Don Draper And Joan: Was There Ever A Romance?

Don Draper and Joan Harris are characters in the TV series Mad Men. Don Draper is the show's main focus, and is known for his womanising ways. Joan Harris is a fellow partner at Sterling Cooper & Partners, and the pair have a friendly relationship. Although there is obvious sexual tension between the two, they never sleep together.

Don Draper's womanising ways

Don's attitude towards women is shaped by his childhood. The son of a prostitute, Don was abused by his stepmother, who frequently reminded him that he was a "whore's son". Don's first wife, Anna, whom he cared deeply about, was also a prostitute.

Don's philandering is well-known by his colleagues at the advertising firm Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. He sleeps with clients and secretaries, beatniks, his daughter's teacher, and "slinky jetsetters". Don's first wife, Betty, divorces him due in part to his years of infidelity. His second wife, Megan, also endures his cheating and they nearly separate because of it.

Don's attitude towards women is reflected in the way he treats his colleagues. While he has genuine affection for a handful of people in his life, he can be cruel to them, even those he cares about. Don's treatment of women is also reflected in the way he approaches his work in advertising. Having successfully invented a new identity for himself, Don is skilled at crafting artificial identities to sell products.

Don's relationship with Joan Harris, the office manager at Sterling Cooper, is complicated. There is obvious sexual tension between them and they go so far as to test drive a Jaguar together and spend an afternoon drinking in a bar. However, they never sleep together. According to the show's creator, Don is "looking for his [mother] in the women he sleeps with" and Joan does not fill that void for him.

Joan's prostitution for Jaguar

In the Mad Men episode "The Other Woman", Joan Holloway Harris sleeps with a Jaguar dealer to help Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (SCDP) land a Jaguar account. Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove learn from the Jaguar dealer that their chances of getting Jaguar are considerably higher if they set up an evening with Joan.

Pete tells Joan about the proposal, to which she replies, "You're talking about prostitution." Pete responds, "I'm talking about business at a very high level." Joan initially dismisses the idea, but eventually agrees on the condition that she is given a five per cent stake in the company.

Don Draper is against the idea and tries to stop it, but he is overruled. Don visits Joan's apartment to try and dissuade her, but she has already gone through with it. Joan's encounter with the Jaguar dealer is cut with Don's pitch for the car company.

The episode received critical acclaim, with some critics calling it one of the best episodes of the series. The prostitution plot, in particular, came in for scrutiny among journalists due to its execution and use of themes of female sexuality and sexual objectification.

Don and Joan's friendship

Don Draper and Joan Harris' friendship is a complex one, marked by mutual respect and a shared understanding of the world, but also by a certain wariness and distance.

In the office, Don and Joan had a friendly and collaborative relationship. Don was the creative director and founding partner at Sterling Cooper, and Joan was the office manager. Joan was integral to the daily operations of the firm and was recognised by most staff as such. She was also the original supervisor of Peggy Olson, who started as Don's secretary and went on to become a copywriter. Don and Joan supported each other through their personal and professional struggles, with Don having a genuine affection for Joan and Joan being supportive of Peggy's evolution as a copywriter in the male-dominated world of advertising.

However, their friendship was not without its complications. When Joan became a partner at the firm, her overall role in day-to-day operations did not change much, and her relationships with the other partners varied. She was closest to Lane, who had advised her during the Jaguar incident, but she got along well with Don on a friendly level. She was wary of his creative side's impact on the business, and she was also suspicious of his erratic behaviour and its effect on the firm, agreeing that he should be placed on leave.

Despite their friendship and mutual respect, Don and Joan's relationship was also marked by a certain distance. When Joan was promoted to Director of Agency Operations, Don was the only partner who objected, and their personal relationship suffered when he fired Jaguar, a client she had worked hard to secure. Their friendship also did not prevent Don from throwing money in Joan's face during an argument, or from taking her out for the day to test-drive a Jaguar car when she was served divorce papers, perhaps as a way to cheer her up.

In summary, Don Draper and Joan Harris' friendship was a complex mix of mutual respect, shared understanding, and wariness. They navigated their attraction to each other and their respective positions within the firm, supporting each other through personal and professional struggles. However, their friendship was also marked by distance and complications, and Don's actions sometimes caused strain in their relationship.

Don's relationship with Megan

Don Draper's relationship with Megan Calvet was his second marriage. Megan was born in Montreal and worked as a front desk receptionist and later as Don's secretary at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. She was an aspiring actress and impressed Don with her calm and competent demeanour.

Megan and Don's relationship began when Megan stayed late at the office and kissed him. They had a sexual encounter, and Don later offered to double Megan's salary if she would accompany him to California to help him with his children during a trip. In California, Don proposed to Megan, giving her Anna Draper's ring.

Don and Megan's relationship was initially positive. Megan impressed Don with her attitude towards his children, and she was promoted to copywriter at Don's firm. However, their relationship at work proved challenging, and Don was upset by Megan's sexually provocative dancing at a surprise party she threw for him.

Don and Megan's relationship soon began to deteriorate. Megan's interest in acting grew, and Don's interest in her waned. It became clear that Don never truly loved Megan, and he did not want her in the way a man wants a woman he adores. Their relationship was not built to last, and they divorced after four years of marriage.

Joan's relationship with Roger

Joan and Roger's relationship is a complex one, with a history of romantic involvement, but also a clear-eyed view of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Joan and Roger's relationship begins when she is his secretary, and they have a lengthy romantic involvement. However, the relationship cools when she rises to office manager and ends after Roger's heart attack. After Marilyn Monroe's death, Roger finds Joan crying in his office, upset by the similarities she sees between the actress's life and her own. Roger comforts Joan, assuring her she will not end up alone like Monroe.

Joan is pragmatic about her sexuality and her appearance, and she has many playful affairs with powerful men. However, she is also hyper-feminine and charming, with the ultimate goal of finding a devoted man to marry and support. She has little desire to be a second wife, and Roger is already married.

Despite their history, Joan does not turn to Roger for financial or professional gain. When she is served divorce papers by her abusive husband, Greg, she does not ask Roger for money for their child. She also never takes him up on offers to spend the weekend together. When the partners discuss Joan sleeping with a Jaguar client to secure an account, Roger does not object, and Joan is surprised by this.

Joan and Roger's relationship is fond but distant, and she makes it clear that she intends to let their son, Kevin, grow up thinking Greg is his father, not Roger. When Roger shows up unannounced, suspicious of Joan's friendship with Bob Benson, she warns him that she is allowing him into Kevin's life, but not hers.

Roger never seems to know what he wants, and his feelings for Joan may have been stronger than hers for him. Joan is always smart enough to know that Roger will never be faithful to her, and that is something she requires in a relationship. She could have pursued a serious relationship with him, but she chooses not to because she wants better for herself.

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