Mad Men

The Mountain King

Season 2, Episode 12, Aired 10/19/08

Episode Summary

An old friend and Don renew acquaintances; Pete's personal problems impact a major account; Joan introduces her fiancé around the office.

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Cast & Crew

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Christina Hendricks

Joan Holloway
January Jones

Betty Draper
Rich Sommer

Harry Crane

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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Mad Men may be getting back on track here.

7.5

"Good"

By thefanof, Nov 04, 2010 Report Abuse

I heavily criticized the first half of Season 2, but the past few episodes of Mad Men have been delivering. I still cannot get into January Jones as an actress as anything Betty Draper related is awful, but the rest of the show was pretty entertaining. Elisabeth Moss was actually acceptable here and Jon Hamm didn't look as bored with the script as he usually does.

We had some fine comedy from Roger Sterling and we saw that he may be in love with Joan, which led to Joan's husband taking advantage of her A Streetcar Named Desire style. Vincent Kartheiser gave another great performance and has to be the frontrunner for Outstanding Supporting Actor come Emmy time next year.

Everything was fast-moving in this episode and the show just kept me guessing what would happen at the end. I still don't like how Mad Men creates drama for the entire episode then has a boring, pointless ending like Don splashing in the ocean. I'm not asking for teen drama style cliffhangers, but at least give us something.moreless

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2 6
NOT the final episode, phew.

8.0

"Great"

By Kimc311, Nov 01, 2010 Report Abuse

I was one of those people who thought this was going to be the final episode and was watching it as such. Luckily it's not, because it would have been disappointing. For a build-up to the finale it's a good episode. The scenes with Don in LA were very well written and played beautifully by the actors. You could really tell if you were watching the younger Dick or the older Don. Peggy was funny as always. The reaction of the guys when they heard she was getting the office, great. "But I'm the head of television!" LOL And Pete was even nice about it. Every time the story about his wife not being able to have kids, I wonder when and if he is going to find out if he already has a kid with Peggy. Maybe next episode?

All the female characters were great in this episode. Ofcourse terrible what happened to Joan. And Betty was so strong explaining to here daughter, and than psycho again to her horse riding friend!
Without those characters the show would be just another show about men and there futile problems. Now we get to see both sides of the story and not jus Don moping that his wife doesn't understand him. These women are really the feminists avant la lettre. Excited to see the final episode! What will Don decide? Will Pete find out about the baby? How is Peggy in her role of senior copywriter? Will Joan break off the engagement?moreless

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4 0
Everyone thought this was the season finale, but it looks like there is one more episode left. Don sees an old friend who knows his secret. Sterling Cooper is sold. Betty comes to terms with Don not being there. Joan's chioce in men is suspect.moreless

7.0

"Good"

By guyroy1971, Oct 21, 2008 Report Abuse

Looks like there is one more episode even though I thought this would be the last one. The big developement for next week is what Don will decide, to stay in LA or go back to NY? Realistically, one would think he would go back to NY since I can't see anyone wanting to watch Dick the auto mechanic in LA. lol But you never know.

Don clearly wants to stay in LA, but his scenes with his friend (Don Draper's real wife) were important as she knows about his kids and in flashbacks, Don told her about Betty and you could finally see that Don was in love at one time.She reminded him of his children, and this might be enough to get him back to LA.

Joan's character got the most sympethetic portrayal yet as her fiancee practically raped her in her office as he picked up on the fact that sterling and joan were an item. To say she is settling to be married is an understatement. I liked the understanded way sterling said, "I thought you didn't like french food" and the fact that the fiancee picked up on that to mean what it was supposed to mean. Again this is challenging writing as everything was said without it being spelled out for viewers. One of the reasons I like this show is that a look or a casual remark means a much as grand getsures.

Sterling Cooper was sold and Betty got some screen time as she tells her daughter Don and her are fighting. We got to meet Ms. Cooper and they certainly have a strange relationship. I was also suprised when he said he had to take care of sterling, which is a surprise since everyone assumes it was the other way around since he is so eccentric. Also liked Petes casual remark to peggy about how Don may not be coming back because he knows some things about him.

Good episode as it had some back story about Don's life but it set up next weeks decision.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- The song playing at the end of the episode when Don is in the ocean is Cup of Loneliness by George Jones. Edit
- The check at the beginning is in the amount of $947.75. The date is October 11, 1962. Edit
Notes
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Quotes
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Allusions
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- Peggy's Popsicle design campaign is an allusion to many Catholic images of the Virgin Mary, complete with the orange circle of the Popsicle logo serving as a halo for the mother. It follows up on Peggy's earlier comment in the episode that the Catholic Church knows how to sell things. Edit
- The title of this episode is taken from the song In The Hall Of The Mountain King by Edvard Grieg. A piano version of the song is played throughout the episode. Edit