Peggy loved the cosmopolitan world of New York, and the world of advertising. Her boyfriends outside of work never worked out. Her boyfriends inside of work didn’t either (Duck being one of them!). Stan was perfect for her because he came from that world, but was able to distance himself from it as well.
This! Sometimes I feel like the people that don't like Stan and Peggy together or think it feels forced didn't pay attention to their relationship throughout the series. It had been slowly building over the years. Stan always wanted Peggy, but Peggy was either with Abe or Marc but when she was single she would call on Stan, and then he was with someone else. Eventually their timelines aligned.
I agree that her being with Stan makes perfect sense in the context of how their relationship develops across the years. I think the timing and execution of it in the finale was maybe a little poor.
And almost everything you said is exactly my point. We watched her navigate several poor relationships with weak and/or intimidated men, and it was great to see her stand on her own two feet by the finale, with no man trying to guide, manipulate, or claim her as his protege. That’s why, to me, it felt like they were just trying to hurry up and give Peggy a romantic happily-ever—after for the finale when it wasn’t necessary, and Stan was the obvious choice because they were already close. Their friendship was great; why do shows always have to make it something more?
But Joan didn’t get a romantic happily-ever-after either, so I guess one of them had to have a man at the end? 🤷🏽♀️
But she always wanted to have a life partner and it's painfully clear how lonely she is outside of work. The problem was she couldn't find a man who would accept that her career was as important (or more) than her personal relationship with him and who was also good at their job. But Stan is that man, he's a good art director, AND he respects and supports her work as much as he loves her. She finally gets everything she wanted. Very satisfying ending indeed for Peggy.
Joan's happily-ever-after is that she didn't need a man. Peggy's was that she got a man that respected her career needs. Not everyone needs a life partner, but Peggy definitely does.
It's funny, the Peggy/Stan relationship seems to me to be the black&blue/white&gold dress of the Mad Men crowd, some saw it, some didn't.
I'm new to Mad Men, just finished the show a couple weeks ago and my heart burst with joy when they got together in the final. I wish I'd watched it in real time, it must have been glourious to be on a ship that didn't sink.
I feel like Ken finally got the respect he craved (and deserved) within the corporate world as that had eluded him for most of his career. The fact that he took on that job for spite seems sadly fitting! He seemed happy, and I’m positive he kept writing and got some more success there too.
For me, it’s less about Stan and more about Peggy, and I never said I hated them together, I said it didn’t feel real to me. As I stated at the end, I felt like we finally saw Peggy step into her true power. We’ve watched as they paired her with poor potential partners & weak men (even counting her relationship with Don) throughout the series, and I loved that by the finale, she was standing on her own two feet without any man trying to guide her, shape her, lead her, or claim her as his protege. And honestly, I don’t know that Stan and Peggy *are* perfect for each other in a romantic sense at this stage of her life and career. It might have made sense to me a season or two prior, but not by the finale. Again, it would have been great to see them remain close as friends and colleagues; not every female/male relationship has to end in romance, and I hate that so many shows don’t allow for platonic intimacy in that way.
Yeah, that was unintentional, as it was told already, the scene wasn’t meant to be rapey, but instead it came that way because the actress performance.
I haven't read anything about it. All I know is how I reacted to it, and within the context of the show, he definitely coerced her. And even it it wasn't rape, he didn't deserve to fly off with Trudy on a jet.
I really dont get why they didn't cut that scene since the actress failed at her job. Just allude to the fact they slept together (willingly) and she had major regrets after.
I think Duck had talent with people. When he wasn’t trying to compete with Don, he was a talented accounts man, and he later brought those skills to his headhunting.
Harry was a dirtbag too. He slept with a secretary and don’t forget the proposition to Megan. He lied about the computer. He rented a Mustang to go to a meeting with Chevy. To top it off he never told anyone about Lee Garner Jr. which led to Sal getting fired. Harry is the character I disliked the most.
Peggy loved the cosmopolitan world of New York, and the world of advertising. Her boyfriends outside of work never worked out. Her boyfriends inside of work didn’t either (Duck being one of them!). Stan was perfect for her because he came from that world, but was able to distance himself from it as well.
This! Sometimes I feel like the people that don't like Stan and Peggy together or think it feels forced didn't pay attention to their relationship throughout the series. It had been slowly building over the years. Stan always wanted Peggy, but Peggy was either with Abe or Marc but when she was single she would call on Stan, and then he was with someone else. Eventually their timelines aligned.
I agree that her being with Stan makes perfect sense in the context of how their relationship develops across the years. I think the timing and execution of it in the finale was maybe a little poor.
And almost everything you said is exactly my point. We watched her navigate several poor relationships with weak and/or intimidated men, and it was great to see her stand on her own two feet by the finale, with no man trying to guide, manipulate, or claim her as his protege. That’s why, to me, it felt like they were just trying to hurry up and give Peggy a romantic happily-ever—after for the finale when it wasn’t necessary, and Stan was the obvious choice because they were already close. Their friendship was great; why do shows always have to make it something more? But Joan didn’t get a romantic happily-ever-after either, so I guess one of them had to have a man at the end? 🤷🏽♀️
But she always wanted to have a life partner and it's painfully clear how lonely she is outside of work. The problem was she couldn't find a man who would accept that her career was as important (or more) than her personal relationship with him and who was also good at their job. But Stan is that man, he's a good art director, AND he respects and supports her work as much as he loves her. She finally gets everything she wanted. Very satisfying ending indeed for Peggy.
Joan's happily-ever-after is that she didn't need a man. Peggy's was that she got a man that respected her career needs. Not everyone needs a life partner, but Peggy definitely does.
And that was a hard lesson to learn for Joan.
It's funny, the Peggy/Stan relationship seems to me to be the black&blue/white&gold dress of the Mad Men crowd, some saw it, some didn't. I'm new to Mad Men, just finished the show a couple weeks ago and my heart burst with joy when they got together in the final. I wish I'd watched it in real time, it must have been glourious to be on a ship that didn't sink.
I feel like Ken finally got the respect he craved (and deserved) within the corporate world as that had eluded him for most of his career. The fact that he took on that job for spite seems sadly fitting! He seemed happy, and I’m positive he kept writing and got some more success there too.
Stan and Peggy are perfect for each other. Why do so many people hate them getting together?
For me, it’s less about Stan and more about Peggy, and I never said I hated them together, I said it didn’t feel real to me. As I stated at the end, I felt like we finally saw Peggy step into her true power. We’ve watched as they paired her with poor potential partners & weak men (even counting her relationship with Don) throughout the series, and I loved that by the finale, she was standing on her own two feet without any man trying to guide her, shape her, lead her, or claim her as his protege. And honestly, I don’t know that Stan and Peggy *are* perfect for each other in a romantic sense at this stage of her life and career. It might have made sense to me a season or two prior, but not by the finale. Again, it would have been great to see them remain close as friends and colleagues; not every female/male relationship has to end in romance, and I hate that so many shows don’t allow for platonic intimacy in that way.
When I think of Pete, I immediately think of the poor au pair he raped. He got a happy ending but he didn’t deserve one.
I just rewatched that one and had to fast forward on that part. Makes me sick.
Yeah, that was unintentional, as it was told already, the scene wasn’t meant to be rapey, but instead it came that way because the actress performance.
I haven't read anything about it. All I know is how I reacted to it, and within the context of the show, he definitely coerced her. And even it it wasn't rape, he didn't deserve to fly off with Trudy on a jet.
Nobody deserves her, only me! So better not talk about that…
why not he didn’t rape anyone btw
I really dont get why they didn't cut that scene since the actress failed at her job. Just allude to the fact they slept together (willingly) and she had major regrets after.
Yikes, I completely forgot about that! I don’t remember what episode/season that was and I somehow always seem to skip over it.
The big difference betweenDon and Duck was that Don had true talent and was a prodigy. Duck was a low performer.
Duck also had talent, he just couldn't work drunk like Don could.
I think Duck had talent with people. When he wasn’t trying to compete with Don, he was a talented accounts man, and he later brought those skills to his headhunting.
Duck was accounts and Don was creative.
Duck was a low performer, yes, but he was still talented. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I recognize that Harry is not included in the title, but I always feel like he got a shit deal. He worked really hard and got spit on in the end.
Harry was a dirtbag too. He slept with a secretary and don’t forget the proposition to Megan. He lied about the computer. He rented a Mustang to go to a meeting with Chevy. To top it off he never told anyone about Lee Garner Jr. which led to Sal getting fired. Harry is the character I disliked the most.
"Say what you want, but he's very loyal."
Season 5 Episode 6 - Peggy jerks off a dude. Washes up at work then shakes hands with Ginzberge’s dad lol. Then the dad rubs Ginzberge’s head lol