Jon Hamm’s 10 Best Mad Men Episodes As Don Draper, Ranked

Jon Hamm gave an iconic efficiency as Don Draper in Mad Males, and one of the most display’s highest episodes equipped an ideal show off for the actor’s abilities. Hamm’s flip as Don stands along Bryan Cranston’s portrayal of Walter White and James Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony Soprano as one of the most biggest antihero performances in tv historical past. He needed to convincingly play a clever ‘60s corporate guy within the mildew of Cary Grant, which he treated without difficulty (significantly, it’s as though he used to be born to play that section), however he needed to seize such a lot emotional intensity beneath the skin, too.

Even supposing he wouldn’t if truth be told win an Emmy for enjoying Don till the second one part of the overall season, Hamm used to be nominated for Remarkable Lead Actor in a Drama Sequence for each and every unmarried season of Mad Males — and deservedly so. Hamm nailed each and every measurement of Don’s deeply complicated characterization. He nailed the arrogance of a slick salesman, the guilt of an untrue husband, the paranoia of being stuck residing beneath a stolen id, and the load of the arena that Don carried round on his shoulders. Those episodes are the most efficient examples of ways nice his efficiency used to be.

10

The New Woman

Season 2, Episode 5

Don unearths himself in a difficult spot when he and his newest mistress, Jimmy Barrett’s spouse Bobbie, get right into a automotive spoil in season 2’s “The New Woman.” Since they are able to’t inform both in their spouses in regards to the twist of fate with out arousing suspicion, Don reluctantly calls Peggy to return and bail them out of prison. Hamm has to present a efficiency inside of a efficiency when Don makes up a tale to give an explanation for his accidents. Plus, the episode is a fascinating exam of Don and Peggy’s sophisticated courting, as Peggy has to seem after Don’s secret lover for him.

9

Tomorrowland

Season 4, Episode 13

Within the season 4 finale, “Tomorrowland,” after Betty rapidly fires Carla, Don is compelled to convey his secretary Megan on his commute to California to seem after the children. As he sees how nice Megan is with Sally, Bobby, and Gene, Don temporarily falls for her, and after they get again to New York, he proposes to her. It’s interesting to look a brand new facet of Don. He’s no longer simply smitten with Megan; he’s if truth be told falling in love. Hamm shared nice chemistry with Jessica Paré that truly offered Don and Megan’s whirlwind romance.

8

The Jet Set

Season 2, Episode 11

Don takes a industry commute to Los Angeles and falls in with a bunch of free-spirited hippies in season 2’s “The Jet Set.” After he collapses from warmth exhaustion, the remainder of the episode performs like a fever dream, and Hamm performs into the confusion and existential dread brilliantly. This abnormal mental adventure leads Don to an epiphany as he comes to a decision to stick in California and reconnect with Anna Draper. Don all the time looks like a misplaced soul, nevertheless it’s exemplified essentially the most when he will get clear of his standard crowd and is going to a brand new position.

7

A ways Away Puts

Season 5, Episode 6

In season 5’s “A ways Away Puts,” Don and Megan spontaneously come to a decision to take a highway commute to Plattsburgh, however they don’t even make it to the lodge earlier than they get right into a sour spat at a roadside diner. Within the warmth of the argument, Don abandons Megan on the diner and drives off with out her. When he’s cooled off, he comes again to get her, however she’s long gone. Don turns into apprehensive ill as he can’t to find her and day becomes evening, and it’s strangely robust to look Hamm play this most often stoic persona in a state of panic.

6

The Doorway

Season 6, Episodes 1 & 2

There are a few moments within the two-part season 6 premiere that encapsulate the brilliance of Hamm’s efficiency as Don. The episode starts with Don and Megan staying on the Royal Hawaiian Lodge on an all-expenses-paid commute from Sheraton, a SCDP consumer that owns the lodge. On the lodge bar overdue at evening, Don meets a bright-eyed younger soldier named Dinkins, who’s about to get married. Hamm’s efficiency subtly displays that Don takes a shine to Dinkins as a result of he reminds him of himself.

Comparable

Don Draper’s 10 Highest Quotes In Mad Males

Mad Males, a significantly acclaimed drama, focused on Don Draper’s profound discussion, revealing deep insights and foreshadowing persona arcs.

Within the ultimate scene of the primary section, when Don reluctantly takes section in a qualified picture shoot within the place of work, he realizes he nonetheless has Dinkins’ Zippo lighter — he stole a work of any other soldier’s id. This realization is completely timed with the photographer pronouncing, “I would like you to be your self.” Don is reminded that he’s no longer himself; he’s residing a lie with a stolen id, and it’s all captured within the glance that Hamm offers.

5

Individual To Individual

Season 7, Episode 14

Hamm earned his one and best Emmy for enjoying Don for his impressive efficiency in Mad Males’s collection finale, “Individual to Individual.” Having transform disenchanted along with his new company overlords, Don has taken off on a highway commute around the hotspots of Americana. He finally ends up at a wellness retreat in California, the place he has a panic assault, an emotional breakdown, and, in the long run, an enlightened reawakening. Hamm performs a large number of those scenes with out discussion, like when he embraces the person who confesses to feeling unloved, and it’s all the time transparent how Don is feeling from his face performing on my own.

4

Close The Door. Have A Seat.

Season 3, Episode 13

Don enjoys a thrilling new starting in his skilled lifestyles and a heartbreaking finishing in his non-public lifestyles within the season 3 finale, “Close the Door. Have a Seat.” Don groups up with Roger, Bert, and Lane to start out a brand new promoting company, which units up a promising long run for his occupation. However again at house, Betty finalizes her resolution to divorce Don. For the primary 3 seasons of Mad Males, Don used to be torn between his dedication to his paintings and his duty to his kin. Within the season 3 finale, there’s a transparent winner.

3

The Wheel

Season 1, Episode 13

Within the season 1 finale, “The Wheel,” Don delivers one in all his maximum memorable pitches. Tasked with envisioning a marketing campaign for Kodak’s new projector, he strikes everybody within the room with a family-oriented pitch accompanied through a photograph slideshow of particular moments from his marriage to Betty and his youngsters’ early adolescence. He’s even moved through his personal pitch. He modifies his thoughts about going to Thanksgiving with Betty and the children and races house to enroll in them. However he unearths the home empty; they’ve already left. Don is going on an emotional rollercoaster on this episode, and Hamm nails it.

2

In Care Of

Season 6, Episode 13

All right through season 6, Don’s moderately cultivated facade began falling aside, revealing the damaged guy beneath. That arc involves a head within the season finale, “In Care Of.” He spends an entire workday ingesting at a bar and finally ends up locked in a inebriated tank for punching a minister. In a while thereafter, he self-destructs very publicly in a very powerful pitch to Hershey’s, as he describes his tragic upbringing and tells the uncomfortable executives they don’t want an advert marketing campaign. Hamm performs this overshare so authentically that you just truly really feel the second-hand embarrassment.

1

The Suitcase

Season 4, Episode 7

Hamm’s personal favourite episode of Mad Males is the season 4 masterpiece “The Suitcase.” This episode places a focus on Don and Peggy’s courting as they keep overdue to paintings on a Samsonite marketing campaign. Peggy confronts Don about being overworked and undervalued, and Don, after some resistance, concurs to move just a little more straightforward on her. “The Suitcase” captures the whole vary of Hamm’s efficiency. It has farcical comedy in his drunken brawl with Duck, it has touching drama in his heart-to-heart conversations with Peggy, and it has one in all Mad Males’s saddest twists when Don receives information of Anna’s passing.

Mad Males

10/10

Unencumber Date

2007 – 2015-00-00

Showrunner

Matthew Weiner

Administrators

Michael Uppendahl, Jennifer Getzinger, Scott Hornbacher, Matthew Weiner, Lesli Linka Glatter, Tim Hunter, John Slattery, Alan Taylor, Andrew Bernstein, Jon Hamm, Barbet Schroeder, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Ed Bianchi, Jared Harris, Matt Shakman, Lynn Shelton

Writers

Jonathan Igla, Robin Veith, Carly Wray, Kater Gordon, Bridget Bedard, Cathryn Humphris, Chris Provenzano, Brett Johnson, Rick Cleveland, Tracy McMillan, Andrew Colville, David Iserson

• 

• 

  Elisabeth Moss

  Peggy Olson