Mad Men 5x01 Reaction
Added 2025-12-10 23:14:20 +0000 UTC
Comments
I thought maybe they did because Lola made a comment about how she reached to pause the episode during the credits of I think the S4 finale? But she hasn't said it explicitly so yes we must keep the pestering, it will be worth it in the end
Kev
2025-12-12 09:12:26 +0000 UTCBumping again that they should *really* turn off autoplay on Netflix before the next few episodes... Rira orsber jr trg gb Ynql Ynmnehf, gur Orrgubira ng gur raq bs Fvtany 30 srryf onfvpnyyl rffragvny
Mike
2025-12-12 09:04:03 +0000 UTCRacism is never explored adequately in Mad Men to my liking, for a show that aims to explore American society in the 60s. At the same time, I understand that it's written from a narrow POV (white people striving to reach the upper echelons of NYC society). Even so, I feel like the show cops out a lot on the issue. Very probably because they don't want us to dislike the characters. Yet, contrast with the Sopranos, set 30-40 years later (in the 90-00s!), where the characters are nakedly and unapologetically racist. The honesty is wonderfully refreshing. My one criticism of Mad Men is that it didn't have the balls to go full tilt on this reality of our characters. Which is strange given that Matt Weiner famously worked on the Sopranos.
Julien
2025-12-12 05:21:45 +0000 UTCan issue with the opening scene is that the water bags are thrown by white characters we've never seen, or will ever see again. it comes off like the writers didn't want to implicate, or explore how the main cast directly reproduces racism. but mb this is explored later second, the concept was seemingly making the protest incident itself a 'main character.' which is fine, but i would've preferred intimately following a group of black characters as 'main characters' instead. like following the group from the street level all the way up to the ad office would've been cool. and ideally from home -> protest -> ad office you'd get all types of interesting interactions during their commute, the protest, the police presence, the elevator ride, etc
on crip ...
2025-12-12 05:12:12 +0000 UTCwow, seeing zou bisou bisou again, it's actually so not a big deal. it's just a cute display of affection, with the slightest suggestive touch. the responses are more interesting to explore. they're def stemming from wider cultural beliefs regarding displays of women's sexuality
on crip ...
2025-12-12 05:07:05 +0000 UTCPete & Trudy do have one of the best relationship dynamics, but I think Trudy being such a great partner to Pete might be pulling the majority of the weight in that relationship. You’re definitely right on the parallels between Pete’s new life and Don’s old life. Pete’s ambition has always been his defining quality, so his “professionalism” shouldn’t be that surprising. Roger & Don are already rich… and Pete wants to be. I also think Don deserves a smidgen of credit for being “honest” with Megan, regardless of how it happened offscreen. I know you guys have whiplash from that stretch in S4 where you thought he was suddenly a changed man, but this alone would have been unthinkable even 6 episodes ago.
JJ
2025-12-12 00:21:56 +0000 UTCMost insightful comment so far
Austin Martens
2025-12-11 22:02:24 +0000 UTCThey've been shaving his hairline. Which made Vince Kartheiser look very goofy with the regrowth between seasons.
Julien
2025-12-11 20:46:47 +0000 UTCI wonder how many people woke up with Zou Bisou Bisou in their heads.
Jamie
2025-12-11 14:00:03 +0000 UTCWatching this show for the first time as well, and I had a goofy ahh stupefied grin on my face during Zou Bisou Bisou Also, Pete’s hairline has definitely receded since last season
Darrach
2025-12-11 11:29:34 +0000 UTCAm I missing something about this comment? Or is it a joke about them forgetting Ken's name?
Kev
2025-12-11 09:52:55 +0000 UTCBaby Kevin's name is Ken if you didnt know
Infode
2025-12-11 08:21:38 +0000 UTCNah. I think Joan was absolutely mocking her mom. It's just as as cruel as her "and look at you now" or similar. But also their dynamic (e.g., Joan's vulnerable relief at Mom offering to give her some time alone) indicates that it ain't that serious. But make no mistake about it, that comment didn't come from a place of kindness. These are people who are used to going at each other. I don't really understand how people live like that but I've seen it a lot in real life.
Julien
2025-12-11 06:24:23 +0000 UTCThis episode and the surprise party-related stress dreams that followed caused me to preemptively (and categorically) forbid my friends and family to ever throw me a surprise party
Joshua Something
2025-12-11 06:07:31 +0000 UTC- I don't think Joan was making a dig at her mother when she said "Who would've thought you'd be so good at this", at least not in that moment, she was smiling and happy so it was more sarcastic and joking around, but thankful. (also her mom did work, that was what Joan was saying, the "how did that work out for you" was abt another thing) - Stan is an artist, not a copywriter. - Milena's shock at herself for calling Pete cute was hysterical.
Kev
2025-12-11 05:54:58 +0000 UTCV xabj guvf vf n jnlf njnl, ohg zl zbfg nagvpvcngrq rcvfbqr bs guvf frnfba vf gur Wnthne bar, orpnhfr V xabj gung jvyy pnhfr nabgure cunfr bs ungvat nyy gur zra ba gur fubj naq jnagvat gurz nyy gb qvr.
Kev
2025-12-11 04:28:01 +0000 UTCZvyran: Fvapr gurl jbex gbtrgure naq yvir va Znaunggna, Qba pnaabg purng nf rnfvyl Qba: Org *shpxf gur arvtuobe*
Kev
2025-12-11 04:24:01 +0000 UTCWhen this episode first aired, the opening scene of the ad agency dropping water on the protesters was HEAVILY criticized as over-the-top and melodramatic. But it's a true story that actually happened. They got the story from an article in "The New York Times" (Page 1, May 28, 1966). They recreated it exactly, even to the point of the specific posters in the office window and the lines spoken by the women when they came up to confront them ("And they call us savages"). The ad agency, Young & Rubicam, still exists today as VMLY&R after merging with another company in 2020. I'm definitely on the side of "Don't throw anybody a party unless THEY want a party!" I related a story in a comment in season four about how I am STILL angry at my mother for throwing me a surprise party in 2021, since it showed such a complete disregard for any of my interests or desires (or an appreciation of the plague ravaging the land). So here I'm solidly with Don at being unhappy, because despite being a party 'for him' it's obviously not FOR him. Of course, if he was married to somebody he was emotionally open with and expressed himself maturely throughout their relationship, they likely would understand each other better.
JBK405
2025-12-11 02:51:40 +0000 UTCMilena looking extra beautiful in this reaction idk what it is <3
bondbond53
2025-12-11 01:23:53 +0000 UTCEvery time Harry is on screen, the audience should be asking: "Why is Harry here?"
Nina
2025-12-11 01:20:07 +0000 UTCDon and Megan could be such a power couple if it wasn't for... everything.
Jamie
2025-12-11 00:57:41 +0000 UTCIf Betty is the symbolic representation of the stuffy, repressed 1950's, Megan is the symbolic representation of the youthful, vibrant, progressive 60's. They couldn't be more different. The question is whether Don can handle such a huge change in dynamic. It's easy to see why he'd be drawn to Megan (like he said once, a big concept in advertising is "NEW") but at his core he still seems to be firmly planted in the 1950's. He's standing next to Roger watching Megan in bewilderment while she laughs with her diverse friends. A couple seasons ago people in the office were shocked at the thought of Kurt being a homosexual and now there's a gay black man hosting her party and everyone's just like whatever. The times are changing FAST but it doesn't seem like Don quite "gets it" or fits in with this new crowd at all. Also, I love the subtle little displays of Pete's progressiveness. While Don & Roger are laughing about the water being thrown on the protestors, Pete doesn't see the humor at all.
Taya
2025-12-11 00:53:28 +0000 UTCYou finally made it to Zou Bisou. You just reacted to the pinnacle of the golden age of television.
Juanma88
2025-12-11 00:48:57 +0000 UTCAnd hating on Harry robs you of the chance to laugh at him! The guy is not getting complex dramatic storylines that connect with audiences (like Roger does), but he's certainly one of the funniest characters on the show.
Mike
2025-12-11 00:41:26 +0000 UTCI remain mystified by the intensity of the Harry hate. Lots of people rolled their eyes at me last time I said this (way back in S3). But I maintain that our reactors began hating him 100% because of Joan, who they are completely infatuated with. They have never forgiven him for passing her over for the script-reading job. I still don't think that's fair - Joan had broader responsibilities as an office manager, as stated by Roger in that episode. It wasn't Harry's call. Harry is an oaf. But beloved characters in this show who have done far far far worse things than anything Harry has ever done, and get far far far more grace. Don, Pete, Betty, and others. Yet they remained beloved. I'm not a Harry stan. There is no such a thing. But unfair hatred gets to me. So yeah, I don't get it. Ah well.
Julien
2025-12-11 00:32:55 +0000 UTCI'm sorry but Pete's house looks terrible. I'd be coming home at 9:30 every night just to avoid having to look at that ugly ass kitchen lol
Taya
2025-12-11 00:29:34 +0000 UTCI think all Mad Men watchers might go senile in old age and still have a searing memory of Zou Bisou Bisou.. To this day, I’m still so obsessed with Don and Megan’s penthouse apartment. It’s the conversation pit of my dreams. The party scene’s styling is so gorgeous. Season 5 is such a far cry from the original SC office and Draper house. On the flipside, Pete has now moved to the suburbs and it’s his turn to have a sad kitchen. RIP giraffe triptych.
Jamie
2025-12-11 00:25:36 +0000 UTCThere is a restaurant near me that still uses Paré's performance of the song as its hold music.
Mike
2025-12-11 00:24:27 +0000 UTCDon has never been 100% honest with anyone about what happened (that we know of on-screen at least). He told Anna, Betty and Faye that Don was killed but never mentioned it was HIS fault, he said "they got us switched up" but never said that he purposely switched the dog tags. So even when he's being honest, he's still lying by omission. We don't know what he said to Megan exactly, but I do give him credit for learning from his mistakes and recognizing that it's better to be honest about his past from the start than have it blow up in his face later. It's been his worst fear for so long but telling Faye about it broke the ice so to speak, the world didn't end and she didn't think any less of him, so that likely made it easier for him to open up to Megan. And it shows that he's at least attempting to take the marriage seriously.
Taya
2025-12-11 00:22:23 +0000 UTCThere was a big delay between the end of season 4 and the season 5 premiere because of contract negotiations between the creator and AMC. It's kind of funny because there was a lot of feeling from AMC that Mad Men would not be able to sustain its momentum. They were starting to get cold feet and nervous. But, it ended up being the highest rated and highest watched episode yet, and shot Mad Men into overdrive of cultural hype and clout. But, their squeamishness about giving Matthew his due permanently soured the relationship even though he was giving them one of the greatest tv shows ever created.
Creamish
2025-12-11 00:21:36 +0000 UTCWhen this episode aired, that scene with Megan singing "Zou Bisou Bisou" became something of a cultural phenomenon. Looking back, it's hard to explain the intensity of the moment but it was arguably one of the first TV scenes to become a viral hit on Twitter. I remember seeing articles everywhere breaking it down - how to perform the song, how to dress like Megan, how to host a surprise party like that... it was nuts.
Chidi.
2025-12-11 00:00:50 +0000 UTCI mean it does make sense though. It’s a two parter.
Alfie Harrison
2025-12-10 23:57:52 +0000 UTCI feel like it was just yesterday when this episode premiered after a long two year hiatus in 2012. Still feels fresh in my mind.
Eric Viola
2025-12-10 23:56:46 +0000 UTCA double upload would've been like having cake and eating it too. But Mad Men fans are so STARVED for reactions we're just happy you've made it this far!
Jenny D
2025-12-10 23:43:11 +0000 UTC
