/r/madmen

Photograph via snooOG

A place to discuss AMC’s Mad Men, a critically acclaimed psychological period-drama series that earned sixteen Emmys and five Golden Globes.

Episode discussion list

A place to discuss Mad Men, AMC's first foray into producing television.

The show is critically acclaimed and award-winning, earning nine Emmys and four Golden Globes. It is the first basic cable series to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, winning the award in 2008 and 2009.



So go get a bottle of scotch and a glass, and kick back in your favorite easy chair with your favorite brand of smokes. We'll be here after each episode.


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/r/madmen

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1

What am i missing?

I am watching Mad men for the first time. I am now in season 6 and it feels like it is Missing a lot. Don is suddently in the bed with the neighnors wife? Pete has an affair with a blond Woman? And there is no intodruction to the Projects of Peggy? Am i missing a lot? IT would Not Matter but during The past seasons i Had The Feeling that every Scene IS very detailed. And now everything seems so thrown together. Am i wrong?

0 Comments
2025/01/18
21:59 UTC

1

Some questions about season 3 plot developments

I'm on my second watch of Mad Men with my first being 4 years ago. The first watch I paid attention to everything but this time around I've had it on while sometimes browsing my phone or eating so haven't caught some things.

My first question is about Roger and Jane. As far as I can tell he only has two interactions with her before Mona barges into Don's office to say he's decided to leave her for a secretary and Don is somewhat to blame for encouraging this. I can recall him flirting with her at her desk in one scene and then the next one was when Joan fires her and she uses Roger's obvious attraction to have her firing reversed when she goes to see him on her way out carrying her stuff. Have I missed something? I don't recall them kissing or dating or Jane showing him definite affection beyond using his influence to get her job back. To go from that to "he's leaving me for a secretary" seemed very sudden and I'm convinced I must have missed something relevant.

Second question is about Don and Roger's relationship deteriorating. It also seemed to happen quite quickly. I feel like one moment they're pals and an episode or two later Don is hostile towards him and Burt is insisting they bury the hatchet.

So do these two plot points move a bit fast or have I just daydreamed my way through some important moments?

0 Comments
2025/01/18
21:47 UTC

1

Peggy dawn and the purse

The more I think about it the more it makes no sense that Peggy moved her purse and was worried about dawn taking her money. They work in the same place, why would dawn steal from her? That would be very easy to get caught and she could lose her job

4 Comments
2025/01/18
21:38 UTC

9

1960s mannerisms

I’ve been rewatching the series and I’ve noticed a few things I don’t really see anymore.

  • Lighting someone’s cigarette for them or lighting another’s cigarette before your own. I’m guessing this was good manners? I’m old enough to remember smoking inside but I don’t remember this.

  • Men constantly doing their suits up when they stand up. I don’t really see this anymore. I also think everyone dressed more formal, so it was more common.

What has everyone else noticed?

20 Comments
2025/01/18
21:17 UTC

9

I've arrived at it independantly

This "direct marketing" idea that Pete gives is wrought with signs of his personality... or lack thereof.

Nice Pete. You are an up and coming accounts man who didn't know that companies send mail as part of their marketing campaign.

But you're good with people Pete, even if no one has ever told you that before.

7 Comments
2025/01/18
21:08 UTC

2

Which season is best?

Recentlty started watching Mad Man for the first time. Which season in your opinion is best and why?

10 Comments
2025/01/18
20:11 UTC

12

63 years ago this week this song charted on the Billboard 100. It ended a great episode too.

2 Comments
2025/01/18
16:21 UTC

11

Most fashionable characters (male and female) on the show?

Men - I always liked Ginsberg's style, his smart-casual look, and longer hair compared to most of the characters. His fashion was a bit more flamboyant, but I guess that comes with being in creative.

And probably Don when he's out of office.

Women - Funny enough I loved Peggy's change in fashion over time, from a meek and demure girl to a powerful businesswoman but it was also great to see how her fashion grew alongside her reputation and confidence. That end scene with the glasses, haircut and dress was fantastic!

15 Comments
2025/01/18
12:10 UTC

230

Don’s salary was 24.7 times greater than Peggy’s

Season 1 episode 11 we see Peggy ask for a raise, revealing she makes $35 a week. In an earlier episode Don is given a raise to $45k a year, or $865 a week. That's the equivalent of someone today making $50k a year and their boss making $1.23m. Probably pretty common today in finance and tech but I can't imagine an advertising agency having that discrepancy between a secretary and a middle manager.

61 Comments
2025/01/18
10:43 UTC

39

Why didn’t Don continue with Bethany?

Why the hell didn’t Don continue dating Bethany? I guess he started dating Faye pretty soon after. But not immediately after. Like it’s not like he stopped dating Bethany so he could start seeing Faye. And also he’s not against seeing several women at once so.

He said something like “people tell us who we are and we choose to ignore them because we want them to be who we want them to be”. Something along those lines. He narrated this right as Bethany’s going down on him.

Who is it he thought Bethany was? They talked about how they don’t know eachother and aren’t close. He said he “already knew who she was”. Did he think she was trashy for going down on him? And that’s why he stopped seeing her?

I quite liked Bethany. I think it could’ve been a good relationship to see.

67 Comments
2025/01/18
07:47 UTC

29

“I hate what he did to Ted”

Hey! Sorry if this has been asked before, but I would love some clarification on this. Jim cutler says this to Rodger when they are discussing whether or not to bring Don back to the firm. Is Ted’s downfall in California really Don’s fault? I always felt like that was on Ted. He is the one that decided to move to California and leave Peggy. Anyway, would love to hear some feedback on this!

17 Comments
2025/01/18
02:49 UTC

69

Did Dick allow the real Anna to flourish?

My gf and I are on our umpteenth rewatch and at the episode in S4 when it's revealed >!Anna is dying of cancer!<, it just occurred to me that when we first meet Anna at the used car lot several episodes back she's pensive/nervous and in a horrible tirimisu matching hat and dress but subsequently when we see her she's relaxed, happy, hair down and in a relaxed dress. She's smoking weed and at home, comfortable.

Was this really going to be the life she lived with the >!real Donald Draper!<?

My thinking is Dick came along,utterly uprooted her life and this other non-comformant made her realise that she could be herself.

33 Comments
2025/01/18
00:25 UTC

22

I know streaming services have no interest in doing it but the credits need to run longer.

Almost certainly been expressed before but my gf and I are doing a rewatch for the umpteenth time and we've noticed just how abruptly the credits – and therefore the music, which is apt for every episode – is cut short.

6 Comments
2025/01/17
23:44 UTC

3

Rewatching again

Rewatching for the second time after finishing it for the first time almost two years ago and loved it! But is just me or is season 1 a bit of a slog to get through especially the first half?

9 Comments
2025/01/17
22:42 UTC

1

Song near the end of Old Kentucky Home?

I'm watching through the series for the first time and there's a song on the soundtrack that's really nice but I can't find anywhere. Near the end of S3E3, Old Kentucky Home, in the scene where Jane gets really drunk and Don calls Roger foolish (starting at 41:20 and throughout the scene), there's this relaxing jazz song playing in the background. It's really nice and I'd really like to hear it in full. It's NOT the same song that ends the episode, which is Memories of You by Ben Webster. Anyone have any clue what the song is or where I could find it? Thanks.

1 Comment
2025/01/17
20:06 UTC

1

Anyone have MM seasons 6 & 7 on Blu-ray and looking to get rid of them?

I bought seasons 1-5 at goodwill but they were missing the final two seasons and I'd love to complete my collection. Anyone out there have these seasons on their shelf taking up space? DM me and we'll make a deal. Thank you.

0 Comments
2025/01/17
18:10 UTC

38

How many of us are re-watching starting when the series was on sale recently?

I’m watching again and started when Apple had the series on sale for $10ish. I’m on season 5 now

Anyone else? How far along are you?

I ask cause recent posts align when episodes I just watched

24 Comments
2025/01/17
17:00 UTC

32

The Lane Tax Plot

Was so sudden right? Correct me if I’m wrong but the whole plot was only first mentioned in S5E10 and within 20 minutes he’s forging Dona signature to an ominous score and then an episode or two later he kills himself over it.

Is there a reason this wasn’t fleshed out or even hinted at earlier in the season? Was it and I just missed it? For a show with such great writing it seems to just be a little out of place, a plot change that extreme that quickly?

74 Comments
2025/01/17
13:03 UTC

15

Don Draper's Short Responses

What's one of your favorite short responses by Don Draper? Mine is whenever he says "I do" or "Yes."

40 Comments
2025/01/17
03:40 UTC

23

Conrad Hilton & Ms Farrell?? S3:E10

I’ve seen this episode plenty of times, but never caught this! In the beginning of the episode, Don goes to Ms Farrell’s house and when he arrives, and they greet each other, she says, “Oh your service called, Mr. Hilton was looking for you. But he’s probably in the air right now”

At this time, Don kept his affairs very private from anyone; he was all about appearing as a family man. (Eventually this changes, and Roger and other men come to know the true nature of Don, but at this time, Don was adamant about keeping his lives separate). Conrad Hilton is also a family and god fearing man (as far as Don knows), and wouldn’t have approved of a woman on the side (think back to when Conrad comes to dons office and criticizes him for not having a bible or family photos.)

I mention this because I’m curious why Don would EVER have his messages sent to Ms Farrell? I know it would have been just a secretary taking the message and giving it to her (right?) but in the early seasons of MM, don was NOT blurring those lines. He wasn’t about to have anything shine a light on his affairs. I just find it to be a completely absurd character choice for Don to have messages from his most important client, delivered to his mistress, from a woman who works in his office. Like he literally kept Bobbie Barrett tied to a bed bc she compromised his family man reputation by gossiping of his sex life. And she was a client basically lol!

None of this really matters hahaha, I love the show and think it’s a gorgeous piece of work, but I am curious to see if anyone else thought this was a weird choice? Or maybe I’m misunderstanding how the message would be delivered?

13 Comments
2025/01/17
01:12 UTC

50

This scene of Joan Harris in "Mystery Date"

I`m revisiting this serie and this scene catch so much of my attention! How Joan is laying down with a "to be man" in her bed at the same time as a older woman (more experienced in life) is just at the side of the same bed, resting because of her day to day task! This scene being after the episode of her ending her merriage with Greg for finding out he prefers to be wanted as a "good man" by the world, when in fact, he's a fraud and a disrespectful person, makes me admire Joan's character even more! She's fearless about what she wants, and the way she pointed that out for him, that she would not accept his choosing in manners, in such a classy demeanor. It's a nice balance between having what you want by screaming and having by announcement. What a nice lesson about boundaries

https://preview.redd.it/h5rnxyrhrfde1.jpg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7e1e29503740f164347e844fc3c2a4df35f7f71

20 Comments
2025/01/16
22:55 UTC

0

Help finding an episode or scene

I’m trying to find the episode where Don is talking about death/funeral. I swore it was on mad men where he describes the first time going to a funeral or a dead body. That it’s like you have moved up a notch. It’s him saying how kids are not allowed to see dead bodies and eventually you are.

Every time I try searching I just get a bunch of don draper quotes.

6 Comments
2025/01/16
19:37 UTC

287

The classical picnic scene

69 Comments
2025/01/16
13:13 UTC

3

Dons affairs

Who was the one affair Don had that you thought would’ve been good for him if he stayed with?

I think the school teacher or the psychologist would’ve been a way better fit than Megan, but maybe that they were strong independent women would’ve made it a poor fit anyway?

Thoughts?

65 Comments
2025/01/16
06:03 UTC

15

It'd be like having my own shop ...

Rewatching for the millionth time, and I cringe so hard when Don is "pitching" his idea of moving to LA to Megan, saying the same lines that Stan said to him and that he dismissed. He almost has that goofy look on his face that he had during the Life Cereal pitch, but he's actually trying to look sincere in his hopefulness.

2 Comments
2025/01/16
05:14 UTC

2

Bridge b/w S4 and S5

Is there an explanation why the state of the company goes from on the brink of collapse at the end of S4 to all is fine and dandy at the beginning of S5?

The company’s life is interesting to follow, even if secondary to the characters - I don’t understand why this plot point was just swept under the rug between seasons.

7 Comments
2025/01/16
02:05 UTC

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