Let's face it: The male characters of "Mad Men" wouldn't be nearly so interesting if not for the fact that the women in the show are equally compelling. This isn't just Don Draper's story, and it certainly ain't just Jon Hamm's show. The characters feature wives, girlfriends, secretaries, clients and mistresses -- and sometimes they overlap. So to bring you up to speed, here is a rundown of some of the key women in the show:

Betty Draper

Who is she:

Betty is the soon-to-be-ex-wife of Don Draper. A former model, Betty is now a mother of three, and an unhappy mom at that. When she sees her daughter, Sally, playing with a plastic dry-cleaning bag over her head, Betty is only upset because that means Sally dumped the clothes on the floor.

Why she rocks:

Not only does Betty have the nerve to kick Don out of the house over his shenanigans -- TWICE! -- but she has a tawdry affair of her own and at the end of season three, has decided she had enough of Don's lies and files for divorce.

Reason not to root for her:

The man she leaves Don for, Henry Francis, is slimy.



Greatest line:

"Go bang your head against the wall. Only boring people are bored."



Greatest moment:

After a pigeon-keeping neighbor complains about the Drapers' dog, Betty walks into the backyard, lights a cigarette and starts shooting his valuable birds with a pellet gun.

Joan Harris

Who is she:

Joan was the office manager of Sterling Cooper and now has the same role at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. She's smart, funny and has zero tolerance for pretense. Joan once had an affair with Roger Sterling, but is now married to a no-good surgery resident who opts to join the Army to save his medical career.

Why she rocks:

Joan has every single man at Sterling Cooper wrapped around her finger. Like Don, she is capable of maintaining the upper hand in nearly every encounter. Joan has a smooth-as-cream voice with a stiletto wit.

Reason not to root for her:

None at all, although it's impossible to feel any sympathy for her husband, who once sexually assaulted her in the offices of Sterling Cooper.

Greatest line:

"This is why I don’t allow crying in the break room. It erodes morale. There’s a place to do that, like your apartment."

Greatest moment:

After her husband, Greg, fails to get a surgical residency at a New York hospital, he tells Joan she could never understand because she doesn't know what it's like to want something big and not get it. She responds by smashing a vase over his head.

Peggy Olson

Who is she:

Peggy started as Don's frequently fumbling secretary but quickly rose to the title of copywriter at Sterling Cooper. She jumps ship with Don to join the new agency, but only after he has to beg her to do so.



Why she rocks:

Peggy first comes across as a quiet, unassuming assistant but quickly discovers what she's good at and becomes more confident. Her evolution from secretary-school grad to advertising pro is one of the joys of "Mad Men."

Reason not to root for her:

Peggy can be cruel, and it's not always pleasant to watch. She reduces a voice actress to tears, explains to a blind date that people in Manhattan are "better than us" and coldly refuses to come to terms with the unplanned baby she gave birth to at the end of season one. Also, in one episode we find out she ate all the crackers and liverwurst her roommate bought. Uncool.

Greatest line:

"I'm Peggy Olson. I want to smoke some marijuana."

Greatest moment:

Several actually; every time one of her male coworkers asks her to get coffee or make photocopies, Peggy simply says "no" without even looking away from her work.

Honorable mentions

would have to go to several of Don's mistresses, including the independent-minded artist

Midge Daniels

(Rosemarie DeWitt), department store owner

Rachel Menken

(Maggie Siff) and

Bobbie Barrett

(Melinda McGraw), the wife of standup comedian

Jimmy Barrett

(Patrick Fischler).