Today we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the pilot episode of Mad Men, the award-winning seven-season drama that defined a generation.
A decade ago, Matthew Weiner brought Mad Men to AMC, a methodical, stylish drama about the inner workings of a mid-century advertising agency. July 19th marks the 10-year anniversary of the first episode. It was a beautiful homage to that era, complete with well-tailored three-piece suits and Herman Miller furniture. Even though the show was beautiful to watch, it also presented the ugliness of the time—excessive drinking and smoking, shady business practice, and most of all, misogyny. From the first moment of the show, we’re confronted with a stifling amount of objectification toward the women of the show, who are merely there to serve the men. It’s a nasty scene but it’s not inaccurate to the time. However, throughout the show’s run, there are plenty of moments of grace among our strong female characters. Here are 10 moments that especially stood out over the course of those seven seasons.