Mad Men on AMC

[ParisDean]

Originally Posted by Babytoxie

Interesting... I didn't catch that NPR interview, but perhaps Peggy's grand entrance at McCann-Erickson was her final scene? It'd make a great one.

It would make a grand final scene, but I always thought the show was about Don first and then Peggy and to have the last two episodes of the entire series be without Peggy is cheating the audience in my opinion.

[protector2814]

It would be a great final scene, but you're right, I'd feel a bit cheated. Last night's episode went an hour & 11 minutes. Hoping the finale goes long too. I think Harry Crane's last moment was him telling Roger that he wasn't going to let him "ruin the moment"; a possible inside joke when you think about it.

Good Huffington Post review of this, 2nd to last episode. - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/0...n_7254596.html

*Sorry, I just really liked this last episode & keep finding insightful reviews. Here's a great one from The Vulture. - http://www.vulture.com/2015/05/mad-m...-callback.html

[protector2814]

Well .... I'm o-k with the show's ending. At least, they didn't kill Don in the end, which I really thought might happen. Don obtains enlightenment & forgives himself. I'm fine with that. I do believe it was he who wrote the ad. If you look, you'll see versions of various characters from the new-age camp as characters singing in the end (I'm thinking Weinner just modeled these characters on characters from the classic commercial. Am hoping that part of his spiritual fulfillment, once back in NYC & writing the ad, was becoming the Father that he should have always been, but w/ enlightenment should come that realization. Packages were mostly tied-up & bows, tied. Peggy & Stan seemed rushed, but it still made sense. All-in-all - one of the greatest television shows of all times for me.

[wktf]

Don's enlightenment was too sudden for me. The call to Peggy felt right as well as the train wreck he's left behind. But this spiritual awakening or whatever it was felt forced. As did Peggy's ending. Kind of meh for me.

[Babytoxie]

I agree: "forced" is a good way to describe parts of that finale.

I didn't think it was awful, but I didn't think it was great - at least, not to the degree I was expecting. But hey, at least they didn't do an abrupt cut to black in the middle of a crucial scene.

So Don found enlightenment, but does he really deserve it? After all the deception, and all the damage he's caused in his life and those of others, does it just boil down to him wanting to be loved/needed? I really didn't get that part.

I'm still not sure about that final scene with the Coke commercial. It seems that, if Don is truly a changed person, then returning to NYC and the world of advertising would undo that. I prefer to see it as Don stays in California, adopts the lifestyle, and the Coke commercial is a reflection of his new mindset. Eh, whatever...

[Marvelito]

I don't think he truly became "elightened" in the way it seems. He slowly made his way across the country, obviously heading for California, and once Stephanie left him he was in a really very low place. His ultimate realization was that he is who he is, flaws and all. When he hears the ding of the bell (that's the light bulb going off in his head) the smile on his face is because he just cracked the Coca-Cola ad that would define a generation.

It's like Stan and everybody says, he's done this before and does it over and over. He has an existential crisis, reacts in a reckless way, eventually has an emotional breakthrough and repeats the cycle, usually with great professional success as a result.

I think many believed we were headed to a different outcome for Don, but as was also alluded to by other characters in relation to Don is that he needs to stop looking for more and just be good at what he's good at. That is his enlightenment.

As a fan I was very satisfied with the finale, not necessarily what I was expecting but satisfied nonetheless. I will really miss this show and these characters. They should force them to make this show until everyone dies of old age.

[Babytoxie]

Originally Posted by Marvelito

... I will really miss this show and these characters. They should force them to make this show until everyone dies of old age.

Yes!

[protector2814]

Watched it again & I'm really starting to think that Weiner did a great job w/ the ending. Several scenes stand out in my mind as fitting conclusion-tapping moments which did indeed deliver.
- Don's call to Peggy when he'd hit rock-bottom as I've never seen before on the show which I feel did address the damage he'd caused throughout the show's 8 years. "Broke my vows", "scandalized my child" & "stole a man's name ... " this last one was something of a catch-all as was the vows admission. He was obviously atoning for his past behaviors.
- The scene with Leonard, which I first found bizarre, 'til I listened again. Don's pathos, sympathy & comparison w/ Leonard was a very well written scene. He spoke no words which I found refreshing, unlike the stuff he muttered to Stephanie a day earlier. He was truly stripped.
_ & finally, the bell ringing at the end, during the "Ommm" chant. I don't really care what it actually meant' if it was signifying spiritual clarity for Don or if rang out the coke-ad-idea, it doesn't matter to me. Don is an Ad man, period. He seemed to come to grip w/ that idea & returned back to NYC certain in who he was & hopefully carried back with him closure on his misdeeds & a new beginning. Like I said earlier, I'm taking that he also returned a Father.
The little end-caps on the other character's lives were all done well in the small amount of tile given.
This finale should have been 2 hours. It could have used a little more stretch room.

[ParisDean]

I was on vacation for a few weeks and never posted my thoughts on the finale:

My first impression was that it was perhaps too positive. Everyone got a happy ending with Betty being the only one dealt a bad hand. But upon later reflection my criticism was due most likely to being accustomed to the downbeat finales I've seen within the past year--Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire and Sons of Anarchy--all of which ended badly for its antiheroes. It's good that Mad Men didn't follow that trend for Don Draper.

Roger and Marie--big yay! Pete and Trudy--thumbs up there too. Stan and Peggy--I really like the idea of them together and I buy that Stan has been carrying a torch for Peggy all this time, but her sudden reciprocation of his feelings felt contrived. (I was laughing out loud at her phone conversation with him though "What?? What?!?" ) Having said that, this is the same person that was in denial about being pregnant until she went into labor so maybe that last minute clarity about herself was actually in character.

Also notable was the cast members who remained from the first season all made an appearance--Betty, Sally, Peggy, Pete, Roger, Joan, Ken, even Harry--while many regulars who joined the cast in later seasons--Megan, Ted, Henry, Dawn--were absent. Nice of the show to leave the dance with the dates it brought.

In summary, it becomes a better ending the more I think about it. Bravo.

[ParisDean]

Jon Hamm finally won an Emmy!