Mad Men’s Second Season Premier

On Valentine’s Night, Don takes Betty to the Savoy Hotel. While there, they run into Juanita(Jennifer Siebel Newsom) an old roommate of Betty’s from her modeling days, accompanied by an older business executive. Don points out to Betty that Juanita is clearly now working as a call girl. 

We all remember Betty’s entrance!

“Song of India” which I recorded for this scene in Season 2 premier had to do two things for it to work. The first was it was to be used as playback for the on camera actors at the hotel. It was decided on a trio, Violin, Harp & piano. The second task was to become gigantic in orchestration to underscore Betty descending the hotel staircase to meet Don for their special Valentine’s date.

Here’s her entrance:

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Later that night…

In the Drapers’ hotel room, a more confident Betty shows Don a sexy merry widow she has bought. The boldness throws Don, and when they try to have sex, he is impotent. The evening ends with Betty and Don watching the Jackie Kennedy TV special, A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy. Also watching the special is Joan Holloway and her new doctor-boyfriend, and Salvatore Romano, who is newly married. Pete sits alone watching cartoons, eating the chocolates he purchased for his wife.

The season premier ends with Don reading the Frank O’Hara poem Meditations in an Emergency. “Now I am quietly waiting for the catastrophe of my personality to become beautiful again.” The underscore is a call back to season 1, specifically “The Carousel“.

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