Mad Men: For Those Who Think Young Rewatch
July 16, 2014 5:54 AM - Season 2, Episode 1 - Subscribe
It's Valentine's Day, and the Sterling Cooper advertising agency is hustling to stay on top of its game and buzzing over the newest office equipment.
Kurt's statements are enjoyably puzzling.
"That's why we're on the purpose."
"Only when it's a distance."
They're like Zen koans.
posted by cwest at 8:43 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
"That's why we're on the purpose."
"Only when it's a distance."
They're like Zen koans.
posted by cwest at 8:43 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
When I first saw this ep., what I most wanted to know was what happened with Peggy.
Manure and little children. Betty: "What's the difference?"
Pete: "Nobody makes Draper do anything." Pete has first hand evidence of that. Pete's experience of Don is burned so deeply in him that when, later on, he believes Bob Benson to be of the same breed as Don, he wants no part of it.
Carla refusing Don's offer of a ride because of his drinking. Carla is a wise woman and probably has Don down to the letter.
Why do you think Joan put the copy machine in Peggy's office? Is it because Peggy is low man on the totem pole and Joan knows she can get away with it without much protest? Or is she resentful of Peggy? Or is it a combination of the two? Or something else?
posted by cwest at 10:23 PM on July 16, 2014
Manure and little children. Betty: "What's the difference?"
Pete: "Nobody makes Draper do anything." Pete has first hand evidence of that. Pete's experience of Don is burned so deeply in him that when, later on, he believes Bob Benson to be of the same breed as Don, he wants no part of it.
Carla refusing Don's offer of a ride because of his drinking. Carla is a wise woman and probably has Don down to the letter.
Why do you think Joan put the copy machine in Peggy's office? Is it because Peggy is low man on the totem pole and Joan knows she can get away with it without much protest? Or is she resentful of Peggy? Or is it a combination of the two? Or something else?
posted by cwest at 10:23 PM on July 16, 2014
cwest, I was always uncertain of Joan's feelings about Peggy. I feel like she's envious of Peggy's almost-immediate success, when Joan has been there for ten years (?) doing pretty much the same thing. Her power comes from being the Queen of the Secretaries, which really isn't that great when you consider that Peggy's not even in the secretarial pool any more. So her comments to Peggy in the latter half of season 1 always sounded sour-grapesy to me.
posted by tracicle at 11:57 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by tracicle at 11:57 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
I believe that Peggy was quite harsh when telling off one of the secretaries (Lois?) for perceived disrespect while talking about Don, and although Joan was obliged to take Peggy's side openly, the copy machine placement was Joan's revenge. I interpreted it as Joan being annoyed by 2 things- Peggy's elevation, but also her lack of empathy for someone doing a job she herself so recently had done.
I think if Peggy had dealt with Lois more kindly, the copy machine might not have ended up in her office. But Peggy is still learning to assert her authority and is clumsy and lacking compassion.
Although in Peggy's defense, Lois was really not cut out for that job. Poor Lois.
I love the little twist, after Joan scolds Lois (thus reinforcing Peggy's authority) but then softens the end of the encounter by asking Lois what she thinks about the copy machine's current placement in the hall. Lois is given the opportuinity to bounce back and assert herself in a small way by giving an opinion. It's a nice character note for Joan. So competent, so good at handling people.
posted by acanthous at 6:01 AM on July 17, 2014 [5 favorites]
I think if Peggy had dealt with Lois more kindly, the copy machine might not have ended up in her office. But Peggy is still learning to assert her authority and is clumsy and lacking compassion.
Although in Peggy's defense, Lois was really not cut out for that job. Poor Lois.
I love the little twist, after Joan scolds Lois (thus reinforcing Peggy's authority) but then softens the end of the encounter by asking Lois what she thinks about the copy machine's current placement in the hall. Lois is given the opportuinity to bounce back and assert herself in a small way by giving an opinion. It's a nice character note for Joan. So competent, so good at handling people.
posted by acanthous at 6:01 AM on July 17, 2014 [5 favorites]
Why were they replacing the lock on Don's office in the opening montage? Or was that just a random detail?
Roger: "The last time Freddie Rumsen had a cup of coffee, it was one of five being poured down his throat by a cop." (Poor Freddie--just what does someone have to do to earn the title of office lush at SC?)
Now I know another spinoff I'd like to see--"Juanita Carson--Party Girl"!
Jennifer Crane is expecting, so I guess she and Harry patched things up. For the life of me, I couldn't remember.
Sal: "Where's her husband?" Oh, Sal.
posted by ChrisTN at 1:45 PM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Roger: "The last time Freddie Rumsen had a cup of coffee, it was one of five being poured down his throat by a cop." (Poor Freddie--just what does someone have to do to earn the title of office lush at SC?)
Now I know another spinoff I'd like to see--"Juanita Carson--Party Girl"!
Jennifer Crane is expecting, so I guess she and Harry patched things up. For the life of me, I couldn't remember.
Sal: "Where's her husband?" Oh, Sal.
posted by ChrisTN at 1:45 PM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
acanthous, that's a great reading. I never really put that all together.
Why were they replacing the lock on Don's office in the opening montage? Or was that just a random detail?
ChrisTN, I assumed that they weren't replacing the lock, but installing a lock. The door didn't have one before. After Don realized Pete had been in his office (stealing the package sent from Adam), he thought it best to have a lock installed.
posted by cwest at 2:17 PM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Why were they replacing the lock on Don's office in the opening montage? Or was that just a random detail?
ChrisTN, I assumed that they weren't replacing the lock, but installing a lock. The door didn't have one before. After Don realized Pete had been in his office (stealing the package sent from Adam), he thought it best to have a lock installed.
posted by cwest at 2:17 PM on July 17, 2014 [2 favorites]
Thanks, cwest. I'd never realized they didn't have locks previously, but of course. That's it.
posted by ChrisTN at 3:05 PM on July 17, 2014
posted by ChrisTN at 3:05 PM on July 17, 2014
The mystery dog!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:51 PM on July 18, 2014
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:51 PM on July 18, 2014
I can't keep up with the rewatching! Must binge today to get ahead.
My favorite line of this ep: "Fat farm. I thought we had verification."
Poor Peggy, when Pete asks her if she wants to have children.
The scene with Betty and the mechanic is so typical of the red herrings that drive me nuts when watching in real time. All that tension, for what?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 1:40 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite line of this ep: "Fat farm. I thought we had verification."
Poor Peggy, when Pete asks her if she wants to have children.
The scene with Betty and the mechanic is so typical of the red herrings that drive me nuts when watching in real time. All that tension, for what?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 1:40 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I thought the point of the mechanic scene was to show that Betty is thinking about cheating more and more (or just has needs not being met by Don). It takes a little while for her to finally to act on these desires though.
posted by drezdn at 5:10 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 5:10 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
She's like a kid playing with her toys in that mechanic scene.
posted by Sebmojo at 5:26 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Sebmojo at 5:26 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I love the montage at the beginning of Joan, Peggy, and Pete getting dressed for work.
Also, Betty ordering room service. "Do you have anything special or out of season?" If she's not going to get laid, she's at least going to get a good meal out of the deal.
I never noticed before that it's a different actor playing Dr. Rapist in this episode.
posted by donajo at 7:47 PM on July 20, 2014
Also, Betty ordering room service. "Do you have anything special or out of season?" If she's not going to get laid, she's at least going to get a good meal out of the deal.
I never noticed before that it's a different actor playing Dr. Rapist in this episode.
posted by donajo at 7:47 PM on July 20, 2014
I assumed that they weren't replacing the lock, but installing a lock. The door didn't have one before. After Don realized Pete had been in his office (stealing the package sent from Adam), he thought it best to have a lock installed.
This makes sense, but I was just checking the dates on this season (trying to figure out how old Baby Peggy/Pete is (Pegte? Petgy? Pegter?)). The crash of Flight 1 in the next episode pegs this to Valentine's Day, 1962. So it's been more than a year since the end of last season (November 1960). Seems like a long time for Don to wait to install a lock in response to Pete coming into his office.
posted by donajo at 8:59 PM on July 20, 2014
This makes sense, but I was just checking the dates on this season (trying to figure out how old Baby Peggy/Pete is (Pegte? Petgy? Pegter?)). The crash of Flight 1 in the next episode pegs this to Valentine's Day, 1962. So it's been more than a year since the end of last season (November 1960). Seems like a long time for Don to wait to install a lock in response to Pete coming into his office.
posted by donajo at 8:59 PM on July 20, 2014
I have a feeling Don and Betty's hotel room reappears in a later season. Surely not the ubiquitous Algonquin?
Wait...Pete calls Trudy "Tweety" and Don calls Betty "Birdy"? Um, what?
posted by tracicle at 6:18 AM on July 21, 2014
Wait...Pete calls Trudy "Tweety" and Don calls Betty "Birdy"? Um, what?
posted by tracicle at 6:18 AM on July 21, 2014
Betty's playing at call girl -- she's intrigued by Juanita's lifestyle and figures if her ex-model ex-roommate can do it, then so can she. If she'd had to go through with some kind of, er, physical remuneration, then going by the awkward little hand touch when she handed over the cash, she wouldn't go through with it.
posted by tracicle at 6:46 AM on July 21, 2014
posted by tracicle at 6:46 AM on July 21, 2014
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posted by drezdn at 12:13 PM on July 16, 2014 [1 favorite]