The opening scene of Mad Men, is a relatively simple scene but it in fact sets up everything about this show that is important. We open on a shot of a 60's bar, loud, filled with smoke, men and woman clutching to their drinks as if its their medicine. The camera pans to show the signature image of the show...we see the back of this man...but who is this man? He sits alone, as the camera pushes in we really see how isolated this man is, we also see that he is scribbling on his napkin...everyone else is having a good time, it is a bar after all but not this man. This man sits in isolation scribbling on a napkin, working. Trying with all his might to find a way to cope with his current predicament. This man, is Donald Draper and he will be trying to prevent his house of cards from falling in this opening image...and throughout the rest of the series. A "negro" waiter then offers Mr. Draper a light, the sound design of the zippo opening, flint igniting, and the long drag our hero takes as he lights his Lucky Strike cigarette. A reminder of how cigarettes used to be viewed as something special, something to treasure. Something that this man is trying to keep alive. Don then proceeds to comment on the cigarettes of the waiter "Old Gold man?" he asks the waiter who doesnt respond and we immediately see why as his white superior comes over and asks Don if he is being bothered. Don"s response to this instantly shows us both sides to him. "No were actually just having a conversation." answers the charming, handsome, confident Donald Draper. The white waiter then proceeds to ask Don if he needs a refill but it is not Donald Draper who responds it is the man we don't know yet, the cold, bitter, remorseful Dick Whitman responds with a wave of his hand signaling he can't respect this man who mistreats someone else just because of how they were born. Don then asks this man, why it is that he prefers "Old Gold" cigarettes, to which he responds he was given them in the service. "So your used to them?" Don asks. Habit and the need to escape is definitely another important theme we are introduced to right off the bat. "Reader's Digest says is will kill ya." remarks the waiter, "Yea I heard about that" responds Don and his reaction to this shows us that THAT is what he is working on...how to sell cigarettes now that we realize we are just killing ourselves. Cigarettes and alcohol on the show represent represent hypocrisy, how we all know they are bad for us but we do them anyway...“Nobody knows what’s wrong with themselves. Everyone else can see it right away.” We as humans are flawed and the biggest flaw that we all contain is that we cant really look at ourselves in the mirror, Don certainly can't.
This conversation is followed by a slow motion POV shot as Don watches all the people in the bar, interacting, smoking and drinking, showing us both the social norms of the time, and Don's isolation. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Don waits outside a door, until finally a beautiful woman opens it. Clearly being in that bar made him lonely. We see inside this woman's apartment, its very loft-like, not very common living space for a single woman back then, which tells us that this is a strong, confident, independent woman. We have no idea of the nature of their relationship at this point, the sense of mystery surrounding Don Draper continues to build. The next day, we see a group of "men" talking in the elevator in their way up. But this conversation shows us that these are not at all men, but boys. Yet back then, people as immature as these guys were creative and account men at ad agencies all over New York. A young, timid looking woman stands in front of them. Peggy Olson, our heroine and the character that will take us through this journey of the changing social mores. We hear just how awful these men treat her, the types of things they get away with saying, and she has to just stand there and take it.
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