How Was Lois Not Fired From Her Job?

Running over a man with a lawnmower is just a slap on the wrist these days

Sterling Cooper is full of talent and promise from the rising Peggy Olson to the celebrated advertising genius Don Draper… but that doesn’t mean every employee is at the top of their game.

While most of the people working there cannot be called good coworkers as they routinely put sleeping with secretaries over the basic necessities of operating a business, they do have their moments. Roger’s years of experience carry his employees through crisis after crisis when he isn’t busy floating towards women like a cartoon character who just saw a pie in the window.

At Sterling Cooper, talent and ability shine through chaos.

However, there is one character who (from 1960 - 1963) is consistently the worst employee of Sterling Cooper. She is always looking out for herself over others, does not know how to do any job that is tasked to her, and to top it off… she mutilates a man’s foot with a lawnmower!

Only the highest quality gifs for this Substack. ( © AMC)

I’m talking of course about switchboard operator/secretary/general failure Lois Sadler.

“Who, me?” ( © AMC)

After ending the golf career of the man who was supposed to lead the future of their company, she is somehow still working at that company. We see her once more after the lawnmower incident continuing to toil under Paul Kinsey.

( © AMC)

Girl, don’t just stand there. Get on the lawnmower. ( © AMC)

It is not a coincidence that Sterling Cooper’s most foolish secretary is working for their lamest creative. Both have had a destiny to get the boot. At the end of Season 3 when Kinsey realizes he won’t be part of the transition to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, his response is a knowing “oh shit.” He understands why it happened even if he doesn’t like it.

I imagine Lois was the same with more tears. After years of failure and gossip, she knows why there is no place for her in Season 4.

So we did it take so long? Why keep Lois for even a minute after she runs a man over with a lawnmower?

Let’s do a little performance review of Mad Men’s Lois Sadler.