There are many shows that come to one's mind when talking about the greatest series of all time, and it goes without saying that Mad Men would definitely be one of the titles that pop into a person's mind in this conversation. Jon Hamm's amazing performance as the flawed Don Draper is a thing of absolute beauty, with every other member of the main cast adding their own flavor into the mix to craft what is one of the most riveting and engrossing watches on television.
However, even brilliant shows like Mad Men do have some weird elements added to the mix that can certainly break one's immersion and cause them to constantly question the inclusion of that particular story beat, detail, interaction, or anything else along the same lines.
Don Should've Been More Understanding Towards Peggy
The relationship between Don and Peggy is easily one of the most engrossing parts of Mad Men, although people definitely take issue with the fact that Don gets way too dismissive when it comes to his protegé at times.
This leads Peggy to get understandably cross about Don's behavior, but the protagonist never lets up and even disparages Peggy for basically being human, which is rather harsh at times.
Don's Rule About Not Getting Involved With Women In The Office Is Absolute Nonsense
There are times when Don is very categorical about not getting involved with women in the office, due to the issues that can arise due to the mixture of personal feelings and professional courtesies.
However, all of this goes for a toss when Don ends up sleeping with Allison and marries Megan shortly after, which is rather odd given how obstinate he was about this "rule".
For Someone Who Does Horrible Things All The Time, Don Is Incredibly Manipulative
Don might be a character that people root for in the series all the time... but there's no denying the fact that he definitely lacks any form of self-awareness whatsoever.
This can be seen in the fact that he can constantly give a dressing down to anyone who mildly steps over the line, yet has no problems with doing questionable actions himself that are way worse acts in comparison.
Don Had Absolutely No Reason To Take Advantage Of Megan
While one can understand why Don's marriage to Betty became rather boring, the same can't be said for his second marriage to Megan, who seemed way more carefree and understanding in comparison.
Whatever spark that existed in their relationship was extinguished way too quickly, and only Don should be held accountable for their marriage ultimately breaking down. From his infidelity to his disregard for Megan's feelings, Don was a horrible husband and partner to Megan for a major chunk of their marriage.
It's Weird How The Heads Of The Office Basically Agreed To Get Drugged
One of the most unique and memorable episodes of Mad Men is "The Crash" — an episode where the higher-ups at the office end up injecting themselves with a high-performance drug that leads to a ton of memorable moments... although no real ground is covered in terms of actual work.
The fact that every responsible member of Sterling Cooper and Partners actually ended up agreed to such a ridiculous experiment in the first place is already hard to believe as is.
Roger's Arc Leading Him To Get Hooked On LSD Is Amusing... But Somewhat Forced
Roger Sterling is definitely one of the more entertaining characters on the show, although one can argue that his character arc is all over the place.
Perhaps the weirdest way in which he develops is by regularly doing LSD in order to broaden his world-view... only to become more preachy and self-serving instead of actually working towards himself in a tangible manner.
Joan Should Ideally Let Roger Play More Of A Role In His Son's Life
That being said, it's not like Roger is a completely incompetent person, and — given the fact that Joan's fling with Roger led to a child — he could've ideally been a good father figure for Kevin.
Instead, Joan is adamant about raising Kevin on her own and doesn't really let Roger play a major role in the kid's development, which is certainly rather sad for Roger.
The Animosity Between Joan And Peggy Feels Somewhat Shoehorned
Joan and Peggy generally share a rather nice bond throughout the series... although one has to admit that there are times when the altercations they have are rather forced.
There are times when Joan ends up acting rather cold and aggressive towards Peggy, which is completely uncalled for given the fact that the secretary-turned-copywriter never really tried to antagonize Joan at all.
Joan's Exit From McCann Is Rather Unceremonious... And Quite Unsatisfactory
For all the powerful messages that Mad Men has throughout the series when it comes to gender equality, a rather odd moment near the end of the series comes in the form of Joan getting absolutely bossed by the higher-ups at McCann.
From being harassed regularly to being screwed out of the real value of her shares — Joan could've had a more resounding and impactful exit from McCann... but perhaps this adversity was a plan of the final few moments in the series all along.
There Isn't Really A Ton Of Clarity When It Comes To Don's Fate
The ending of Mad Men might be great in its own right, but one has to admit that Don's ultimate fate as a character feels horribly unclear.
Regardless of whether this was a calculated move from the writers or not, it's clear that Don wanted to find inner peace by the end of the series... and a still of his smiling face while meditating simply isn't enough to communicate that.