Mad Men – “Person To Person” A Fitting Finale

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May 242015
 

Tweet I wasn’t looking forward to watching the final episode of my beloved Mad Men. Fortunately, “Person To Person” came through as a powerful, poignant and perfect finale. The genius of the series finale is, rather than definitively revealing where the characters have ended up, it leaves us anticipating where they are headed. Overall, the finale is about happy and hopeful anticipations, heartfelt goodbyes, going away lunches; emotionally cleansing phone calls, and new beginnings. We have a good sense of how Peggy, Stan, Joan, Pete, [read more]

‘Mad Men’ – “The Milk and Honey Route”

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May 172015
 

Tweet Last week’s Mad Men episode “The Milk and Honey Route” takes us on winding and complex emotional journey. Most of the action and interactions center on events and relationships outside the hallowed halls of McCann-Erickson, but they surely will reverberate back to Madison Avenue. This Mad Men episode brings us face to face with death, provides glimpses of rebirth of spirit and reveals a cleansing of past sins on a path to the future. Leading into the series final episode we know the apparent fates [read more]

“Mad Men’ – “Lost Horizon”

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May 082015
 

Tweet “Lost Horizon” is one hell of an episode. It seemed a bit disjointed at times, but it was rich with action, angst, anger and anticipation. “Lost Horizon” is a deep dive into what it’s like to have personal and professional lives upended by a Madison Avenue agency takeover. The nitty-gritty, not-so genteel, policies, politics, and prejudices of McCann-Erickson took center stage. Both Joan and Peggy were caught in the net of McCann’s boy’s club culture. Joan is a victim of “systemic” sexual harassment and [read more]

‘Mad Men’ – “Time & Life”

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May 022015
 

Tweet “Time & Life” is powerful episode that breaks through the thin veneer of complacency at SC&P and brings everyone face to face with the reality they naively hoped would never materialize. SC&P, the agency, will disappear and the partners will no longer be masters of their universe. Finally, after 10 years Jim Hobart of McCann got what he wanted: the acquisition of SC&P. With this transaction McCann eliminates an industry competitor, neutralizes a threat to their General Motors account, brings top creative talent to [read more]

‘Mad Men’: “Forecast”

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Apr 262015
 

Tweet “Forecast” opens with Don’s real estate agent, Melanie, preparing to show Don’s apartment to prospective buyers. Melanie is far from encouraging and tells Don that his apartment reeks of loneliness. She says, “It looks like a sad person lives here.” Don responds with a weak declaration that “A lot of good things happened here”.  Past episodes of “Mad Men” chronicled Don’s attempts to face up to his past and clean up his present state of affairs. From acknowledging his humble, shadowy beginnings, to coming [read more]

Mad Men: “Waterloo”- Setbacks & Comebacks

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May 292014
 

Tweet Despite the fact that a death wish and a death bookend this episode, “Waterloo” sets Mad Men on a positive trajectory for the  final episodes. This is an especially powerful and emotional episode that unites Don, Peggy and Roger in rejuvenated relationships. The July, 1969 moon landing mesmerized the world, and kept everyone on edge hoping for the astronauts’ safe return. “Waterloo” draws on the emotions of that event as the backdrop for the next stage of SC&P’s evolution. Ted pulls a bonehead “death wish” stunt with [read more]

Mad Men: “The Strategy”

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May 222014
 

Tweet This week’s episode of Mad Men focuses on family, proposals and prospects with New York as the convergent center of the action. And there’s lots of it. Pete gets something he’s always wanted, reconnects with his partners and realizes that he’s “different” in New York. Jim turns the IBM 360 into a partnership for Harry over the objections of Joan and Roger while Ted continues to be a distant, largely irrelevant voice in Los Angeles. Bob Benson returns to New York as the bearer of bad [read more]

Mad Men: “The Runaways”

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May 152014
 

Tweet “The Runaways” is perhaps one of the more disjointed and weird episodes of Mad Men, but it still manages to move the characters along and capture some interesting and important moments at SC&P. The new IBM 360 computer continues to be a distracting and now maddening presence at the agency. Unusual alliances of twosomes and threesomes create new tensions and opportunities. Don continues to eat humble pie on his path to redemption, bolstered by the reappearance of his niece Stephanie, an invigorating threesome compliments of Meagan, [read more]

Mad Men: “The Monolith”

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May 082014
 

Tweet This week’s episode serves up ample portions of humiliation, irony, and payback for past transgressions, especially for Don and Roger. At SC&P, the screws are tightened and the tables turned on Don in ways that he never expected. Roger’s sins of his past and present came back to haunt him with a slap of reality delivered by his daughter, Marigold. Harry’s maneuvering with Cutler pays off with the installation of a new IBM computer bringing with it a both a boost to his status and [read more]

Mad Men: “Field Trip”

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May 012014
 

Tweet From beginning to end “Field Trip” is filled with painfully awkward moments for just about everyone, including the viewer. Resentment, humiliation, and disappointment seep into everyone’s interactions. Perhaps a more appropriate title for this episode is “Guilt Trip.” Betty’s turns Bobby’s sharing of a sandwich with a needy classmate into a point of disappointment for both her and Bobby. Don’s mission of mercy to save Megan from herself in Hollywood only adds to Megan’s sense that the marriage is over. Don finally steps up to [read more]

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