July 19th 2022
MAD MEN:
Defining Moments, 15 Years Later
DISCLAIMER: The article below contains spoilers
Today marks 15 years since Mad Men premiered on AMC. The period drama takes place in the 1960s and is still remembered as a cultural phenomenon of television entertainment. It portrays an honest picture of the changing social norms, political climate, and professional landscape which ensued in the United States (specifically New York City) during that decade. The showrunner (Matthew Weiner) created the series in a way in which it acted as a window for audiences to experience the unfiltered version of how the changing dynamics of gender, race, class, increasing subcultures, and the rising circulation of television and print media would impact the future of the country. As we follow the lead character, Don Draper’s journey, into Sterling-Cooper Advertising Company, we get a firsthand look at the authenticity of how the country transitioned from the old world into the new.
My personal fascination with this show is largely due to the way it weaves effortlessly between deeply personal stories and known historic milestones. With each episode, as I poured myself a glass of Jameson Whiskey (seemingly a favorite among the executives at Sterling-Cooper), I explored the depths of each conflict throughout the show. To me, this series revolved less around plot and more around character. Whether it was presidential elections, the changing nature of gender roles revolving around women in the workplace, or the rise of recreational drug use, just about all topics revolving around the culture of the 1960s were covered through the lens of an individual being strongly impacted by the surrounding events.
As I reflect upon the different seasons and the 15 years since its series premiere, there are 5 defining moments which still stand out to me today:
5) Roger and Jane on LSD
Who can forget Roger’s amusing trip on acid? This scene particularly stands out to me due to the way it underscores the rising popularity of psychedelics during the decade of the ‘60s. Perhaps the most interesting thing here is how closed off Roger is at the beginning of the scene in contrast to the end. We see a sense of closure for him and his dying relationship with Jane and also see the stark difference between both of their mindsets where Jane begins the evening open-minded and happy whereas Roger is the complete opposite. In a way, he finds his way out of the relationship through a means he never could have imagined and is at peace with himself, while Jane is left angry with him and warns him that the split will be an expensive one for him. The complete shift of the narrative provides a sense of unexpected irony which seems both profound and amusing at the same time.
4) Don’s article: “Why I’m Quitting Tobacco”
Ahh, corporate ethics and social responsibility. These are the values which drive the backbone of this great country and make our system of capitalism so flawless. Am I right??… Or maybe these are just buzz-words conveniently used as profound rhetoric for the means to save face and / or reputation in the midst of terrible loss and scrutiny. For Don Draper, the latter seems more accurate. After losing the accounts of both Lucky Strike and Marlboro, he had effectively severed all rapport with the major executives in the tobacco industry. So before word could spread that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce was embarrassingly terminated, Don chose a creative means to pre-emptively strike in an attempt to reinvigorate the image of the agency as one that was ethical and community conscious. He did so by writing up an op-ed in the New York Times titled “Why I’m quitting tobacco”. The article highlighted how the agency realized that they should no longer support a product which causes so much harm in society. In one way, the sequence seems so fitting in the sense that it aligns so accurately with the historical milestone of awareness that had begun to spread with regards to tobacco. On the other hand, the fact that it was a self-fulfilling act cannot be ignored. Rather than staying silent and having his agency be perceived as incompetent, Don chose to flip the narrative and make it seem as if they were above these industry giants, which in my opinion, was one of the most consequential moves of keeping the company afloat. Only the most savvy of ad men could have pulled this off, and Don proves once again why he is the best in his field.
3) Joan and Jaguar
Now for the scenes I’m referencing here, I chose to post the behind-the-scenes AMC interview of the episode. That is due to the fact that the episode itself is deserving to be viewed in its entirety rather than viewing excerpts of it. In episode 511, we see an interesting duality in which the key female employees encounter their unique obstacles. For Peggy, it’s the advancement of her career which has become stagnant due to the nature of male privilege in the office. For Joan, there’s the cringeworthy and unethical nature of how she is put in a position where the executive of Jaguar requests to spend the night with her in exchange for offering the agency their account. And due to the fact that the agency is somewhat struggling at this time, all of the partners except for Don appear to have any major objections to it. They find it immoral and unethical and they certainly feel bad for her, but they also find themselves in a tight spot. Joan is offered to be made partner in exchange for this move. Ultimately, she moves forward with it for the sake of the agency. For me, the most pivotal and unsettling sequence of this episode was the manner in which the pitch is made to the Jaguar team. We see Don making the pitch about how the curves of their product are comparable to curves of women, noting that the key difference between those two things is that the Jaguar is something beautiful that a man can “actually own”. This sequence crosscuts with shots of Joan visibly uncomfortable in the hotel room with the Jaguar executive knowing there’s nothing she could do — feeling helpless. The scene underscored the exact nature of how sleaziness and possessiveness were viewed as a byproduct of male empowerment and was often used as a theme within advertising during that era. The fact that Don’s pitch to Jaguar was a successful one spoke volumes in terms of the darkness revolving around what was considered acceptable behavior from men during that time.
2) “This never happened… It will shock you how much this never happened.”
I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a scene which more effectively captures the survival of the human spirit than this one. As an audience we don’t entirely realize the gravity of Don’s words until his full backstory and the emotional effects of it are drawn out throughout the rest of the series. What we do see, based off of Jon Hamm’s amazing dialog delivery, is a sense of conviction. This scene takes place after Peggy gives birth to Pete’s baby and gives it away. The level of trauma that she experiences at this point is immense. The fear of being ostracized by her family, her friends, her work colleagues, and the broader community destroy her spirit completely. Don’s words provide her with a sense of reassurance. He understands the turmoil she’s going through and has great empathy for her. He sees her for who she truly is — someone who works hard and goes the extra mile to support both herself and her family. He sees her as someone with immense potential who is locked up by her circumstances and the limiting nature of societal norms. And he gives her the best advice that anyone could give in a moment like this — “move forward… this never happened… It will shock you how much this never happened.” In a subtle way, he draws a parallel between Peggy and himself. This profound moment establishes the connection which Don and Peggy would share throughout the rest of the series. They are survivors — each of a unique circumstance. And they have both chosen to move forward, taking the path of resilience instead of defeat.
1) The Hershey Bar Pitch
Confident. Shrewd. Charismatic. Well-spoken. These are the adjectives which describe Don Draper throughout the series up to this point. He is known for being relentless and unwavering in the face of adversity. The unraveling of all of that begins at this point during his pitch to Hershey’s Chocolate. He finally lets out the true nature of how damaged he is on the inside. As he describes the Hershey bar, specifically stating that “the wrapper looked like what was inside”, we see a look in his eyes which was never seen before. A look of vulnerability. This phrase hits him right in the heart where he realizes the stark contrast between the product he’s describing versus his own reality. It’s overwhelming for him to realize that his value as a person entirely revolves around how useful he could be to other people. That was true in his childhood and it is still true today, even though he has attained social status and evolved into an industry leader. In the meeting, he subsequently cannot hold back his thoughts and has one of the biggest meltdowns one could experience in a pressure-filled situation. For the first time we see him open up about the feeling of never being wanted and growing up in a childhood without any parent who loved him or cared about him. His armor breaks - and this sequence to me, serves similarly to what would be the end of ACT II in a film about self-discovery. An emotionally profound finale to season 6. The final season of the show (season 7) served as the resolution period for Don to come to terms with his past so he could live the next chapter of his life with a sense of internal fulfillment - something he deeply lacked throughout his entire life.
I often struggle to describe what specifically it is about this show that captures the interest of audiences. To me, it began as a show about advertising in the 1960s and ultimately became something greater. It became an experience. A window to a different time, viewing the struggles of various different people. It explored a multitude of sociological and cultural components of our history and in the end, communicated to an audience what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes. That’s no easy task. It’s one that few writing teams have been able to accomplish throughout history and perhaps very few will be able to do the same in the future.