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Mad Men - Season 7, Part 2 - The End of an Era - AMC Sundays
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
TwoDurans
"Never said I wasn't a hypocrite."
CharminUltra
Member
Don is getting murdered, isn't he?
Nah he's just riding the rails with a fellow traveler. I bet he never returns to his job.
Amazing stuff as usual.
Really interesting to see where everyone ends up.
Oh and this is pretty great:
Didn't even think of that, but it'd be interesting way to go. Don just disappears for good, we and the other characters having no idea where he went. Highly doubt they'll go that way, though.
I'm going to miss stuff like Roger and Peggy in the old skeleton of the office floor. It was just so effortless to get the two together like that even though I think that was the most they have ever interacted. It was a nice counterbalance to the rest of the depressing moments and waja in the rest of the episode.
90TilInfinity
Member
God she is amazing.
I'm wondering if Don is even going to go back to New York before the finale, never mind that office.
shadyspace
Banned
What do we make of it that it was Roger and Peggy who were the duo who ultimately gave SCP it's send-off?
Roger is the last partner from the original Sterling Cooper, and Peggy is the break-out star that came from it. Also they came from completely different backgrounds but found a wonderful place that gave them meaning
Wiener likes making Don sad too much
Moss being a Scientologist has kind of ruined my enjoyment of Peggy.
I probably shouldn't have watched all those documentaries and read those books on that cult. So many good actors that I can't unsee.
Anyway, sorry for the random aside. Loving this last half of the season and show, especially Don, I do hope he just ends up on a farm as Dick, living his life planting crops and riding horses. Sally swinging by for dinner on her way to uni.
I probably shouldn't have watched all those documentaries and read those books on that cult. So many good actors that I can't unsee.
Anyway, sorry for the random aside. Loving this last half of the season and show, especially Don, I do hope he just ends up on a farm as Dick, living his life planting crops and riding horses. Sally swinging by for dinner on her way to uni.
probably not
I think that's it for Joan on the series. As per the T&L review, her character's story and arc on the show ended the way it went throughout the years, all about sex and her affairs.
To me she represented feminism in its early days and Joan never reaches the pinnacle of it, but like every other sort of movement, she was a pioneer. Can't really blame her for selling out for $250k. The 50 cents on the dollar ending is the perfect metaphor for her.
To me she represented feminism in its early days and Joan never reaches the pinnacle of it, but like every other sort of movement, she was a pioneer. Can't really blame her for selling out for $250k. The 50 cents on the dollar ending is the perfect metaphor for her.
umop_3pisdn
Member
She was raised in the church, which makes it a lot more complicated than people like Cruise or Travolta that converted. People in that position aren't so likely to speak out against the church, even if they don't feel any connection to it, or they risk straining family ties.
Zippedpinhead
Member
It makes sense, given what the other major characters are doing/how they responded.
Pete was largely not in this episode, Joan was dealing with institutional misogyny, Don began his final journey, Cooper has been dead, same with Pryce, Ted Caugh has happy been absorbed into McCann (check out the symbolism with him just in the white shirt and tie vs Don in the suit), Sally has already been put on a bus, Megan went back to LA, and Betty was reading in her kitchen (but none of them were ever really involved with SC&P).
That leaves Roger and Peggy. Roger makes a lot of sense, his father founded the original Sterling Cooper. Other than his time in the Navy, Sterling Cooper (and later SCDP and SC&P) was his life and destiny. To see it rolled up and consumed has to cause him to ache (and drink).
Peggy also makes a lot of sense. She pulled herself up from one of the most damning things that could happen to a young lady of that time (a child out of wedlock), fought against misogyny and showed all of her bosses that she means business. That the world described to her isn't enough, so she will make her own way. Roger reminds her to be herself, hence the awesome entrance. It gives us, the viewer, that despite her having to deal with everything Joan is dealing with, Peggy will be fine.
Mr. Saturn
Member
I guess, I don't know, I mean you're right and all but Don skipping out on his family still seems like a shitty thing even despite only really having connection with Sally and not much of one with the other two.
Edit: I think there's a difference between Don not having much of a connection (except with Sally) and still seeing his kids occasionally versus him just never seeing them again. You know you can argue Don is a bad or flawed father or whatever because he's an absentee dad, but if were to skip out on his family he becomes worse is the way I see it I guess.
MindCollizion
Member
I don't understand the belief that Don is demonstrating suicidal tendencies/thoughts. In which instances is this demonstrated?
ClosingADoor
Member
Fantastic episode. I would honestly be just as happy with an ending with Don driving away into the sunset and just leaving it all behind.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
You should base your like for an actor's work on their personality anyway. They're playing parts, they are different people in real life than the image you probably have of them.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
There are a few specific things from earlier in the series.
1) He's contemplating suicide in an S1 episode where he's sitting by train tracks, presumably thinking of driving in front of the train
2) He's called out for suicidal imagery in an ad in S6, where it looks like a guy in an ad is drowning himself.
The first half of the season was filled with it both external and from Don himself like the elevator opening up to the empty shaft or his drowning ad, culminating in his breakdown during the pitch. This episode had him testing the window in his office but at this point I can see it more being the writers making a meta joke about people speculating about the show's opening credits.
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Amazing stuff as usual.
Really interesting to see where everyone ends up.
Oh and this is pretty great:
This is like the Breaking Bad finales that end with Malcolm in the Middle. Someone should make a spoof of it at the very least.
I think there's a lot that alludes to or hints at death in the show. But yeah, I don't see Don actually killing myself.
It's not that. It's that I see Moss now and think of Scientology. It's not really about like or personality. It's just what I think of when she comes on screen, probably not fair to her, but it is what it is.
I have the same with many other actors though. I mean, can anyone really look at Gibson nowadays and really forget what a scummy guy he is?
MindCollizion
Member
I agree that it can be a meta joke as well, but my interpretation of this last episode and the window is that he approaches the window because there's a draft and he can hear the air coming in to his new office; to show dissatisfaction/annoyance and the differences about his new location and his life at this point versus what was familiar. No one is entirely contempt about the change. He never looks down, there's no contemplation.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I don't know how to feel about Diana yet. I trust that the entire thing will become clear(er) by the time the curtain closes, but right now the whole situation is a bit of a question mark.
VeryGooster
Banned
Don's gonna haul ass to Lollapalooza
you are a gentleman and a scholar.
The episode was great. I know the series hasn't been everybody's cup of tea lately (understandably so), but I find meaning and comfort even when I don't understand everything unfolding on screen. There's nothing quite like it on TV, actually - and for that (and many other things) I'll miss it.
Also, I've said it before on this very thread but hey, it's a new episode, a new review but it still deserves some comment: the AV Club review for this episode is stellar. Excellent write-up.
movie_club
Junior Member
Have not seen this mentioned yet but was a nice touch that Hobart said coca-cola to Don in the previous episode and literally every Creative Director at the lunch meeting had a Coke in their possession-
Just as they all are there to "take things up a notch"
"I hope you are finding things satisfactory"
Hobart parrots the party line of "the Soviets" as a female creative calls them to Don and Joan
Just as they all are there to "take things up a notch"
"I hope you are finding things satisfactory"
Hobart parrots the party line of "the Soviets" as a female creative calls them to Don and Joan
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Weiner kills me when he plays all coy and shit about the mysterious symbolism scenes like Don checking out the window above. People always present theories and then he downplays them every time and yet he keeps doing it.
Bless the man.
Bless the man.
lazybones18
Banned
https://twitter.com/McCann_WW/status/595015091965317120
the company doing live tweets during the show is kinda cool
the company doing live tweets during the show is kinda cool
-Pyromaniac-
Member
He is amazing at his job when he does it. The carousel is still the defining moment of the show IMO.
Gouty
Bloodborne is shit
I feel like this the idea of Don that keeps getting perpetuated both by viewers and characters within the show and yet he spends far more time walking off, being drunk, clashing with clients, clashing with coworkers and having melt downs than he does actually being a player within the advertising world. He's like a baseball player who's batting .175 yet everyone thinks of the time he hit that one homer and ignores the rest.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Shit, when was the last time we actually saw Don do his job?
Like, I have a hard time remembering him actually doing something creative on an account recently.
Like, I have a hard time remembering him actually doing something creative on an account recently.
He is competent, he's not leader though.
Mr. Saturn
Member
Hmm, I'm not sure, but as creative director at least at scdp he still had input on all the work that came out of there I think, barring that though I don't think he's done any creative directly himself in a long time.
Some of this is certainly true, but I can't even remember the last time he actually clashed with a client, his co workers sure but I can't recall him doing that with any clients and I'm thinking all the way back to say season 5.
As for melt downs yeah I can't argue there, but I don't think he's had enough to the point where one could say they happen all the time. There was the Hershey pitch and I think there was an episode in season 4 but beyond that I'm having trouble thinking of more incidents.
I don't really see how Don having these issues proves he's not talented, you can argue that him convincing others he's a leader is a fluke, but him actually being talented is a fluke at all. I think he's good (was good since he hasn't done creative directly in a long time?) at his job he's just terrible at working with other.s
I think that's part of the irony of McCann getting him now that he's essentially checked out of whatever creative energy he had. He hasn't truly pitched anything exciting in a really long time and probably won't until he reinvents himself again.
It's almost as if Don being more aware of his struggles distracts him and clouds any of his efforts to do something truly creative or productive.
Mr. Saturn
Member
Good point it probably doesn't help either that the agency has so many creative directors so that Don just feels like one color in a box of a hundred.
Discotheque
Banned
Really sad episode, everytime he goes to Betty's house it's like he keeps seeing what he's missing
And God damn Joan and Peggy worked so hard to get where they were and it's all gone to shit now. Peggy acting all cool at the end but she'll see what's up
And God damn Joan and Peggy worked so hard to get where they were and it's all gone to shit now. Peggy acting all cool at the end but she'll see what's up
Mr. Saturn
Member
I know I mentioned this before, and this isn't necessarily aimed at you JTripper, or anyone really, I'm just speaking generally but I don't think Don not making any pitches in a while really means much of anything. I mean yes I do think he's bored with his job and he's been coasting for a while, but the lack of pitches doesn't necessarily point to that.
He's a creative director which based on the name and what I've seen from the show, is a managerial role. Its possible Don spends most or least a good chunk of his time managing the work of others with his own input, making corrections giving advice things like that.
Personally I'd rather have more Don pitch scenes since they're fairly entertaining but considering Don's job it makes sense we don't see him making so many pitches now. Sometimes I think Don would function better as just a copywriter than a creative director since it would allow him to simply focus on developing his own ideas instead of managing others. That's just my 2 cents. though.
He's a creative director which based on the name and what I've seen from the show, is a managerial role. Its possible Don spends most or least a good chunk of his time managing the work of others with his own input, making corrections giving advice things like that.
Personally I'd rather have more Don pitch scenes since they're fairly entertaining but considering Don's job it makes sense we don't see him making so many pitches now. Sometimes I think Don would function better as just a copywriter than a creative director since it would allow him to simply focus on developing his own ideas instead of managing others. That's just my 2 cents. though.