Marital Infidelity

Lore & Background

Don Draper's infidelity in season two is not merely a personal failing but a symptom of his stolen identity and ongoing crisis. After discovering that Bobbie Barrett and other women have been discussing his sexual prowess, Don leaves her "tied to a hotel bed in her lingerie." This act of control and humiliation underscores his need for power in secret relationships. The affair directly leads to Betty kicking him out, and during his exile, Don seeks comfort from Anna Draper, the widow of the real Don Draper, highlighting how his false identity fuels his marital instability. Betty's response to Don's betrayal is equally complex. After learning she is pregnant, she has sex with a stranger at a local bar, a rare act of rebellion against her prescribed role. The season closes with Betty informing Don of their new child, and they hold hands in the kitchen—a fragile truce rather than a resolution. The source notes that the season "expands on Peggy's rise in the workplace and the marital strife between Don and Betty Draper," showing how infidelity is intertwined with professional ambition and personal reinvention.

In Their Own Story

The rain taps against the windowpane of the Draper kitchen. Betty stands over the sink, drying a plate with slow, deliberate movements. The front door clicks open downstairs, followed by the familiar sound of heavy footsteps. She does not turn around immediately, knowing the scent of Bobbie Barrett's perfume still lingers on his coat from hours ago. He enters, loosening his tie, offering a tired smile that doesn't reach his eyes. 'Long day,' he says, but the air between them is thick with unspoken accusations. In this quiet suburban moment, the truth hangs heavier than any storm outside.

Reader's Guide

The second season uses Don's affair with Bobbie Barrett to expose the fragility of the Drapers' marriage. The source states that Don "ends up having an extramarital affair with Barrett's wife, Bobbie." After Jimmy Barrett tells Betty about the affair, she kicks Don out, leading to his disappearance in California. This plotline mirrors the season's historical setting, culminating with the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, as personal and political tensions escalate simultaneously. Betty's own infidelity—having sex with a stranger after learning she is pregnant—illustrates her growing dissatisfaction with her domestic role. The source notes that Betty "has sex with a stranger at a local bar" before Don begs to return home. This act of rebellion foreshadows the changing social mores of the 1960s, though the season focuses on the immediate consequences within the Draper household. The season ends with a tentative reconciliation, as Betty informs Don of their new child and they hold hands, suggesting that infidelity has both fractured and redefined their relationship.

Did You Know?

• Don leaves Bobbie Barrett tied to a hotel bed in her lingerie after discovering she has been discussing his sexual prowess around town.
• Betty has sex with a stranger at a local bar after learning she is pregnant with Don's child.
• The season takes place from February 14 to October 24, 1962, culminating with the Cuban Missile Crisis.
• Don's affair with Bobbie Barrett is revealed to Betty by Jimmy Barrett, leading to Don being kicked out of the family home.
• During his exile, Don visits Anna Draper in San Pedro, who comforts him about his marital troubles and identity crisis.