The WORST episodes of Mad Men
Every episode of Mad Men ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Mad Men!
In 1960s New York, alpha male Don Draper struggles to stay on top of the heap in the high-pressure world of Madison Avenue advertising firms. Aside from being one of the top ad men in the business, Don is also a family man, the father of young children.
#1 - Ladies Room
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/26/2007
Don Draper is reluctant to talk about his past, or his childhood, whether with his wife Betty or his boss Roger Sterling. Joan Holloway teaches Peggy Olsen how to wrangle a free lunch out of some of the ad men. Roger Sterling raises the issue of working for the upcoming Nixon presidential campaign and while Don doesn't have much enthusiasm, senior partner Bert Cooper insists that they will go ahead and orders Don to put a team together. The creative team has to come up with an ad campaign for a new deodorant in an aerosol spray can. Betty Draper's doctor recommends that she see a psychiatrist.
#2 - Marriage of Figaro
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/2/2007
Pete Campbell returns from his honeymoon with tall tales and a big grin on his face. He does tell Peggy Olson that their fling before his marriage was for one night only. Don Draper runs into an old army buddy who knows him under the name of Dick Whitman. He also takes a tour of Rachel Menken's store but in a private moment, their mutual attraction becomes evident. The Drapers have friends over for their daughter's birthday party, including the divorcée who lives down the street. Don however is obviously unhappy with his lot in life and seems to be carrying a burden that is not apparent.
#3 - Love Among the Ruins
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/23/2009
Don's father-in-law pays a visit to his daughter's family. Peggy works hard on a campaign while the firm tries to decide if they will accommodate an unusual request from a client. Elsewhere, Roger plans a wedding.
#4 - For Those Who Think Young
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/27/2008
It’s Valentine’s Day, and the Sterling Cooper advertising agency is hustling to stay on top of its game and buzzing over the newest office equipment. Don and Duck find themselves at odds over an account. Betty reconnects with an old friend and once again finds herself struggling with car trouble.
#5 - New Business
Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/12/2015
Roger gives Don some unwanted advice. Peggy and Stan disagree over an account's personnel. Harry asks for Don's blessing.
#6 - The Fog
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/13/2009
Sally's behavior causes concern for Don and Betty. Betty has an eye-opening dream that has a strange effect on her. Pete tries to work a new business angle in his dealings.
#7 - New Amsterdam
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/9/2007
Pete Campbell oversteps the mark when he pitches an idea for ad campaign to the head of Bethlehem Steel without telling Don Draper. Draper wants him fired but learns a lesson in corporate politics. Pete's wife wants to buy a Manhattan apartment but he has to approach his cold and distant parents for a loan. Pete's in-laws, however, are more forthcoming.
#8 - 5G
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/16/2007
Don Draper is shaken when his past life comes back to haunt him. After his picture appears in a local newspaper, Adam Whitman, a man who claims to be his younger brother, approaches him. Don, or Dick as his brother knows him, initially denies everything but in the end admits to having taken on a new name. He refuses however to have anything to do with him and tries to buy his silence. When one of the ad men gets a short story published, Pete Campbell is frustrated that his own stories have yet to see the light of day. When his wife approaches an old beau to see if he will publish the stories, he has an interesting proposition for her.
#9 - The Arrangements
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/6/2009
Don and his father-in-law cross paths. Meanwhile, Peggy is in search of a new roommate; and a rich new client is excited to be doing business with the firm.
#10 - Time Zones
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/13/2014
Don makes a new friend. Joan meets a client for drinks. Peggy hears impressive new work. Roger has a puzzling phone call.
#11 - Collaborators
Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/14/2013
While Don continues his affair with Sylvia, Pete's latest infidelity threatens his marriage. Meanwhile, Peggy's icy relationship with her new staff continues, but she also gets an unlikely tip on a potential new client.
#12 - Babylon
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/23/2007
The Agency is looking to land an advertising contract to promote tourism to Israel. Don and his team try to come with a theme but know so little about the country they're stumped so Don calls Rachel Menken to see if she has any ideas. Roger Sterling is getting tired of sneaking around with Joan Holloway and suggests she should her own apartment but she knows better. Peggy comes up with an advertising concept during a testing session for a new line of lipsticks and she's subsequently asks to write copy.
#13 - Flight 1
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/3/2008
Paul hosts a party at his apartment and introduces someone special to his Sterling Cooper colleagues. Peggy visits her family for dinner. Despite a conflict of interest, the Sterling Cooper agency aggressively pursues an airline account and Duck attempts to appeal to the client using an unorthodox approach.
#14 - My Old Kentucky Home
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/30/2009
The writers make an attempt to stave off late-night boredom during a mandatory overtime session. Roger throws a party as Joan and Greg host their own party. Sally has a run-in with Grandpa.
#15 - Severance
Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/5/2015
Don attempts to track down a friend, Joan tries to solve a problem with an account and an unlikely person sets up Peggy.
#16 - The Jet Set
Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 10/12/2008
Don makes some new friends on his trip to Los Angeles; Peggy looks for romance; Duck ponders the future of Sterling Cooper.
#17 - The Monolith
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 5/4/2014
Sterling Cooper & Partners prepares for a guest; Don contacts an old friend; Roger deals with problems at home; Peggy is underestimated.
#18 - Field Trip
Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/27/2014
Don takes an impromptu trip. Betty has lunch with a friend. Harry lobbies for a cause. The partners consider a questionable asset.
#19 - Maidenform
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/31/2008
Don and Duck try to make peace; Peggy tries to get into the executive's after-hours meetings; Duck deals with a family visit.
#20 - Out of Town
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/16/2009
In the third-season opener, Salvatore and Don take a business trip out of town. Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove worry about the changes at Sterling-Cooper and how the changes will impact them.
#21 - The Rejected
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/15/2010
An edict from Roger and Lane puts Pete in a personal dilemma.
#22 - Shoot
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/13/2007
Don is courted by Jim Hobarth, head of a larger ad firm who offers him more money and more creative resources to join them. Betty Draper rekindles her interest in modeling after Hobarth suggests she should try it. She doesn't realize it's all part of the strategy to get Don on board. Peggy Olsen is fretting over her weight gain but doesn't appreciate Joan's advice about getting ahead in the office. The ad team tries to counter the advertising coming out of the Kennedy campaign. Pete Campbell comes up with an idea to keep Kennedy's image off TV in key States.
#23 - The Gold Violin
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/7/2008
Don buys a new car; Pete, Harry and Ken strategize to attract new business; Don's secretary makes a grave error; Cooper has a new piece of art in his office.
#24 - The Doorway (1)
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/7/2013
Don and Megan take a trip to Hawaii for the holidays, Sally's friend visits the Francis family, a comedian torpedoes Peggy's Super Bowl ad campaign, and Roger gets some bad news about his mother.
#25 - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/19/2007
In 1960 New York City - the high-powered and glamorous "Golden Age" of advertising - Don Draper, the biggest ad man in the business, struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels.