Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), Betty Francis (January Jones), Megan Draper (Jessica Pare) and Don Draper (Jon Hamm) – Mad Men _ Season 7, Gallery – Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC
As promised, Matthew Weiner left us with chills and a memorable sendoff: the famous Coke ad, the Coke account that Don Draper had just been offered, played us out of “Mad Men” in Sunday’s finale. “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,” the jingle sang, as Don sang an “Om” at a California hillside spiritual retreat. It was, you might say, the Real Thing.
What worked: Joan’s choice of blossoming career over cushy retirement. Holloway Harris, both of Joan’s maiden names, join to form her new company name. A feminist partnership. She rejects Richard’s offers, stating, “I would never make you choose.”
What didn’t work: Peggy and Stan proclaiming their love after all this time. It was the only moment that felt like a TV show wrap up.
By contrast, Roger and Megan’s mom are perfect together, noshing lobster while ordering in French (“champagne pour ma mere”). And Sally Draper taking charge of her younger siblings in the kitchen seemed quite natural. (Weiner has said no to spinoffs, but Sally tackling the 70’s would be a kick.)
Don, after tumbling towards the bottom throughout the series, get there in the finale (belongings in a paper bag, awaking with a hooker who has stolen his money, bounced back to his niece who knows him as Dick Whitman, pathetically offering her Megan’s wedding ring instead of cash… “A lot has happened,” he says meekly). Don hits bottom slumped beside a pay phone. But he isn’t dead. Instead, he is coming clean, telling Peggy long-distance that, “I’m not the man you think I am.” She urges him to come home. And he will, to make the, after a heartfelt hug with another broken man in the spiritual retreat that seemed so corny to Don at first, but which ultimately allows him a breakthrough.
Weiner has allowed us a tiny bit of sentimentality after the agony his characters have endured during a tough era. And we thank him for keeping us company.
