Mad Men Season 1 Episode 4

            This episode is really interesting and helps me understand the characters more. It opens with Pete and his friends listening to a record when his wife Trudy arrives. She arrives unannounced and you can tell that Pete is annoyed with her arrival. Trudy has a surprise for Pete and wants to take him to lunch. Pete introduces Trudy to Don. And Don charms her like he does to most of the women on the show. Peggy is also there and she waves but Pete doesn’t introduce her instead he just gives her a dirty look. The surprise Trudy has for Pete is an apartment in Manhattan. Pete and Trudy argue that they can’t afford it. Trudy’s idea is that they could ask for help. Pete is hesitant. There is a little problem at the company between Don and Paul’s girlfriend Rachel. Don asks her out but she puts him down. Back at the Draper home Betty is reading to the kids to put them to be and then goes out to walk the dog. While walking she sees a many banging on Helen’s door. He tells her he is Helen’s husband and asks Betty if he can use her phone. But Betty refuses and tells him “I’m sure you are who you say you are, but I don’t let strange men into my house.” He looks angry and Betty goes home quickly. Later on, Helen comes by to apologize. Betty and Helen sit and talk and Helen explains how she divorced him because he was cheating. Helen says goodbye to Betty after Don arrives home. Now back to Pete. Pete goes to his father who is mean Pete discusses the apartment. Pete tells his father he needs help with the down payment. His father tells him no and he’s spoiled and that he thinks advertising work is meaningless and doesn’t count as work. Pete goes home and lies to Trudy saying he didn’t bring up them needing help for the down because his father is sick. The next day at after a meeting something huge happens. During a meeting with Bethlehem Steel Pete decides to undercut Don while don is pitching an idea. Don reminds Walter (the guy from Bethlehem Steel) that he initially liked Dons idea. There is a little argument between Pete and Don where the ends results are Pete storming out like a child saying he has good ideas too. Later that night the Betty gets a call from Helen asking if she could babysit. She goes and babysits but its weird how Glen behaves around her. Like asking for a lock of her hair or trying to watch while she uses the bathroom. Betty gives in and gives Glen a lock of hair. Once Helen arrives home Betty tells her nothing about what happened with Glen and goes home. Betty finds Don asleep with sketches on his chest that are ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The story flashes over to Pete and Trudy who are having dinner with Trudy’s parents. Trudy’s parents offer to pay the down and Pete refuses. On the way home you can tell that Pete is angry.  But he continues to pull a shady move on Don and the guys at Sterling Cooper. He goes to the St. Regis hotel to meet Walter from the steel company. Once there Pete introduces them to ‘cousins’ and then pitches his idea. I feel that Pete is so willing to prove himself he endangers his job more than helping himself. The next day Walter and the people from the steel company meet. Don presents his O Little Town idea, but Walter wants Pete’s pitch. After Walter leaves, Don fires Pete. I know I was so happy when this happened mainly because Pete is a sleaze ball. Well, Pete is extremely upset and storms back to his office and kicks out the people who are listening to records. Don now has the duty of telling Roger that he fired Pete for going behind his back. Roger is happy while Pete is in his office drinking and trying not to cry. Now it is both of their duty to tell Cooper what has happened. Cooper tells them to rehire Pete because of his family and their influences. Don and Roger go to Pete’s office and the unthinkable happens. Roger tells Pete that Cooper and he wanted to fire Pete but Don wouldn’t allow it. Roger tells Pete to follow Don like a soldier following a commanding officer. The episode ends with Pete and Trudy in their new apartment. The neighbors come in and talk to them and are happy with their family connections. Pete however looks out of the window uncomfortably.

The same theme I have seen continued yet again. The theme is adultery. Don cheats on Betty and continues like nothing’s happened. I also noticed that all of the people in this show like to gossip. Betty talks to the psychologist about Helen not properly caring for Glen. It’s sad how Betty feels about Helen but pretends to be a friend. I also have seen the theme of alcoholism continue. Pete drinks heavily once he gets fired. I also saw the theme of smoking continue. Everyone in this show smokes so much.

            The scriptures that come to mind for the adultery is Hebrews 13:11. Which discuss marriage and how it should be held in honor among all and God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous it says it clearly how adulterers are going to be judged. For drinking and smoking I found 1 Peter 5:8 which says be sober-minded; be watchful. Again I ask how the show would be different if there was a Christian character. What would happen in this show if they were saved? Would the characters act differently?