Tom, Dick and Harriet

Tom Burns wins another Cleo award for a 30-second spot. The owner of CG&O Advertising announces retirement and that the firm has been sold to Rage, led by Reese Danzinger. The boardroom meeting marks a major shift in Tom's career as the studio braces for new management.

Tom goes to the Rage facility and meets Harriot Fellows in an open office space. He is introduced to Reese Danzinger, who is obsessed with attitude and proclaims that Tom is obsolete. Tom is unceremoniously released from Rage.

Tom visits an employment agency and learns he is highly qualified but considered too old for Madison Avenue. The agency effectively shuts the door on his chances of a quick comeback. The wall of age discrimination becomes a central obstacle for his future plans.

Tom's daughter Kelly calls from the street to share that she has been accepted by the Metropolitan Conservatory as a violinist. She requests financial support for her tuition, and Tom promises to raise $15,000 by next week. The moment deepens Tom's sense of responsibility and pressure.

On the street, Tom meets Dick Varnett, whose pregnant, hearing-challenged wife is trying to borrow bus fare to return to Iowa for work. Tom learns Dick's life is a string of hustles and the possibility of a new scheme. The encounter plants the seed for a future alliance.

Through a series of phone calls, Tom discovers he has no job lined up and that many of his contacts are out of date. The realization underscores his precarious employment situation and his desperation to stay relevant. He begins to see a potential path through a bold scheme.

At a diner, Tom is hustled again by Dick and learns more about his con persona. Tom decides to recruit Dick as his front at Rage, with Tom providing the creative direction behind the scenes. Dick agrees, hoping for a bigger pay-off than his previous cons.

The next day, Tom explains Rage's management approach to Dick and prepares ad demos for him to present. Tom coaches Dick through the interview process and Dick manages to secure a job at Rage. The arrangement gives them a chance to work together on ambitious campaigns.

Dick is assigned to the Cool Heat campaign for an electric car; Tom writes the demos from home, while Harriet Fellows is introduced to Dick and gains access to his demo reel. They set the stage for a high-profile, high-pressure presentation.

In a staff meeting, Reese announces a new electric car for Future Vehicles Technology and Dick fabricates a statistic to win the account. Harriet is tapped to be the art director, and a launch party is set. Tom is asked to memorize the car specifications for the pitch.

The next morning, Liz informs Harriet about a recent plastic surgery; meanwhile Derek rushes in to claim Dick's resume is a fraud. Dick admits it, but Danzinger remains impressed with his work, and Bickford wants a Super Bowl ad. Tom helps push the campaign forward with Dick.

Dick confesses he is just a front man and that Tom organized the entire campaign. Danzinger fires Dick and pushes Tom out, but Bickford wants Tom to stay on. Danzinger then sprints to hire Tom back, but Tom declines in order to preserve his self-respect.

Bickford decides to work with Tom if he starts his own agency. Tom seeks Harriet's partnership, and she agrees to join on the condition of honesty. Tom designs a window ad to apologize to Harriet and gives her a business card to formalize their partnership.

Back home, Tom and Kelly reach a new understanding that she can make her own decisions. They share a moment of connection as they get matching tattoos, symbolizing their renewed bond. Tom and Harriet prepare to pursue their new venture together, stepping toward Rage to resign and begin their partnership.