Cuban Missile Crisis
The season closes as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolds in October 1962.
The second season of Mad Men culminates with the Cuban Missile Crisis, which serves as the historical endpoint for the season's timeline. Season two takes place from February 14 to October 24, 1962, concluding specifically with this tense Cold War standoff. The crisis provides the atmospheric backdrop for the season finale, as characters navigate personal turmoil against the specter of global conflict.
Quick Facts
- Season
- 2
- Year depicted
- 1962
Lore & Background
The Cuban Missile Crisis marks the conclusion of the second season's timeline, which runs from February 14 to October 24, 1962. This historical event provides the temporal anchor for the season's final episodes. The crisis occurs as Don Draper is in exile from his family home, having been kicked out by Betty after she learned of his affair with Bobbie Barrett. Betty, meanwhile, learns she is pregnant with another child and has a sexual encounter with a stranger at a local bar before returning home to find a letter from Don begging to come home. The season closes with Betty informing Don of their new child as they hold hands in the kitchen, all against the backdrop of the missile crisis.
Reader's Guide
The Cuban Missile Crisis functions as the historical endpoint for Mad Men's second season, which consists of thirteen episodes airing from July 27 to October 26, 2008. The season's narrative spans February 14 to October 24, 1962, with the crisis providing the temporal conclusion. This historical event frames the personal resolutions of the season's main characters: Don and Betty Draper reconcile after Don's affair with Bobbie Barrett led to his exile from the family home; Betty learns she is pregnant; and Don returns from California where he visited Anna Draper.
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