Episode 2.06: Maidenform

May 29“June 2, 1962 (Note that Memorial Day was made a Monday holiday in 1971. Prior to that, it was May 30, which in 1962 was a Wednesday.)

Tuesday, May 29, 1962
Montage: Getting dressed
Betty Draper gets dressed in a white longline bra.

Joan pulls her blue slip over her black longline bra.

Peggy pulls on pantyhose under a cream slip.

The Decemberists play over the montage.

Sterling Cooper
In Don’s office, Don, Duck, Freddy, Ken, Peggy, Roger, and Sal meet about Playtex. The client is jealous of Maidenform’s ad campaign. They discuss alternative “dreamy” campaigns, even though Playtex is successful with what they have. They agree to present something to Playtex at their next scheduled meeting.

As he leaves the meeting, Duck is approached by Joyce, his secretary, who uncomfortably informs him that his ex-wife (Pauline) is there. So are his two teenagers and his Irish setter Chauncey. Pauline leaves the kids, after stiffly implying Duck still drinks. Duck tells the kids they’re going to do the town, but they are stiff as well.

Freddy comes up to discuss Playtex, Duck introduces him to his children, Mark and Patricia.

Pete, in his office, meets about the Clearasil campaign with Peggy and Sal. Peggy suggests having the kids whose skin cleared up go on a date. Peggy tells it like a story, it’s kind of touching. Pete pushes “Thanks Clearasil” as the tagline, Peggy is noncommittal.

Wednesday, May 30”Memorial Day
A Westchester Country Club
At the country club, Don and Crab discuss golf. Betty chats about the weather with a woman (Marcy) who mentions the execution of the Rosenbergs, and says she has nightmares that a power outage will cause Sing-Sing’s gates to open. Meanwhile, Don and Crab discuss the Bay of Pigs; Crab is a p.r. who man handled the promotion of the idea of revolt to the Cuban people.

Arthur comes up to Betty, he’s been a member of the club since he was a kid. Betty says they’re there as guests. Betty hasn’t been riding when Arthur’s around, he says he’ll stay out of her way and begins to leave. She calls him back to say they can be friends. He makes her laugh girlishly, and then the kids run in, screaming “Mommy, Mommy.” They both look uncomfortable, she’s no longer girlish. He leaves.

Crab is bitter about the Bay of Pigs and is building a bomb shelter. Don is shocked.

The Memorial Day festivities of the “annual ribs and fashion show” kicks off with honoring the war veterans present in the room. Don looks uncomfortable as he stands; Betty and Sally gaze at him with glowing pride.

Pete and Trudy’s apartment
Pete barbecues on the balcony for four: Bud and Judy are over. Bud and Pete joke about how disinterested their mother is in Pete, the wives don’t get it. Pete says he won’t take a vacation because he’s too important to the agency.

A Westchester Country Club
A bikini fashion show begins. Don cuts out, saying people will be working at the office. He phones Bobbie at a hotel, they’d planned to get together; she says she’s spending the day with her 18 year old son instead, he’s shocked she has a son. She invites him to come out to the beach house, pointing out he never saw it. He doesn’t want to be reminded of the accident, she can’t stop thinking about it.

Don goes home alone: Having lied to get away, he can’t very well go back. A sound effect suggests he’s remembering the war.

Thursday, May 31
Sterling Cooper
Pete goes straight to Peggy, still with his coat on, and says his father-in-law loved “Thanks Clearasil.” Kind of babbling, he says he and Trudy saw Liberty Valance, and then tells Peggy how it ended, and then apologizes because he hates people who do that. Totally babbling. They go back to discussing his “Thanks, Clearasil” line. She says it’s all about keeping the client happy. Pete keeps babbling, asking Peggy if she still lives in Marine Park, talking about his apartment and his brother. She kicks him out, politely.

Jane shows up with the worst lobster burn ever. Roger comes in as Jane leaves and is dazzled by her. Roger tells Don he has to have lunch with Duck and make peace. As Roger leaves, he ogles Jane again.

Duck gives his kids hot chocolate in his office. The kids reveal that Mr. Reeve is marrying their mother. Then they tell him that they’re leaving Chauncey with Duck because Frank Reeve is allergic to dogs.

Another Playtex meeting in Don’s office: Same crew plus Paul, who had an idea he wants credit for while out after work. Paul pitches the notion that every woman is either a Jackie or a Marilyn. Don likes the idea and after they discuss it, Don tells Peggy she has “company” on the account; Paul has successfully gotten himself on board. Then Duck comes in with Chauncey, asks about Playtex, and invites Don to lunch.

After the meeting, Peggy approaches Freddy, unhappy that she wasn’t a part of the night out.

Duck sits alone in his office, kind of staring. Don arrives. He doesn’t want to have lunch because he is planning on leaving for the day at lunchtime. They sit down to have “the conversation” in Duck’s office. Don is disgusted, Duck is somewhat contrite and a lot embarrassed, Don agrees they can move forward. Interestingly, there are a lot of military metaphors used, including “Sarge, I’m scared.”

Beach house, Stony Brook
That afternoon, Don and Bobbie are naked in bed, obviously finishing. Now she reveals she has a daughter at Sarah Lawrence, and again he’s surprised and kind of turned off. She has to go see her daughter in a play, and invites Don to stay until she comes back.

Sterling Cooper
Peggy walks up to discover they’re doing casting for Jackie/Marilyn without her knowledge. They’re treating it like a boy’s game. She is annoyed, Ken tries to make her welcome but she backs away.

In the bullpen area, Pete finds Chauncey, and then Duck comes up, looking for his dog. In a statement of startling disconnect, Pete thinks he might get a dog just to look friendly in the office, Duck gently dissuades him.

In the elevator, Pete encounters one of the models trying out for the Playtex ad; Pete flirts with her and shows her a business card, which seems to impress her.

An apartment
Pete has gone back to the model’s apartment with her, they’ve been drinking, they kiss, she poses for him, and then her mother opens the door from the other side of the apartment. The model goes into her mother’s room and comes back; they continue with the TV on loud, getting quickly to business.

Pete gets home late to a dark apartment. He gazes at himself in the mirror and grins.

Friday, June 1
The Draper home
It’s breakfast time. Betty is wearing a bikini she bought at the auction. Don berates her for wearing something “desperate” that will get her ogled. He leaves as she stands, covering herself awkwardly.

Sterling Cooper
Peggy approaches Joan to discuss the Playtex account. Peggy’s being excluded, she wants advice from Joan. Joan doesn’t know how to advise her to be one of the boys, she only knows the woman’s side of things, but she tells her to “stop dressing like a little girl.”

In the Playtex presentation, Don talks about how women want to be seen by men (which is the flip side of what he’d just said to Betty). He unveils the Harlequin art, and says “it’s a very flattering mirror.” Playtex likes the presentation but decides not to change their campaign. then the Playtex guys invites the Sterling Cooper guys out after work; Freddy suggests someplace where they’ll see “women in their underwear,” the Tom-Tom on 44th and 8th. Peggy overhears. Ken says he’s inviting Pete.

Duck walks to an office that says “William Redd, Arthur Laird” on the door, looks around, and steps in. Duck and Redd are each surprised to see the other, Duck acts officious and sends Redd out on an errand, then goes straight for the booze. He brings it almost to his lips and then sees Chauncey gazing lovingly at him, at the same angle Sally gazed at Don. Duck takes Chauncey outside, lets him off his leash, and abandons him, steeling himself not to look back.

Beach house, Stony Brook
Don and Bobbie are back in her bedroom. She’s chatting, he tells her to stop talking. She wants to talk, he ties up her wrist, and she talks about the “Don Draper treatment.” He again wants her to stop, she keeps going, telling him he has a reputation, which upsets him, but she doesn’t see he’s upset. He ties the first wrist to the bed, then ties up the second wrist, she’s still having fun, still talking, but he gets up, gets dressed, and leaves.

The Tom-Tom Club
The guys are having a very good time with the strippers. Peggy arrives in a low cut evening dress and heavy makeup. They welcome her, and the client pulls her onto his lap. They all laugh but Pete looks at her bitterly, and when she sees him looking she stops laughing for a moment, hides her face behind her hand, and looks away.

Saturday, June 2
The Draper home
It is morning. Betty puts on her peignoir as Don gets up. He goes to shave, and Sally comes in to watch. Again she gazes up at him. He smiles at her, but is suddenly trapped in the mirror. He can’t look at himself, he asks Sally to leave, and the camera pulls back so that we see him in the closet door mirror.

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