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

My prediction has always been that he will end up changing his name (again) and "leaving" society for the counterculture (albeit with a large bank account under another new name!)

 

Naaaa, it's all about de money.

 

I picture an ending similar to how Six Feet Under ended.. flash forward to everyone's deaths. I imagine Don having a massive heart attack in the mid 80's and dying.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

The return of Dick Whitman??

Would love to see him drive off in the sunset on the last episode....

 

My arc for the final season.

Open- Don and Megan are in CA, the kids are with them. Don looks tanned and relaxed. Don and Megan make small talk about her burgeoning career in CA and some of the commercials and bit parts she has done. They both dont want to go to an industry party later that evening. They are going because her agent wants to introduce her to producers and casting execs.

Later at the industry event Don runs into Ted Chough and Harry Crane. After pleasantries, Ted and Don are alone. Ted explains that Harry wanted Ted to attend so he can meet some "industry people". Ted notices that Don is not drinking and they begin to talk.

Ted- So Don, how are you?

Fine- Megan is doing well.

Ted- Thats not what I meant...how are YOU ?

I'm fine. I'm with a smaller shop now and I enjoy the freedom to do what I want.

Ted- Yes I know- I've seen some of your work. Its as good as ever.

Thank you. Do you talk to Peggy ?

Ted- She's still in the loop, but...... I mean in some ways its been easy, wife and kids think every day is a vacation and I enjoy it out here. Its like I have the autonomoy of a small shop, but with a
big company behind me. And Peggy and I still talk quite a bit. Her work has been amazing.

I know- I've seen it. Ted, it was great to see you. Don walks away.

Scene Disolove


Later in the season Don runs into Roger Sterling and Ted Danzler who ostensibly replaced Don at the end of last season. They are in the same hotel lobby after having made presentations to a prospective client.

After pleasantries Roger tells Ted that he will meet him back at the office.

Roger- Don- Great to see you. You know I've kept up with you since you've been back and I've seen your work- heck I've lost to your work (laugh). What you are doing is better than ever.

Thank you Roger. How are things at Sterling ?

Roger- OK. Danzler is holding down the fort, but he's behind the times. Peggy is great and getting better, but she can't dazzle a client. And Ginsberg? Well we keep him behind a locked door. (Both laugh).

Don, I want to you know that I never expected your leave to be perminant. I mean we had to do something.....you **** the bed ! But we always expected you to come back. We want you back.
Roger holds out his hand as if offering a tacit agreement to proceed.

Don refuses the offered hand, and puts his hand on Roger's shoulder.
Roger, I'm happy where I am right now. I have a degree of freedom that I haven't had for quite some time.

Scene Disolve.


Last Episode.

Bert Cooper knocks on Don's appartment door and Don answers. The shake hands and Don asks Bert to come in. While the setting is Don's home, in deference to Bert, Don takes off his shoes and invites Bert to do the same. Both sit down in the living room. Bert on the couch and Don across from him in a club chair.

Bert- Don, I'm glad you are doing well. How are Megan and the kids ?

Thank you, they're fine. Bert would you like something to drink? You know I don't......

Bert- (ignores Don's offer) Don I've followed your work since you returned and you have moved to a new level. You have been able to capture the chaos around us and channel it into something creative.
You're as good as you ever were.

Thank you. How is everyone at SC&Partners ?

Bert- The firm is doing quite well, and we are expanding our West Coast office. Jim Cutler has agreed to move to Los Angeles to oversee client development out there. Don, you know that you are the reason for
our success in California; Sunkist.....

When we asked you to take a leave of abscense, we always expected you to come back. After all Don, we discovered you, nurtured your talent, believed in you and went to war with you. However, your
erratic behavour became something that we could no longer ignore. And then your breakdown in front of a client..... Something had to be done. Sometimes a parent has to turn their back on a child for the
child to grow.

Don, we know who you are. We want you to come back. We want you to come back as a Senior Partner and full creative director.

Is everyone on board with this?

Bert- It was Roger's idea, and Ted agreed immediately. And as I said, Jim Cutler is moving to California.

They stand up and shake hands.

Scene disolve

Next scene is in the SC&P offices, a few weeks later.

We join Don delivering a client presentation that is better than The Wheel. The client all but hands over their checkbook. Everyone is happy. Later that evening, the offices are empty, except for Don's office. Don is at his desk, looking off into the distance. He turns and leans down, we hear the sound of Don opening a drawer. He takes out a bottle of whiskey, blows off the dust and pours himself a drink. He turns away from the camera and faces his office window. He is illuminated by his desk lamp and we see his reflection in the window. He has a devlish expression on his face as he takes a sip of his drink.

Scene disolve, ending music, credits roll.

 

Premiere date of April 13th announced today....

 

The first images from the new season can be found here...

http://www.vulture.com/2014/01/mad-men-photos-season-seven.html?mid=facebook_vulture

 

The first 15 second trailer is up..so psyched!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/06/mad-men-season-7-trailer_n_4912983.html

 

Yep Don getting of a Plane in LA!!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...-shows-Don-Draper-leaving-plane-sunshine.html

It's a sorry mess they are splitting this season in 2!!!!

 

Regardless. I'll be glued to the idiot box.

 

Really looking forward as this has been so wonderful show and definitely one of the best ever (IMHO), I have all the season on bluray aswell.

 

My top 3. The Sopranos ( consistency factor). Lost ( bummer last episode ). Mad Men ( sixties love fest).

 

New Mad Men Season 7 poster:
http://www.vulture.com/2014/03/mad-men-poster-season-seven.html

 

I'm surprised they're calling it "The Final Season" in marketing material. I thought they would do the same as they did for Breaking Bad and call this "season seven" and then next year's season "The Final Season," even though they are both technically one whole season.

What are they going to call it next year? "The FINAL Final Season!" ??

 

Poster doesn't look right with Don in the lower third. Anybody else think AMC just stuck that on there?

 

I agree. It looks like fan art. Really poorly done compared to previous seasons.

 

Seriously. this poster doesn't look right with Don in the lower third. Anybody else think AMC just stuck that on there?

 

Milt Glaser designed that, you know--by hand no less, at the personal request of Matt Weiner. in the world of graphic design, this is a caveat equivalent to getting permission from the beatles to use 'tomorrow never knows.' it might be even more impressive, given that they convinced Milt to work in a style that is not at all contemporary or representative of his firm's current work. graphic designers don't like to seem out of touch with the times, and clients don't usually get to dictate that.

all of this is a testament to the enormous following the show has in the art world. at this point, I've been told firsthand many times over how much it resonates with the old school as a result of its accuracy and generational intrigue. it doesn't surprise me that Glaser is a fan, too.

I really like the poster. the tulip overlapping the 'M' in 'men' is a classic Glaser move. and thanks to Weiner, we all get one last glimpse of new work in the immediately recognizable, often imitated style that Milt and Heinz Edelmann made practically synonymous with the 1960s.

 

That's nice, but it doesn't automatically make it good.

The first two thirds actually are fine, but the slapped on silhouette totally makes it look like fan art.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/arts/design/mad-men-enlists-the-graphics-guru-milton-glaser.html

 

that's a great article--thanks for posting it.

but the silhouette is the icon of the show. Glaser comes from the first era to understand that graphic logos could be striking enough to evoke the name of an entity without requiring the name alongside it. pulling this off is still a lofty goal today--and the Draper silhouette nails it. given that it's missing from promotional material from at least the last season, I have a suspicion that it was Milt himself who reincorporated it for this reason. I think it provides a great minimal, stark black contrast to the busy, colorful illustration.

actually, I'd prefer to have just the illustration with the silhouette at the bottom and no text, but my guess is that AMC had some client requirements--part and parcel of being a designer, no matter who you are. (as demonstrated in the series...) the name does, at least, give Glaser the opportunity to use the tulip to characteristically 'violate the tag,' as it used to be called.

 

I like the design. It's an interesting contrast... Don has not kept up with the times, which is what this poster is telling me.

 

Can't wait for new episode....

 

Don be trippin'