The Crash Ken Cosgrove Analysis

In the opening scene of the episode, “The Crash,” Ken Cosgrove is shown in a car with Chevy executives. They are loudly encouraging him to speed. One pulls out a gun and then the other covers Ken’s eyes, leading to them getting into an accident. This is the first we are seeing of Chevy’s treatment of Ken. Clearly, they are reckless both with their own safety but particularly with Ken’s. It almost seems like they are trying to get him killed. In light of this theory, Ken Cosgrove could easily be compared to a soldier. He is on the front lines of this conflict. He is the one interacting with the client and paying the price for it. His first injury was minor but it showed the cost of this account. Later in the episode he comes back to the partners meeting and says, “No one cares that I almost got killed?” They come back with a few comments like “Are you not up to the task?” and “We have to depend on this cripple?” Roger is somewhat the voice of reason and says, “You don’t what he is up against.” The executives are making pitches and decisions but Ken is the one getting hurt. Ken is then given speed along with other members in the office. In a drug-induced craze he does a tap dance for Don while explaining the …show more content…
As a result, Ken decides to step down from Chevy saying that, “Chevy is killing me. I hate Detroit. I hate cars. I hate guns. I don’t even want to look at a steak anymore.” Ken is taken out of the action just like a soldier would be taken out of the war for a serious injury. After he is no longer on the Chevy account, he is clearly psychologically and physically changed. He has his eye patch as a continuous reminder of what he had been through. He is no longer the same laid-back Ken. In the first episode of Season 7, he barks at his co-workers and is incredibly wound up. Like a soldier, Ken is facing post-traumatic