Fifteen months after the events of season one,
Don and
Betty's marriage seems to be on sturdier footing, while
Peggy has returned to work. Sterling Cooper travels further into the "
Pepsi Generation" as signing youth talent becomes a priority at the behest of
Duck Phillips, Don's choice as head of accounts from the previous year. Despite Don's objections, Duck convinces the firm to try and sign his old client,
American Airlines, after the airline publicly announces a shift in marketing. However, The American Airlines pitch fails, significantly harming Duck's reputation at the firm and creating palpable tension with Don. Joan is outed to her coworkers as being 31 years old, and she hurriedly becomes engaged to egotistical and frustrated medical resident
Greg Harris. Too proud to admit to his own insecurities regarding his career, Greg takes full advantage of being the only man Joan is willing to be submissive to; this culminates in him raping Joan inside Don's office. In spite of this, Joan remains with her fiancé. Meanwhile, Roger proposes to
Jane Siegel, Don's secretary, and ends his marriage with
Mona, causing personal and financial pressures. Don has to step in to handle the obnoxious antics of his talent, comedian
Jimmy Barrett, and ends up having an extramarital affair with Barrett's wife, Bobbie. After Don discovers that Bobbie and other women around town have been discussing Don's sexual prowess, Don leaves her tied to a hotel bed in her lingerie. Later, a resentful Jimmy tells Betty about the affair, eventually causing her to kick Don out of the family home. During his exile from home, Don takes a business trip to California and disappears, his whereabouts unknown to his wife, children and business associates. Don ends up meeting with
Anna Draper, the wife of the original Don Draper, whom he has set up in a bungalow in San Pedro. Anna comforts Don about his current marital troubles and identity crisis. While Don is away, Roger bluntly informs Duck that a partnership is not forthcoming. Duck then meets with executives from his former London firm, Putnam, Powell & Lowe (PPL), and informs them of Sterling Cooper's vulnerable position; he pitches a buyout, with Duck being appointed President. PPL then offers the buyout to
Bert and Roger, and they accept the buyout in Don's absence. Duck informs
Pete that he plans to either have Don follow his lead or be sent out the door, using the non-compete clause in Don's contract as leverage. In Don's absence, Peggy brings in the Popsicle account and uses this as leverage to acquire her own office; Pete is impressed by this maneuver and his romantic interests in Peggy are rekindled. Although married to
Trudy, Pete professes his love for Peggy, who finally confesses that he had gotten her pregnant and she had put their child up for adoption. The revelation is a particularly galling development for Pete, since he and Trudy are so far unable to conceive. When Don returns, Pete informs Don of Duck's plans. At the initial meeting with the lead PPL executives, Don informs them that he would not work under Duck's vision of the agency, and reveals that he is not under any contract to the agency. Duck loses his temper, putting his promotion after the merger in question. Betty learns from her doctor that she is expecting another child, and she has sex with a stranger at a local bar. She returns home to find a letter from Don, begging her to let him come home. The season closes as Betty informs him of their new child; they hold hands in the kitchen. ==Episodes==