Mad Men C to Z S1:E8   The Hobo Code

Mad Men C to Z S1:E8 The Hobo Code

Update: 2025-06-01
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Re-watch Mad Men with us! In The Hobo Code, Don confronts his past, Peggy's Belle Jolie campaign is successful, Sal has a personal dinner with a client, and Pete and Peggy's relationship roller coaster reaches new heights - and lows. This is a darker episode with lots of pain and disappointment for multiple characters, but it is Mad Men - it won't give these people wins very easily. Some stellar lines and great acting permeate this episode.

S1E8 Mad Men Podcast Episode Notes in Four Fairy Tales:

Mad Men Fairy Tale 1

Once upon a time, a corporate boss gave his worker $2500, which the worker brought home to his beautiful wife.

"Betty, let us use this money to invest in your hopes and dreams," he declared, as they embraced.

Just kidding. He took the check to his mistress and asked her to go to Paris, but she turned him down so she could get high with her friends and listen to Miles Davis records, and he gave all the money to the mistress to buy a car. The End

Mad Men Fairy Tale 2

Once upon a time, a young girl got a new job and found the beginnings of success. An evil troll put a spell on her and she made some poor decisions indulging his never-ending selfishness and greed. One day all the forest creatures were celebrating and the girl sought out the troll, who slammed his club into her heart and crawled back into his cave, where he continued to mutter about everyone who had ever wronged him. The girl tried to keep dancing. The End

Mad Men Fairy Tale 3

Once upon a time, an artist worked for a company. He was paid well and did good work, but he was not happy. One day a young woman came along, bewitched by the sound of the man's voice. He went out for drinks with a client instead, where he had one of the best conversations of his life. Alas, the client grew up in a village that the man had been taught to disdain, so he turned away, feeling sadder than when he started. The End

Mad Men Fairy Tale 4

Once upon a time, a young woman surprised her new husband by showing up at his office with a bottle of champagne on the day they were scheduled to move into a new castle. The husband was not very happy to see her and declined to go with her to the castle, saying he was very busy with work, which mostly involved putting his feet up on his desk and day drinking and complaining about slow elevators. He bore a strong resemblance to a troll. The young woman told him he was being troll-like, and then they apologized to each other and drank champagne together, even though they both knew then that it was a fraudulent detente. The End

Vote for your favorite episode lines and give us your insights for our Double Dip questions at www.MadMenCtoZ.com. We break down each episode of Mad Men, from Chip & Dip to Zou Bisou, so listen and subscribe - that's what the podcast's for!

Podcast Time Stamps:

0:36  "Draper has you in early."

Peggy and Pete both arrive early to the office. Pete seems glum about the fact that he and Trudy are moving today, while Peggy is excited and nervous about the Belle Jolie ad campaign. We get the second "A Thing Like That" from Pete in the elevator.

3:12  Mega Spoiler. Listen with care.

Peggy makes the same disastrous decision a second time. Pete mostly continues to mope and hints that Trudy doesn't understand him.

6:08  "Ciao, ciao. My stars."

Lois, the new telephone operator, is smitten with the sound of Sal's voice and determined to find out who he is.

7:42  "I might start keeping a spare."

Peggy's collar got ripped earlier in the day, and Don notices. He already keeps a stack of shirts in his desk.

8:20  "I am appreciative of your talents, and although that cannot be measured, I have made an effort to quantify."

Remember when your boss handed you $2500 for no reason? You might have to listen to some Ayn Rand promotion, but otherwise, there don't seem to be strings attached.

10:26  "I'm such a featherhead."

Lois finds the art department in order to meet Sal, and Lois says "I work in a closet all day."

12:19  "This is my office. How do you think it looks?"

Trudy surprises Pete at the office with champagne, excited to move to their new apartment. Pete is grouchy and defensive.

15:41  Mark your man

Fred, Don, and Sal present Peggy's concept to the Belle Jolie clients. It's a big turn from their current strategy, and it focuses on a woman having choices beyond lots of colors.

18:37  "Peggy! Ice."

Peggy wasn't part of the client presentation, but the team invites her in to celebrate afterward. "Home run, Ballerina," Fred congratulates her.

21:18  "We have to celebrate! P.J. Clarke's?"

Peggy is bubbling over with her success and some of the office women are happy for her, proposing a bunch of them go out to celebrate after work. Peggy's finally fitting in.

22:34  "I don't know, Peggy. I'm kind of senior ranking when those other men are gone."

As assistant to the regional manager - ish - Pete tries to decline Peggy's general invitation to go out with the group.

23:43  "We'll have breakfast at Versailles."

Don takes his bonus check and invests in Betty's deepest hopes and dreams. Just kidding. He runs to Midge and asks her to go to Paris. She prefers to get high with her friends while they listen to jazz records.

26:47  "Dick Whitman! Stop diggin' holes."

A flashback to Don's childhood recalls the time a hobo showed up at the family farm looking for some food and the chance to earn a coin.

31:32  "Little compartments filled with possibilities"

Sal and Elliot meet for a drink and talk about architecture and the wonder of Manhattan.

32:45  "My God, the whole office is here."

       "Dance with me."

At P.J. Clarke's, people from the office mingle - dancing and chatting - except Pete, who sits apart. Lois is disappointed that Sal hasn't appeared, Harry and Hildy and Paul and Joan dance together, and Peggy approaches Pete, who stomps on her heart and rips up the remnants.

39:04  "What are you afraid of?"

Although Sal and Elliot have a meaningful conversation, Sal is unwilling to build a relationship or take things further than the dinner.

43:11  "Every day's a brand new place."

In the next flashback, the hobo tells a young Dick Whitman what it felt like to leave his job and family behind - how free he feels now to go where he pleases. He teaches Dick a series of marks that travelers know - where to find good food, or where you might not be able to trust a man.

46:14  "Love is bourgeois."

At Midge's apartment, among her friends, Don looks at a Polaroid he's taken that evening and recognizes that Midge and Roy are in love. When he says it out loud, they both deny it.

49:09  S1E8 Double Dip Question for The Hobo Code

Listeners - we want to know what you think - why doesn't Midge go to Paris with Don? And why does he give the whole bonus check to Midge?

50:18  "Ask me anything."

Don goes home, wakes up Bobby, and tells his son he can ask him whatever he wants. Don will never lie to him. (Except, we guess, for all the times he does.)

51:15  "I'll be on my way."

In the final flashback, the hobo goes to Archie Whitman, waiting to collect the coin promised for the work he did, but Archie sends him away without it. Young Dick Whitman sees the dishonest man marking cut in to the post outside his father's farm. The episode ends with a shot of "Donald Draper" marking this man's office door.

55:45  Overall, how good is this episode compared to others this season?

Steve enjoys it; Jenna finds it disappointing.

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Mad Men C to Z S1:E8   The Hobo Code

Mad Men C to Z S1:E8 The Hobo Code

Jenna Fossett and Steve Fossett