wants complete control of the company. He wants to fire all of Sterling Cooper's people. He cares about no one else's feelings, and in fact, shows gratification at the sight of Gleason's daughter riding Stan in the office. Hence him yelling at Bob to go back upstairs.

So what does this mean? I guess it means Pete is gay and Bob knew it was what Pete needed to express.