sexton said:

Betty haters may be cheering, but I thought the way her story ends was a bit cruel.

At least Pete was able to find some happiness reuniting with Trudy (who has always been one of my favorites on the show). Pete, please do the viewers a favor and wait until after the series finale to mess this up.

Regulars are making their exits one by one. We're left with just Don, Peggy and Roger for the final episode.

I never minded Betty I think she was a perfect character portrayal of some effluent women in the late 50's and 60's. I think her decision to forgo treatment and her scene with Sally bout knowing when your luck has run out was very well done. It really made sense for Betty's character to accept her fate and go bout her life as normal as possible.

Betty coming around at her final hour to show repsect to her daughter, too painful to those who have lost their own mom to cancer. That episode crushed me.

CarrieCee said:

Don told her to "knock em' dead"....I guess he meant literally. I can't believe they are killing her off this way!!! I guess Don's future will be raising his kids now...

I've wondered about that...

We don't know much about the title of the last episode, save for its title - Person to Person. Has Don evolved at all through the course of the show? I think the "work stuff" is pretty much resolved, & while I would like to see more of Roger, I think we might have to settle with his final scenes being those in last week’s episode, with Peggy, with her roller skating around & him playing the piano (or maybe there was one the morning after that?)

As much as I can’t stand Peggy, if the scene with her walking through the office with Cooper’s old painting, the sunglasses & cigarette in her mouth was a sign of the transitioning from Roger's old guard to her new, then that’s that. I think his dying, especially after Cooper’s, would be too much.

Stan, Duck, Ken - as interesting as they all were at times, ultimately, they're all just filler.

I really think we saw all we needed of Sally & Don's other kids. She got that phone call from her father where she was bored out of her mind, but listened to him when he chided her about money. And she got that meaningful letter from Betty. More importantly, she kind of takes Betty’s place at the table in a way, tending to her confused little brothers & then when Henry tells her it’s ok to cry, she winds up patting his shoulder when he starts sobbing. She’s always been a bit more mature than her mother & in that letter, Betty finally acknowledged it. Betty, continuing with school even after her diagnosis, marches to her own drum, kind of like her daughter has been doing for years. I do hope I'm wrong though. I hope Don comes back from his road trip & doesn't begin yet another new life somewhere. I hope that's not the last conversation they have.

The time he spent with that frumpy waitress was such a waste & will hopefully have some meaningful payoff.

Like Peggy, I think Roger is too important a character to be absent from the final two episodes.

Can't believe this show is really other after just one more episode.

sexton said:

Betty haters may be cheering, but I thought the way her story ends was a bit cruel.

At least Pete was able to find some happiness reuniting with Trudy (who has always been one of my favorites on the show). Pete, please do the viewers a favor and wait until after the series finale to mess this up.

Regulars are making their exits one by one. We're left with just Don, Peggy and Roger for the final episode.

i have always liked betty, one of my faves on the show. :-(very sad it's ending this way.

i think that pete is being set up for a fall. idk, i wouldn't be surprised if the job offer falls through. somehow, i don't think don is coming back. i think when he saw that plane speeding across the sky, and when he goes over to the window and kind of pushes it as though he wanted to go through it, i think those were cues that dick whitman aka don draper is running away from all that he thought he wanted to be. he's had everything that anyone could have ever wanted, and yet it isn't enough for him because he's been living a lie. when he's having that dream of the police officer pulling him over ('you knew we'd catch up to you one day' or words to that effect), that foreshadows to me that he's leaving before he's found out. i guess i'll find out on sunday!!!

kibbles said:

i think that pete is being set up for a fall. idk, i wouldn't be surprised if the job offer falls through. somehow, i don't think don is coming back. i think when he saw that plane speeding across the sky, and when he goes over to the window and kind of pushes it as though he wanted to go through it, i think those were cues that dick whitman aka don draper is running away from all that he thought he wanted to be. he's had everything that anyone could have ever wanted, and yet it isn't enough for him because he's been living a lie. when he's having that dream of the police officer pulling him over ('you knew we'd catch up to you one day' or words to that effect), that foreshadows to me that he's leaving before he's found out. i guess i'll find out on sunday!!!

I thought the plane was a clue for Pete leaving, (the whole private jet thing) and then the knock em' dead comment to Betty was also a clue.

kibbles said:

i think that pete is being set up for a fall. idk, i wouldn't be surprised if the job offer falls through. somehow, i don't think don is coming back. i think when he saw that plane speeding across the sky, and when he goes over to the window and kind of pushes it as though he wanted to go through it, i think those were cues that dick whitman aka don draper is running away from all that he thought he wanted to be. he's had everything that anyone could have ever wanted, and yet it isn't enough for him because he's been living a lie. when he's having that dream of the police officer pulling him over ('you knew we'd catch up to you one day' or words to that effect), that foreshadows to me that he's leaving before he's found out. i guess i'll find out on sunday!!!

Joan and Betty both went out on down notes. Matthew Weiner would have to be a real sadist to crush Pete's dreams too this season. His book is now closed. I'm thinking the finale will be all about Don and Peggy with a small Roger appearance.

4 2night.

I've never missed a single episode of Mad Men. Standing ready to watch it conclude its illustrious 7-year run. Cheers, Don Draper/Dick Whitman!

That's our Don!!!

So, that's who came up with that famous jingle. Once an ad man, always an ad man!

Didn't see the finale. So tell me: Was Roger eaten by zombies!??

Like a can of Coke that's been open too long...that ending fell flat.

What happened to clarity? Are writers & producers fearful of committing to a definitive ending because they feel they'll alienate longtime fans if it's poorly received? Or are they trying to avoid rebukes from critics for not being artistic enough? The show's creator has said this is it for the characters - there will be no sequels or spinoffs, so why leave things so open-ended for the main character of the show?

After years of turmoil & minimal personal growth, after worlds rise & fall around him, the show ends with Don sitting cross-legged on a cliff, "om-ing" away with a bunch of late period hippies. You hear a bell ring & a smile, before it cuts to the classic "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" ad that the agency he fled went on to create. Does this mean that he thought of it in this moment of clarity & went back to NYC to take care of his children, reclaimed his job, his life as Don Draper & went back to his old ways? Or was this just a comment on the world he left behind & how he's happy to be free of it?

And Betty? I had really hoped that with her letter to Sally last week, she'd finally shown some signs of growth, but there she was, smoking at the kitchen table, while Sally was doing the dishes. I haven't researched whether people at that point were aware of the negative impact of secondhand smoke, but she's at the very least not setting the best example for her children, having recently been diagnosed with cancer & still smoking right in front of them.

Roger? He'll drink himself into oblivion.

Pete & Trudie? I wish them well. Maybe Trudie will do him some good.

Peggy & the Sasquatch? Can't stand Peggy. Sasquatch can do better.

Joan was right to ditch the old man.

[Edited 5/18/15 5:00am]

LittlePurpleYoda said:

After years of turmoil & minimal personal growth, after worlds rise & fall around him, the show ends with Don sitting cross-legged on a cliff, "om-ing" away with a bunch of late period hippies. You hear a bell ring & a smile, before it cuts to the classic "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" ad that the agency he fled went on to create. Does this mean that he thought of it in this moment of clarity & went back to NYC to take care of his children, reclaimed his job, his life as Don Draper & went back to his old ways? Or was this just a comment on the world he left behind & how he's happy to be free of it?

I think the "ding" while om-ing was when Don had an A-Ha moment and HE created the biggest ad for Coke, in the history of coke. I took it as "you can't change who you are"....he WAS advertising...it will always be in him and he nailed it with that ad campaign for coke.

I liked the finale. I thought it tied up all the loose ends. Everyone had a happy ending except for Betty. Bravo!

Agree with previous post. Don put a slight smile on his face. He hightailed it back to NY and made that commercial. In real life, "I'd like to buy the world a Coke," is a commercial created by McCann-Erickson in 1971.

Lammastide said:

Didn't see the finale. So tell me: Was Roger eaten by zombies!??

Sort of...he married Megan's mother.

CarrieCee said:

LittlePurpleYoda said:

After years of turmoil & minimal personal growth, after worlds rise & fall around him, the show ends with Don sitting cross-legged on a cliff, "om-ing" away with a bunch of late period hippies. You hear a bell ring & a smile, before it cuts to the classic "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" ad that the agency he fled went on to create. Does this mean that he thought of it in this moment of clarity & went back to NYC to take care of his children, reclaimed his job, his life as Don Draper & went back to his old ways? Or was this just a comment on the world he left behind & how he's happy to be free of it?

I think the "ding" while om-ing was when Don had an A-Ha moment and HE created the biggest ad for Coke, in the history of coke. I took it as "you can't change who you are"....he WAS advertising...it will always be in him and he nailed it with that ad campaign for coke.

I liked the finale. I thought it tied up all the loose ends. Everyone had a happy ending except for Betty. Bravo!

Look at it this way: if he didn't create that ad, then the show ends on a very positive note, with the character finally having what looks like a real breakthrough, and no indication beyond that of what happens to him...

If he created it, then Don took his breakthrough and used it to sell pop. It's kind of sweet, it's his next carousel moment, but also cynical. And it makes perfect sense considering that a major message on this show has been that people don't really change all that much

And of course, the ambiguity will only serve to fuel the show's legacy in the years to come.

LittlePurpleYoda said:

CarrieCee said:

I think the "ding" while om-ing was when Don had an A-Ha moment and HE created the biggest ad for Coke, in the history of coke. I took it as "you can't change who you are"....he WAS advertising...it will always be in him and he nailed it with that ad campaign for coke.

I liked the finale. I thought it tied up all the loose ends. Everyone had a happy ending except for Betty. Bravo!

Look at it this way: if he didn't create that ad, then the show ends on a very positive note, with the character finally having what looks like a real breakthrough, and no indication beyond that of what happens to him...

If he created it, then Don took his breakthrough and used it to sell pop. It's kind of sweet, it's his next carousel moment, but also cynical. And it makes perfect sense considering that a major message on this show has been that people don't really change all that much

And of course, the ambiguity will only serve to fuel the show's legacy in the years to come.

He definitely created the ad...

I enjoyed it though my only grip would be that there wasn't that much finality to the show. Also I didn't really buy the Peggy/Stan thing. I also found it interesting that so many scenes took place over the phone.

CarrieCee said:

Lammastide said:

Didn't see the finale. So tell me: Was Roger eaten by zombies!??

Sort of...he married Megan's mother.

CarrieCee said:

LittlePurpleYoda said:

Look at it this way: if he didn't create that ad, then the show ends on a very positive note, with the character finally having what looks like a real breakthrough, and no indication beyond that of what happens to him...

If he created it, then Don took his breakthrough and used it to sell pop. It's kind of sweet, it's his next carousel moment, but also cynical. And it makes perfect sense considering that a major message on this show has been that people don't really change all that much

And of course, the ambiguity will only serve to fuel the show's legacy in the years to come.

He definitely created the ad...

But he said he'd retired. Maybe he fed it to Peggy, like he did when he was suspended, & helped her get the Creative Director gig faster than she may have otherwise? It's all just conjecture, sure, but it's annoyingly what we're left with.

And it's not limited to this thread:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/mad-men-finale-don-peggy-create-coke-ad-article-1.2226352

http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/05/18/the-man-behind-the-id-like-to-buy-the-world-a-coke-ad-besides-possibly-don-draper/

http://hollywoodlife.com/2015/05/18/mad-men-series-finale-recap-don-creates-coke-commercial/

My

.

• The Cocaine scene was priceless, hello the 70's!

.

• The final scene between Birdie and Don was heart breaking.

.

• Peggy deserved the love of her work partner, the best part to me.

.

• The classic commercial at the end told you Don kept on doing what Don does.

.

• For a brief look at the life and times of these people in the time period they did the show in, this had to be one of the mose realistic, un-apologetic, detailed oriented, well shot shows in television history. Of course there were flaws but as a whole nothing else stands next to this.

.

• Oh and I've worked in advertising for most of my life so my perspective is a bit tainted.

[Edited 5/18/15 9:32am]

LittlePurpleYoda said:

CarrieCee said:

He definitely created the ad...

But he said he'd retired. Maybe he fed it to Peggy, like he did when he was suspended, & helped her get the Creative Director gig faster than she may have otherwise? It's all just conjecture, sure, but it's annoyingly what we're left with.

And it's not limited to this thread:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/mad-men-finale-don-peggy-create-coke-ad-article-1.2226352

http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/05/18/the-man-behind-the-id-like-to-buy-the-world-a-coke-ad-besides-possibly-don-draper/

http://hollywoodlife.com/2015/05/18/mad-men-series-finale-recap-don-creates-coke-commercial/

I dunno....I've read some things on the AMC site and NPR and they all seemed to believe it was his "A-ha" moment. How else would you describe the ding insantly followed by the smirk instantly followed by the most iconic coke ad in history?

Slave2daGroove said:

My

.

• The Cocaine scene was priceless, hello the 70's!

.

• The final scene between Birdie and Don was heart breaking.

.

• Peggy deserved the love of her work partner, the best part to me.

.

• The classic commercial at the end told you Don kept on doing what Don does.

.

• For a brief look at the life and times of these people in the time period they did the show in, this had to be one of the mose realistic, un-apologetic, detailed oriented, well shot shows in television history. Of course there were flaws but as a whole nothing else stands next to this.

• Oh and I've worked in advertising for most of my life so my persective is a bit tainted.

I agree with you 100%

And I cried during the telephone scene with Birdie and Don....

CarrieCee said:

Slave2daGroove said:

My

.

• The Cocaine scene was priceless, hello the 70's!

.

• The final scene between Birdie and Don was heart breaking.

.

• Peggy deserved the love of her work partner, the best part to me.

.

• The classic commercial at the end told you Don kept on doing what Don does.

.

• For a brief look at the life and times of these people in the time period they did the show in, this had to be one of the mose realistic, un-apologetic, detailed oriented, well shot shows in television history. Of course there were flaws but as a whole nothing else stands next to this.

• Oh and I've worked in advertising for most of my life so my persective is a bit tainted.

I agree with you 100%

And I cried during the telephone scene with Birdie and Don....

Me too, like a weeping baby. While my wife laughed at me... not my best "man moment"

[Edited 5/18/15 9:34am]

Slave2daGroove said:

CarrieCee said:

I agree with you 100%

And I cried during the telephone scene with Birdie and Don....

Me too, like a weeping baby. While my wife laughed at me... not my best "man moment"

It's ok

I actually felt the pain Don was feeling at that moment, it was so heart breaking (and great acting). Betty was never a great actress...but even she got me during that scene!

I was watching the marathon but now I'm behind on that, too. Hope it was a slam-dunk finale!

Playlist for part two of season seven now streaming: https://8tracks.com/sexto...ven-part-2