Watching Mad Men, it's hard to use the word "good" in the same sentence as the name "Don Draper." Jon Hamm's character who stole another man's identity, cheated on his wife as though it were an Olympic event (and he was going for the gold), and didn't always do right by his business partners hardly led a virtuous life.
Most episodes revolved around him doing whatever he wanted; sometimes getting away with it, sometimes not with neither result having much effect. But no one, not even a shady character like Don, is all bad all the time. Every now and then, the man who said, "What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons," redeems himself, proving his moral compass could point north, he could be empathetic and did care for someone other than himself.
Good Guy: Stood Up For Freddy
Copywriter Freddy Rumsen took his "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" drinking to a new level when right before a client meeting with executives from Samsonite luggage, he pees in his pants and passes out on his desk causing Pete to freak out and Peggy to make the presentation, which gets her promoted as well as his window office.
Don tries to save Freddy's job, but Roger (John Slattery) and Duck Philips are adamant that the veteran ad man will go on a six-month leave of absence from which he will never return. At the office blood drive, Don chastises Paul, Harry, Sal, and Ken for mocking Freddy.
Not: Left Megan In The HoJo's Parking Lot
Yes, he got in his car and drove away after the most ridiculous fight over orange sherbet.
That morning, he took Megan (Jessica Paré) upstate to scope out Howard Johnson's, a potential client. Don does not want to hear about Megan's guilt over missing the Heinz meeting or her complaints that preferential treatment will make co-workers hate her, then demands she eat the orange dessert. The conversation devolves into each making a comment about the other's mother, and Don leaves. He circles back but Megan is nowhere to be found. He waits for seven hours before driving back to their Manhattan apartment where he finds her. They struggle rather violently on the floor.
Good Guy: Consoled A Postpartum Peggy
The story of Don visiting Peggy in the hospital after she gives birth to Pete's child who she gives up for adoption is told in a flashback during an episode called "The New Girl."
He sits hat in hand and in this stunning scene that made actress Elisabeth Moss cry in real life, Don offers his protege no-nonsense advice to do "whatever they say" to get released. "Get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened." Their whole big brother/little sister relationship is built on this moment.
Not: Sabotaged Ginsberg's Ad Presentation
Don's swagger for being the most creative problem solver in the room turns into a hobble when young Turk copywriter Michael Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) shows up and starts producing most of the ads that get sold to clients.
Feeling competitive, Don snoops around Ginsberg's office and sees his pitch for the icy treat called Sno-Ball, where authority figures are pelted with actual snowballs. Don comes up with his own campaign starring the devil as spokesman and a line about "a Sno-Ball's chance," but Pete and Ken think Ginsberg's idea is better. Upon arriving at the client, Don's insecurities get the best of him and he leaves his rival's work on the cab's back seat.
Good Guy: Let Ted Chaough Go To L.A. Instead
Don was hoping for a change of scenery. He shares this with Megan as he pours liquor down the sink and speaks of moving to Los Angeles to head up the agency's west coast office. She is more than thrilled because this means her acting career can be where the action is.
Then Ted (Kevin Rahm) shows up in his office after promising Peggy he'd leave his wife. Ted is now having second thoughts and to save his marriage asks to transfer to L.A. instead. Don says no at first, but after revealing his background in the Hershey's meeting (and blowing Sterling Cooper's chance at the account), as well as realizing he's only running away from his problems, Dick Whitman's alter ego turns to Ted and says, "You're going to California."
Not: Shamed Betty For Wearing A Bikini
Even after three children, Betty, the former model, is a stunner, yet Don's eye is always wandering.
When the shoe's on the other foot, well that's a different story. Don is none too pleased when he sees young, handsome equestrian Arthur Case flirting with his wife at the country club's July 4th celebration. This doesn't stop him from leaving his family there so he can sneak off to rendezvous with Bobbie Barrett. The next morning Betty is heading back to the club looking every bit the gorgeous woman she is in a yellow, two-piece bikini but jealous Don comments nastily that her outfit is "desperate."
Good Guy: Tried To Save Joan From The Jaguar Client
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is so desperate for a car account that its partners are willing to serve up Joan to one of the key clients. The redheaded bombshell is so desperate to move ahead in her career that she's willing to sleep with the man Megan's mother once referred to as "the apple in the pig's mouth."
Upon hearing of the caper, Don heads to Joan's apartment to tell her she does not have to go along with Pete Campbell's scheme--not realizing the deed has already been done. He is visibly disappointed the next day when all the partners, of which now Joan is one, convene in Roger's office to celebrate the Jaguar acquisition.
Not: Bamboozled Roger
Don the fur salesman had some success with writing ads for the company he was working at and wanted to parlay his talent into a higher-paying gig at an ad agency. After Roger comes in to buy a stole for his mistress Joan, Don starts sending the ad scion his work, which is ignored.
Don appears at Sterling Cooper, talks Roger into having lunch where he plies the silver fox with liquor. The next day Don shows up and tells the agency owner in earnest that he'd hired him. In his usual blasé way, Roger said fine whatever, and Don's smirk reveals it was all a ruse.
Good Guy: He Bought A Painting From Midge
Remember how cool Midge (Rosemarie DeWitt) was? "I don't make plans and I don't make breakfast," said the artist who'd call Don at his office to "come ravage" her and he'd go running down to her Greenwich Village loft in the middle of the work day. Their encounters came to an end when he saw with his own eyes that she was in love with another bohemian.
Fast forward to Season 4 where Midge is a junkie living in squalor. He gives her $120 for her sorry excuse for a painting and asks if he thinks her work is any good, to which Don responds, "Does it matter?"
Not: Left And Never Returned To Sally's Party
In the series finale, Don phones Betty to implore her to have his children live with him. "When was the last time you saw them?" she sighs, no longer even pretending to have patience with her ex. Don resigns himself to the fact his co-parenting skills have been subpar.
Fans always knew he wasn't father of the year, dating back to S1, E3 when he returns to the house after picking up Sally's birthday cake and drives right past it to a remote area, where he sits and drinks. Later, he returns with a golden retriever and ignores Betty's annoyance and embarrassment that she had to borrow a Sara Lee cake from single mother/outcast Helen Bishop.