Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
The wonderful element of Mad Men was just how intricately careful the series was in depicting the times. Yes, that meant making audiences feel uncomfortable at the themes and stereotypes of society in the 1960s. Depicting the advertising world in New York City, Mad Men put the focus on the men, but there was one woman who stood out from the crowd, defying the odds: Peggy Olson. Played by Elisabeth Moss in her breakout role, Peggy served as the series’ primary lead who began as Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) secretary.
Unlike many other women of the time, being a secretary was not sufficient. Peggy represented the change in the modern woman, eager to be taken seriously and be a voice in the boys’ club. Over the course of the seven seasons, Peggy’s journey was one of the most captivating of any character. Through highs, lows, and pivotal moments in her personal and professional life, these 10 episodes featured the best of Peggy.
10 “Waterloo” Season 7, Episode 7
Serving as the mid-season finale of the final season, “Waterloo” gave the audience a moment to prepare for the end of an era. But this episode wasn’t just a legendary moment for the series; it was a pivotal part of the final arc for many of our major characters. With the infamous Moon landing serving as the backdrop for the episode, “Waterloo” was the final curtain for Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) as Don finds out what his future might look like should he be canned from the firm. Meanwhile, Peggy learns what it’s like to earn the praise she’s always desired. Making a major sacrifice, Don gives Peggy the opportunity to lead the Burger Chef presentation. Not only does she nail the pitch, she wins the account.
The episode shows a major contrast between our two leads. For one, he is experiencing a potential end to his career. For the other, she continues to rise on the occasion, signaling a step toward the top. She may not realize it, but she could be working herself to replace Don, yet it doesn’t deter their working relationship. If there were ever another person he would allow to take his job, it would be Peggy. As we’ll discuss, they’ll share many tender moments together. In this episode, between the Moon landing marking a new beginning and Bert’s death, it represents both their paths, yet they don’t collide.
9 “Meditations in an Emergency” Season 2, Episode 13
One thing that Mad Men does exceptionally well is offer a slice of life against the macro picture of the world. For the Season 2 finale, Mad Men brings the action to life during the Cuban Missile Crisis. As it turns out, a potential nuclear war only heightens the personal crises that abound while a company merger looms. While this episode is very Betty Draper-centric (January Jones), her story very much aligns with Peggy’s. For Betty, she grapples with the reality that she’s pregnant. It causes a bit of personal trepidation, especially because of her resentment that Don took a sabbatical. Betty doesn’t want the baby, and, to take her mind off of it, has a casual encounter with a stranger at a bar. For the couple, it’s a crucial point that it isn’t made to save their marriage, instead creating another reason to be stuck.
The scenario serves as a fascinating counter to Peggy. It wasn’t until this episode that Peggy dropped the bomb on Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser). After asking her to stay for a drink, Pete begins to hit on her, but she is not having any of it, finally revealing that she could have shamed him into her life forever, as he was the father of her child. In one of the most profound moments in her entire trajectory, she pointedly says to him, “I had your baby, and I gave it away.” Peggy’s pregnancy plot line on the show was a major factor as she didn’t know she was pregnant until she was in labor. Further, as much as she wanted to be a mother, she had to give the child up for adoption; otherwise, her future was decided for her. While Betty, who was already a mother, was willing to try to get an abortion, that was never an option for Peggy. This scene with Pete gave credence to why she took her mental health break, allowing the audience to truly grasp how, for a young woman at the time, it was either being a mother or having a career. Unlike Betty, she took the latter option.
8 “Waldorf Stories” Season 4, Episode 6
Peggy had faced a range of difficulties in trying to make her way into the advertising world. While she may have had a strong ally in Don, there were very few, if any, other men at the firm who would truly acknowledge her exceptional skills. And rightly so, she became frustrated. In the Season 4 episode, “Waldorf Stories,” the agency is celebrating a Clio Award win for the Glo-Goat ad. While everyone is celebrating, Peggy is dismayed because she’s received little recognition for her contributions. But sometimes the lack of recognition is better than taking an emotional beating from a sexist. New art director Stan Rizzo (Jay R. Ferguson) forces her on a project, only to diminish her ideas. But only Peggy will stand up for what’s right.
Peggy has always been the outsider of this universe. This episode truly encapsulates the theme of struggling for recognition in a male-dominated industry. While many others may give up and let the world overtake her, watching Peggy stand up for herself is inspiring. Is it beyond reality? Would a Peggy with this gumption actually exist in this world? Whether elevated for entertainment purposes or not, Peggy going toe-to-toe with Stan is a shining moment. Now, we know that her feelings for Stan will vastly change as the series continues. This episode was a pivotal moment for her professional arc.
7 “The Strategy” Season 7, Episode 6
Now, if you’re reading this in order, you already know what happens with the Burger Chef campaign. “The Strategy” is a glorious opportunity to watch Peggy in action before the pitch. The Season 7 episode centers on the brilliant collaboration between Peggy and Don as they create a family-friendly pitch. Using the concept of family togetherness, the episode showcases the evolving definition of a traditional family unit and what family actually means. As presented by the end, family is defined by the people you surround yourself with. And where the place you call home truly is.
Peggy’s examination of the nuclear family reflects the end of the swinging ’60s. Even the men who initially hear her concept fail to comprehend that the rules of the family are changing, even if they all see women in the same light, as individuals who have to be given permission first. Even with the series coming to a close, Peggy is pegged as the emotional one, initially passed up to give the pitch. But her fervor and fight to get the pitch to reflect reality ultimately paid off. That is through a heart-to-heart between Don and Peggy. By the time she convinces Pete that the family dinner has changed from the home and into the restaurant, it’s clear that Peggy is much wiser than anyone gives her credit for.
6 “Shut the Door. Have a Seat.” Season 3, Episode 13
Inspired by the variations of the line uttered throughout the episode, the episode brings life-changing news to a variety of characters. A truly significant episode in the overall arc of the series, this one focuses on Don, Roger Sterling (John Slattery), and Bert — convincing Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) to join them in leaving the firm to create their own. And along with them, they’d be taking the Lucky Strike account. The episode marks a major turning point for the show as a new company is established to herald a new era of Mad Men. Now, how does this new chapter affect Peggy?
A major reason the men are eager to carry out their plan is that they believe it’s brilliant and that all their soldiers will fall in line. When it’s time to share the news with Peggy, rather than just following instructions to prepare to leave with him, she pushes back by asking for further details. His dismissive tone prompts her to say an iconic line, “I don’t want to make a career out of you kicking me when you fail.” Initially hesitant to go along with the scheme, Peggy’s ability to stand up to Don in this manner is a turning point. By the same token, only Peggy can make him see the light.
5 “The Suitcase” Season 4, Episode 7
Of all the men in Don’s life, no one has ever had quite the impact that Peggy has. “The Suitcase” wasn’t just a great episode for Peggy; it was glorious for Don. Why? We saw their relationship flourish. The episode follows the all-night work session between the coworkers. Beyond the work, this episode allows the pair to explore deep-rooted personal crises: Don’s grief over Anna Draper’s (Melinda Page Hamilton) death and Peggy’s breakup with her boyfriend, Mark Kerney (Blake Bischoff). Set against the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston fight, “The Suitcase” is an episode in which emotional baggage comes to light as their relationship flourishes and evolves.
Revolving around the campaign for the Samsonite account, “The Suitcase” displays a major trait in Peggy that may be read as a fault. She is married to her work. So much so, she bypasses her planned birthday date with Mark to make this pitch a success. When Mark breaks up with her over the phone, it triggers her and forces her to fall back into her work. But even though there was a hierarchy between Don and Peggy, this episode showed that Peggy is the only woman in his life he respects. As Don breaks down, Peggy’s quiet support is truly what Don wanted all along.
4 “In Care Of” Season 6, Episode 13
The penultimate season finale was a major episode that truly dictated the final season. “In Care Of” focuses on Don’s personal and professional life as it unravels, culminating in his forced leave of absence from the agency. But Don isn’t the only one who’s struggling. Peggy, who’s been rising in the office, experiences heartbreak, thanks to the affair she’s been having at home. Having had a relationship with Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm), their connection is tested as Ted flip-flops literally in front of her eyes. He comes to her apartment to tell her he wants to leave his wife for her, only to have him change his mind when he wants to move to California with his family, ostensibly to manage the Sunkist account, but also to distance himself from his feelings for Peggy. But at least she has more potential at the firm, given that she’s stepping in for both Ted and Don.
Maybe a reflection on all of our fears and insecurities, having a stable work life and a solid romantic life don’t always coincide. Peggy has always been work-focused, but just when she thinks she’s about to have both, the rug is pulled out from under her. By the time she realizes that the work part of her life is about to be exactly what she wants it to be, it comes in a true moment of isolation, sitting in Don’s former office. It’s a gripping mirror to the very first episode with Don, proving that happiness is not always a two-way street.
3 “The New Girl” Season 2, Episode 5
The boundaries of work are not always cut-and-dried. Especially if you work for Don Draper. In the Season 2 episode “The New Girl,” Don has a new secretary, but Peggy will always be his girl. Even if he’s engaged in an affair with Bobbie Barrett (Melinda McGraw). When Don gets into a car accident following a distracting kiss while driving to the beach, Peggy shows up to save the day as Don fails a sobriety test, bailing out the pair and covering up the incident. Peggy even has to babysit Bobbie to hide her black eye from her husband. Call it happenstance, Bobbie gives Peggy some unsolicited advice that she’ll never advance in her career until she starts to treat Don as an equal. The episode culminates in a flashback to Peggy at the hospital during her brief stay after giving birth. There, Don encourages her to do “whatever they say” to get released and move forward in her career.
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Looking at her overall arc, this seems like a blip in her bigger journey toward the top. But as an episode only two seasons in, it’s evident that Peggy is still unsure of her place in the world, both at work and in life. Yet, it’s her moment of heroism that serves as the catalyst to stop being the hero. Bobbie knows that, as a woman, this is what Peggy needs to do, but she can also see that until she forces Don to see her more than less, she’ll end up resenting the situation. She can be his hero if it’s reciprocated. This episode becomes a turning point for Peggy, who finally begins to believe in herself. It’s a pivotal moment that starts Peggy’s upswing.
2 “The Wheel” Season 1, Episode 13
The first season of Mad Men was a daring exploration of how television storytelling was evolving. In the finale, titled “The Wheel,” the firm works alongside Kodak on their new invention: the slide projector. Meanwhile, Peggy gets some newfound power as she and Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton) audition actresses to be the voice-over for the Relax-a-Cizor. Though she prefers Annie (Katherine Boecher) to Ken’s pick, Rita (Mandy McMillian), Peggy asserts her authority and fires Annie in favor of Rita when Annie falters during the recording, proving that her emotions won’t override a great product. This leads Don to promote her to Junior Copywriter. But all the joy is immediately dampened when a sick Peggy heads to the hospital. It’s only there she found out her recent weight gain was a result of a cryptic pregnancy. She gives birth, refusing to even acknowledge the boy.
What a doozy of an episode for Peggy. It has some glorious highs and shocking revelations, but in the end, Peggy is steadfast, a work-first woman. As we already discussed in regard to the power move she made on the baby daddy, Peggy’s Season 1 finale truly changed her entire trajectory as she served as a specific representation of women in the workforce. It’s a bittersweet episode for Peggy, but an integral episode nevertheless.
1 “The Other Woman” Season 5, Episode 11
“The Other Woman” is not just a profound Peggy Olson episode; it is a critically acclaimed examination of the transactional nature of women’s roles in the workplace. The main client of the episode is Jaguar. Peggy is envious, not because the company serves the men lobster at lunch, but because she’s been pushed off the campaign because of her gender. When she then wins back a Chevalier Blanc ad, she is later told that when Michael Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) finishes with Jaguar, he’ll take over Chevalier Blanc. She contemplates leaving the firm in hopes of a better opportunity. Meanwhile, after Ken and Pete dine with Herb Rennet (Gary Basaraba), head of the dealers’ association and Jaguar’s selection committee, it’s learned that Herb thinks they can ink the deal if they arrange for Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) to sleep with him. Pete’s gall, who actually presents the proposal, is met with immediate outrage and disgust. The Jaguar team continues to push for sexist advances for their ad, including the usage of the word “mistress” and using Megan as inspiration for the “unattainable.” By the end of the episode, the firm wins Jaguar, and it’s implied that Joan sleeps with Herb, as Peggy informs Don that she is leaving for a new job. While he believes it was over money, she tells him it was not about money, walking out with a smile on her face as she awaits the elevator one last time.
This episode is truly one of the most important episodes in the entire series. It’s excruciatingly hard to watch knowing that this fictionalized series was reflecting the time quite accurately. Joan’s storyline is heartbreaking. Pair it with Peggy’s journey, and it hits harder. Yet, watching Peggy stand up for herself and other women in the workplace is extraordinary. Perhaps in a modern story, this moment would have brought about change for the entire office. But does it really? Peggy is one of the most integral female characters in dramatic television. Her actions in this episode are her crowning moment.
Like Mad Men TV-14 Drama Release Date 2007 – 2015-00-00 Network AMC Cast See All Jon Hamm Don Draper Elisabeth Moss Peggy Olson Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY
Showrunner Matthew Weiner Directors Michael Uppendahl, Jennifer Getzinger, Scott Hornbacher, Matthew Weiner, Lesli Linka Glatter, Tim Hunter, John Slattery, Alan Taylor, Andrew Bernstein, Jon Hamm, Barbet Schroeder, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Ed Bianchi, Jared Harris, Matt Shakman, Lynn Shelton Writers Jonathan Igla, Robin Veith, Carly Wray, Kater Gordon, Bridget Bedard, Cathryn Humphris, Chris Provenzano, Brett Johnson, Rick Cleveland, Tracy McMillan, Andrew Colville, David Iserson Main Genre Drama Seasons 7 Producers Lisa Albert, Tom Smuts, Erin Levy, André Jacquemetton, Jonathan Abrahams, Dahvi Waller, Maria Jacquemetton, Todd London, Jack Lechner, Jon Hamm, Blake McCormick, Greg Schultz Creator(s) Matthew Weiner Streaming Service(s) AMC+ Executive Producer(s) Matthew Weiner, André Jacquemetton, Scott Hornbacher, Janet Leahy, Maria Jacquemetton Powered by Expand Collapse
