Mad Men: Jon Hamm’s favorite episode captures "the whole range of emotions" and is hard to dispute

Jon Hamm’s favorite “Mad Men” episode came to mind instantly. He chose “The Suitcase” — a notable episode from season 4 — because, as he noted, it allowed him and co-star Elisabeth Moss “to play the whole range of emotions.” And he’s absolutely right.

That episode has stood the test of time as one of the most celebrated installments of the AMC drama—not only because of its superb storytelling, but also for how it meticulously peeled back the layers of artifice and polished glamour to reveal the darker, more intricate intertwining elements of raw emotions.

"My favorite episode is 'The Suitcase.’ We had not only a great time making it, I got to work with one of my favorite people in the world [Elisabeth Moss],” the actor who brought to life the character of Don Draper in the series for seven seasons shared with Entertainment Weekly. “And it was kind of this weird little self-contained bump that was really fun to play.”

In addition to the joyful moments off-screen, there was also a mix of extreme highs and lows in the storytelling itself—grief, laughter, anger, admiration, and ultimately, soft, silent understanding.

Don and Peggy’s bond gets its defining moment

In the episode “The Suitcase,” Peggy and Don each navigate their individual arcs, which intertwine and overlap significantly. The episode begins with a professional power dynamic, as Don keeps Peggy late on her birthday to work on his Samsonite advertising campaign. Tensions escalate during dinner, where emotions run high, secrets are revealed, and long-standing emotional barriers collapse.

After Don discovers that Anna, who was literally the last person to know him intimately and accept him as he is, has died, Peggsy happens to be the one who consoles him.

He begins crying infront of her, and in the moment, he utters, “She was the only person who really knew me,” Peggy’s simple, yet deeply moving reply — “That’s not true” — speaks volumes about their connection.

This episode refrains from marrying romance or melodrama to earn its stripes. Instead, it depicts Don and Peggy as two sophisticated, lonely individuals trying to come to terms with themselves and the world around them. Each of them is characterized by unrelenting ambition, as the ghosts of their pasts accompany them. And on this one quiet night alone in an office, isolated from the world, they discover a new form of solace in each other.

Why “The Suitcase” is Mad Men’s most essential episode

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There is a reason fans and critics rank “The Suitcase” among the greatest episodes of Mad Men. The writing encapsulates everything that made Mad Men special, as it is a bottle episode featuring two monumental performances by Hamm and Moss, which showcase both screaming and whispering in life’s most intimate moments. No wonder Hamm and Moss submitted the episode for Emmy consideration; it is a rollercoaster of emotions.

It’s no wonder Jon Hamm describes the episode as “his favorite”; it encapsulates everything Mad Men excelled at. It explores not just nostalgia and advertising but also connection, identity, and the complex layers of vulnerability inherent in human interactions. The show is recognized for its ability to present heartbreak cloaked in humor, alongside whimsical healing within just an hour, which Hamm touches on when he mentions “the whole range of emotions.”

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