20 Great Mad Men Quotes That Really Make You Think
Updated: Mar. 01, 2021It's been more than five years since the series finale of AMC's Mad Men, but the program's impact on pop culture can still be felt. These thought-provoking Mad Men quotes serve as a reminder of the brilliant writing and performances that made for quintessential "must-watch TV."
Bert Cooper on Composure
“You’re going to need a stronger stomach if you’re going to be back in the kitchen seeing how the sausage is made.” – Bert Cooper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 4, “New Amsterdam”
Roger Sterling on Marriage
“If you put a penny in a jar every time you make love the first year of marriage, then you take a penny out every time you make love in the second year, you know what you have? A jar full of pennies.” – Roger Sterling, Mad Men, Season 2, Episode 5, “The New Girl”
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Don Draper on Control
“If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 3, Episode 2, “Love Among the Ruins”
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Pete Campbell on Second Chances
“Jiminy Christmas… You think you’re going to begin your life over and do it right, but what if you never get past the beginning again?” – Pete Campbell, Mad Men, Season 7, Episode 9, “New Business”
Roger Sterling on History
“Who knows why people in history did good things? For all we know Jesus was trying to get the loaves and fishes account.” – Roger Sterling, Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 7, “At the Codfish Ball”
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Don Draper on Parenthood
“I only ever wanted to be the man who loves children. But from the moment they’re born and that baby comes out, you act proud and excited and hand out cigars, but you don’t feel anything, especially if you had a difficult childhood. You want to love them, but you don’t and the fact that you’re faking that feeling makes you wonder if your own father had the same problem. Then one day, they get older and you see them do something and you feel that feeling that you were pretending to have and it feels like your heart is going to explode.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 6, Episode 5, “The Flood”
Bert Cooper on Relationships
“One never knows how loyalty is born.” – Bert Cooper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 12, “Nixon vs. Kennedy”
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Peggy Olson on Loss
“One day you’re there and then all of a sudden, there’s less of you and you wonder where that part went; if it’s living somewhere outside of you. And you keep thinking maybe you’ll get it back and then you realize it’s just gone.” – Peggy Olson, Mad Men, Season 2, Episode 13, “Meditations in an Emergency”
Ted Chaough on Gainful Employment
“Just cash the cheques, you’re going to die one day.” – Ted Chaough, Mad Men, Season 7, Episode 2, “A Day’s Work”
Don Draper on Writer’s Block
“Just think about it deeply, then forget it, and an idea will jump up in your face.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 11, “Indian Summer”
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Don Draper on the Importance of Alibis
“It wasn’t a lie, it was ineptitude with insufficient cover.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 3, “Marriage of Figaro”
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Joan Harris on Break-Ups
“Men don’t take time to end things, they ignore you until you insist on a declaration of hate.” – Joan Harris, Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 7, “At the Codfish Ball”
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Bobbie Barrett on Entrepreneurship
“This is America. Pick a job and become the person who does it.” – Bobbie Barrett, Mad Men, Season 2, Episode 5, “The New Girl”
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Don Draper on Persuasion
“People want to be told what to do so badly that they’ll listen to anyone.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 6, “Babylon”
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Roger Sterling on Death
“I should have known it was near the end. Every time an old man starts talking about Napoleon, you know they’re going to die.” – Roger Sterling, Mad Men, Season 7, Episode 7, “Waterloo”
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Don Draper on Destiny
“I hate to break it to you, but there is no big lie. There is no system. The universe is indifferent.” – Don Draper, Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 8, “The Hobo Code”
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