The Peggy Olson Show

"But that's life. One minute you're on top of the world, the next some secretary's running you over with a lawnmower."
     - Joan Harris, "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency"

My top favorite five episodes.
#5. "The Wheel" - The most powerful scene in the series.

Now that Mad Men has won the Emmy for Best Drama each of its four seasons, it's hard to dispute that the series has come to define a new genre of high quality story-driven television drama.  The acting is fantastic, the writing is solid, and while I'm not intimately familiar with the period, it's presented in an authentic manner.  Creator and producer Matthew Weiner has proven that even with the inherent limitations of television, a serious television show can thrive in the Real Housewives era.

#4. "Shut the Door.  Have a Seat." - An exciting episode that keeps you guessing.

The series focuses on how individuals try to assert their self-determination in an otherwise uncontrollable, unpredictable, and sometimes unfair society.  The 1960's are the perfect decade to explore Mad Men's central theme - a decade of unmatched social and cultural change -- change that often felt unbounded.  But unlike most of the history books, the characters are not activists, politicians, or really much of anyone who cares about the larger social implications of the decade.  Instead, the large cultural changes are broken down into the everyday fictional choices of the people in a New York advertising firm.

In between the all the smoking, drinking, and sex, the personal self-determination theme is explored in nearly each character, but no character is more compelling to me than Peggy Olson, played by Elisabeth Moss.  It's simple character analysis, the kind we all did in 8th grade English class.

#3. "Three Sundays" - Thematically strong, but also a great ensemble episode.

As a character, even Jon Hamm's dashing Don Draper is no match for ambitious Peggy.  Don is predictable, even when he's unpredictable.  Every "come on, don't kiss her!" moment (or even "come on, don't marry her!" moment) from Don is entertaining, but doesn't develop the character.  Don's attempts to deal with his childhood and identity crises make for compelling television, but it's a two-dimensional struggle.  A struggle within himself and with those in his life.

#2. "The Suitcase" - Peggy and Don's often unstated, but series-defining relationship dominates the episode.

Peggy's challenges are three-dimensional.  She wrestles with the classic choices confronting an early career-woman.  Conflict comes from within, from her family and co-workers, and from society. Her decision to pursue a career comes up against internal pressure when her romantic choices fall flat.  Peggy's family is simultaneously proud and jealous and concerned.  And with the cultural revolution still in its infancy, the world is constantly pushing back against nearly all her life decisions.  The advice she receives from Don and the magnificently acted Joan Harris, is never satisfying.  There is no map, no instruction manual for intelligent, confident women who don't want to play by the sexist rules.

Looking back at the early episodes, it's wonderful to see how much the character has changed and completely within a single credible persona.  Not only is Peggy a three-dimensional character, she's an evolving character.  Unsophisticated as a secretary, but then hardened by an unwanted pregnancy, then ambitious.  As confidence develops, so does her relationship with the extremely (outwardly) confident Don. Yet, a thread of naivety always runs through her. Some changes came gracefully, some not, but all thoroughly believable. Can you tell that I'm a fan?

#1. "The Beautiful Girls" - Brings the theme of the show, as it relates to the women of SCDP, into focus.

Most of the characters in Mad Men aren't always likable -- especially Betty Draper.  Admittedly, all the main characters have strategically limited personalities so the show can explore the contours of the limits of their self-determination.  Whether by design or by accident, despite her struggles and faults, Peggy is the only thoroughly likable character and the only one who I feel comfortable identifying with.  Peggy doesn't just want a career, she wants to be respected and treated equally.  Of course it's an idealized character, a character created from the feminism everyone is comfortable with.  But I'm glad to have at least one character I can always root for.