When Peggy joins the firm as a secretary, sexism is rampant, though it is clear from the start that she is not one of those women (like Joan) who has learned to prosper and even thrive in a sexist world. As Joan mentions, the best possible outcome for Peggy in a few years would be for her to be living in the country and not have to work at all -- in other words, to be well married. To that end, everyone keeps advising Peggy to show off her ankles, stop dressing like a schoolgirl. No one seems to be able to imagine that she might want a job like Don Draper's. It is almost strange that she and Joan get along so well -- remember Joan introducing her to that intimidating technology -- the typewriter? But Peggy really gushes to Joan about how helpful she has been -- but I detect that it IS gush, not totally sincere.

Many people seem to regard Don Draper as the ultimate bad guy, but when he defends Peggy against Pete Campbell's disrespectful attitude we see him in a very positive light. Speaking of which, I can't really see Peggy's acceptance of Pete as lover so abruptly when he shows up drunk at her door. I suppose this is a message about Peggy's determination to run her life as she chooses.

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