Mad Men 2x11 Reaction
Added 2025-09-01 23:45:25 +0000 UTC
Comments
i enjoy your reactions - but can you adjust the volume to better match the volume of the show? i have to turn it way up to hear the show, but then you two come through very loud. Thanks
Chuckles
2025-10-16 06:31:18 +0000 UTCYou can tell someone's hooked when they start laughing at the first sight of Pete in each episode.
Mike Conlin
2025-09-04 23:43:13 +0000 UTCI don't want to discount the homophobia he did face in the moment, but I've always read this scene as actually being Less Bad than you'd expect, and more of a moment that contrasts how much Sal has been suffering living in the closet. By coming out and ripping off the bandaid, so to speak, Kurt has opened himself up to some initial prejudice, but now gets to live honestly and openly. For Sal, tragically, that's never going to happen. Later in the episode, when Ken off-handedly tells Pete that Kurt is a homo, it hardly gets any reaction. The shock reveal has passed; it's already losing it's power.
Mike
2025-09-04 20:24:55 +0000 UTCthey have the scene from earlier in the season for extra context, after that scene they already had a bunch of speculation to build on. I think they actually forgot he sent a letter early in the season though (I'm only saying this cuz they watched 2x12 already).
Kara
2025-09-02 17:04:01 +0000 UTCThe episodes with the most thematic depth evoke your most insightful analysis. That's kind of obvious now that I think about it.
Thomas Fahey
2025-09-02 15:58:21 +0000 UTCThe same man shedding the Draper identity that he drapes over himself, a clever spy.
Thomas Fahey
2025-09-02 15:37:38 +0000 UTCThanks for that observation. That's what I'm here for.
Thomas Fahey
2025-09-02 15:29:42 +0000 UTCA nightmare for sure
Sebastian
2025-09-02 13:58:36 +0000 UTCIt must be terrifying being as attractive as Don, surrounded by the flirtation and seduction of beautiful women around you. I know everyone will say you have to resist it, but for how long? It takes just one second of weakness to fall into that trap. You saw how he tried to reject the woman's invitation a couple of times, but even if he didn't go with her, another woman would succeed.
Sami
2025-09-02 13:34:44 +0000 UTCI don’t know how familiar you girls are with Ibsen, but as a Norwegian it blew my mind when I learned this episode is partly based on Peer Gynt (the next episode title is a strong hint). Early in the play, Peer is seduced by a green clad woman and led into the hall of her father the Mountain King (Monteforte = Strong Mountain) where all the trolls live. Here they try to make him into a troll, somebody purely selfish and egotistical and hedonistic. Peer almost agrees to become prince of the trolls, but at the final moment changes his mind and escapes. Peer is someone who struggles to commit and put down roots, running away and starting over whenever he runs into difficulties. He’s also a womanizer and a successful businessman, and a gifted liar who excels at making up stories and telling others what they want to hear. The whole play is about being true to yourself vs being purely selfish, and to what degree having the capability of changing and being good absolves you if you never act on it. I think the parallels are really interesting. (Also, I just realized Don's "Oslo" is probably a cheeky wink that we're inspired by Norwegian literature in this episode)
Sebastian
2025-09-02 10:21:10 +0000 UTCImpressed with how much they were able to figure out about Dick and Anna based on one phone call! Looking forward to the next one.
Mark M
2025-09-02 08:15:24 +0000 UTCIt was kinda heartwarming to see Kurt come out despite everyone's comments.
Nazım Metin
2025-09-02 05:21:51 +0000 UTC“There he is. There’s the man I heard so much about.” Seeing Bob Dylan in 1962 is insane. I hope Peggy still went. Also, Mr. Sheffield popping up in Mad Men will never not make me lol
cheech
2025-09-02 05:00:21 +0000 UTCDuck taking one sip of a martini and immediately turning into The Business Terminator is almost funny. Poor guy.
Mike
2025-09-02 03:26:55 +0000 UTCThe ending of this episode is up there for me for the entire series. The tease with Don's mysterious phone call. The camera panning behind him and his suitcase being dropped off at his house with Johnny Mathis singing 'What'll I Do'. Just perfect.
Eric Viola
2025-09-02 03:14:36 +0000 UTC"Is this a fever dream?" What an episode. This one is all about the vibes: From the start, with that exotic version of "Misirlou" by the hotel pool, the show treats California like a dream state (pun intended). The vision of Betty in the bar; Viscount Montefiore -- quite a name indeed, Pete -- offering Don a getaway from the horror of impending nuclear holocaust with Joy and his band of libertine nomads; the fainting spell by the pool and the pantsless Dr. Klaus with the mysterious syringe... It all keeps stacking up until that final beat, with Don copying the silhouette from the opening credits. Only he's not in a Manhattan skyscraper, or the Ossining suburbs. He's a stranger in a strange land. The show (and Don) has left the grounded reality of NYC behind. This is something else. (It's worth noting Jane's "eat another mushroom" Alice in Wonderland reference here.) For me, the question is whether Don is getting what he wants or needs out of this side quest. He didn't come to California for the convention (duh), and while we know that he ran away from New York to escape the turmoil of his home life, did he run to California because it was the first available option? Was he purposefully hunting this kind of fever dream reprieve? Or was he seeking out whoever is on the other end of that phone call, and all this strangeness was just a temptation away from his goal? Joy & Co. present him with a version of life that is clearly enticing, but seeing those kids by the pool seems to break the spell. Not to mix my metaphors, but there's a lotus-eaters aspect to the whole thing. Which would make Don Odysseus on his journey home... Putting aside everything else in this episode -- the California stuff makes such an indelible mark that you forget that Duck hatches a plan to sell Sterling Cooper in the same episode! -- I want to comment on that moment where Sal is totally walloped by Kurt explaining that he is gay. It's heartbreaking for Sal, of course, but there is a generational aspect to the moment that's really fascinating. I've mentioned before how Kurt & Smitty have kind of been our stealth introduction to the 1960s counterculture movement, and this is an episode where it's very apparent.* For Kurt in 1962, it's shocking to announce that he's gay to the office. But for Sal in 1950-something when he started at SC, it was an impossible option. The different is so stark. And this raises the possibility of a third option -- for Sal to come out now, after living a lie for all these years. That probably seems even more impossible to him. *And that includes Kurt cutting Peggy's hair after calling her "old style". Remember it was Joan -- more a contemporary of Sal's, I think, than she is in the Peggy/Pete/musketeers cohort -- who told Peggy to give up on the little girl outfits and start dressing like a woman. Now, here comes the Kurt & the 1960s to tell Peggy that, even following Joan's advice, she's still living in the old world.
Mike
2025-09-02 03:08:29 +0000 UTCJoy to Don when he's literally trying not to die of heat exhaustion in a full two piece suit: https://64.media.tumblr.com/9e8b192430ecc91858d8e94257e92828/tumblr_o7bqps6UGZ1v4a8wfo4_1280.pnj
Kara
2025-09-02 02:31:45 +0000 UTCthey have the same job, it just doesnt seem like it because ken is vibing with several hobbies and pete is constantly exploding
Kara
2025-09-02 02:30:00 +0000 UTCI accidentally binged the whole series for the first time in years soon after these reactions began. Yup accidentally. Couldn't wait for the next reaction so I watched the next episode and one thing leading to another, there was the series finale. 🤷♂️
Julien
2025-09-02 02:21:38 +0000 UTCWe don't know that. maybe duck will be a poggers president! The people who own stock - Roger, Bert and Don, will get the money, so while its a false / deceitful pretense, Bert and Roger seems happy to take the 51% buyout knowing this will give the new owners majority control.
Kara
2025-09-02 02:16:08 +0000 UTCThis is the first episode of Mad Men I watched. I was channel-hopping stoned at 3am as a teen. Imagine stumbling onto this - some quiet handsome man hanging out with these weird rich people, drinking campari in the pool. I was confused but enamored, I thought this was the entire show lol. I pirated all the available seasons and was shocked when I loaded 1x1 and it was about a NYC ad agency in 1960... and I'm thankful I did! I'll always have a huge soft spot for this ep, the vibe, California Pete, Peggy Hairdresser Allyship, Don's Alice in Wonderland adventure, Duck going sicko mode.... good ep! The dreamlike quality of this ep is so memorable. I agree with Lola that it shows a life that Don could easily have but would never choose, being a well-off handsome nomad, constantly "running away" and living a hedonistic lifestyle eating amazing food, having sex with enthusiastic young women, drinking and relaxing w/ rich people who love him. Don is smart and lucky enough to have this life if he wants, but seeing children as the "victims" of this lifestyle's incidental neglect strikes something in him, and makes him call the person on the phone. Don has a family and this episode is like a choice between leaving them completely like the rich people or not. A funny detail: truly rich people HATE discussing money lol. for more older-money folks its seen as extremely poor taste, so when Don asks it outs him as not educated or old money rich, because everyone else knows you'd never ask that. It's fun to see Duck actually kick into gear but ultimately depressing. I agree that Sterling Cooper is an impossible environment for an alcoholic, its shocking he kept sober for 2 whole years tbh. Duck eats a breath mint before the meeting with Bert and Roger to cover up the alcohol smell in his mouth 😔 It's a small detail but Pete can't drive so Don literally stranded him in some LA Hotel with no info or way out lmao. Pete and Ken have the same job - they are "Account Executives" in the Accounts department. Harry is Head of Television (in Media department) and Paul is a Copywriter, in Creative department. But they're friends, they probably 'came up together' in the office at the same time. I always connected with Don in a way and I think your comments finally helped me understand why - it's not any of the 'masculine' type confidence stuff, it's the fantasy of being able to leave away from your life at any moment, to 'hit the bricks' and do what you want without caring about the consequences. Some of the most satisfying moments of my life have been getting up and leaving bad things - jobs, relationships, parties...
Kara
2025-09-02 02:08:55 +0000 UTCI couldn't help myself and skimmed through the next episode to remind me. I completely forgot about it but damn it's good, I ended up watching like 70% of it lol.
Nina
2025-09-02 01:58:28 +0000 UTCI'm so surprised you girls support Duck on this. He's been bad for the agency from the start, and on top of that, he's one of the worst characters on the show, in my opinion. He's in a personal crisis like many others, which is sad, but he's taking advantage of Roger's divorce to force him to close the company, something I don't think Don, for example, would do (think of how he defended Freddie), just to be the boss easily, to become superior to Don and avoid hearing the truth from him, just to make the agency and work miserable for our girl Peggy and the others. Believe me, they're better off with Don and Roger.
Darlan Felix
2025-09-02 01:55:59 +0000 UTCThe comments about Kurt aren't shocking to me at all, having grown up in both the Southern US and rural Canada, I feel like I've heard every one of those comments at various points in my life, and more than once too. The look on Sal's face is heartwrenching. I just wanna reach into the screen and give him a big hug. Justice for Sal!!!
Taya
2025-09-02 01:52:36 +0000 UTCHarry is in media (buying airtime, etc).
JojoPotato
2025-09-02 01:43:07 +0000 UTCI've explained this before but it's worth summarizing: Pete and Ken are Accounts men. Like Duck (their direct report), and like Roger (his direct report). Paul is a Creative, like Peggy, Kurt & Smitty (the freelance "kids"), Freddy (now gone), Sal (not a copywriter but an illustrator), and like Don, who is their direct report. It's not always easy to keep track of this stuff (I'm not sure I fully understood this on my first watch) but your experience of the office stuff will be significantly enhanced if you understand this basic distinction between Accounts and Creative. That aside, Harry is a media guy. Finally, who the fuck knows what Cooper does.
Julien
2025-09-02 01:31:17 +0000 UTCJoy is giving absolute magic pixie dream girl, somehow fits exactly into everything Don thinks he wants. Young, beautiful, confident, no commitment, no attachment to even a permanent location, fleeting like a dream.
Nina
2025-09-02 01:21:50 +0000 UTCI didn't notice the background change until you mentioned it at the start. What to say when you're traveling for these reasons? Good luck! Stay safe! Roger's lawyer mentions "Reno" when talking about the divorce. Reno is a city in the state of Nevada, and for most of the 20th century going to Nevada was the only way to have a quick, relatively easy divorce. Most other states had strict divorce laws, often only granting divorces for specific cause (abandonment, adultery, etc.) and often requiring a long waiting period, and for both spouses to be present in the courtroom. Nevada, however, accepted "no fault" divorce, which means you just have to say "I want a divorce" and don't need to get the other person's agreement or prove anything. Nevada also granted residency after only living in the state for six weeks. What this meant is that people around the country would fly to Nevada, stay there for six weeks, and get a divorce that they couldn't get in their home state. By the by, New York was actually the LAST state to accept "no fault" divorce, and they didn't accept it until 2010. Up until then somebody had to (legally) be made the "bad guy" for NY to grant a divorce. To break down the layout and departments at Sterling Cooper: CREATIVE is the department that Don heads. They are the ones who write commercials, ads, jingles, design graphics, etc. Don is ALSO a partner in the company, but that is separate from his position as the head of creative. Sal is part of creative (As the Art Director, which is a department within creative), and so are Peggy and Paul Kinsey (As copywriters). ACCOUNTS is the department that Roger headed at the beginning of the show, and which Duck Phillips took over after Roger's heart attack. They are the ones who speak directly to clients. Technically this includes stuff like negotiating pricing, taking the specs of whatever the client wants to sell and presenting them to creative, etc. Also responsible for gaining new clients, which is what Duck promised when he was hired and Roger says he has failed at. But what we see the most from the Account Men is how they wine and dine clients to make them feel important and agree to whatever the creative men pitch. Pete and Ken Cosgrove are both Account Men. Harry Crane used to be an Account Man, until he pitched the TV department and became the head of that department. I think the TV department is still under the account umbrella. ACCOUNTING is a different department than "accounts", although the show makes a lot of jokes about the name confusion. These would be the people responsible for billing clients, writing checks, and all the other financial parts of a normal business. I honestly don't think we have any accounting people in the cast. PERSONNEL is the department that has the rest of the "miscellaneous" staff, primarily the secretaries and other paperwork staff. Joan is the Office Manager and she heads this department (Yes, she's management), but since it's almost entirely composed of women the position gets very little respect and people treat Joan like she is "just " a secretary instead of a manager.
JBK405
2025-09-02 01:20:26 +0000 UTCShe walks away tbf, and will be leaving the hotel for good. The "i'm leaving bye forever" is a big part of it I think.
Kara
2025-09-02 01:17:27 +0000 UTCKen and Pete are both in the same department. Accounts 😁
Eric Viola
2025-09-02 01:08:25 +0000 UTCI don’t know but I never supported duck doing this. It’s sleazy, he knows he didn’t do what was promised and so he goes behind their back to try and get the position the easy way
Jude G
2025-09-02 01:00:32 +0000 UTCI spoke of Pete's awful pick-up lines in the last pick up lines, now for a different one. The confidence you need to pull off "why would you deny yourself what you want?" is insane, it either melts you into a puddle or makes you want to call the cops on them. It helps to be beautiful I guess.
Nina
2025-09-02 00:59:47 +0000 UTCLiquid courage doesn't even begin to explain when it comes to Duck lol
Chris B
2025-09-02 00:48:13 +0000 UTCThere is no war in Ba Sing Se
My Toasty Toast
2025-09-01 23:54:17 +0000 UTCI love MAD MEN AND MONSTER MONDAYS! It's always been like this!
Kara
2025-09-01 23:48:37 +0000 UTCLove how fight for your beliefs!!!!! Mad men is good aswel
Zosko1
2025-09-01 23:47:32 +0000 UTC
