FORGING FORWARD
Mad Men Finale: The Culmination Of Events
DID YOU GUYS GET THE PROMOTIONAL MEMO ABOUT THIS SEASON BEING THE SEXIEST YET?
Because it really had a lot LESS sex than the previous two, even with Betty ultimately running off with Henry and divorcing Don.
Yes, Betty is leaving Don, despite his protests that she's "not herself" or "needs a pil" or whatever. Granted, he does treat her like a wind-up toy, but she allowed it for so long. Who's to say Henry will treat her any differently once the initial spark wears off? I suppose we'll find out next season.
All we get tonight is more insight into how Don lost his father (a horse kicked that drunken jackass in the face, which is fitting, if you ask me), and how this divorce is really destroying Don emotionally. It's clear that he's become more of a family man, while Betty's becoming less interested in motherhood. In a heated exchange, Don tells Betty that the kids would be better off with him, which might be true, but frankly, living in the clubhouse out back like Glen did is probably a better bet than staying under Betty's careless, overmedicated wing.
Of course, the turmoil extends to Sterling Cooper. At a meeting with Hilton, Don learns that SC is up for sale again, only this time, so is its British holding company, PPL. Hilton tells Don that he'll be leaving the agency. Don is clearly okay with being relieved from working with demanding Connie, but he's also pissed that the agency is on the auction block again.
As it goes in advertising, sales create mergers, mergers create redundancies, and redundancies equal layoffs. So you can see how this might end badly for former-heads-of-companies like Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Price.
Don is tired of, in his words, "being batted around like a ping-pong ball," so he decides to buy back the company from McCann. Price tells him that this is impossible -- the deal is already done. So Draper goes to Plan F: Fire Me Right Now. Price obliges and fires Draper, Sterling and Cooper, voiding their contracts. Then, the four men spend the weekend frantically trying to round up talented underlings to help them get things rolling.
Naturally, Don tries to woo Peggy, who's had enough of, in HER words, "following you around like a nervous poodle." She initially refuses, but after Don apologizes for his recent outbursts, she's on board.
The same thing happens with a shrewd Pete Campbell, who negotiates his client roster in exchange for his name on the door. Mealy-mouthed Harry Crane rounds things out, and Joan is brought in to help them do the most important stuff: hire movers, find Don an apartment, figure out where files are, etc. Let’s hope that soon, she tells Greg to shove it and stays where she belongs -- at Sterling Cooper Draper Price, which is currently being operated out of a hotel room. "Accounts gets the bed!" claims Roger, with a follow-up side eye from Joan that says, "Bish, please."
The scene at the old Sterling Cooper the following Monday is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The heist was pulled together so quickly, quietly and assassin-like that no one saw it coming.
Price waltzes in to his boss foaming at the mouth on the other end of the phone (albeit in a very dignified British accent), "What the hell is going ON over there?! You’re fired!"
Price responds in an equally dignified British accent, "Right then. Have a good holiday."
He waltzes back out, lighter than air, as Draper's secretary sobs into her Selectric, douchebag Kinsey discovers Peggy's been picked over him, and everyone else crowds around, gossiping in hushed tones about how stealthily those Mad Men got away.
I can’t WAIT for next season.
Miz J, who works in advertising, is a regular contributor and resident expert on all things Mad Men. Check out her blog.
