S2E2 · Flight 1

Complete story — includes the ending

Pete learns from his brother, Bud, that their father has died in the American Airlines Flight 1 crash. Bud tells Pete their father was broke, but they do not tell this to their mother. Copywriter Paul Kinsey hosts a party for the Sterling Cooper staff in his New Jersey apartment, during which Joan makes condescending remarks about Paul's African-American girlfriend Sheila. In response, Paul makes a photocopy of Joan's driver's license and posts it on the office bulletin board, revealing to everyone that Joan is 31. Peggy visits her mother and sister in Brooklyn; Peggy's mother tries to convince her to attend Mass on Sundays with them, but she refuses. Roger, Duck and Bert speculate that American Airlines will hire a new ad agency to rebuild their public image, and want to position Sterling Cooper for the opportunity. Don objects, since the conflict of interest would require them to dump Mohawk Airlines. Nevertheless, Pete shows up at Duck's meeting with American Airlines and reveals his father's death, using it to guilt the executive into considering Sterling Cooper, thus forcing Don to drop the Mohawk Airlines account.