Mad Men

[Arby]

Originally Posted by Lee3691

A big question I have is the gap - are they going to keep the entire show in the 60s (so there would be very little gap between the two half seasons) or end it in 1970?

They have said before that they dont want to go into the 70s. Maybe that just meant "lets not drag this on for 5 more seasons"

I wouldnt be surprised if it ended at the very beginning of 1970 or something

[Ascf33]

I think we'll see maybe a little bit of the turn of the decade but nothing past maybe Feb or so of 1970.

[MOWJO8185]

Don clearly has a brain tumor.

[dmbbearcat]

Would not be shocked if the final episode ends on Jan 1, 1970.

[junior94]

would anybody have a major issue with the idea of if the last act of the last episode is some major time jump of like maybe 10 years or more? or is it one of those things where, it depends on exactly Weiner does with it...

[UNC41]

I'm in the group that thinks Morse's sendoff was a bizarre, unnecessary finish to an otherwise fantastic episode. Mad Men season finales are all about wrapping up the stories that we've seen unfold over the course of the season with minimal foreshadowing to what the future holds. It's one of the things I love about Mad Men. As a viewer, I want to see the evolution of Don, and possibly others, realizing there are things far greater in life than possessions rather than be told that is going to happen in advance.

[dmbman32]

Originally Posted by UNC41

I'm in the group that thinks Morse's sendoff was a bizarre, unnecessary finish to an otherwise fantastic episode. Mad Men season finales are all about wrapping up the stories that we've seen unfold over the course of the season with minimal foreshadowing to what the future holds. It's one of the things I love about Mad Men. As a viewer, I want to see the evolution of Don, and possibly others, realizing there are things far greater in life than possessions rather than be told that is going to happen in advance.

If you watch this video going behind the scenes of the last episode, you can see clearly that Pete looks different. In other words, I think they're currently shooting the last 7 episodes, and Pete's look in this video probably shows that a little time will pass, but not in terms of "years":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juee...34FC45968C3712

[UNC41]

Just watched the finale again and Burt's send off made even less sense. There wasn't a single thing that pointed toward money motivating Don in the slighest, and I'm not sure there has been throughout the series. Joan is the only partner who seems to be primarily motivated by money. The scene was nothing more than Wiener stroking his own ego to show his fondness for Morse.

[TwoStep2888]

It was really great.

[UNC41]

It was both entertaining and a black eye on an otherwise fantastic episode.

[whygohome?]

I dunno, i think maybe wait for the rest of this season before dismissing the Bert send off? it could some how tie into something later that makes it less abhorrent to those that really dont like it. perhaps

[dmbbearcat]

A black eye is a bit dramatic, I think.

[Ascf33]

I thought it was a fitting send off and of no bearing to my thoughts on the overall episode.

[Julia Roberts]

I liked the send off. But I think its more about Don than Bert.

Sure, Don isn't motivated by money in the traditional sense, he is mostly motivated by the perfect ad campaign. But that's still about money. He is a peddler. He has to appeal to consumers. And he's damn good, at the expense of relationships with his family and friends (does he have any?), you know, the free stuff.

And if he succeeds at creating the perfect ad campaign what has he really accomplished? Moving a bunch of product? I'm not sure Don really wants to sacrifice all the best stuff for that.

[JacobLovesYou]

Originally Posted by Ascf33

I thought it was a fitting send off and of no bearing to my thoughts on the overall episode.

I'll accept the complaint that it was jarring, but have complete confidence the ending will age well.

[thebridge15]

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

—Neil Alden Armstrong, American astronaut, July 20, 1969

“Hot damn!”

—Peter Dyckman Campbell, American poet, July 21, 1969

Other notable works by P.D. Campbell:

“Marriage Is a Racket”

“That Is a Very Sensitive Piece of Horseflesh, He Shouldn’t Be Rattled”

“Sunkist Is Distraught”

lisanti

[coldengrey12]

Also, let's not forget: "Not great, Bob!"

[FunkyTeaParty]

"Marriage is a racket!" was a literal laugh out loud.

[Lew Zealand]

Originally Posted by coldengrey12

Also, let's not forget: "Not great, Bob!"

The greatest. Will never be topped.

[TwoStep2888]

Interview with Robert Morse, from Rolling Stone, in which the episode's wonderful musical ending is discussed:

How did Matthew Weiner pitch you on this idea?
Matthew, as you may remember, was a writer on The Sopranos — and you may also remember how they got rid of characters on that show. One in the head or dumped into the river! [Laughs] So when Matthew told me about eight weeks ago that "Bobby, your character is going to pass away," I immediately thought, "Uh-oh: who's going to shoot me! Is it going to be Joan? Or Roger? Who's takin' out the old man? [Laughs] I mean, there already was a hanging in our office! How am I going to go, Matt?!?"

And he just laughed and said, "No one is going to shoot you. You're not going to be found hanging in your office. You're going to go quietly and peacefully, it'll be handled sensitively." Then he paused and said, "But I have this idea…"

"You're going to sing something from the after-life."
You're very close! [Laughs] He said, "Ever since I hired you, I've always wanted to have you sing on the show. I never knew where I would be able to put it, but I have this notion of having you come back as a hallucination, Jon is going to see you and you'll sing to him." "Really, Matt?" "Yeah, and I know just the song."

So it was always "The Best Things in Life Are Free?"
Yes, that was what Matt wanted from the very beginning. It was always going to be [Sings loudly] "The stars in the sky/the moon on high/they're great for you and me/because they're freeeeee!" And I went, "Oh, yeah…I'm not so sure."

Wait, you turned it down?
At first; I wasn't sure it would work until I talked to him about it a little more. I was concerned, because I didn't want it to be Bobby Morse from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying or any of the other musicals I did on stage. You know, 30 years on Broadway and all they remember you by is How to Succeed….

There are worse musical to be remembered by.
True, but I was afraid that it would just look like something else entirely; I didn't want it to take you out of the show, you know? But then Matt said, "No, no…it's going to serve to emphasize the episode's message." "What?!?" "Really, Bobby, it's going to serve to emphasize the episode's message." "How's it going to do that?" "I'm working on it, trust me."

And ultimately, that's what I think he did. It wasn't just, go and sing a song, and au revoir Bobby. It was Bert telling Don: What are you doing? All this shit that you're doing, cut it out. The best things in life are free. We just landed on the moon. Calm down. Enjoy things while you have them. I saw how the scene fit into the whole picture, and thought: Wow. This gives things a lot of perspective here. Let's do it. We rehearsed for a few days and then just filmed it over the course of a day or so. No one else knew we were doing it — Jon was surprised, to say the least.

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/n...unset-20140527

[TheLastStop123]

Finale was awesome, final scene was not. Didn't fit in at all. But it doesn't really change my view of the episode. Good to see this show is at its best in its final season. Roger has easily become my favorite character. So many great scenes with him this past season. Everyone talks about the character developments of don Peggy and Pete but roger is right there too.

[thebridge15]

"Joanie, I don't want to fight right now."

"Then stop talking."

[jcc522]

wtf. i didn't need to see a baby nutsack

[Quadrophenia92]

It's almost that time again...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLvQyu9oguE

Massive feels with:

Dick + Anna '64
Don hugging his brother
"I'm Peggy Olson, the new girl"
"You've got your whole life ahead of you"
"I love you"

Might have to binge Mad Men again...

[Ascf33]

Time to rewatch The Carousel pitch 334 times.

[thebridge15]

should have just run credits on the series after showing rogers mustache

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

should have just run credits on the series after showing rogers mustache

[dmbbearcat]

Loved that episode. Excited for the season.

[Lee3691]

Foreshadowing a death?

[dmbetc]

Opening credits have been foreshadowing the end since the beginning.