Follow TV Tropes

Following

Recap / Mad Men S 2 E 5 The New Girl

Go To

I guess when you try to forget something, you have to forget everything.

Joan finds Don the perfect secretary, and Don finds himself in the middle of issues between TV comedian Jimmy and his wife, Bobbie.

This episode contains examples of:

  • Because You Were Nice to Me: This is implied to be the reason behind the loyalty Peggy shows to Don. During her traumatic post-birth convalescence, Don is revealed to have tracked her down and averted her Despair Event Horizon with sympathetic counsel.
  • The Bus Came Back: Rachel Menken comes back, just long enough to inform Don that she's married Tilden Katz.
  • Don't Look Back: In the flashback, Don tells Peggy to continue on with her life, and to pretend that her pregnancy never happened.
    Don: It will shock you how much it never happened.
  • Drunk Driver: Don drives at .15 percent BAC while with Barrett, leading to a minor car accident.
  • First-Name Basis: Starting with this episode, Peggy calls Don by his first name instead of "Mr. Draper".
  • Flashback Echo: Don ends up calling Peggy to help him out of his jam with Bobbie Barrett. It's revealed in flashback that Don was the only one outside of Peggy's family to visit her when she had just given birth, and helped her get past her depression and continue on with her life.
  • It's All About Me: Pete is pretty happy that his sperm count is solid, not quite accounting for the embarrassment that Trudy must be feeling at knowing that this means she is the reason that they can't get pregnant.
  • Lady Macbeth: Don comes to realize just the extent to which Bobbie Barrett is to Jimmy.
    Bobbie: If it wasn't for me, it wouldn't be Grin and Barrett, it would be Grin and Brownstein. This is America. Pick a job and then become the person who does it.
  • The Loins Sleep Tonight: Pete's doctor asks if he's ever had problems with this, noting that George Washington had issues with it.
  • Moment Killer: Freddy Rumsen inexplicably plays "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" on his zipper while Cosgrove is trying to flirt with Jane.
  • Ms. Fanservice: Joan calls out Jane on trying to invoke this too obviously. None of the office men (or Jimmy Barrett) seem to mind.
  • Pet the Dog: Bobbie shows a softer side when interacting with Peggy, despite wondering if the younger woman is sleeping with Don, and gives her some needed career advice. Don himself is revealed to have spared a kindly gesture for Peggy in the Flash Back Echo.
  • Self-Serving Memory: Suggested by Don to Peggy concerning her pregnancy:
    Don: Peggy, listen to me, get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened.
  • Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: After two seasons of seeing Don routinely drive drunk and distracted, it finally bites him here, causing a car crash.
  • Values Dissonance: It's noted that Don is at the legal limit, having a BAC of 0.15 (that's about twice the limit in many jurisdictions today), and his only punishment is having to pay a $150 fine. At least the cop points out how reckless such behavior is.

Top