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Mad Men - Season 7, Part 2 - The End of an Era - AMC Sundays
- Thread starter Cornballer
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The Atticus
Member
It could only end this way.
People will always take away the positive future from an ambiguous finale, even if the negative has far stronger implications. That's not necessarily wrong, but it is what it is.
I think the strongest point in favor of the positive ending for Don is that we actually see him not only truly emotionally broken in a way we haven't before, but also emotionally open when we see him in the support group. The fact he sold that experience also has negative implications, but I think that makes this ending truly ambiguous for Don. It could be read either way and both have near equal merits.
Hmm...it was a so-so finale for me. I thought most of the episode was pretty strong, but the very end felt flat for me. I guess the implication of Don using his newfound inner peace to just turn around and create the Coke ad is thematically interesting and weighty, but it doesn't feel like that in the moment; it just felt kind of abrupt and oddly cut. I also don't think I liked what they did with Peggy at all here.
I really enjoyed it for the most part, and Roger was cracking me the hell up, but how they ended things with Don and Peggy leave me a little cool on it.
Something about Don only being able to talk to the closest people in his life when not facing them.
I really enjoyed it for the most part, and Roger was cracking me the hell up, but how they ended things with Don and Peggy leave me a little cool on it.
Something about Don only being able to talk to the closest people in his life when not facing them.
Supermanisdead
Member
so do we really know if bob benson's gay lover killed pete's mother in some weird perverted mind game thing or not?
I don't really see why anyone would get anything particularly positive out of that episode wrt Don's relationship with his kids. Sally and Betty both made it really clear that he shouldn't take the kids, and I can't imagine him denying them in that (which is actually me giving him props, btw). I don't think anyone's saying he's actually going to cut Sally off, but really that ending was a Don's Gonna Don ending if ever there was one, so he'll be part of their lives as much as he ever was.
... Can I remind you of the time he told a Hershey's exec that he grew up in a brothel where he was super excited about chocolate bars and expected it to be a reasonable pitch for an ad?
... Can I remind you of the time he told a Hershey's exec that he grew up in a brothel where he was super excited about chocolate bars and expected it to be a reasonable pitch for an ad?
Totally forgot to ask, do we ever find out what happened with the scene where Don gets pulled over by a cop? Was that really just a dream, perhaps in some subconscious recognition he has people looking for him, or did that get resolved? That scene was so weird picking back off of the hitchhiker stuff from the episode before.
Season Six's ending made it pretty clear he wasn't going to abandon his kids. Calling Sally while running away from everyone else is pretty telling. He's by no means a perfect or even good father but he does love those children. Just nobody (rightfully) trusts him to raise them solo.
Also who else completely forgot about Megan?
Also who else completely forgot about Megan?
World SkiFree
Member
I don't think people are suggesting he will stop talking to Sally or seeing the kids. But he may take her advice and let Henry be the primary caretaker. Some of the posts suggest he will be taking care of the kids. I don't think that was ever implies on the finale.
I think he was trying to embrace and understand his life. Definitely debatable what he actually learned from that experience.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Fess up, anyone else who thought John was going to call Sal.
Also, at the end, I was wondering if Coke paid for any of this. Best free commercial ever?
Also, at the end, I was wondering if Coke paid for any of this. Best free commercial ever?
It was a dream, and a misdirection for the audience to fear him getting caught at the veteran's hall.
I don't think he thought it was a reasonable pitch for an ad. That scene was just him abandoning all pretense of giving a fuck.
Saved for the Bob Benson spin off.
The whole divorce payment plot line was a real weird way to send her off this season. She's definitely one of the few major characters that didn't get real closure.
Weiner has said he's had this ending in mind since he started the show, and I would believe him. This show is almost as much about chronicling the times through the history of ads and this coke ad is one of the biggest of all. I'm not surprised Weiner wanted to go out on it. Lucky for coke a creative dude wanted to do their work for them.
HisImperialMajesty
Member
I loved this ending. I think he finally accepted himself as Don Draper. He found love and meaning in what he was always afraid was meaningless: his work. He went back to his "home" just like Peggy asked him to - the advertising world. He then made an iconic commercial, become a legend and sailed off into the sunset (maybe?).
Don's destructive rampages always resulted in him making incredibly inspired work. So I like to think that this was his best to date, and that hopefully he found enough happiness to break the cycle of destruction and rebirth...appropriately enough through Buddhism inspired counterculture.
I like to think Dick Whitman was finally reborn as Don Draper. It took all these years to sell himself the ultimate lie. It's fitting in a show about advertising - which is the art of creating something meaningful out of an ultimately meaningless commodity. The story has always been about the struggle between who we are and what we aspire to be, and finding meaning in the journey along the way.
Mad Men, it's been an amazing journey.
Don's destructive rampages always resulted in him making incredibly inspired work. So I like to think that this was his best to date, and that hopefully he found enough happiness to break the cycle of destruction and rebirth...appropriately enough through Buddhism inspired counterculture.
I like to think Dick Whitman was finally reborn as Don Draper. It took all these years to sell himself the ultimate lie. It's fitting in a show about advertising - which is the art of creating something meaningful out of an ultimately meaningless commodity. The story has always been about the struggle between who we are and what we aspire to be, and finding meaning in the journey along the way.
Mad Men, it's been an amazing journey.
World SkiFree
Member
Good observations.
Yes, Roger never has a bad scene. I didn't like the Peggy/Stan ending at all. I would've actually preferred a positive yet ambiguous suggestion of them hooking up. Would've been much more consistent with the characters. Felt way too sudden and tidy.
In fact, I almost thought Stan was going to pause at the end of the phone chat and say "just kidding Peggy. You really need to get out more."
Don did have some meaningful chats by phone this episode.
I don't think Coke paid to included into the show but I wouldn't be surprised if Matthew Weiner asked for their permission in using their commercial, as a scene to establish the mood for the finale rather than a direct endorsement for their brand.
World SkiFree
Member
You are right! They definitely shifted the camera angle to "pitch mode."
Mr. Saturn
Member
No you guys are right it was silly of me to say that. I mean even when Don's life was going badly like the first half of season 4 he still saw his kids. The idea that he would find some sort of contentment in this episode and then never see his kids again doesn't make any sense especially considering he wanted them to live with him after he heard about Betty.
I'm starting to realize that now, like when that guy talked about how people were trying to give him love and Don recognized what he was talking about.
I see a little of that, but the spontaneous hug sort of betrays that for me. It was such an extreme outburst of positive emotion for Don, who's always so stoic or really only emotionally charged when he's angry. You can attribute some of that to him being emotionally venerable at the point, but I think the fact the last image we see of Don is a zoom in on a very peaceful expression carries some meaning.
metalslimer
Member
Beautiful finale. The only thing I disliked was Peggy/stan. Honestly they always seemed like best friends to me which of course can be romantic but it happened so fast and was the only storyline that felt forced for the sake of closure
brianmcdoogle
Member
And Don said unto himself "in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make".
Go buy a coke.
Go buy a coke.
World SkiFree
Member
Good call. And that's why he hugged him for so long, haha.
World SkiFree
Member
I took that expression to mean he had an incredible ad idea! But eye of the beholder ...
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
One life for yourself, and one for your dreeeeeams.
I liked the ending. Still not sure how I feel about what they did with Peggy.
I liked the ending. Still not sure how I feel about what they did with Peggy.
GoldenEye 007
Member
Always nice seeing random Bond references!
I totally see that, and that's probably the interpretation I most strongly follow, but I definitely see an argument for the other side. It's interesting that the character the show leaves most ambiguous at the end is the mystery man we've been most trying to understand for 7 seasons.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
I thought this was obvious?
Clicked since Peggy just had to remind us right before that Don could come back and work on Coke.
World SkiFree
Member
Haha, so true. It's been a great ride.
That certainly delivered on my expectations, it brings 'closure' to most of the big characters. Mostly happy endings too with Coke for Don without knocking us over the head with that he did it, the children for Henry and Stan for Peggy. Roger thinks he will be happy so that is good enough for him. Joan got shafted, which is good for what she did to Don. And Meredith doesn't end up with Don which is sad. 
The Driver
Member
Mixed emotions from me. I saw this at a local art theater with some friends and walking out, the last 5 minutes sucked the life out the episode for us.
Didn't like the neat way Stan and Peggy fell for eachother NOW (even if it made sort of sense for the characters to have been in a relationship a while ago).
Didn't care for the lack of a return from Don to Betty on her deathbed or something. I get to most this may have been obvious and lame, but I'd rather they had wrapped up Betty's arc with the letter to Sally than what they did here. The phone call to Don was the best and most stirring thing about the episode and I'd regret losing it, but the image of Betty going up the stairs while she narrates and disappears behind the staircase is much better then the final image of her skinny and smoking while Sally cooks.
Did not care for Don hiding out the rest of the episode in the commune and with his only character to physically bounce off of being the mostly insignificant character of Anna's niece.
Actually, I just straight up disliked the commune. It felt lazy to me, like of course a man with inner turmoil during the 70s would find peace in a commune. It makes sense in context but felt so uninspired. I'd rather Don would have found his peace on his own like he was on the drive across America rather than looking for someone to give him direction once again.
Did not care for revelation of the other office dude provoking a breakdown from Don, especially when the breakdown paled in comparison to his breakdown earlier in the episode with Betty, let alone the one in "the Suitcase". Someone should have cut an onion for Jon Hamm this episode damn.
And the Coke ad thing was edited jarringly. Upon initial viewing I didn't make that first connection that hey Don created this ad after that event, I just thought it was a ad from the time with a thematic connection to the commune. Now that I see the common thought is that Don created it, it doesn't make it much better because of the previously reason stated of Don just using his newfound peace to sell shit.
Just ah. Idk, in retrospect it fits very well with previous Mad Men season finales that show characters going in a multitude of different directions by the end and truth be told most of the cast got a happy ending, I'm just not really warm on this right now. It'll probably grow on me but I think the opening shot with the look of Don as a driver would have been a better move than going back into advertising. Fuck McCann.
Didn't like the neat way Stan and Peggy fell for eachother NOW (even if it made sort of sense for the characters to have been in a relationship a while ago).
Didn't care for the lack of a return from Don to Betty on her deathbed or something. I get to most this may have been obvious and lame, but I'd rather they had wrapped up Betty's arc with the letter to Sally than what they did here. The phone call to Don was the best and most stirring thing about the episode and I'd regret losing it, but the image of Betty going up the stairs while she narrates and disappears behind the staircase is much better then the final image of her skinny and smoking while Sally cooks.
Did not care for Don hiding out the rest of the episode in the commune and with his only character to physically bounce off of being the mostly insignificant character of Anna's niece.
Actually, I just straight up disliked the commune. It felt lazy to me, like of course a man with inner turmoil during the 70s would find peace in a commune. It makes sense in context but felt so uninspired. I'd rather Don would have found his peace on his own like he was on the drive across America rather than looking for someone to give him direction once again.
Did not care for revelation of the other office dude provoking a breakdown from Don, especially when the breakdown paled in comparison to his breakdown earlier in the episode with Betty, let alone the one in "the Suitcase". Someone should have cut an onion for Jon Hamm this episode damn.
And the Coke ad thing was edited jarringly. Upon initial viewing I didn't make that first connection that hey Don created this ad after that event, I just thought it was a ad from the time with a thematic connection to the commune. Now that I see the common thought is that Don created it, it doesn't make it much better because of the previously reason stated of Don just using his newfound peace to sell shit.
Just ah. Idk, in retrospect it fits very well with previous Mad Men season finales that show characters going in a multitude of different directions by the end and truth be told most of the cast got a happy ending, I'm just not really warm on this right now. It'll probably grow on me but I think the opening shot with the look of Don as a driver would have been a better move than going back into advertising. Fuck McCann.
I don't think it's obvious what it was, and that's what's great about it.
The big question is, when Don Draper stands up when the man breaks down during his pitch:
Is it self realization or ad inspiration?
This is the question for everyone to think about.
lazybones18
Banned
just re-watched the fridge speech scene and I could feel my heart get a little tighter and then had a few tears. I'm gonna miss this show so much
Don feels stuck in a fridge.
We keep Coke in fridges.
Don = Coke.
Don wants world to love him.
Don comes up with commercial about spreading Coke/himself to the world.
Joan did Coke-aine earlier for some reason.
genius.
That's exactly it. It is genius. Most people will observe this and be like he came to a self realization about himself. No, he was inspired for an ad.
Barkley's Justice
Member
I pretty much agree with you point for point. It seemed like all the right elements were there. But an hour wasn't enough time to make it all happen properly.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
It's self realisation, which as in typical Don fashion, he utilises. Don's always had his finger on the pulse of human fears and needs and wants. And it's usually when he's undergone something emotionally tumultuous that he is able to drive forward and feed off that realisation.
It's the carousel pitch all over again.
A shorter answer to your question is it's the first thing, followed later by the second thing.
TheDarkKnight774
Member
Some people I think are being pretty optimistic with Dons latest "breakthrough". He's done this time and time again. Just when you see him have a moment and going to move on, he reverts back to who he's always been. And I find it odd that this show of all shows would basically have everyone end on a happy note (minus Betty but even her portrayal at the end was one of dignity). This show and these characters always felt too cynical for that. At best it's always been a mix
HisImperialMajesty
Member
I think it's both. He achieves self actualization, but at the same time realizes he can sell that too. He achieves happiness by realizing that he can be happy as Don Draper, and that he can find love and happiness by doing what has defined Don the most: his work in advertising.
Remember when Peggy told him to "come home" on the phone? He went home, created an iconic ad, and found all the love and happiness he could ever desire by being a legend in the advertising world.
StopMakingSense
Member
Yeah I had read this article beforehand, and was kinda convinced it could have been right, and voila!
I honestly don't think it's real self realization. I bet you if we followed the show into the next decade, Don has some other incident and runs away until his next big inspiration. I don't think anything changed. That's what I think is brilliant.
Matthew Weiner has said this was a snapshot into these characters lives.
Matthew Weiner has said this was a snapshot into these characters lives.
I'd go as far as to say it was a melancholy ending for Don. Just think of everything that happens up until that point. He's finally shed all his baggage. He's hit rock bottom, to the point of being catatonic. No home, no family, no friends. He's toxic to everyone in his life, and he knows it.
Then finally, he connects with another human being. He has a moment of realization. The camera focuses on Don's face, and you see him crack a smile. Has he finally found the happiness he's been desperately seeking out his whole life?
No. The smile belongs to the idea for the Coke ad. Another pitch, another boost to his ego, another fix of his addiction. It's all part of the same old cycle for Don.
In the end, it's always been a show about addictions. The drinking, the smoking, the sex - all addictions to help the characters fill the void in their lives. Don's primary addiction is the rush of that one great idea, and the accolades that come along with it. But those are fleeting. And so sadly, his life keeps going in the same destructive cycle. No happiness to be found.
Then finally, he connects with another human being. He has a moment of realization. The camera focuses on Don's face, and you see him crack a smile. Has he finally found the happiness he's been desperately seeking out his whole life?
No. The smile belongs to the idea for the Coke ad. Another pitch, another boost to his ego, another fix of his addiction. It's all part of the same old cycle for Don.
In the end, it's always been a show about addictions. The drinking, the smoking, the sex - all addictions to help the characters fill the void in their lives. Don's primary addiction is the rush of that one great idea, and the accolades that come along with it. But those are fleeting. And so sadly, his life keeps going in the same destructive cycle. No happiness to be found.
lol perfect