Mad Men Season 1 Episode 4 New Amsterdam

In Mad Men season 1 episode 4, titled "New Amsterdam," the Sterling Cooper advertising agency faces a major upheaval as they move offices from their comfortable Madison Avenue location to a larger, more modern building in the city's financial district. The episode opens with Pete Campbell, a young account executive, complaining about his commute to work and sulking over the fact that he doesn't have his own office. Meanwhile, Don Draper, the agency's creative director, is dealing with the pressure of coming up with a new campaign for a Dutch airline called KLM.

As the agency settles into their new offices, tensions begin to rise. Pete and his colleagues are dismayed at the lack of privacy in their new open-plan space, and the women at the agency are relegated to a cramped and dingy "typing pool" in the basement. Don, too, is struggling with the change, as he tries to adjust to a new routine and find inspiration for his work.

Despite these challenges, Don eventually comes up with a winning idea for the KLM campaign. He delivers a powerful pitch to the airline's representatives, using the tagline "New Amsterdam" to evoke the city's rich history and cultural heritage. The campaign is a success, and the agency celebrates with a boozy office party.

However, not all is well at Sterling Cooper. A mysterious figure has been calling the agency and hanging up, leading Don to suspect that it may be someone from his past. He confronts his boss, Roger Sterling, about the calls, but Roger dismisses his concerns. Later, Don receives a package in the mail that contains a book of poetry and a cryptic note. He becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to make plans to leave town.

Meanwhile, Peggy Olson, a young and ambitious secretary, is struggling with the sexism and discrimination she faces on a daily basis at the agency. She tries to assert herself by asking to work on the KLM campaign, but is rebuffed by her male superiors. Undeterred, she comes up with her own pitch for the campaign and presents it to Don. Although he initially scoffs at the idea, he eventually sees its potential and gives Peggy the chance to work on the project.

As the episode comes to a close, the characters are left grappling with the changes and challenges that come with a new beginning. The move to a new office, while exciting, has exposed the fault lines of the agency's culture and hierarchy. Don, meanwhile, is left wondering about the identity of his mysterious caller and the implications it could have for his carefully crafted persona. "New Amsterdam" sets the stage for the complex and nuanced exploration of gender, power, and identity that will come to define Mad Men over the course of its seven seasons.