Mad Men Season 7 *Spoilers*

Sad Professor

I’m going to withhold judgment on this episode until next week. But I have a bad feeling this Betty business is a contrived plot device to resolve Don’s storyline.

zeffabelli

Sad Professor wrote: »

I’m going to withhold judgment on this episode until next week. But I have a bad feeling this Betty business is a contrived plot device to resolve Don’s storyline.

To get him to go home again?

Or to see him continue going?

How would he ever find out unless he calls Sally.....He may just ride off into the sunset in ignorance...I could see Weiner doing that.

Should we take bets?

mackthefinger

I don't think I've ever looked forward to an episode of anything as I have mad men.
Sublime scripts, characterization, direction, music...hate to think next
week is the final one but I really believe it's going out on a high.

I found Betty's storyline heartbreaking. I haven't always been her biggest fan but she really seemed
to be in a good place emotionally in her life. 'Bye bye birdie, indeed.

Don seems to have morphed into the hobo we met back in series one. Turning up with
little at a strange house, having a warm meal cooked for him, doing odd jobs.
Getting conned by a bad man (or men). But great to see him smiling at the end, it's been a while.
'Everyday, it's a little closer, goin faster than a roller coaster.'

Still no idea how the next episode will end, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was all Don.
All of the other characters have reached an end, of sorts, for better or worse.

Have read the

DB Cooper

theory and think it's unlikely. Wouldn't make much sense.

The most outlandish one?

We shoot forward to a modern skyscraper, a beautiful autumn day.
The remaining partners are having a meeting. Don's aged but dapper, an elegant older man. Roger's in a wheelchair, but still wisecracking.
Perhaps Pete has gone bald and Peggy has rose to the peak of her profession. Suddenly there's a flash and screaming.
It's September 11, 2001. And Don becomes the famous falling man.

I'm off to watch a few old episodes for the next week. 'The Wheel,' 'Shut the door. Have a seat,' and my personal
favourite 'The suitcase.' But think I'll start with 'The hobo code.'

The Black Oil

Great episode. Lots of death and renewal, I suppose. Tough for Sally to carry the torch, but I don't doubt she's capable. Don speaking from experience...

Barna77

Not the most likeable character but I've always liked Betty, even though she's been a total bitch to anyone around her. Sad to see her go like this. But at the end she's reconciled Sally, who's been her nemesis all these seasons.

Never expected Pete tp have a happy ending. And here I was thinking he'd use the famous riffle to kill himself or someone else.

johnny_ultimate

Sad Professor wrote: »

But I have a bad feeling this Betty business is a contrived plot device to resolve Don’s storyline.

Even if it does play into Don's plot next week, what happened to Betty this week works extremely well regardless. Her reaction to the news goes to show how much she has matured and developed as a character, from the shallower one she was at times throughout the seasons. While heartbreaking, there was also something uplifting about seeing Betty confronting the diagnosis with such bravery, maturity and honesty, and finally achieving the independence she had been working towards. Her climbing that stairs, despite seemingly severe pain, was a potent image. It also offered a catharsis in the often fraught relationship between Sally and Betty. It took something extreme to bring them closer together again, but perhaps that was what needed to achieve closure on one of the show's trickier storylines, and send Sally off into an unseen future with newfound responsibility and insight.

On a grander thematic scale, it adds another twist to the show's exploration of gender roles. Perhaps Betty, despite her clear maturation as an individual, just couldn't segue to the 1970s effortlessly. Instead, the future is one for Sallys, Joans and Peggys, even if their transitions aren't going to be entirely smooth either as Joan's experiences last week starkly illustrated.

So yeah, regardless of whether Betty's cancer forces Don to return from his voyage of death and rebirth, I think what happened this episode explored the idea sufficiently to justify it anyway. Looking back over the six episodes so far this half-season, it actually seems Betty's scenes have been some of the most memorable and rewarding. Her potentially final encounter with Don was pitch-perfect, and her handling of Glen Bishop's wooing attempts was one of the most poignant, sensitive and even surprising moments of the series.

jcsoulinger

Any one else get the feeling that the final episode may be all about Don, I don't think I'd mind if that was the case, no real loose ends in anyone else's story now really. If it is the case then Peggy's final scene was some entrance/exit.

greenfrogs

jcsoulinger wrote: »

Any one else get the feeling that the final episode may be all about Don, I don't think I'd mind if that was the case, no real loose ends in anyone else's story now really. If it is the case then Peggy's final scene was some entrance/exit.

I hope not. I really want to see Roger and Peggy again. I think Peggy's storyline is still open as regards to see will she be given the same position in the new company.

Sad Professor

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Even if it does play into Don's plot next week, what happened to Betty this week works extremely well regardless. Her reaction to the news goes to show how much she has matured and developed as a character, from the shallower one she was at times throughout the seasons. While heartbreaking, there was also something uplifting about seeing Betty confronting the diagnosis with such bravery, maturity and honesty, and finally achieving the independence she had been working towards. Her climbing that stairs, despite seemingly severe pain, was a potent image. It also offered a catharsis in the often fraught relationship between Sally and Betty. It took something extreme to bring them closer together again, but perhaps that was what needed to achieve closure on one of the show's trickier storylines, and send Sally off into an unseen future with newfound responsibility and insight.

On a grander thematic scale, it adds another twist to the show's exploration of gender roles. Perhaps Betty, despite her clear maturation as an individual, just couldn't segue to the 1970s effortlessly. Instead, the future is one for Sallys, Joans and Peggys, even if their transitions aren't going to be entirely smooth either as Joan's experiences last week starkly illustrated.

So yeah, regardless of whether Betty's cancer forces Don to return from his voyage of death and rebirth, I think what happened this episode explored the idea sufficiently to justify it anyway. Looking back over the six episodes so far this half-season, it actually seems Betty's scenes have been some of the most memorable and rewarding. Her potentially final encounter with Don was pitch-perfect, and her handling of Glen Bishop's wooing attempts was one of the most poignant, sensitive and even surprising moments of the series.

I don’t fault the execution, which I’d agree was well done. However, I’ve always liked Betty and didn’t need her to get cancer to feel sympathy for her. If anything I think she’s been hard done by the writers as it is. And I don’t think how she handled the diagnosis was necessarily a result of her character growth. I reckon her personality type would have taken it with the same acceptance even had it happened in the first season.

My ambivalence about this episode is mainly down to the fear, which I’ve had since the first season, that Don is Weiner’s alter-ego and that he will end the show in such a way as to reassure his own worldview, i.e. Don finally cops on to himself and after going “around and around” will finally return home again, to a place where "we know are loved”, à la his life is carousel pitch from the season 1 finale.

I’ve no problem with the sentiment, if that is indeed where Weiner is going with this, but I don’t like how he’s getting there. I really don’t want to see Don’s existential crisis resolved with some deus ex machina-esque plot contrivance designed to give his life meaning, especially when everything to date has pointed towards him being a bad father who his children would be better off without.

Tbh I’m probably not going to be satisfied with anything but an ambiguous, dreamlike ending that will give me something to think about.

The Black Oil

Weiner doesn't strike me as someone who is interested in falling back on an ending that might be Hollywood friendly, a la cancer and Don seeing the light, potentially. Funny that Sad Prof mentioned the carousel, that came to mind for me, too. Can't wait to see it anyway.

zeffabelli

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Even if it does play into Don's plot next week, what happened to Betty this week works extremely well regardless. Her reaction to the news goes to show how much she has matured and developed as a character, from the shallower one she was at times throughout the seasons. While heartbreaking, there was also something uplifting about seeing Betty confronting the diagnosis with such bravery, maturity and honesty, and finally achieving the independence she had been working towards. Her climbing that stairs, despite seemingly severe pain, was a potent image. It also offered a catharsis in the often fraught relationship between Sally and Betty. It took something extreme to bring them closer together again, but perhaps that was what needed to achieve closure on one of the show's trickier storylines, and send Sally off into an unseen future with newfound responsibility and insight.

On a grander thematic scale, it adds another twist to the show's exploration of gender roles. Perhaps Betty, despite her clear maturation as an individual, just couldn't segue to the 1970s effortlessly. Instead, the future is one for Sallys, Joans and Peggys, even if their transitions aren't going to be entirely smooth either as Joan's experiences last week starkly illustrated.

So yeah, regardless of whether Betty's cancer forces Don to return from his voyage of death and rebirth, I think what happened this episode explored the idea sufficiently to justify it anyway. Looking back over the six episodes so far this half-season, it actually seems Betty's scenes have been some of the most memorable and rewarding. Her potentially final encounter with Don was pitch-perfect, and her handling of Glen Bishop's wooing attempts was one of the most poignant, sensitive and even surprising moments of the series.

I really loved this episode, I saw how even through old patterns new things emerge though repetition. Some say there is no future in repetition, but maybe there is.

Did you notice how Betty's dress never adapted to the late 60s and 70s...she is from an older era and her death signifies the end of that glamour. Once and for all. Betty was pre the sexual revolution and old school. That time is now dead.

Betty was a lot younger than Don too, with a different expectation of marriage...generational differences.

I don't know if I see this as growth in Betty, but something that was always there, and probably something she had already decided after she saw her own mother die.

Pete showed a lot of character growth, emerging out of his spoiled bratness to come awake to what he loves and what he let go of and a true appreciation at a second chance. I love when he says "Why now?" after Trudy tells him we both know there are things that can't be undone. Pete got the best lines again.

I also don't think we will see Don return. I think we see him shedding old skin, for a new identity, nor do I think we will see him even getting notice of her illness. So now we will have two dead Mrs. Drapers and the department store woman, haunting him.

He is a man of ghosts.

Sad Professor

The Black Oil wrote: »

Weiner doesn't strike me as someone who is interested in falling back on an ending that might be Hollywood friendly, a la cancer and Don seeing the light, potentially.

Hopefully not but you never know. Show runners can get a bit sentimental as the end approaches. See BSG, where after years of putting his characters through all kinds of hell, RDM decided they had earned a happy ending and had to be talked into killing one of the characters by the actor. I thought the stuff with Pete and Trudy in this episode came out of left field. Pete has spent most of his time on the show being punched and humiliated, yet Weiner all of a sudden wants things to work out for him.

Sad Professor

Betty’s cancer diagnosis has to have been designed by Weiner to tie into the resolution of Don’s storyline, otherwise why make it terminal and why wait until Don is gone travelling for her to find out. Assuming this is the case, I can only see this playing out one of two ways:

Don finds out, rides home on a white horse to comfort his children as their mother dies. He’s lost everything except the thing that really matters: being a father. Nice, reassuring ending about getting back to the place where we are loved, etc.

Or:

Don finds out but too late. By the time he gets back Betty has already been dead sometime. His children hate him and Henry tells him to get lost, promising that he will pull every string to ensure he loses any custody battle. Don’s free fall is now complete and he has truly lost everything. He wanted more and is left “ruined”, “wishing for what [he] had”.

zeffabelli

Sad Professor wrote: »

Betty’s cancer diagnosis has to have been designed by Weiner to tie into the resolution of Don’s storyline, otherwise why make it terminal and why wait until Don is gone travelling for her to find out. Assuming this is the case, I can only see this playing out one of two ways:

Don finds out, rides home on a white horse to comfort his children as their mother dies. He’s lost everything except the thing that really matters: being a father. Nice, reassuring ending about getting back to the place where we are loved, etc.

Or:

Don finds out but too late. By the time he gets back Betty has already been dead sometime. His children hate him and Henry tells him to get lost, promising that he will pull every string to ensure he loses any custody battle. Don’s free fall is now complete and he has truly lost everything. He wanted more and is left “ruined”, “wishing for what [he] had”.

In order to value life, someone has to die.

Someone here is going to start valuing life as a result of Betty's death, other wise her death means very little in terms its affect on the others.

Her death will be a loss for Henry and her children, but it wont for Don because he already lost her. But he may value what he once had, and the life he has left.

It's impossible to predict this show,but based on the last episode, which seem to be about the lessons of wanting too much, everyone is getting a little humbled.

But if he leaves without ever finding out, then that has a completely different impact on the viewer. How sad that he never finds out... how much he has taken for granted...and then we think then about how much we take for granted and how you never ever know when it will be the last time you ever see someone again. In some ways, I think this is the most poignant option.

Sad Professor

Death has loomed over the show and Don from the beginning. I think it’s a bit late for him to be learning the value of life. As you said, he’s already lost several important women in his life. Betty’s death isn’t going to be any easier or harder for him. The major difference between her death and the others is how it potentially effects his role as a father, which is the one thing from his life as Don Draper that he thus far hasn’t been in danger of losing or abandoning. Which is why he’s definitely going to find out about Betty. The question is what happens when he does. Does he get them back or does he lose them as well?

Betty’s imminent death is either setting up Don’s redemption or it’s setting up his final downfall. Given that it’s a show about a man in free fall, I’m hoping it’s the latter, even if it’s going to be painful to watch.

The Black Oil

Was there anything or any event going on in the 70s that mirrors the cancer? Vietnam? War stories kinda covered already, though.

fruvai

Sad Professor wrote: »

Betty’s cancer diagnosis has to have been designed by Weiner to tie into the resolution of Don’s storyline, otherwise why make it terminal and why wait until Don is gone travelling for her to find out. Assuming this is the case, I can only see this playing out one of two ways:

Don finds out, rides home on a white horse to comfort his children as their mother dies. He’s lost everything except the thing that really matters: being a father. Nice, reassuring ending about getting back to the place where we are loved, etc.

Or:

Don finds out but too late. By the time he gets back Betty has already been dead sometime. His children hate him and Henry tells him to get lost, promising that he will pull every string to ensure he loses any custody battle. Don’s free fall is now complete and he has truly lost everything. He wanted more and is left “ruined”, “wishing for what [he] had”.

I think the latter(or some minute variation thereof) is more likely - it wouldn't surprise me if the ending is extremely similar to how the last episode of the first season ended (like David Chase did with the Sopranos). I hope this is Betty's farewell song :pac: :

zeffabelli

The Black Oil wrote: »

Was there anything or any event going on in the 70s that mirrors the cancer? Vietnam? War stories kinda covered already, though.

The degradarion of New York City. All the grown ups left for the suburbs...city fell to ****...summer of sam....70s were terrible.

If you are a fan of Mad Men then you must read the introduction to John Cheever's Short Stories.

conorhal

mackthefinger wrote: »

I don't think I've ever looked forward to an episode of anything as I have mad men.
Sublime scripts, characterization, direction, music...hate to think next
week is the final one but I really believe it's going out on a high.

I found Betty's storyline heartbreaking. I haven't always been her biggest fan but she really seemed
to be in a good place emotionally in her life. 'Bye bye birdie, indeed.

Don seems to have morphed into the hobo we met back in series one. Turning up with
little at a strange house, having a warm meal cooked for him, doing odd jobs.
Getting conned by a bad man (or men). But great to see him smiling at the end, it's been a while.
'Everyday, it's a little closer, goin faster than a roller coaster.'

Still no idea how the next episode will end, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was all Don.
All of the other characters have reached an end, of sorts, for better or worse.

Have read the

DB Cooper

theory and think it's unlikely. Wouldn't make much sense.

The most outlandish one?

We shoot forward to a modern skyscraper, a beautiful autumn day.
The remaining partners are having a meeting. Don's aged but dapper, an elegant older man. Roger's in a wheelchair, but still wisecracking.
Perhaps Pete has gone bald and Peggy has rose to the peak of her profession. Suddenly there's a flash and screaming.
It's September 11, 2001. And Don becomes the famous falling man.

I'm off to watch a few old episodes for the next week. 'The Wheel,' 'Shut the door. Have a seat,' and my personal
favourite 'The suitcase.' But think I'll start with 'The hobo code.'

There's been a lot of pathos for some of the series less likable characters this week, poor Betty, I was even fist pumping the air for Pete Campbell and his 'Say Anything' moment.
I think at this stage Don's arc has been well telegraphed, most heavilly hinted at in the opening scene of this weeks episode when he's pulled over, a flash forward I presume?

I take it that Don has been pulled over has he has been identified at Dick the deserter, which is an offence he could still be courtmarshalled and imprisoned for. My guess would be that there was enough information given by Don to the vets at the fundraiser to ensure that they were able to identify the 'con man' who took their money, doubtless Don Draper has been identified as an alias and an arrest warrent activated for him. I guess the end of the series is Dick going to jail, but at least reconciled with who he really is.

jcsoulinger

conorhal wrote: »

There's been a lot of pathos for some of the series less likable characters this week, poor Betty, I was even fist pumping the air for Pete Campbell and his 'Say Anything' moment.
I think at this stage Don's arc has been well telegraphed, most heavilly hinted at in the opening scene of this weeks episode when he's pulled over, a flash forward I presume?

I take it that Don has been pulled over has he has been identified at Dick the deserter, which is an offence he could still be courtmarshalled and imprisoned for. My guess would be that there was enough information given by Don to the vets at the fundraiser to ensure that they were able to identify the 'con man' who took their money, doubtless Don Draper has been identified as an alias and an arrest warrent activated for him. I guess the end of the series is Dick going to jail, but at least reconciled with who he really is.

I don't know which is further off the mark the 9/11 falling man or this ending, both are equally unlikely imo. The only way Don goes to jail is if he turns himself in.

conorhal

jcsoulinger wrote: »

I don't know which is further off the mark the 9/11 falling man or this ending, both are equally unlikely imo. The only way Don goes to jail is if he turns himself in.

I don't see why it's improbable. The took the fall for the stolen money at the fundraiser where he told a lot of now pissed off vets where he was stationed, when and the circumstances of how he was sent home. Likely they reported him to the war office out of spite and it might not have taken a huge amount of detective work to figure out that it wasn't Don Draper that was sent home and it wasn't Dick Whitmann that got blown up.
Technically Dick still a deserter, and at the height of the Vietnam war, I'm guessing that's a no,no.
When the cop pulled him over he told Don that he knew what this was about and, I think, that he was about to get was was a long time coming to him. What else could that be?

At the end of the day Dicks identity as Don has been slowly slipping away all season, the logical arc for him is that he becomes who he truly is Dick, the entire series have been about identity in one form or another and accepting who he is will have consequences for Don, I suspect his conversation with the cop must be his past catching up with him and Dick accepting who he really is. Perhaps he can wriggle out of a jail sentence, but sooner or later he will become Dick Whitman again.

jcsoulinger

conorhal wrote: »

I don't see why it's improbable. The took the fall for the stolen money at the fundraiser where he told a lot of now pissed off vets where he was stationed, when and the circumstances of how he was sent home. Likely they reported him to the war office out of spite and it might not have taken a huge amount of detective work to figure out that it wasn't Don Draper that was sent home and it wasn't Dick Whitmann that got blown up.
Technically Dick still a deserter, and at the height of the Vietnam war, I'm guessing that's a no,no.
When the cop pulled him over he told Don that he knew what this was about and, I think, that he was about to get was was a long time coming to him. What else could that be?

At the end of the day Dicks identity as Don has been slowly slipping away all season, the logical arc for him is that he becomes who he truly is Dick, the entire series have been about identity in one form or another and accepting who he is will have consequences for Don, I suspect his conversation with the cop must be his past catching up with him and Dick accepting who he really is. Perhaps he can wriggle out of a jail sentence, but sooner or later he will become Dick Whitman again.

Its unlikely to me because Don has already been outed by Pete ages ago we have already seen this play out, Which ever direction Dons life takes next it must be under his control not dictated by out side forces, If it happens as you say then we will have learned nothing and I will be very disappointed.

conorhal

jcsoulinger wrote: »

Its unlikely to me because Don has already been outed by Pete ages ago we have already seen this play out, Which ever direction Dons life takes next it must be under his control not dictated by out side forces, If it happens as you say then we will have learned nothing and I will be very disappointed.

Pete knows his secret, which he had to tell him because he couldn't work on military contracts because his identity would not stand up to the scrutiny of a background check, the government doesn't know who he really is, but I suspect that they're about to.
Don admitting and accepting who he really is would be him taking control of his life which, for the longest time, hasn't been his life because he has been living as sombody else.
Slowly over the last few season Don has been evolving into Dick Whitman and admitting his past to more and more people while recognising that his life as Don Draper has become a hollow shell. I think he's ready to leave Don behind and become Dick again.

jcsoulinger

conorhal wrote: »

Pete knows his secret, which he had to tell him because he couldn't work on military contracts because his identity would not stand up to the scrutiny of a background check, the government doesn't know who he really is, but I suspect that they're about to.
Don admitting and accepting who he really is would be him taking control of his life which, for the longest time, hasn't been his life because he has been living as sombody else.
Slowly over the last few season Don has been evolving into Dick Whitman and admitting his past to more and more people while recognising that his life as Don Draper has become a hollow shell. I think he's ready to leave Don behind and become Dick again.

Don has lived with the jeopardy of being revealed as Dick since day one, we are past that now. You reckon him getting court marshalled for desertion will make him realise he's happier as Dick fair enough. I just think it would be better if he could reach a place of fulfillment on his own, be it Don or Dick. Personally I hope he realizes he's always been Don and Dick is the imposter.

CptMackey

The way I see it is that he is shedding everything that made him don drapery. Gave all the money to the ex wife. Left the ad business, admitted what happened in Korea. And has given the car away now. He has almost come full circle to being dick again.

I wonder Will it end with him going home to where he started as dick

greenfrogs

I think Don will go back to the kids. He is a father regardless of his past. Maybe he will admit what he has done. But I think the last episode will revolve around Betty and the kids.

johnny_ultimate

Well that's the end of that.

As is appropriate for Mad Men, the finale was strange, elusive and ultimately peculiarly satisfying. It didn't go out totally ambiguously. Many plot strands were tied up pretty definitively (too much so, one could argue, especially when it came to Peggy and Stan). A montage gave us final moments with most of the key characters. Yet at the same time things were left unsaid, or bubbling under the surface, and the sense that time will tick on even though the show ended.

Given Don has often been the person to verbalise his insights and realisations through speeches and presentations, it was a clever move to have a key character revelation be made through the speech of somebody else we'd never seen before. But those two final scenes were inspired. It seems Don has finally achieved a newfound understanding, hope, maybe even peace - but hey, wouldn't that revelation make a damn good ad?

mackthefinger

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

But those two final scenes were inspired. It seems Don has finally achieved a newfound understanding, hope, maybe even peace - but hey, wouldn't that revelation make a damn good ad?

This, exactly. Seems he embraced the Don at the end, found a reconciliation with himself about who he was.
And Coke, referenced countless times in both the season and episode, was a sort of holy grail. And everything, including
the search for inner peace, can be packaged and sold. This is the show that told us, after all:

"Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car.
It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay."

Good resolution for most of the character arcs, though Peggy's felt a bit rushed. But it's hard to be disappointed
when a character that popular finds happiness.

jcsoulinger

mackthefinger wrote: »

This, exactly. Seems he embraced the Don at the end, found a reconciliation with himself about who he was.
And Coke, referenced countless times in both the season and episode, was a sort of holy grail. And everything, including
the search for inner peace, can be packaged and sold. This is the show that told us, after all:

"Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car.
It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay."

Good resolution for most of the character arcs, though Peggy's felt a bit rushed. But it's hard to be disappointed
when a character that popular finds happiness.

Dons ending was amazing, Very interesting that the person who articulated Dons feelings best was someone nothing like Don on the out side but on the inside shared very similar feelings and insecurities, Ultimately he realised he was searching for something that could only be found within himself, With this new found happiness he returns to MaCann and produces the Coke ad.

All in all the main characters storys were tied off very well, It was all a bit too happy for my taste really excluding Betty obviously, the Peggy Stan ending was particularly nauseating, it was like the final scene from a romcom.

Thargor

Must...resist...urge...to read peoples opinions of final ep before I see it...

Cant believe its over, have we really been watching this show since 2007? Id only just started college back then. Must make a rewatch thread sometime, this is one of the all time great series, no shooting or head chopping, no dragons, just pure high quality acting and drama.