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Mad Men 5x01 Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2025-12-10 23:14:20
Edited:
2026-01-25 00:38:59
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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mad men 501

________________________ patreon - https://www.patreon.com/LMreactions twitter - https://twitter.com/LMreaction tv time - lola - skysstillblue, milena - oneofthe100

Comments

Jenny D

A double upload would've been like having cake and eating it too. But Mad Men fans are so STARVED for reactions we're just happy you've made it this far!

Eric Viola

I feel like it was just yesterday when this episode premiered after a long two year hiatus in 2012. Still feels fresh in my mind.

Alfie Harrison

I mean it does make sense though. It’s a two parter.

Chidi.

When this episode aired, that scene with Megan singing "Zou Bisou Bisou" became something of a cultural phenomenon. Looking back, it's hard to explain the intensity of the moment but it was arguably one of the first TV scenes to become a viral hit on Twitter. I remember seeing articles everywhere breaking it down - how to perform the song, how to dress like Megan, how to host a surprise party like that... it was nuts.

Creamish

There was a big delay between the end of season 4 and the season 5 premiere because of contract negotiations between the creator and AMC. It's kind of funny because there was a lot of feeling from AMC that Mad Men would not be able to sustain its momentum. They were starting to get cold feet and nervous. But, it ended up being the highest rated and highest watched episode yet, and shot Mad Men into overdrive of cultural hype and clout. But, their squeamishness about giving Matthew his due permanently soured the relationship even though he was giving them one of the greatest tv shows ever created.

Taya

Don has never been 100% honest with anyone about what happened (that we know of on-screen at least). He told Anna, Betty and Faye that Don was killed but never mentioned it was HIS fault, he said "they got us switched up" but never said that he purposely switched the dog tags. So even when he's being honest, he's still lying by omission. We don't know what he said to Megan exactly, but I do give him credit for learning from his mistakes and recognizing that it's better to be honest about his past from the start than have it blow up in his face later. It's been his worst fear for so long but telling Faye about it broke the ice so to speak, the world didn't end and she didn't think any less of him, so that likely made it easier for him to open up to Megan. And it shows that he's at least attempting to take the marriage seriously.

Mike

There is a restaurant near me that still uses Paré's performance of the song as its hold music.

Jamie (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-19 14:00 I think all Mad Men watchers might go senile in old age and still have a searing memory of Zou Bisou Bisou.. To this day, I’m still so obsessed with Don and Megan’s penthouse apartment. It’s the conversation pit of my dreams. The party scene’s styling is so gorgeous. Season 5 is such a far cry from the original SC office and Draper house. On the flipside, Pete has now moved to the suburbs and it’s his turn to have a sad kitchen. RIP giraffe triptych.
2025-12-11 00:25

Bruno Dion

It also felt like big Quebec representation on an American tv show, between her performance and her dropping a nice calice.

Taya

I'm sorry but Pete's house looks terrible. I'd be coming home at 9:30 every night just to avoid having to look at that ugly ass kitchen lol

Julien

I remain mystified by the intensity of the Harry hate. Lots of people rolled their eyes at me last time I said this (way back in S3). But I maintain that our reactors began hating him 100% because of Joan, who they are completely infatuated with. They have never forgiven him for passing her over for the script-reading job. I still don't think that's fair - Joan had broader responsibilities as an office manager, as stated by Roger in that episode. It wasn't Harry's call. Harry is an oaf. But beloved characters in this show who have done far far far worse things than anything Harry has ever done, and get far far far more grace. Don, Pete, Betty, and others. Yet they remained beloved. I'm not a Harry stan. There is no such a thing. But unfair hatred gets to me. So yeah, I don't get it. Ah well.

Mike

And hating on Harry robs you of the chance to laugh at him! The guy is not getting complex dramatic storylines that connect with audiences (like Roger does), but he's certainly one of the funniest characters on the show.

Juanma88

You finally made it to Zou Bisou. You just reacted to the pinnacle of the golden age of television.

Taya

If Betty is the symbolic representation of the stuffy, repressed 1950's, Megan is the symbolic representation of the youthful, vibrant, progressive 60's. They couldn't be more different. The question is whether Don can handle such a huge change in dynamic. It's easy to see why he'd be drawn to Megan (like he said once, a big concept in advertising is "NEW") but at his core he still seems to be firmly planted in the 1950's. He's standing next to Roger watching Megan in bewilderment while she laughs with her diverse friends. A couple seasons ago people in the office were shocked at the thought of Kurt being a homosexual and now there's a gay black man hosting her party and everyone's just like whatever. The times are changing FAST but it doesn't seem like Don quite "gets it" or fits in with this new crowd at all. Also, I love the subtle little displays of Pete's progressiveness. While Don & Roger are laughing about the water being thrown on the protestors, Pete doesn't see the humor at all.

Jamie
>>196343495

Don and Megan could be such a power couple if it wasn't for... everything.

Julien

@Damien: We don't hint at later things on a reaction channel.

Julien

@Mike: yup. More than anything, I see him as a comic relief. He's a buffoon. Perhaps not a very likeable one but he's never been shown as anything worse than that.

Mike

Speaking of Pete's progressiveness, the moment where Abe talks about reporting on the riots, and Trudy is caught at a loss over what's happening, is definitely striking. A few years ago, the Campbells were the progressive ones, holing up in their apartment after JFK got shot. Now they've moved out of the city into the suburbs and that movement is starting to pass them by.

Mike

I wish they would have at least watched them back to back! I guess this is where we start with warning that Season 6 does the exact same thing, starting with a two-parter.

Damien Fenton

@Julien Ur unf n ZrGbb zbzrag jvgu Zrtna va gur ynfg frnfba. Gung'f hasbetvinoyr.

Taya

I think it's that we don't really know Harry, we've never delved deeply into his character and he doesn't get a lot of screen time. Pete does worse things but we KNOW him and understand why he behaves the way he does. And when Harry is on screen, he's usually being grumpy and complaining, or being lecherous towards women. But not in a charming way. Even when Pete is being a total pathetic loser, there's a certain charm and endearing quality to it while Harry lacks that completely. In short, he's just not very likable. I do think it's very funny that no one else likes him either, like when he's talking to Don & Roger at the party and they're just staring at him blankly lol

Nina

Every time Harry is on screen, the audience should be asking: "Why is Harry here?"

bondbond53

Milena looking extra beautiful in this reaction idk what it is <3

Mike

Gurve ubhfr ybbxf avpr rabhtu va Fvtany 30. V guvax gur fubj whfg purncrq bhg ba guvf cnegvphyne cneg bs gur frg.

JBK405

When this episode first aired, the opening scene of the ad agency dropping water on the protesters was HEAVILY criticized as over-the-top and melodramatic. But it's a true story that actually happened. They got the story from an article in "The New York Times" (Page 1, May 28, 1966). They recreated it exactly, even to the point of the specific posters in the office window and the lines spoken by the women when they came up to confront them ("And they call us savages"). The ad agency, Young & Rubicam, still exists today as VMLY&R after merging with another company in 2020. I'm definitely on the side of "Don't throw anybody a party unless THEY want a party!" I related a story in a comment in season four about how I am STILL angry at my mother for throwing me a surprise party in 2021, since it showed such a complete disregard for any of my interests or desires (or an appreciation of the plague ravaging the land). So here I'm solidly with Don at being unhappy, because despite being a party 'for him' it's obviously not FOR him. Of course, if he was married to somebody he was emotionally open with and expressed himself maturely throughout their relationship, they likely would understand each other better.

Kev

Zvyran: Fvapr gurl jbex gbtrgure naq yvir va Znaunggna, Qba pnaabg purng nf rnfvyl Qba: Org *shpxf gur arvtuobe*

Kev (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-19 14:00 V xabj guvf vf n jnlf njnl, ohg zl zbfg nagvpvcngrq rcvfbqr bs guvf frnfba vf gur Wnthne bar, orpnhfr V xabj gung jvyy pnhfr nabgure cunfr bs ungvat nyy gur zra ba gur fubj naq jnagvat gurz nyy gb qvr.
2025-12-11 04:28

Sami

Honestly, he makes stupid comments sometimes, and that’s it. I don’t understand why he gets so much hate just because of what he did to Joan; almost every other character so far in the show has done something equally bad or even worse.

Kev (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-19 14:00 - I don't think Joan was making a dig at her mother when she said "Who would've thought you'd be so good at this", at least not in that moment, she was smiling and happy so it was more sarcastic and joking around, but thankful. (also her mom did work, that was what Joan was saying, the "how did that work out for you" was abt another thing) - Stan is an artist, not a copywriter. - Milena's shock at herself for calling Pete cute was hysterical.
2025-12-11 05:54

Joshua Something

This episode and the surprise party-related stress dreams that followed caused me to preemptively (and categorically) forbid my friends and family to ever throw me a surprise party

Julien

Nah. I think Joan was absolutely mocking her mom. It's just as as cruel as her "and look at you now" or similar. But also their dynamic (e.g., Joan's vulnerable relief at Mom offering to give her some time alone) indicates that it ain't that serious. But make no mistake about it, that comment didn't come from a place of kindness. These are people who are used to going at each other. I don't really understand how people live like that but I've seen it a lot in real life.

Julien

The hate is also far more intense, which is what prompted my comment. They are legit *repulsed* by him. I guarantee you that if you asked them right now they'd say Harry (HARRY! lmaoo) is the worst person on the show. Which I find utterly bizarre by ANY moral standard.

Infode

Baby Kevin's name is Ken if you didnt know

Kev
>>196368915

Am I missing something about this comment? Or is it a joke about them forgetting Ken's name?

Sebastian

That's interesting about the opening scene, because watching it now I almost recoiled at how overwritten and moralistic it felt, especially the "And they call us savages" at the end. It feels beneath Mad Men's standards. Even if that line was real, I think it doesn't fit very well.

petitcorbeau

I really don't think it's that deep... I personally really dislike him I even find him disgusting and it has nothing to do with the situation with Joan. In fact, he was fine to me this episode. The big difference with him and the others it's that we don't know him. Even though I come to "hate" Don sometimes he's a character I know and I grew to love. Harry is just here lol

Sebastian

It's really just that Harry is a gross sleaze without the redeeming qualities of the other gross sleazes in the show. We don't get too close to him, so we don't see the depth and pain under the surface like Don and Pete, and he's not charming and funny like Roger. He also starts out as somewhat decent in season 1, rhapsodising about the ancient cave paintings, feeling horrible about cheating on his wife, being moved to tears by Don's carousel pitch. Then he starts morphing into some Harvey Weinstein wannabe without even the gravitas to pull it off.

Clay F

I am also puzzled by the sheer hate for Harry.

Darrach

Watching this show for the first time as well, and I had a goofy ahh stupefied grin on my face during Zou Bisou Bisou Also, Pete’s hairline has definitely receded since last season

windyMelon

He doesn’t have anything redeemable about him like some of the others do. Pete, Ken, Freddy even Kinsey somewhat are all flawed in a similar fashion, but all of them have something redeemable about their characters. Harry is just.. Harry. He’s slimy, unfunny, uncharismatic and not very smart. I suppose the best you could say about him is that it’s pretty impressive how he invented his job and made something of it, but that’s about it

Jamie

I wonder how many people woke up with Zou Bisou Bisou in their heads.

Taya

@Kev, for a while they kept calling Ken Kevin

Julien

They've been shaving his hairline. Which made Vince Kartheiser look very goofy with the regrowth between seasons.

Julien

It's wild that anyone thinks a bunch of fratty white men behaving like that toward black people is unrealistic in the 60s. Just last spring someone dropped a bag of *feces* from a luxury building onto pro-Pal protesters right here in NYC. In 2025. Who were these critics. I assure you that no black person in America found that scene over the top.

Sebastian

I think it would have been fun to see them discover that in real time, but sure, just inform them ahead of time I guess

Darrach

Ahead of time? I am watching this show for the first time as I said. We are talking about this episode.

Infode

Specifically, MM s3 opener and the reaction's tagline. More so, a callback to them joking around with it.

JJ

Pete & Trudy do have one of the best relationship dynamics, but I think Trudy being such a great partner to Pete might be pulling the majority of the weight in that relationship. You’re definitely right on the parallels between Pete’s new life and Don’s old life. Pete’s ambition has always been his defining quality, so his “professionalism” shouldn’t be that surprising. Roger & Don are already rich… and Pete wants to be. I also think Don deserves a smidgen of credit for being “honest” with Megan, regardless of how it happened offscreen. I know you guys have whiplash from that stretch in S4 where you thought he was suddenly a changed man, but this alone would have been unthinkable even 6 episodes ago.

on crip ...

im gonna dwell on how Betty and Megan are actually more similar than different this season. likewise, i'd say the group of cali nomads Don met are comparable to Megan's friends, just less white also i wouldn't describe Pete, or Megan as 'progressive.' the absolute baseline should be someone more or less like Abe imo

on crip ...

he's like tech ceos. some ppl just radiate a mass amount of uncoolness and nothing can help it

on crip ...

my major issue with the opening scene is that the water bags are thrown by white characters we've never seen or will ever see again. it comes off like the writers didn't want to implicate, or explore how the main cast directly reproduces racism. second, the concept was seemingly making the protest incident itself a 'main character.' which was fine, but i would've preferred intimately following a group of black characters as 'main characters' instead. like following the group from the street level all the way up to the ad office would've been cool. and ideally from home -> protest -> ad office then you'd get all types of interesting interactions in their commute, the police presence, their elevator ride, etc

on crip ...

it is a pretty apartment

on crip ...

wow, seeing zou bisou bisou again, it's actually so not a big deal. it's just a cute display of affection, with the slightest suggestive touch. the responses are more interesting to explore. they're def stemming from wider cultural beliefs regarding displays of women's sexuality

on crip ...

an issue with the opening scene is that the water bags are thrown by white characters we've never seen, or will ever see again. it comes off like the writers didn't want to implicate, or explore how the main cast directly reproduces racism. but mb this is explored later second, the concept was seemingly making the protest incident itself a 'main character.' which is fine, but i would've preferred intimately following a group of black characters as 'main characters' instead. like following the group from the street level all the way up to the ad office would've been cool. and ideally from home -> protest -> ad office you'd get all types of interesting interactions during their commute, the protest, the police presence, the elevator ride, etc

Julien

Racism is never explored adequately in Mad Men to my liking, for a show that aims to explore American society in the 60s. At the same time, I understand that it's written from a narrow POV (white people striving to reach the upper echelons of NYC society). Even so, I feel like the show cops out a lot on the issue. Very probably because they don't want us to dislike the characters. Yet, contrast with the Sopranos, set 30-40 years later (in the 90-00s!), where the characters are nakedly and unapologetically racist. The honesty is wonderfully refreshing. My one criticism of Mad Men is that it didn't have the balls to go full tilt on this reality of our characters. Which is strange given that Matt Weiner famously worked on the Sopranos.

Sebastian

That's not really who the show is about though. Though a concept episode from the perspective of Carla or Hollis the elevator guy would have been really fun.

Mike

I wonder if this comes up in part 2 of the episode? What are the odds?

Mike

Discover what? Pete's hairline is way worse this season than it was in S4. They even commented on it.

Mike

Bumping again that they should *really* turn off autoplay on Netflix before the next few episodes... Rira orsber jr trg gb Ynql Ynmnehf, gur Orrgubira ng gur raq bs Fvtany 30 srryf onfvpnyyl rffragvny

Kev
>>196472803

I thought maybe they did because Lola made a comment about how she reached to pause the episode during the credits of I think the S4 finale? But she hasn't said it explicitly so yes we must keep the pestering, it will be worth it in the end

Sebastian

I was talking to Julien, yeah. Not the most egregious spoiler in the world, but I still think it's unnecessary.

Taya

V npghnyyl qvqa'g rira abgvpr gur jngre qebcf hagvy zl ynfg erjngpu... vg'f fb tbbq.

Julien

Lots of people can't even handle the reality that Don was being homophobic in the scene where he fired Harry. People were legit out here claiming the opposite! It's like it destroys their fantasies about Don.

on crip ...

i agree about the audience, and i'll add that the writers prob also fit that demo. writing what they know although, idk that it was really an AMC issue as Breaking Bad was airing around the same time. for example, Hank's sexism and racism was a lot more true to life/vulgar. wait, now that im comparing. arguably, BB deconstructed masculinity way better than MM too. but i would still rewatch MM over BB ngl

ruseka

Replying to conversations about racism in Mad Men: Id actually make the argument that it’s under discussed how good the show is about race. I won’t mention anything about the interpersonal interactions we have with black characters — so as to not give anything away —but thematically, MM is so clearly concerned with & dedicated to depicting ‘white supremacy’ in action, and how it affects the characters trying to live their lives. The ideal American is a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant), preferably Male (straight!), preferably with some connections to Old Money but The Gilded Age created some leeway for those with New Money (shout out to that ridiculous show). A great deal of the show is about characters trying to attain this identity; to live the American Dream. Some are born to it: Pete & Roger, but Pete so clearly lost when it comes to being a man. It’s more easily accessible for white men who were born poor (and consequently, never really feel like they do fit in): Don & Connie, and probably Cooper. The women on the show are women; and for someone like Rachel Mencken, who ends up in charge of her father’s store, both a woman and a Jew. Which is obviously significant. It’s still the 60s and Jews are still Jews (remember the ‘Barretts’); it’s a big deal Kennedy is a Catholic; and forget about any POC. In depicting characters who aim to attain the American dream; to overcome their circumstances (not just financial, but in some cases, your gender/background/sexuality) and to ‘become’ the ideal American (‘Don Draper’) we are able to get a subtle, interesting critique of a thought system (mixed in with patriarchy & capitalism) that has resulted in everything from slavery to gentrification. Of course most of this is done *through* white characters, but the parallels to what every minority group has gone through in that country mean a lot. It’s a point that’s repeated not only through multiple characters storylines, but sometimes as pointedly as lines of dialogue (Peggy & Bobbie B, S2, The New Girl) All of that to say. I think the show is a very good critique of white supremacy and the ways in which it relates to the lived reality of all Americans today - especially those deemed ‘other’. Also. I love this show and rewatch often. This watch is the first time I’ve realised the extent to which Betty is (sorry, not sure what else to say) an awful white lady. She is blatantly anti-Semitic towards Jimmy Barrett; ‘maybe it’s not the right time for Civil Rights’ hit me harder this time for some reason - based on the fact that she was definitely raised by a black woman, and is now having her kids be raised by one. Also significant for me this time: her realisation Don was POOR POOR, mixed with her choice of second husband (a real WASP) left a sour taste in my mouth. We have enough evidence about Betty to confidently place her on a political spectrum, and it is not flattering considering everything going on in the country at the time. All of THAT to say: we are following wealthy white characters who have limited interaction with POC, and most times they do, they show their ass. V different environment than The Sopranos. Anyway. Cutting myself short. Just wanted to say, I disagree. lol.