Peggy Olson always had a special connection with Roger Sterling inMad Men, and one key detail of her character explains why he took such a shine to her. At the beginning ofMad Men’s seven-season run, Peggy is hired to be Don Draper’s secretary. But she quickly proves that her talents go far beyond that and starts working her way through the ranks of Sterling Cooper to become one of the agency’s best copywriters. Although she has to fight for her male colleagues’ respect every step of the way, she eventually manages to earn her place at the table.
There’s a lot of discussion about Peggy’s relationship with Don. While Don clearly respects Peggy, she also often feels undervalued by him and resents how much he expects her to work.Jon Hamm’s favoriteMad Menepisode— season 4, episode 7, “The Suitcase” — focuses entirely on that relationship. But that wasn’t the only interesting workplace dynamic that Peggy had with another character. She also had deep emotional connections with Joan, Paul, Stan, Michael, and, of course, Roger. There’s a subtle hidden meaning behind the last one that might explain why Roger was so kind to Peggy.
Peggy Is A Nickname For Margaret
Although Peggy is never referred to by her full name in the series, Peggy is a nickname for Margaret, which is the name of Roger’s daughter.This could explain why Roger took such a shine to Peggywhen they started working together. In many ways, he treats her like a daughter. While he’s known for taking a biting tone with most of his co-workers, he’s always very kind to Peggy — and he’s very protective of her. When she hires Michael Ginsberg and fears Don will resent her for it, Roger promises to take care of her.
Peggy essentially filled the daughter-sized hole that Roger had in his heart — and it helped that she had the same name as his real daughter.
After Roger left his wife Mona forDon’s secretaryJane Siegel, who was young enough to be Margaret’s sister, he struggled to connect with his daughter.This strain on their relationship coincided with when Peggy was climbing the corporate ranksand began working more closely with Roger. Peggy essentially filled the daughter-sized hole that Roger had in his heart — and it helped that she had the same name as his real daughter.
Whenever They Shared The Screen, It Was A Memorable Moment
Whenever Peggy and Roger shared the screen, it was a memorable moment. This duo is responsible for some ofMad Men’s most iconic scenes. In season 5, episode 4, “Mystery Date,” when Roger realizes he forgot to ask the creative team for a new Mohawk Airlines campaign, he tasks Peggy with doing the work singlehandedly over the weekend. Peggy knows Roger is covering up his own mistake, so she extorts him for all the cash in his wallet: $410. This isa very father-daughter moment; most of Roger’s employees couldn’t get away with a hustle like that.
All seven seasons ofMad Menare streaming on AMC+.
In season 3, episode 2, “Love Among the Ruins,” Margaret tells Roger that she doesn’t want him to bring Jane to her wedding and he objects, putting his own invitation in jeopardy.In the elevator, Roger and Peggy share a tender momentas he asks her what her father would have to do for her to not want him at her wedding. She discloses that her father passed away and Roger replies, “There you go, you’d do anything.” This interaction crossed the professional boundary into deeply personal territory, because Peggy and Roger have that kind of relationship.
Roger’s Drunken Pep Talk To Peggy Results In Her Most Iconic Scene
Roger Inspires Peggy’s Most Awesome Moment
InMad Men’s final episode— season 7, episode 14, “Person to Person” — Peggy’s most iconic moment is spurred on by a conversation with Roger. Peggy and Roger get drunk together at the old offices and complain about being ignored by the new company. An inebriated Roger gives Peggy a pep talk that inspires the most awesome shot of Peggy fromMad Men’s run: Peggy going in the next day, smoking a cigarette, and carrying Cooper’s painting.
Mad Men
Cast
Mad Men is a drama series set in 1960s New York, focusing on the lives of competitive men and women working in Madison Avenue’s advertising industry. The show explores the social mores and cultural dynamics of the era while delving into the personal and professional challenges faced by its characters.
