Mad Men: My Old Kentucky Home Rewatch

September 7, 2014 9:31 AM - Season 3, Episode 3

The writers fight off boredom when they are forced to work after hours. Roger hosts a party while Joan and Greg host a party of their own. Sally has a run in with Grandpa.
posted by tracicle (12 comments total)

"I'm Peggy Olson and I want to smoke some marijuana."
posted by Sweetie Darling at 9:38 AM on September 7, 2014 [4 favorites]

I knew that was going to be the first comment.

I could watch Pete and Trudy do the Charleston for hours.
posted by donajo at 12:21 PM on September 7, 2014 [4 favorites]

I love how disgusted Don is with Roger in black-face. I also love how livid he is with Roger for divorcing Mona and marrying Jane. The NERVE of him pulling the plug on a marriage that has grown tired and stale.

Peggy's speech to Olive is priceless, "You're afraid for me..." She's nailed it. And when she says, "I'm going to be just fine," it's obvious that she will be, she's not at all afraid because the world is her oyster.

Scary how easily Trudy moves among everyone. She's so comfortable, especially compared to Jane, who is falling down drunk, Don, who doesn't get the whole Country Club thing, to Harry and Jennifer, who look like they parked the station wagon because they don't know how much to tip the valet and to Betty, who is SO pregnant and physically uncomfortable.

Of course Pete and Trudy are perfect dancers as well as perfect guests, they've grown up in that social milieu, it's as natural as breathing to them.

I want to make an argument about how Pete and Peggy will fit into the future, just as Don will lose his footing. Although he had white male privilege on his side, Don's inability to understand the new youth culture will make him obsolete soon enough. I'm sort of there, it's not exactly fully formed though.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:17 PM on September 7, 2014

All those cotillion lessons really paid off for Pete and Trudy. (I use the threat of cotillion to keep my 13-year-old in line.)

I love the scene between Don and Connie in the clubhouse - Don sliding over the bar, his skill in mixing drinks (maybe a promotion from valet?), the ease of their conversation. Reading the recaps from first watch is so interesting - the mention of speculation on Television Without Pity that it *might* be Conrad Hilton. Even his IMDB listing just calls the character "Connie."

The first appearance of Henry Francis. You never really know which minor characters are going to have traction!
posted by Sweetie Darling at 1:52 PM on September 7, 2014

This might be my favorite episode. All of the couples, either absolutely miserable or the subject of everyone's resentment (or both), and there's oblivious Ken Cosgrove having a grand old time and imagining just how much more fun it would be with a date. And also the freaky Pete and Trudi dancing moment where they show off with those creepy fake smiles affixed to their faces while everyone else grows more annoyed at their display.

Also interesting that this is the episode where the two men who help rip apart the already unstable Draper household make their first appearances.
posted by MoonOrb at 4:39 PM on September 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

Pete can't help but compete and try to be good at something in front of his bosses. And Trudy wants to help him by being the best wife. It was a cringey moment, although nowhere near as much as Roger's blackface.

I kept comparing it to the awkwardness of Megan and Don's party and Megan singing sexy French songs to Don. What is with these people?
posted by tracicle at 10:37 PM on September 7, 2014

Gosh, I didn't find it cringey. I thought it was one of the first moments we see them really connecting, really thriving as this POWERHOUSE COUPLE. I finally saw why they got together in the first place. They're ambitious, calculated, socially capable/connected. And here they're finally, quite literally, in sync.

I could watch Pete and Trudy do the Charleston for hours.

Now you can!
posted by rabbitbookworm at 11:38 AM on September 8, 2014 [9 favorites]

Thanks! I've now got it bookmarked.

I didn't see it as cringey at all, either. And if you watch the clip rabbitbookworm posted, everyone else on the dance floor seems to be enjoying it as well.
posted by donajo at 2:26 PM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

How weird! Because what I read into it was people being initially impressed and than somewhat disgusted.

What made it somewhat cringey for me was also the aspect of Pete's desperation to be accepted and valued; this almost always makes me cringe despite it coming up in nearly every damn episode.
posted by MoonOrb at 2:34 PM on September 8, 2014

Another vote for enjoying Pete and Trudy's dancing. I found it a bit cringe worthy towards the end when Pete was looking at the SC crew for a reaction, but overall it was golden.

Kartheiser said, before season 3 aired, there would be lots of singing and dancing. Everyone thought he was joking.
posted by cwest at 2:59 PM on September 8, 2014

I love all the hidden talents brought out for display in this episode: Pete and Trudy's Charleston, Don's cocktail making, Geoffrey and Paul putting the "Tiger Tones" back together and Sally's reading of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" ( including the word "Licentiousness" for which she fully deserves $5). Even Roger's blackface performance of "My Old Kentucky Home" (and I shudder to think how many times he has done it before) comes with a surprisingly good baritone.
posted by rongorongo at 11:22 PM on August 26, 2019

Oh - and how could I forget Joan's rendering of "C'est Manifique"! - her daggered look to Greg when he suggests she play - and her "out of practice" remark - sets her up to be terrible. Then she absolutely nails it. I do wonder what Joan thought of Roger's musical turns.
posted by rongorongo at 11:22 PM on August 27, 2019 [1 favorite]