So you may have noticed that the blog has gone dark for a
while. Since May 20th to be
exact, including not one single post in June, the first month since the blog
started that that happened. So what does
it mean? Well for one, it means we
haven’t been posting anything. But
really it just means we haven’t had anything to say, or more appropriately,
haven’t had anything to say in blog form. I
hate to say it, but it’s possible the blog fad has passed (for us at least – it
may have passed a long time ago for everyone else). We’ll see what happens going forward. For now, I have a post on the Mad Men
mid-season finale that I wrote sometime shortly after it aired and never
posted for reasons unclear even to me. So here it is:
Well that went fast.
Seven episodes done and now we have to wait another year (I suppose at
this point were down to 9 months) to get the conclusion of the final
season of Mad Men. Here are some
thoughts on where we’re leaving each character.
Megan – so I guess this is officially goodbye? I feel like we’ve seen the Megan-Don marriage
end multiple times, so maybe they will reconcile yet again, but I think we've seen the last of Megan. With only seven episodes left, there’s probably too much else to wrap up to
waste time on her. That being said, I
know I liked Megan more than the average viewer, and I always felt she was a
good way to show us someone Don could be happy with. But as Don himself once said, “But what is
happiness? It's a moment before you need more happiness.” And that is certainly true of Don
and women. Megan made him happy. But so did Faye, and Rachel, and even Betty
once upon a time. And then Don needs to move on. Here’s hoping Megan
becomes a big Hollywood success.
Bert – I’m even more certain that this is the last we’ve
seen of him. At least he got to witness
the moon landing before he kicked the bucket.
And he even got to give us a song and dance number from beyond the
grave. I think his ghost was trying to
tell Don that it’s not all about the money.
We’ll see what Don does with this information.
Cutler – well, it is a lot of money. The resident villain of SC&P wasn’t able
to get what he wanted with Don out of the firm, but he did agree to cash in on
the offer from McCann.
Betty – I feel like I’ve said this before, but what is left
of Betty’s story? To justify her
continued presence on the show the writers are going to have to come up with
something for her to do in the last seven episodes. If nothing else, it might be nice to see her
and Don have some sort of real closure to their relationship.
Sally – smoking cigs and kissing nerds. I also liked how Sally repeated the college
dude’s comment about the moon landing being too expensive when she was talking
to Don on the phone. Don’t be cynical
her Dad tells her. That’s good advice
Don. I still find it hard to believe that
Sally doesn’t end up at Woodstock. I mean she has to get into some trouble before the show says goodbye, right?
Ted – was he suicidal there at the beginning? Is this still because of Peggy? Seriously? Get it together man. With Ted presumably coming back to NY, is it
inevitable that he’ll end up with Peggy at the end? Because I’m kind of rooting for that not to happen. Like seriously hoping that isn't a story line we have to endure.
Harry – at this point the computer will make partner before
Harry.
Joan – I like that Roger referred to her as Benedict Joan. I still remain confused on her behavior all
season. I get that Don cost her a lot of
money by killing the deal where the firm would go public (I think), but I think
it’s been a bit much. Hopefully now that
she’s got her money, Joan will be a bit more pleasant in the second half. I feel like there’s story left to tell with
her and I still think her and Roger end up together in the end.
Roger – he’s been mostly comic relief, but it was good to
see him flex the dramatic muscles when talking on the phone with Don. Bert was a father figure to Roger and it’s
understandable how emotional it made him and how he suddenly had much more
incentive to try to keep his friend Don around.
And it was good to finally see him take charge and do something. Although I wonder if they’ve gone to this
well a few too many times. How many times can one firm change names and move offices and avoid folding?
Pete – I have 10%!
Yes Pete, we know, you’re rich now. Or richer.
Peggy – I didn’t write about this previously, but it was
great seeing her and Don reconcile. The scene of them working in Lou’s office that ended in the slow dance will be
added to the top scenes the show has ever given us. Much like Bert to Roger, Don has been Peggy's father figure all along. The two of them have been through so much
together and it’s a better show when they’re on the same team. It was also great to hear Peggy give her
first Don-like pitch to a client. The
baton has officially been passed.
Don – “I worry about a lot of things, but I don’t worry about you.” Again, I love Don playing the father figure
to Peggy and then putting his ego aside to let her do the Burger Chef pitch. Two other great Don scenes: Meredith
attempting to comfort Don after he gets the termination letter. Never change Meredith. And an angry Don charging into Roger’s office
and forcing the partners to vote on his dismissal. “Motion denied!” Poor Cutler, don’t you know not to make Don
angry? I still think the show ends with
him out of advertising, although the new contract with McCann may make that more difficult. But Don’s never been one
to care much about contracts and rules and not doing things only for himself. We’ll just have to wait and see . . . another 9 months.
Ok gang, see you next year.
You know, if the blog is still around.
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