Mad Men: Flight 1 Rewatch
July 20, 2014 8:50 AM - Season 2, Episode 2 - Subscribe
Paul hosts a party at his apartment and introduces someone special to his colleagues. Peggy visits her family for dinner. Despite a conflict of interest, the Sterling Cooper agency pursues an airline account.
According to imdb trivia "Show creator Matthew Weiner told The Chicago Tribune that the misdirection in this episode to make the audience think that Peggy and Pete's baby is being raised by Peggy's sister was deliberate, but in fact that baby was given up for adoption (as she told Pete) and is not being raised by Peggy's sister or mother."
posted by drezdn at 10:40 AM on July 20, 2014
posted by drezdn at 10:40 AM on July 20, 2014
Hmm... that misdirection didn't work at all for me. We'd already had a huge misdirection for Peggy's pregnancy (Peg-nancy?), which was sympathetic to Peggy: Peggy didn't know, the audience didn't know. I don't recall there ever being a true payoff to muddling up the whereabouts of the child, was there?
For a while, I was thinking it would be convenient for Pete and Trudy to adopt the kid, which would be spectacularly awkward for all concerned.
posted by mochapickle at 5:42 PM on July 20, 2014
For a while, I was thinking it would be convenient for Pete and Trudy to adopt the kid, which would be spectacularly awkward for all concerned.
posted by mochapickle at 5:42 PM on July 20, 2014
Is this the first appearance of the everybody-huddled-around-the-radio/TV scene? I don't remember any in season one (election night notwithstanding).
I had forgotten that the actor who played Pete's father in S1 died in an avalanche, which provided the somewhat macabre opportunity for him to be written out via the plane crash. The episode is dedicated to him.
Love the party at Kinsey's - the clothes, the various couplings. And didn't all of us over a certain age learn to mix drinks for our parents? For me, it was G&Ts for my dad and I felt so very grown-up.
This is Bobby #2, my favorite. He's so sweet and reminds me the most of Bowlcut Dickie.
drezdn, thanks for posting that quote re Peggy's baby. Reading recaps from first watch, it's clear that people thought her sister's baby was Peggy's at this point. I can't remember when we find (or figure) out that it's not - is it not definitive until the season finale or does it come up earlier?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:45 PM on July 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
I had forgotten that the actor who played Pete's father in S1 died in an avalanche, which provided the somewhat macabre opportunity for him to be written out via the plane crash. The episode is dedicated to him.
Love the party at Kinsey's - the clothes, the various couplings. And didn't all of us over a certain age learn to mix drinks for our parents? For me, it was G&Ts for my dad and I felt so very grown-up.
This is Bobby #2, my favorite. He's so sweet and reminds me the most of Bowlcut Dickie.
drezdn, thanks for posting that quote re Peggy's baby. Reading recaps from first watch, it's clear that people thought her sister's baby was Peggy's at this point. I can't remember when we find (or figure) out that it's not - is it not definitive until the season finale or does it come up earlier?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:45 PM on July 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
Pete asking Don what people do, what Don would do, because he knows that's something Don has carefully studied over the years. On some level, Pete knows he still can't do what Don does.
posted by RainyJay at 8:50 PM on July 20, 2014
posted by RainyJay at 8:50 PM on July 20, 2014
I agree that the baby misdirection is just plain confusing.
I sort of love douche-y Paul, with his pipe and his beard and trying to convince the others that New Jersey is hipper than they could possibly understand.
posted by donajo at 8:53 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I sort of love douche-y Paul, with his pipe and his beard and trying to convince the others that New Jersey is hipper than they could possibly understand.
posted by donajo at 8:53 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I haven't sat down and watched this ep yet, but I think Bobby #2 is now playing Henry in Once Upon a Time. One of the ex-Bobbys is, at least.
posted by tracicle at 12:02 AM on July 21, 2014
posted by tracicle at 12:02 AM on July 21, 2014
Katherine Olson: "I have to renew The Agony and the Ecstasy. It's taking forever."
I love Peggy's mother. Myra Turley is perfect casting for the role of Katherine.
Pete asking Don what people do, what Don would do, because he knows that's something Don has carefully studied over the years.
Yes, it was like watching one android consulting with another more experienced android about how humans would respond in this particular situation.
The look on Peggy's face when Joan said, "They just want you to be as miserable as they are."
I wonder if Peggy was thinking about her family.
posted by cwest at 12:55 AM on July 21, 2014 [3 favorites]
I love Peggy's mother. Myra Turley is perfect casting for the role of Katherine.
Pete asking Don what people do, what Don would do, because he knows that's something Don has carefully studied over the years.
Yes, it was like watching one android consulting with another more experienced android about how humans would respond in this particular situation.
The look on Peggy's face when Joan said, "They just want you to be as miserable as they are."
I wonder if Peggy was thinking about her family.
posted by cwest at 12:55 AM on July 21, 2014 [3 favorites]
What is Bert eating for lunch that's white, slathered in ketchup, and requires a spoon? Oh, Bert, gross.
It looks like they've given Carlton a pot belly and jowls this season.
Peggy's misdirection is really annoying, because you kind of need to know what's happened to get it. It makes sense that she rolls her eyes about saying goodnight to the baby because her sister is asking to her to do it as a "rub her nose in it" thing, as well as because she probably can't really bear to be around babies.
I'd forgotten the State (or City) of NY had presumably declared her an unfit mother or whatever they would have called it at the time.
posted by tracicle at 7:23 AM on July 21, 2014
It looks like they've given Carlton a pot belly and jowls this season.
Peggy's misdirection is really annoying, because you kind of need to know what's happened to get it. It makes sense that she rolls her eyes about saying goodnight to the baby because her sister is asking to her to do it as a "rub her nose in it" thing, as well as because she probably can't really bear to be around babies.
I'd forgotten the State (or City) of NY had presumably declared her an unfit mother or whatever they would have called it at the time.
posted by tracicle at 7:23 AM on July 21, 2014
I wonder if Peggy was thinking about her family.
I thought that too! Especially after the whole exchange about Peggy not being able to make her own choices. Her complete dissociation from the pregnancy and refusal to acknowledge the baby at the end of the first season was so painful to watch.
posted by RainyJay at 1:09 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
I thought that too! Especially after the whole exchange about Peggy not being able to make her own choices. Her complete dissociation from the pregnancy and refusal to acknowledge the baby at the end of the first season was so painful to watch.
posted by RainyJay at 1:09 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
Was this episode the first appearance of Peggy's red Thermos? I don't remember seeing it in season 1, but then, I wasn't really looking for it.
posted by donajo at 6:21 PM on July 21, 2014
posted by donajo at 6:21 PM on July 21, 2014
Don doesn't tell the partners about Pete?
Don is a much better judge of other people than Betty is (for now) but can't help but irk her by deflecting.
Joan has Kinsey to a T. Montclair!
I feel like this episode, more than others, relies heavily on the use of specific locations, rooms even. Bert's office. Paul's apartment. The club and the restaurant. Church. Peggy's office. There is a real sense that these character's world's intersect, not overlap.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:49 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
Don is a much better judge of other people than Betty is (for now) but can't help but irk her by deflecting.
Joan has Kinsey to a T. Montclair!
I feel like this episode, more than others, relies heavily on the use of specific locations, rooms even. Bert's office. Paul's apartment. The club and the restaurant. Church. Peggy's office. There is a real sense that these character's world's intersect, not overlap.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:49 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]
I just love the opening party scene, or as I like to call it, the testament to Paul's pretension. I don't know which is my favorite line, this:
Paul: "I'm here because this isn't Greenwich Village. This is America!"
or this:
Paul: "There's a ship that went down in 1871, and the casks of Rhone were on it. It was a very good year. And it sank, and they washed up on shore two years ago, and they sold 180 bottles, and I have one."
Joan: "But not a sofa."
posted by ChrisTN at 10:50 AM on July 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Paul: "I'm here because this isn't Greenwich Village. This is America!"
or this:
Paul: "There's a ship that went down in 1871, and the casks of Rhone were on it. It was a very good year. And it sank, and they washed up on shore two years ago, and they sold 180 bottles, and I have one."
Joan: "But not a sofa."
posted by ChrisTN at 10:50 AM on July 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Hearing Don and Betty talk about Carlton and Francine after their night of playing cards left me wondering: do we ever get any on-screen fallout from Betty feeding her psychiatrist the idea that Don is cheating on her? As in, do we know for sure that Don finds out about that from the doctor, and does he confront her about that? I don't remember.
posted by ChrisTN at 11:15 AM on July 22, 2014
posted by ChrisTN at 11:15 AM on July 22, 2014
I hated Joan for a while after this episode because of her treatment of Paul's girlfriend. Although the limited glimpses we got of their relationship did make me believe that Paul was at least as enamored with the idea of Sheila as he was with Sheila herself.
posted by MoonOrb at 11:18 AM on July 22, 2014
posted by MoonOrb at 11:18 AM on July 22, 2014
And didn't all of us over a certain age learn to mix drinks for our parents? For me, it was G&Ts for my dad and I felt so very grown-up.
I LOVED to tend bar when I was a kid. My Mother's family was friends with another family and one of the sisters (as old as my Bubbe) married an wealthy man very late in life. We'd go down to Tucson and stay with them in their huge, opulent house with COLOR TV. Uncle Charley had a wonderful bar. They'd throw a party and I'd set up the bar, and Uncle Charley would teach me how to make drinks. There were both red and green maraschino cherries, and cocktail onions, olives and limes and I'd make the twists. So there I was, all of about 11 making drinks for the grown ups. Real cocktails, in the proper glass with the proper garnish.
Thank you Uncle Charley, that was a real life skill you gave me!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:47 AM on July 22, 2014 [6 favorites]
I LOVED to tend bar when I was a kid. My Mother's family was friends with another family and one of the sisters (as old as my Bubbe) married an wealthy man very late in life. We'd go down to Tucson and stay with them in their huge, opulent house with COLOR TV. Uncle Charley had a wonderful bar. They'd throw a party and I'd set up the bar, and Uncle Charley would teach me how to make drinks. There were both red and green maraschino cherries, and cocktail onions, olives and limes and I'd make the twists. So there I was, all of about 11 making drinks for the grown ups. Real cocktails, in the proper glass with the proper garnish.
Thank you Uncle Charley, that was a real life skill you gave me!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:47 AM on July 22, 2014 [6 favorites]
I definitely think that Joan is both very astute and also very mean here - she's probably dead-on about Paul being pleased with himself for dating Sheila, but Joan doesn't have to be so unkind to Sheila herself about it all.
posted by PussKillian at 2:16 PM on July 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by PussKillian at 2:16 PM on July 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
Hey, I just watched all Mad Man seasons for the first time this week, so it's nice to see the fanfare posts.
posted by Pendragon at 3:02 PM on July 22, 2014
posted by Pendragon at 3:02 PM on July 22, 2014
Hi, Pendragon! We're posting 2 eps/week (Sundays and Wednesdays) with the goal of working through the whole series by the time the second half of season 7 airs, sometime spring-ish 2015.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:39 PM on July 22, 2014
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:39 PM on July 22, 2014
This gifset of Joan being so delightfully bitchy at Paul's party just came up on my Tumblr.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:46 PM on July 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:46 PM on July 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
This gifset of Joan being so delightfully bitchy at Paul's party just came up on my Tumblr.
That purse hug!!!
posted by ChrisTN at 9:01 PM on July 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
That purse hug!!!
posted by ChrisTN at 9:01 PM on July 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by drezdn at 10:39 AM on July 20, 2014