When life throws a lot at you, at least you're not Pete Campbell. We invite you to play along with 31 days of doing the opposite of whatever Pete might do. Share your successes and anecdotes with this challenge in the comments. Let's celebrate decency - the king orders it!

Day 1: Give a compliment without expecting anything in return.
Day 2: Refrain from telling anyone they're bad at math
Day 3: Ride public transportation without a fistfight.
Day 4: Don't insult any administrative assistants.
Day 5: Don't throw your dinner off the balcony.
Day 6: Talk to someone without trying to take credit for anything.
Day 7: Don't punch any school administrators.
Day 8: Don't manipulate a loved one to try to get your work published.
Day 9: Don't steal anything from your colleague's trash.
Day 10: Avoid blackmailing a co-worker about his past.

Doing okay so far? Well-done, you! Keep it up!

Day 11: Call or visit family without asking them for money.
Day 12: Have a genuine conversation with a new co-worker.
Day 13: Don't put a beer bottle in the center of a newly frosted cake.
Day 14: Don't pretend you can drive a standard transmission if you can.
Day 15: Hang up your damn coat.
Day 16: Give someone candy without eating any yourself.
Day 17: Respect women. This includes women you are married to, women you work with, women who live in your building, women who live in your neighborhood, and potential clients.
Day 18: Call a plumber if you don't know how to fix the dripping faucet.
Day 19: Don't share your hunting fantasies with subordinates.
Day 20: Don't make false leadership claims about the Howdy Doody Circus Army.

Time to check-in . . . are you opposite of Pete Campbell? Keep going!

Day 21: Don't share compromising information about your father-in-law.
Day 22: Tread safely down your work staircase.
Day 23: Don't be unduly impressed when coleslaw is right on the sandwich.
Day 24: Don't ask to meet the manager of the republic of dresses.
Day 25: Carry skis out of the boss's office with style.
Day 26: Keep calm about your peanut butter cookie problems.
Day 27: Make sure you have toilet paper (lest you become dependent on someone who isn't trustworthy. That would be . . . not great).
Day 28: Don't brag about your stock shares - keep that glee to socially appropriate levels.
Day 29: Don't cheap out on the investigation of your mother's disappearance, even if "she loved the sea."
Day 30: Avoid flirting with teens in your driver's ed class, especially if you are an adult.
Day 31: Actually use your Chip & Dip. Or at least, enjoy some chip and dip.

Congratulations on being better than Pete Campbell! A thing like that!

Want the podcast episode where you might actually feel sorry for Pete? S1E4: New Amsterdam is a good choice.
Want to see Pete in an epic showdown with Don Draper? S1E12: Nixon vs. Kennedy is the way to go.

Let's acknowledge that the scene in S2:E6 Maidenform with Chauncey is completely traumatic, and the show grabs your heart and rips it into tiny little shreds. You've been warned. We wanted to offer a sample of the collective pain Mad Men fans experienced.

Any cursory re-cap episode of Mad Men's Maidenform typically leads with the Duck and Chauncey storyline. There are bloggers and social media posts,
like this one from Lonwei News on Facebook
and this one on Reddit called Justice for Chauncey.

 . . . And then there are the memes:

On our podcast breakdown of this episode, Steve talks about how the first time he watched this episode, he was focused on Duck's irresponsibility, and how this time he focused more on pitying Duck for his losses and decline. Jenna finds it extra tragic that Duck abandons what he loves most, especially since it would bring him comfort when he's desperate for it, and also since Chauncey depends on him, too.

Which part slices your heart open the worst? Share your Chauncey trauma in the comments, and re-watch Mad Men Season 2, Episode 6 - Maidenform - if you can take it! 

Below, find the full podcast transcript (human-edited) for S2:E6 - Maidenform.
You can listen to the podcast episode here.

Be sure to visit our full episode page for all the details, including episode timestamps, Sterling lines, and Double Dip questions.

S2:E6  Maidenform Transcript
 
Jenna: Hi, I'm Jenna.
 
Steve: And I'm Steve. Welcome to All Things Mad Men, from Chip and Dip to Zou Bisou.
 
Jenna: We started this podcast to connect to fans like us who pick up something new each time you watch the show. We break down each episode of Mad Men, from the pivotal moments to our favorite lines.
 
Steve: Be advised, our discussions may include spoilers so we can talk about character arcs all the way through the final season. We won't be gratuitous with the spoilers, but they can pop up from time to time.
Let's get started with Mad Men C to Z.
 
Jenna: Welcome to season two, episode six, Maidenform.
This episode was written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Phil Abraham.
Apparently, this season was plotted through episode seven and this episode was written kind of at the last minute, so it didn't rush the Bobbie and Don storyline.
It doesn't feel last-minute to me. This is a strong episode.
 
Although I will say that the trauma of this episode is likely to burn you for the rest of your life. So that's the gift of Mad Men. Great episode. Never-ending trauma.

Below, find the full, human-edited podcast transcript for S2:E5 - The New Girl.

You can listen to the full podcast episode here.

Visit the website episode page for The New Girl, with more details, timestamps, Sterling Lines, and Double Dip survey question.

Mad Men C to Z Podcast Transcript for S2:E5 – The New Girl
 
Jenna: Hi, I'm Jenna.
Steve: And I'm Steve. Welcome to All Things Mad Men, from Chip and Dip to Zou Bisou.
 
Jenna: We started this podcast to connect to fans like us who pick up something new with every rewatch.
 
Steve: Be advised, our discussions may include spoilers so we can talk about character arcs all the way through the final season.
 
Jenna: We break down each episode of Mad Men, from the pivotal moments to our favorite scenes and lines. Let's get started with Mad Men, C to Z!
 
Season 2, Episode 5, the New Girl. This episode was written by Robin Veith and directed by Jennifer Getzinger.
 
Steve: The episode opens with Pete and Trudy in the doctor's office. They want to have a baby, but they've had trouble conceiving, so they're talking to the doctor about fertility.
 
Jenna: This doctor is played by John Goetz. He's recognizable from tons of projects including The Fly, The Social Network, The Last of Us, and in possibly the oddest call out ever, he was Gus, who kept trying to date Christina Applegate's character in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.

Below, find the full human-edited transcript for our Mad Men C to Z podcast episode S2:E4 - Three Sundays.

You can listen to the podcast episode here.
Please visit the webpage for this episode to vote for your favorite episode lines and give your input on our Double Dip questions. We're glad to connect with you!

Mad Men C to Z Transcript for S2:E4   Three Sundays 

Jenna: Hi, I'm Jenna.
Steve: And I'm Steve. Welcome to All Things Mad Men, from Chip and Dip to Zou Bisou.
 
Jenna: We started this podcast to connect to fans like us, who pick up something new each time you watch the show. We break down each episode of Mad Men, from the pivotal moments to our favorite lines.
 
Steve: Be advised our discussions may include spoilers so we can talk about character arcs all the way through the final season.
We won't be gratuitous with the spoilers, but they can pop up from time to time.
Let's get started with Mad Men, C to Z.
 
Jenna: Welcome to season two, episode four of Mad Men: Three Sundays. This episode was directed by Tim Hunter, and written by Matthew Weiner and Andre and Maria Jacquemetton.
 
Steve: The episode opens on April 8, 1962 in a church, and we see Peggy in the pews. She mentions she she isn't feeling well and excuses herself and bumps into Father Gill in the entrance to the church.
 
Jenna: Here we see Peggy being the dutiful daughter going to church, and when she tries to leave, Anita says, no, we're having supper, I need your help.
 
But Peggy leaves anyway. And this priest, this visiting priest she runs into, is Father Gill, played by Colin Hanks. He's best known for roles in Roswell, the Good Guys and Life in Pieces.
He's also Tom Hanks’ son, and he has a small part in the movie That Thing You Do.
 
Steve: As Peggy bumps into Father Gill, you can tell there's a bit of chemistry there between the two of them.
 
Jenna: I was going to ask if you thought there was anything romantic. She finds out he's planning to come to dinner at their house, and she decides she's going to go back into church and she smiles. She doesn't seem so reluctant.
 
I wondered if she just got caught and there's no way out or if she just had an honest conversation with somebody and that was validating. He seems to be genuinely interested in her and what she says instead of dictating to her, which is kind of her experience with her family.

This is the full, human-edited transcript of the Mad Men C to Z podcast for S2E3 of Mad Men: The Benefactor.

Visit this link to listen to the episode, and don't miss our episode webpage for The Benefactor with Sterling Lines, listener input on our Double Dip questions, and more.

Mad Men C to Z S2E3: The Benefactor Transcript
 
Jenna: Hi, I'm Jenna.
 
Steve: And I'm Steve. Welcome to all things Mad Men, from Chip and Dip to Zou Bisou.
 
Jenna: We started this podcast to connect to fans like us, who pick up something new each time you watch the show.
We break down each episode of Mad Men, from the pivotal moments to our favorite lines.
 
Steve: Be advised, our discussions may include spoilers so we can talk about character arcs all the way through the final season.
We won't be gratuitous with the spoilers, but they can pop up from time to time.
Let's get started with Mad Men C to Z.
 
Jenna: Welcome to season two, episode three: The Benefactor.
This title comes from an episode of a show called The Defenders. There was a real controversy involving sponsorship. You can see this theme with Jimmy Barrett, Harry, and more in this episode.
 
Steve: The first scene opens with a shot of Jimmy Barrett shooting a commercial. This is our first introduction to Jimmy. He's a famous comedian known for his cruel jokes.
 
Jenna: Jimmy Barrett is played by Patrick Fischler. You might recognize him from Mulholland Drive and NCIS Origins. And he's also Jeremy Piven's henchman in Old School. He's been in a lot of stuff.
 
Steve: The thing that strikes me about this scene and this is on a rewatch, of course, so I know who Jimmy is, and how he behaves, is just his professionalism in shooting the scene.
 
You know, he's giving direction, asking for things to be changed on the set. As soon as he shoots the scene, he wants to go back and run it again.
So you can see he's very dedicated to his craft here in a way that, based on what we later learn about Jimmy, you might not expect.