'Mad Men': The 1963 Events We Hope to See in Season 3
By Zach Oat, TWoP | Thursday, August 13, 2009, 3:04 PM
Don Draper and James Bond
AMC and United Artists/Everett Collection
Little has been revealed about this third season of "Mad Men," except that it takes place during 1963, an incredibly tumultuous year in American history, not to mention American pop culture. We dusted off our history books to see which events occurred that year that might make for interesting storylines on the show. (Disclaimer: We're sure that the JFK assassination will play a big role, as well as Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, so forgive us if we just take those for granted.) These significant events are more on the frivolous side, but hey, couldn't this serious show use a little frivolity?
First James Bond Film Released in U.S.
After "Dr. No"
is released, more and more people tell Don that he looks like Sean
Connery, culminating in a fancy dinner party where a drunk guest asks
if he's packing a Baretta or a Walther. Don then shoots him.
Debut of Tab
The world's first diet soft drink would be any ad man's dream account, so we can see Peggy and Paul pulling an all-nighter to come up with a pitch Don can present to Coca-Cola. In a sub-plot, Paul gets addicted to the tasty, tasty beverage.
[Check out photos of the cast of "Mad Men."]
First Woman in Space
On June 16, the Soviet rocket Vostok 6 launched, carrying the first female astronaut, Valentina Tereshkova, into space. Perhaps this inspires Peggy Olson to leave the agency and join NASA?
Smiley Face Invented
Independent ad industry vet Harvey Ball created the smiley face for an insurance company that wanted its employees to smile more. While it was still brand-new in 1963, we can see it finding its way onto a few lapels in the office, to Don's dismay, leading Don to hire Sal to design a frowny icon for him to wear.
First Beatles Album Released in U.S.
After falling in love with the songs of the Fab Four, Pete starts letting his hair down -- literally. The newly mop-topped account executive lands a couple of high-profile youth accounts with his new 'do, and after a wild night of celebration set to the tunes of the Beatles, Trudy miraculously gets pregnant.
First "Iron Man" Comic Book Published
Sal shows some of the guys in the office an idea he'd been working on about a superhero who wears a suit of armor. The next day, someone shows him a new comic book on the newsstands called "Iron Man" that totally rips off his idea. Furious, Sal tracks down a cocky comic book writer named Stan Lee and gets into a knock-down, drag-out street brawl with him.
Patsy Cline Dies
Mourning the loss of the beloved singer in a plane crash, Roger Sterling spends the evening in a bar, drinking and playing "I Fall to Pieces" on the jukebox, over and over and over. Then he gets the great idea to use the song for a commercial about Super Glue.
Travel to Cuba is Made Illegal
In order to land a big account, Ken has to deliver a box of Cuban cigars to a client, except they're illegal now. After casually inquiring at all of the uptown cigar shops, he has to hoof it downtown to a heavily Cuban neighborhood. Racial discomfort ensues.
TALK ABOUT IT: Which historical event from 1963 would you like to see in Season 3?
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