Roommates and roommate relationships headlined TV drama this week. On Episode 4, Season 3 of Mad Men, Peggy Olson dreams of moving into a Manhattan apartment and decides to look for a roommate. Peggy’s ad seeking a roomie reads: “Working Girl Seeks Roommate. I’m a clean, responsible, considerate person who wants a roommate to share expenses in Manhattan. Allergic to cats but will tolerate dogs. I have some nice furniture and a small television. Serious and financially secure women only, please. Contact: Margaret Olson, Sterling Cooper, 23rd Floor.”
Ahh! Best laid plans. Peggy’s co-workers prank-call her, posing as potential (ill-fit) roommates. Eventually surrogate mother Joan Holloway steps in and helps Peggy write a new ad: “Fun-loving girl, responsible sometimes, likes to laugh, lives to love, seeks size 6 for city living and general gallivanting, no dull moments or dull men tolerated.”
An inaccurate description of Peggy, but great copy and good advertising. It works for Peggy, who soon meets new roommate Karen Ericson (played by Carla Gallo).
Best wishes to Mad Men’s Peggy Olson, even if she IS a fictional character. Positive roommate experiences require proactive, ongoing communication. Establish expectations upfront with a written roommate agreement. Discuss potential areas of conflict early — like rent or utility bill payments, chore responsibilities, even room temperature — and set mutually acceptable standards.
We admit it, we’re addicted to watching Mad Men. The team at WilliamPaid will be eagerly waiting to see how Peggy’s new roommate arrangement turns out…
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