"Tea Leaves" was an apt moniker for the second episode, as Roger Sterling catches an unsightly glimpse into the not-too-distant future of the advertising agency he's known his entire life — a future that will likely have no place for him, and sooner rather than later.
Roger's stake in the future of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce continues to be thwarted by Pete Campbell's restless ambition. The power struggle between them picks right up in the first scene, as Roger refuses to go to Pete's office for a meeting regarding Mohawk Airlines. There is good news to celebrate, though, as Roger's client-winning rapport based around liquor and wartime nostalgia has brought the regional airline back to SCDP. Pete acknowledges Roger's role in landing the account and asks him to handle the day-to-day work. While Pete suggests Roger hire a simple retail copywriter for basic airfare ads, Roger has other ideas and wants to give Mohawk "a good looking version of Don." Though Peggy is a qualified in-house candidate for such work, Roger is concerned that the traditionalists at Mohawk would prefer "someone with a penis" to write their copy. Peggy is then given the task of hiring a new copywriter with grand ideas (and proper anatomic orientation).
While Peggy fears that iconoclastic young copy writer Michael Ginsburg will clash with the prevailing austerity of Roger and Don, both men are impressed upon meeting and urge her to hire him. However, Roger's motives are based more on insensitive opportunism than talent, as he feels having "a Jew" on board would make the agency seem more "modern" and impress Mohawk. He chalks up Peggy's misgivings about Ginsburg to feelings of job insecurity and assures her that no one will replace her.
Roger is forced to reevaluate this position, however, when Pete gathers the entire staff together to announce the acquisition of Mohawk. In Machiavellian fashion, Pete seizes the moment to cement his prestige in the eyes of agency by declaring to everyone that he's signed the airline himself, giving no due credit to Roger. While Roger is certainly receiving his comeuppance for trying to poach Pete's accounts in episode one, he is understandably furious and warns Peggy to forget what he's told her about Ginsburg and job security, as we learn Pete was the last person Roger hired (and according to Roger, was something of a protege). Roger then storms back to an office to liquor his wounds with Don following behind.
As Roger and Don share a moment of closeness that hasn't been seen in a little while, the notion of mortality looms large, albeit in different senses. Don is concerned about Betty's possible terminal illness and acknowledges how her death would change his life (with Roger callously quipping that Betty's death would "solve everything"). While the ever-jaded Roger has given up on actual life and death, he is forced to confront his own mortality within the agency, expressing resignation over having to prove his worth and being "exhausted from hanging onto the ledge having some kid's foot on my fingertips." Roger has certainly been outmaneuvered by Pete, but his predicament is equally his own fault.
When Roger leaves Don's office, he innocently asks "When is anything going to get back to normal?" For Roger, posing this question is a delicious slice of irony. Of course Roger was referring to the power struggles in the SCDP offices, but the seismic social and cultural shifts to come in the late 1960s (and their resulting effects on the advertising world) will undoubtedly turn the WASPy privileged profession Roger inherited into something unrecognizable. Whether or not Pete pushes him out, Roger will face the unpleasant reality of his own obsolescence.
Bombs away.
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