re: Peggy Olson is easily the worst character on Mad Men.

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You're not supposed to like her. She is supposed to make you uncomfortable. She is your competition. She is a subversive character. Joan is the apex female predator/power broker on the show. Joan does not subvert the feminine, but rather uses it while staying inside the accepted lines of societal expectation. Peggy is the new girl for a new time. Once she leaves her cocoon of submissive femininity she wants to play in the boy's league by their rules. Literally from cheerleader in training to first team starter. Her putting on the cocktail dress, hair and makeup for the first time at the strip club was her equivalent of putting on her pads. She is meant to be, like mostly all of Weiner's characters, at times brilliant and strong...then conversely weak and craven. She uses her femininity and limited sex appeal in a strong, confident manner with the men in her life- with Don being the only exeption. She manhandles Stan, Pete, and all the other boyfriends and competitors with ease, but enjoys her power and confidence. I was annoyed by her at times and admired her at times. Her best moment for me: Standing in front of the mirror while singing Bye Bye Birdie and pretending to be a girl- then just as quickly back to her normal, emotionally blank existence.

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