MAD MEN -- FINAL Season Official Thread (possible spoilers)

Does. Megan think Don is still really working not on sabbatical? After my second viewing it seemed like it.

 

Yes, I believe so. Don thinks Don is still working, too. Although at the end of the episode it maybe hits him that he's not.

 

Don declined Megan's offer to drive him to the office by saying he'd take a taxi, so I wonder if he's keeping his forced "sabbatical" from her... I can't remember if she knew last season he'd had that happen at work.

 

He could keep it from her as he's still getting paid.

 

Was the I'm a Man song the Chicago (Transit Authority) version? That did come out in 1969.

 

The Spencer Davis Group's version of "I'm A Man" from 1967. Instantly, it became one of my favorite moments in Mad Men - shaving (whiskers on his chin!) in a plane bathroom, mosaic wall, great cars, slow motion when he sees Megan looking incredible, etc - all with this blasting on top!

 

I really thought he was having a dream and kept waiting for him to wake up on the plane. Instead, his rationalization of his situation was just a dream, which hit him at the end of the episode.

 

The bubble really bursts for Don when the music stops, however. The song & scene represents his fantasy that he is still the old Don Draper. At the end I'm not sure if it's Don or Dick singing "get out'my life why don't you" could be either.

You Keep Me Hanging On sounded so so so good, that fat warm bass & kick drum ...they don't record them like that anymore!

 

It was great to hear the underrated Zombies classic "This Will Be Our Year" at the close of tonight's episode (#2). It made up for the rather tedious plot point about Peggy's dozen roses mistake.

I also loved the brief wide shot of Don's '65 Coupe DeVille.

 

My wife thinks the animated guy falling down from the sky scraper is Don Drapers last move in Mad Men.

 

this has been mooted many times - also to the writer who said it would absolutely not happen.

 

Well done episode last night. Loved Don and Sally together...

Still seems to me like Peggy, Pete, Don, and Roger are all not happy. I could see another ad agency being created....

 

That was a good one. Lots to chew on: Dawn and Shirley, Joan and Jim, Pete and Ted and of course, Don and Sally. I will be rewatching this one tonight, for sure.

I haven't even gotten through the second paragraph of Tom & Lorenzo's recap, and there's a great observation: "Sally’s roommate’s mother dies and because of that one event, Dawn gets a promotion, Joan gives herself a promotion and Don gets something only the truly charmed and/or privileged (and you could argue that Don is both) ever get in life: a second chance."

I didn't put that together. I would argue that it took two things for Dawn to get promoted: Sally's roommate's mother dying, and Peggy thinking that Shirley's flowers were for her from Ted.

Anyway, Tom & Lorenzo's recap is here
http://tomandlorenzo.com/2014/04/mad-men-a-days-work/

Their excellent "Mad Style" post is usually up a couple days after.

 

I went back and watched the 5th and 6th seasons again to get ready for this last one. Have to say, although there were some near "jump the shark" moments, overall both seasons were better than I originally gave them credit for. Problem is that my expectations are so high for what I believe to be the best television show of all time. It's the closest TV has ever come to classic literature in my opinion. The characters are richly drawn with texture and nuance. This final season has been great so far. Really going to miss this show when it's gone.

 

Good second episode. We got to see Sally, as I knew we would. I agree the roses bit was too drawn out, but it did its job of showing how self-involved Peggy has remained, and how desperate for a partner she is and that and Sally's visit set in motion a great deal of change in the workplace. I thought they showed Cooper's reaction to Dawn at the suite's entrance very well.

 

Yet it will continue to be mooted, I suspect.

 

Nobody was happy in the last episode.....except Bob Benson. Think about it. Every single character was unhappy about something. Even Joan's promotion seemed to cause her more pause than joy.

 

Bob Benson's so bad he actually makes me like Pete!

 

All of the unhappiness is building to some sort of zenith when DD finally walks back into the office. Will it be relief that the natural balance of the agency has been restored with the creative vision? Or, will it be a battle between just good enough (right now) versus attempted greatness?

 

so many viewers think the show is about Don. It's actually about Pete! Who's mad all the time? Not Don. It's Pete!

 

I have to admit that I keep waiting for something to BLOW UP. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. A few random observations that may lead to something, or maybe not:

It doesn't look like Lou's exactly getting a big fan club right now.
I hope we get to learn more about Bonnie Whiteside. I hope it isn't just that Pete just can't see that a working woman might have more to worry about than satisfying his physical needs.
Peggy looks like she's losing it. I know that a lot is piling on her, but I've seen her as tough for quite a while.
I like that Dawn's getting some script attention.
How long will they wait to let Don come back?

 

I think it's all about Sally. I'm glad to see her and Don reach a honest moment and now Sally realizes the world is not black and white (no pun intended) but very very gray.

 

Loved this episode! The Sally/Don scenes were all incredible. And we she turned and said "Happy Valentine's Day, I love you" the way she did, wow! And then to hear those chords come in from "This Will Be Our Year" by The Zombies, holy cow!

Random thought - we need to have some Harry Crane scenes!

 

Crane must be gone. What I don't get is why Peggy has a Moviola in her office? Very unlikely that machine would be in an office unless you were a film editor which she is not.

 

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny watching Pete spin out when he's mad? My wife doesn't like him at all, he makes me laugh.