Remembering Lane Pryce: Mad Men's Tragic Death 13 Years Later

13 years later, I still find Mad Men 's most tragic death upsetting to watch. Mad Men is a show I regularly revisit for its sleek and elegant 1960s setting, its rich and textured writing, and its memorable characters. From Don Draper (Jon Hamm) to Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss) to Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Mad Men 's stylish depiction of Madison Avenue advertising is a window into a lost, and sometimes alien, world.

Lane Pryce's (Jared Harris) death in Mad Men season 5, episode 12, "Commissions and Fees," remains harrowing to revisit. From the moment he joined Mad Men in season 3, Lane was a delight. Mr. Pryce's proper British demeanor entertainingly clashed with his co-workers at Sterling Cooper and later, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

Yet despite the rampant alcoho