So, although I write A LOT about Game of Thrones, Mad Men is actually my favorite, FAVORITE show on television for a number of reasons. Not only does it have an incredible cast, but creator/producer Matthew Weiner works with an outstanding crew of set and costume designers who work tirelessly to immerse viewers into the world of 1960’s New York.
As the seasons pass in the show, we often have to rely on context clues in order to pick up how much time has passed between seasons or episodes. Fans are usually able to pinpoint the year and month an episode is taking place with some quick Wikipedia searching regarding a reference within the show. Often times, these are historical events, but there have definitely been some retro nerd-tastic references throughout the years we’ve spent with Don Draper and Madison Avenue.
Special thanks goes to my fellow writer Mark Stack, who originally collected the majority of these references for me to use!
Also, spoilers for ALL seasons of Mad Men lie ahead.
1. Paul Kinsey does a Rod Serling impression (Episode 1.2 – “Ladies Room”)
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While giving new hire Peggy Olson an office tour and conveniently letting the audience know all they need to know about Sterling Cooper, Paul stops in front of Pete Campbell’s door for a quick Rod Serling impression. Complete with the classic “submitted for your approval” line. This was one of the moments that really sold Mad Men to me considering I am a massive Twilight Zone fan. Paul’s impression goes right over Peggy’s head, prompting him to voice his fear of the classic anthology series being pulled from the CBS lineup; however, The Twilight Zone would stick around on air for another four years until 1964.
2. Lane and Don get drunk and see Gamera (Episode 4.3 – “The Good News”)
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“The Good News” is one of my favorite Mad Men episodes for its effort to really develop Lane Pryce as a character, mostly showing that he just needed a friend in the office and in the United States. When they both discover they’re alone on New Year’s Day, Don and Lane decide to fill up a flask and get sloshed while seeing Gamera. Then, they go eat steaks and have a man-date to a comedy club. It’s just cute all around (don’t mention the prostitutes, Stephanie).
3. Ken Cosgrove: Sci-fi writer (Episode 5.4 – “Signal 30”)
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By Season 4 of Mad Men, it’s no secret that account man Ken Cosgrove has some serious writing skills. More than once, his writing hobby has helped fill out the larger narrative of episodes. “Signal 30” is a masterfully crafted episode of the show for many reasons, but it soars with the addition of Ken’s creative writing. At a dinner party hosted by the Campbells, Ken’s wife Cynthia shares one of Ken’s science fiction stories called “The Punishment of X4”
“There’s this bridge between these two planets and thousands of humans travel on it every day, and there’s this robot who does maintenance on the bridge. One day he removes a bolt, the bridge collapses, and everyone dies.”
Pretty haunting stuff, but it sure makes for interesting dinner conversation. “Signal 30” hearkens back to Ken’s writing at the close of the episode with a particularly beautiful piece called “The Man With the Miniature Orchestra”
4. Don is called Superman (Episode 5.4 – “Signal 30”)
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Artwork by Phil Noto
It really isn’t that difficult to see Don Draper as Superman. He’s got the all-American look, a secret identity, and a hidden past. He’s a complex character, yet on the outside, he seems impenetrable and indestructible, ofen coming in to save the day in the darkest of moments. Mad Men spends plenty of time breaking Don down to his core, but also plenty of time letting him continue to build his shell.
More than once in the series, Don is referred to as “Superman.” Not too long after Ken’s wife shares the “X4” story at the Campbells’, Don has to rush to save the day as the kitchen faucet explodes on Pete’s wife Trudy. The three wives watch as Don removes his tie and jacket and finds a quick fix (one that Pete Campbell simply wasn’t capable of), while Cynthia quips, “Look, Superman!” Everyone is quite wooed.
5. Paul’s Star Trek script (Episode 5.9 – “Christmas Waltz”)
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One of the biggest shocks of Season 5 was certainly Paul Kinsey’s brief return in full Hare Krishna garb. Not only does he drag his old buddy Harry Crane to a meeting of his newly found friends, he also makes a plea for help in getting his Star Trek script read by someone at NBC. The original series would have still been in its first season there at the time this episode takes place. Since Paul knows Harry Crane is the head of the firm’s media department, he obviously hopes Harry can help him get his episode ( interestingly titled “The Negron Complex”) to someone high up at the network.
Paul’s episode isn’t particularly great, so Harry finds other ways to help his down and out friend. However, our brief glimpse of Paul was an interesting callback to his other sci-fi obsession (The Twilight Zone) back in Season 1.
6. Don and Bobby see Planet of the Apes (Episode 6.4 – “The Flood”)
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Poor, poor Bobby Draper. Not only has he suffered through multiple casting changes, he’s often been the forgotten Draper kid, mostly because big sister Sally tends to take center stage like her mother. However, Bobby and his dad do get some quality time when they head to see the 1968 classic, Planet of the Apes during this episode. “The Flood” is framed mostly by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the inclusion of Charlton Heston’s classic “You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!” seems carefully placed here amid the confusion and chaos of the rest of the episode.
On the lighter side, the episode spawned this YouTube gem:
7. ALL the Kubrick references (Season 7)
Some of the most talked about elements of Mad Men‘s most recent season are the multiple references to works by Stanley Kubrick, including 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining. Episode 4, aptly titled “The Monolith,” featured a shot of the SC&P elevator that was the show’s own representation of the ominous monolith of 2001.
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Later on, Roger’s grandson Ellery stops by the office for a visit while Roger deals with a crisis concerning his daughter, Margaret. And then we get a glimpse of a very Danny Torrance-looking little kid. So, why exactly did Matthew Weiner and crew decide to pay homage to The Shining here? Well, we’re still waiting for the rest of the season to pan out, but we’ve already seen the darkness of a computer-driven world creeping into the firm as the 1970’s quickly approach. Considering that Kubrick works tend to conjure up unsettling images and feelings overall, we’re definitely not meant to feel any sense of calm or comfort this season so far.
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In the most recent (and also unsettling) episode, entitled “The Runaways,” the show paid yet another homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey when slowly-losing-it Michael Ginsberg stumbles upon Lou Avery and Jim Cutler talking in the brand new IBM “habitat,” their voices obscured by the humming of the machine and the closed doors. A fan compiled the two similar scenes in the following YouTube video.