A Little Kiss, Part 1 (25 Mar. 2012)

Megan throws Don a surprise birthday party, the war between Pete Campbell and Roger Sterling intensifies, and new mother Joan begins to wonder if she still has a job when she's ready to come back.

Director:

Jennifer Getzinger

Writers:

Matthew Weiner (creator), Matthew Weiner

Stars:

Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Hamm	...	Don Draper
Elisabeth Moss	...	Peggy Olson
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Pete Campbell
January Jones	...	Betty Francis (credit only)
Christina Hendricks	...	Joan Harris
Jared Harris	...	Lane Pryce
Aaron Staton	...	Ken Cosgrove
Rich Sommer	...	Harry Crane
Kiernan Shipka	...	Sally Draper
Jessica Paré	...	Megan Draper
Christopher Stanley	...	Henry Francis (credit only)
Jay R. Ferguson	...	Stan Rizzo
Robert Morse	...	Bertram Cooper
John Slattery	...	Roger Sterling
Alison Brie	...	Trudy Campbell

Storyline

The finances at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce are stable, although not overly flush. There are some staff changes, including Megan, now Mrs. Draper, moving into a junior creative position. But most of those staff changes are the result of Joan being on a temporary leave having just given birth. With Greg still in military service, Joan has some assistance from her visiting mother, who often doesn't provide Joan with the support she wants or needs. One change that Pete, as account manager, would like to see is Roger having less control and say in the day to day operations, especially in front line dealings with customers. Pete is especially bothered when Roger shows up unannounced and uninvited to client meetings. Meanwhile, Don's fortieth birthday is approaching. Going through his Rolodex for potential invitees, Megan, at the last minute, plans a surprise birthday party for him, despite advice from Peggy that Don doesn't like such surprises. At the party, Megan's gift to Don causes a ...

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 March 2012 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lionsgate Television, Weiner Bros.

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The incident in the opening scene, in which executives at Young & Rubicam throw water on "Negroes" who are protesting on the street below was based on a real event that occurred on May 27, 1966, and which was covered on the front page of the New York Times on the following day. The scene in the episode was taken almost exactly from the Times account, including the dialogue between the Y&R executive secretary and the outraged protesters, which was taken nearly verbatim from the article.

---

Quotes

Stan Rizzo: Big weekend plans?
Don Draper: It's Tuesday. I don't know.
Stan Rizzo: I was talking about me. My cousin's coming in.
Don Draper: Stan, assume that you're working.

---

Connections

References The Addams Family (1964)

---

Soundtracks

"Zou Bisou Bisou"
(uncredited)
Written by Bill Shepard & Alan Tew
Performed by Jessica Paré

User Reviews

Getting to 1966!

I enjoyed seeing this double outing of "Mad Men." Here we are, transported to May/June 1966, a time of unrest. This is a time when one-half of the New York daily newspapers (Journal-American, the World- Telegram and Sun, and the Herald-Tribune) are in their death throes.

And there have been changes with the lead characters.

We start with Don Draper dropping off his kids in his 1966 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, referring to his ex-wife and her husband as Morticia and Lurch, a sly and funny reference to "The Addams Family." We see Pete Campbell and his family living in the suburbs, Draper and his wife in a penthouse, and an insecure Joan Harris tending to her newborn son.

Between the protests and the coming of a younger generation, it is clear this is a time of change. Like the old newspapers, the Old Guard is in an insecure position, not sure of what is happening. Even as Pete Campbell is being assertive as hell, he runs the risk of becoming a dinosaur.

Overall, this episode sets up what is likely to be a combustible season, for sure. And God only knows what lies ahead for the next two seasons!