Season Analysis

Mad Men

Season 2 Analysis

Season Woke Score

3.6

out of 10

Season Overview

Season two takes place between February and October 1962, culminating with the Cuban Missile Crisis. It expands on Peggy's rise in the workplace and the marital strife between Don and Betty Draper as Don's infidelities further intrude on his family life. The second season also introduces an unknown acquaintance of Don Draper. Draper is corresponding by letter with this unseen acquaintance in secret.

Season Review

Season 2 of Mad Men remains a grounded exploration of 1960s American life, focusing on the psychological depth of its characters rather than modern political agendas. The narrative centers on Don Draper's identity crisis and Peggy Olson's professional development within the rigid social hierarchies of 1962. While the show critiques the era's social restrictions, it does so through a lens of historical realism. Characters are frequently flawed and morally ambiguous, avoiding the trap of dividing the cast into virtuous victims and irredeemable villains. The production values and writing prioritize a meticulous recreation of the past, allowing the viewer to judge the characters based on their individual merits and failings.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The show maintains historical accuracy regarding the racial and social dynamics of 1962. It avoids forced diversity and race-swapping, depicting a white-dominated corporate world as a factual reflection of the time. Merit and individual ambition drive the plot forward.

Oikophobia4/10

The narrative examines the cracks in the mid-century American Dream, focusing on infidelity and corporate cynicism. It critiques the personal moral failings of its characters without demonizing Western civilization or its foundations. The aesthetic and cultural milestones of the era are treated with high regard.

Feminism5/10

Peggy Olson's career advancement is earned through hard work and talent in a restrictive environment. The show avoids 'Girl Boss' tropes by showing the heavy emotional and social costs of her choices. Motherhood and domestic life are portrayed as complicated and often stifling, but not as inherently evil.

LGBTQ+3/10

A closeted character's storyline highlights the social norms and pressures of the 1960s. The traditional nuclear family remains the societal standard, and the show does not attempt to deconstruct biological reality or insert modern gender ideology.

Anti-Theism4/10

Religious themes are explored through the lens of Catholic guilt and social pressure. The portrayal of the clergy is somewhat critical, framing traditional faith as a source of repression for the characters rather than a source of strength or objective truth.