Perhaps I am just naive but the frequency with which so many of the characters cheat on their partners is abhorrent to me. They don't even really try to hide it either, regularly discussing their exploits with each other. Honestly, the thought of cheating on someone I am in a relationship with is so disgusting to me that to see it done as if it's just a standard part of the day really bothers me.

I am aware that some people are just not capable of being faithful, but in Mad Men in particular, it's as if the majority of characters consider cheating a normal behavior. Was it really this bad back then, or does the show exaggerate a little? I am sure the high-powered positions of the characters of course plays a factor.

The scene where Sally was found "pleasuring herself" made me extremely uncomfortable the first watch, I get what its role was in depicting the family dynamics, but then I think was it necessary?

"Mad Men is, was, and will always be the high-water mark in my life and career," Hamm said Friday night at Harvard University. "It's the one [role] that's led to even more opportunities in my career, for obvious reasons.

LINK

Just got to season 4 and I just wanted to know if there were others who thought Peter Campbell is f’n hilarious. His way of just bursting out insults, his insensitive comments, and ESPECIALLY his awfully rude attitude to his wife is something I just can’t help but laugh at. Thoughts? Also if you have examples of what I’m talking bout feel free to share !

This has my favorite story structure of any Mad Men episode. Original yet natural. Experimental but seemingly effortless.

To refresh your memories, instead of transitioning between A, B, and C stories, this episode is told in three uninterrupted sections from a single character’s POV. Peggy failing the Heinz pitch/movie theater handy, Roger taking LSD, and Don’s trip to Howard Johnson’s.

Part of what makes this episode so unique is how it handles time. Each story starts the same morning, so we have to travel back in time when one ends and the next begins. But not only that, each section handles time differently within its own story.

Peggy’s is the most conventional. Time moves forward from scene to scene in order to tell the story. Roger’s is the most radical. His LSD trip bends time until Jane points out “how can a few numbers contain all of time?” Don’s is the most disorienting. Time lurches forward in the car without any camera cuts, both on the drive up and when Don ditches Megan. Meanwhile the Howard Johnson's setting makes it impossible to mark the passage of time, until finally a cop shakes Don awake at 2 am.

The episode ends the next morning, and we get a glimpse of how each character has been effected by the previous day's journey. No one story has been elevated above the other. Each character has gone to a Far Away Place and is changed by it forever. Peggy starts to build a life outside of SCDP before ultimately quitting. Roger gets a new lease on life, goes to therapy and actually tries at his job. And Don loses control of Megan.

To me, this is the defining episode of Season 5. And its broken, looping structure helps take us to the Far Away Places.

I'm British, and some of the most insufferable characters (especially in S3, and it's second best episode "guy walks into an advertising agency") are the smarmy and intolerable PPL lot. They have always been the dark shadow SC sold their souls to, but Lane began as he went on as so simpering. I know he was essential in the early days of SCPD ("can you do what he does?") but his stiffness, and most importantly lack of social awareness of how the agency runs and what clients expect made me so irritated. He seems to cartoonishly go "oh damn and blast!" (or such phrase) in one way or another at virtually every accepted practice at SCDP. I've never wanted to kick a character into touch more (other than joey).

Compared to someone like roger, you wonder how lane got as far as he did. His boss said it best "you always do what you're told". Re watching it now and he is just grating on me in the worst way (and the accent, I don't think I've ever encountered someone who speaks like that!) the man makes me side with Pete. His end was horrific and he didn't deserve to leave mad men like that at all, I wished better for him but telll me I'm not alone or is this an unpopular opinion?

None of my friends watch Mad Men so I have to write here. I finished season 3 for the first time, I really thought this show is going to be only conversations and slow but damn I was wrong, I enjoyed the whole three seasons sooo much that it is now my favorite show. I have some silly thoughts about the whole seasons dont expect a deep review, my favorite characters are Ken and Roger specially Roger is literally just vibing, drinking, and avoiding any job, I lowkey aspire his level of chill I wanna be him when I grow up lol. Also, I adore pete, I heard most don’t like him alot but I love my little suit. I DON’T EVEN HAVE TO MENTION JOAN. Anyways, I was watching calmly and then the guy got his foot run over it was my peak absurdity till now. Oh and Don I hate him so much I really hate how he cheats and does everything and then he calls Betty “whore” it kinda shows how most relationships are like that now, not just as in marriage even in other areas the person would be doing so much worse than you but destroy the world when you do something similiar. I just finished the finale of season 3 and in the ending when Joan said Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce I lost it there idk but it sounds so long and funny and it reminds me so much of Suits specially when Don was about to lock the offices door and Roger said no need I remembered Harvey and Mike. Tbh, I didn’t think I’d like the show this much I can’t stop yapping about it to everyone in the house even though it’s drama I enjoy it so much as if it’s a comedy show. PLEASE SOMEONE TALK ABT THESE THREE SEASONS NOW I NEED IT🤚🏼🤚🏼🤚🏼🤚🏼

My pick is Freddy. This is a man who was also likely traumatized by the war, who everyone kind of knew was an alcoholic but was able to skirt by with his good humour and passable work.

It worked until it didn’t, I can’t imagine the pride you’d have to swallow to go back and freelance for the same people who let you go. But ultimately he has more of a redemption arc than most and helps Don out when he’s at his rock bottom.

It seems as plain as day to me.

What kind of upbringing did Jane have? I figured it was similar to Peggy's, so I can't imagine the people at the LSD party being in Jane's social circle.

There was something off about Don driving away after his fight with Megan in the Howard Johnson's. It was different from their fight when she stripped down to clean the carpet.

I admire Roger, Don, and Megan for going to the office the morning after an LSD trip and an 18-hour vacation to Plattsburgh.

Bert's "love leave" talk to Don reminded me of Tony Soprano chiding Christopher after returning from California to pitch "Cleaver".

Idk how this is such a spoken about topic cause it’s acc just so stupid and shallow, don draper is one of the best characters off all time, on the Mount Rushmore with Walter white and Tony soprano etc well at least in my opinion. And all people go on about is his looks. Idk if anyone else realised this? It pisses me off cause there’s so more to don than his looks, I do understand how much his looks help him a lot and a it is a decent chunk of his entire character, but at the same time not really? When the show was on tv was his looks this much of a topic?

So I am searching for a good TV show, that depicts office life and politics as good as Mad Men did.

Ha, I know I am asking a lot!

I just watched Succession, and although similar quality... is not that consistent.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Hi there, I'm a first time watcher that has just reached Season 7. I have binged the first 6 and I must say I am reaching a breaking point and I feel like Don is my toxic friend that I have lost all hope in. In every season he falls into the same pattern of cheating on his SO and sleeping with 10000 women per week, acting disastrously at work and then whoop there's a merger. It's all just so infuriating and repetitive. Does Don get better / get some sort of meaningful conclusion or should I just stop because I'm gonna be even more annoyed?

I want them all. lol. Every one of them is gorge. And the flimsy, ephemeral robes. They are definitely not like the JCPenney nighties and robes my mom wore in the sixties. Do such things exist today? If so, where?

Started watching Mad Men many years ago when it was first aired. Now finishing the last 3 series on Netflix. You all have such an amazing grasp of the intricacies, characters etc and I’m just over here thinking Don is physical perfection and how I’d give a kidney to look like Joan 😂✌️

I keep watching the whole thing and then waiting a bit to forget about it (a few months, a year, whatever) and then watch it again. Send help

This is like the biggest plot hole of the show to me.

Don shows up to work late and Bert and Pete are all like, “where were you?! Jeff Atherton came here expressly to see you.” And Don was like, “who’s Jeff Atherton?” and Bert and Pete were talking about how stupid he is that Jeff Atherton thought the circle of chairs and lack of table was intentional and progressive, and Pete double-checked to see if Bert lied and impressed Jeff Atherton about the second floor (he did not, he thought that was stupid).

My question is, they have all these nice things and stylish decor and bustling employee traffic in this season early on. Like why can’t you buy a conference table? Seems like one of the first 4 things you’d buy after your corporate takeover? Are they that expensive? Just fire one of the creatives like that weird pervert Peggy fires later. Why not just take the table from the last office? Sure it’s company property, but like what’s the worst that could happen? Surely they took other things? They already stole their clients.

Anyways. I’m just trying to find out why they couldn’t have a conference table for Jeff Atherton. Pretty terrible writing.

I want to cook a valentines dinner for my significant other made up entirely of mad men-related foods. Help me brainstorm some good options!! (No baked beans lol)

Crab Rangoon

Chips and onion dip (in a chip n dip of course)

Spaghetti with butter, cream, and cheese

Chicken Kiev

Ice cream sprinkled with salt (or orange sherbet)

Hey everyone going through probably my 10th rewatch of the series. On the episode of Waterloo. Absolutely love this episode and its a top 5. Especially love the moon landing background tied with Burger Chef pitch. And then the ending with Bert singing. Just curious how you view the episode

Ive been going through a rough patch myself too and I know what its like to feel that often—but seeing him feel it 24/7 is…disturbing?

No matter whose company it is, he seems to not want it.

I’m rewatching season one and he constantly looks bothered by whoever is in his company—his coworkers, Betty, Roger, Adam (☹️) pretty much everyone else. Well, except for Midge. But even then it’s really just a means to an end. He doesn’t enjoy her—he enjoys that situation. I guess it’s why it’s so refreshing to see him go to his safe haven in California, and so depressing to him lose it once Anna dies.

I think the show is capturing his dark despair so well that it’s tough to watch.