From Don's secretary to Copy Chief at Sterling Cooper, here are the best Peggy episodes of 'Mad Men.'
Peggy Olson is hands down the most inspiring character in all of Mad Men. Transformed from a vulnerable young ingénue to a confident woman fully in command of herself and her career, her growth epitomizes both the terrors and triumphs of the 1960s –– and the struggle women underwent to be taken seriously in the workplace and at large.
COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY 2. "The Wheel" To everyone's shock, Don Draper , in a calculated jab at Pete Campbell and a gesture of support for his female protégée, promotes Peggy to junior copywriter due to the catchy tagline she’s developed for the Belle Jolie lipstick account. She even gets her own spot in the office.
4. "Shut the Door. Have a Seat" Peggy, feeling increasingly alienated by Don’s erratic behavior in the midst of his disintegrating personal life and the shocking assassination of President John F. Kennedy, initially refuses to join her boss in forming a new company. However, referencing her brilliance as an employee and their shared sense of cynicism after catastrophic current events, Don persuades her to follow him.
Ultimately, Don and Peggy deter Duck. Later, exhausted, they discuss Peggy’s pregnancy –– Don was the only person to visit her in the hospital after the child’s traumatic birth –– and address the common misconception that she and Don are romantically involved. When Don later learns that his dear friend Anna Draper has died, Peggy reassures him.
However, Peggy believes that Don engineered the departure and feels profoundly betrayed by –– not to mention furious at — Don’s ongoing disregard for her feelings and his impulsive and self-destructive behavior. "In Care Of" explores the consequences of this self-destruction, and it also addresses Don’s belief –– admitted much earlier in the series –– that Peggy is “an extension of [himself].
8. "Waterloo" Following the history-making moon landing, a newly inspired Peggy makes a phenomenal ad pitch to Burger Chef’s team, reducing one man to tears with her wistful yet poised delivery. The “It’s Family Supper at Burger Chef” tagline ultimately demonstrates America’s craving for connection and solidarity amid years of darkness and violence.