Ep 13. Meditations on an Emergency

As Don's marriage begins to crumble, he is forced to face the ghosts of his past in "Meditations on an Emergency," the 13th episode of Mad Men's second season. The episode begins with Don frantically trying to track down Betty, who has taken their children and left for the weekend without a word. As he struggles to convince her to come home, Don is beset by flashbacks to his time in the Korean War, where he witnessed a fellow soldier dying in a bombing raid.

Meanwhile, at the office, Peggy is struggling to deal with the aftermath of a failed ad campaign. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to come up with a new concept that will satisfy her boss, Don. However, as the episode progresses, Peggy learns that sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected places, and that perseverance in the face of adversity is the key to success.

As the tension in the Draper household reaches a boiling point, Don turns to his mistress, Bobbie, for comfort. However, their relationship takes a dark turn when Bobbie tries to push Don into engaging in sadomasochistic sex. Stunned and disgusted, Don ultimately rejects Bobbie's advances and leaves her stranded in a hotel room.

Back at the office, Roger is grappling with his own personal demons. Faced with the prospect of losing his beloved wife, Mona, to divorce, he turns to alcohol and philandering to numb the pain. However, when he drunkenly visits Joan and tries to convince her to have an affair with him, she rebuffs him and tells him to get his life together.

As the episode draws to a close, Don returns home to find Betty waiting for him. In a heartbreaking moment, she reveals that she knows about his affair and demands that he leave. As he walks despondently down the street, Don is forced to confront the fact that his life is in shambles and that he may never be able to put it back together.

Overall, "Meditations on an Emergency" is a powerful and poignant episode that explores the themes of love, loss, and redemption. Through its portrayal of complex and flawed characters, the show shines a light on the human condition and the struggle that we all face to find happiness and meaning in our lives. Whether you are a die-hard fan of Mad Men or a casual viewer, this episode is sure to leave a lasting impression and leave you pondering the deeper questions of existence.