The XX Factor

Mad Men Dolls: Replay the Depressed Lives of the Drapers

If you’ve ever yearned for the sexy patriarchy ethos of the Mad Men era over a gimlet, you’re in luck: Mattel is launching a line of Mad Men dolls , based on four of the AMC show’s characters-Roger Sterling, Don Draper, Betty Draper, and Joan Harris (nee Holloway). (Apparently leading ad-lady Peggy wasn’t sexy enough for dollification .) What kinds of fun playtimes can you have with the Mad Men cast? Well, the Betty doll can sit at the kitchen table for eight hours chain-smoking and ignoring the kids. Gingerly place a Manhattan in the plastic hand of the Don Draper doll and let his depressive mind wander until the perfect blob of genius ad-copy emerges. If you’re craving more action than a usual episode of Mad Men affords, maybe you can arrange some flirtatious banter between Roger and Joan in the office hallway. But if the Don doll wants to cheat, he’s going to have to jump some decades and hop in a Malibu with Skipper.

The dolls are retailing for $74.95 each as part of Mattel’s collectors’ series. A price that will require some rationalizing, for sure. Picture a dark room, with Don softly speaking: “You’re on a carousel.”