Don Draper and Peggy Olsen’s relationship has always served as the driving force behind Mad Men.
Though not a romantic one, they have had their share of “break-ups” and “make-ups,” like any good love story does. Most importantly, Don (Jon Hamm) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) have been able to lean on each other and support one another.
They understand one another like no one else can, and their relationship goes deeper than any romantic relationship either of them could have.
Early on, Don is Peggy’s mentor and he almost fills a patriarchal role. He also defends Peggy on more than one occasion. In the pilot episode, Peggy is the “new girl” and Don’s secretary. Don has only just learned her name when he defends Peggy against Pete’s lude and insulting remarks about her clothing.
It’s also Don who has faith in Peggy’s work. At the end of Mad Men Season 1, Don suggests Peggy be the writer for a Clearasil ad, calling her the “perfect writer” for the account. He’s offended when Pete tells him to “stop joking,” and when Pete says she’s only a secretary, Don promptly calls her in and tells her she has been promoted.
This is a big deal because let’s not forget this is the early 60s. But Don sees potential in Peggy that overrides any traditional gender roles of the time.
Don also keeps Peggy’s biggest secret. When she disappears after getting that promotion, he tracks her down to find her at the hospital after she’s just given birth. And when Peggy wakes up to see Don by her bedside, she’s both confused (partially because of the drugs) and comforted by his presence.
Really, Don is her mentor there too, by convincing her to get away from the doctors who are worried about her psychological issues — and keeping her doped up pretty good. His advice is, perhaps, one of the most pivotal moments of the series.
Don: Peggy, listen to me. Get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened.
Over the course of the series, Don and Peggy support each other in important ways, and Peggy looks out for Don as much as he does for her. She worries about his welfare and is there for his worst hangovers. Heck, she even bails him out of jail.
Don and Peggy have also had their share of troubles, with Don not fully appreciating Peggy’s work or giving her the proper credit. They’ve had emotional yelling matches, they’ve fought and then made up, and they’ve bonded over dinner and drinks. They’ve been there for each other through some of their toughest times, and they even “break up” altogether when Peggy decides to leave the agency to further her career.
They end up being competitors for a while, but even then, Don seems to be pretty proud of Peggy when he listens in on her winning pitch to Heinz Ketchup.
And Don’s willingness to have her take over a presentation at the last minute in the mid-season finale, again showing his faith in her work, speaks volumes. And he couldn’t be prouder when she knocks the whole thing out of the park and lands the account.
Earlier in Season 7, Don and Peggy find themselves with roles reversed when Don returns to the agency after a “leave of absence” to find that Peggy is now his boss. This might be one of my favorite things that happens throughout the entire series, and he’s naturally pretty irritated to begin with. But his love for the work (and a little bit of fear) combined with an underlying respect for Peggy wins out, and he finally does what Peggy asks of him.
Their moment of reconciliation when they dance together alone at the office is one of the most touching moments of the series.
Though some might say it seems romantic, to me, it feels like two best friends enjoying each others’ company — Don and Peggy are family, and they are totally comfortable with each other. It even slightly feels as though Don is in a paternal role again, but to turn it into something other than a platonic relationship would cheapen their story.
In fact, Elisabeth Moss said something along those lines in an interview a few years ago: “People are constantly asking if they’re gonna sleep together. I always get annoyed, because their relationship is more than that. And to keep that going over five years without selling out and having something else happen—that to me is really interesting and rarely done well.”
Peggy is a woman who just never fell under the spell of Don Draper. Her colleagues often assumed that she built her career by sleeping with Don, but they’ve never had that kind of relationship — thank goodness.
And thank goodness that Matthew Weiner has stated they don’t have intentions of turning Don and Peggy’s relationship into a sexual one. What’s made their relationship so fascinating to watch throughout the years is that it has never gone in that direction.
What I believe, is that Don’s most meaningful relationships have been the platonic ones he’s had with women. His lovers have come and gone, but his first wife, Anna, wasn’t a “real” marriage — instead, she was his best friend, and Anna knew his secrets.
Peggy is the one who fills that void, so it’s fitting that one of the most significant points in their relationship is the night they fight, then bond over dinner and drinks (and Don puking) just before Don learns that Anna has died.
Don: Somebody very important to me died.
Peggy: Who?
Don: The only person in the world who really knew me.
Peggy: That’s not true.
That moment is the one that defines their relationship. Peggy knows Don more than anyone else, and she ultimately does serve as a replacement for Anna. Meanwhile, Peggy has shown that she isn’t very good at romantic relationships herself, but she loves her work.
That’s the most important thing that the two of them share: a love for the work and the enjoyment of creating ideas together. That isn’t something either of them has been able to share so deeply with anyone else. Don and Peggy understand each other and have a mutual respect for one another that makes them the perfect team — and the perfect, platonic couple.
What are your hopes for the remainder of Man Men? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below!
Man Men returns this Sunday, April 5th at 10/9c on AMC.
Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
