A Toast To Mad Men, TV's Crown Jewel: A Look Inside The Series Finale and the BEST Moments
Last night, we said farwell to some of TV's most beloved characters. It was truly an end of era as Don, and the whole Sterling Cooper crew embarked on a new journey, into the 1970s. While we wish it could go on forever, it's a new era, full of new beginnings. After 8 amazing years of television, as sad it was to see the Mad Men cast go, the series finale had a surprisingly blissful ending. I think it was one of the most beautiful, things I think I have ever seen on TV. Simply stunning. I want to run into Matthew Weiner's arms and cry and thank him for blessing us (literally #blessed), for this AHHmazzing, masterpiece of a show. (Then I'd like to run into Don's arms and thank him for his intriguing mind and fab suits...then Sterling's, the Joan's, then Betty's, the Megan's, and Peggy's, even Pete...and Sally, UGH WAHHH!) You get it.
So, now that we have come to terms with the fact that the show is over, let's revisit last night's 1 hr and 15 minute long series finale and highlight the episode's best moments (in no particular order because every part of the finale was perfect). Whether you think Don finally found peace with himself and used his experiences...on the road, to go back to NYC and create the iconic 1971 Coca Cola commercial, or if you think Peggy was the commercial mastermind with the help of her new dreamboat Stan (da man) #STEGGY, the finale successfully tied up loose ends, but still kept us wondering.
FINALE HIGHLIGHTS
1. The title: "Person to Person"
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If you didn't quite catch it, the title of the episode was "Person to Person." Throughout the episode the cast was receiving various person to person calls over the phone. And while some significant moments happened over the phone this episode - you had the convo between Don and Betty, Peggy and Joan, Don and Peggy, Peggy and Stan, etc - a lot of the IN person conversations also happened in twos...Don and Stephanie, Joan and Kenny, Peggy and Pete, Peggy and Joan, Joan and Sterling, Betty and Sally, Sally and Bobby, Peggy and Stan...you get the picture. Anyway, I loved the personal connection of all the powerful one and one convos that the cast had with one another. Each conversation was significant and brought us round to the end.
Everyone's favorite person to person calls? Which are BEST moments in themselves....
3. Don and Peggy. Don admitting his life faults to Peggy.
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4. Peggy and Stan. Stan confessing his love.
#STEGGY...or Pizzo? Hmmm.
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Such, beautiful, beautiful TV moments that basically summed up eloquent writing of the show and it is truly one of it's kind.
5. Mad Women: Joan and Peggy.
Everyone freaked out, like freaked out when Joan proposed the genius idea to Peggy over a couple of bloody marys, of Harris-Olson. YUP. Right then and there we were all praying for a Peggy and Joan spin off. Though we know Harris-Olson did not come to pass, Joan def had one of the best lines of the series finale:
"Harris. Olson. You need two names to make is sound real...we won't have to answer to anyone." - Joan Harris. A true firecracker. We see how far these strong female characters have come in the midst of all these Mad Men. Hehe.
6. Sterling and Joan.
I love and have always loved Sterling and Joan. I think they are just the essence of all things fabulous. While the two seemed to be happy in their current relationships, Sterling being the gent that he is, comes over to Joan's home to inform her that he is going leave half of his riches to their darling, blonde haired son (and his grandson Elodie (or whatever) who I STILL can't believe Margaret just UP left. Damn hippies). Sterling and Joan will always have that spark, their connection is so vivacious and alive after all they have been through together, and I just love that.
7. Viola! Sterling and Marie Calvet
I mean...anyone who knows me knows I LOVED Megan, lol. The spunky, French, LA living, Pucci mini dress wearing, SOAP opera acting, super groovy Megan. I loved her. Was sad to see her go, but I also loved her mother. Which means that I was obv a HUGE fan of Marie and Roger's relationship. I gotta say, one of my favorite scenes from the ending montage was indeed Marie and Roger sitting in a little cafe, possibly in Paris, and Roger ordering in French and he gets his one last sardonic comment in: "et un pour ma mere..." aka "and one for my mother" referring to Marie. Lolz. They are just everything. I was happy to see Roger happy and I loved that Joan called it "a mess," but it's such a lovely mess.
8. Trudy and Pete.
Another beautiful scene from the ending - Peter and Trudy stepping out of their fabulous car and Trudy's UNREAL, fabulous outfit, as they hop onto their fabulous private jet, ready to set off on their new fabulous life. I was truly happy for them. Way to do some right Pete.
Fab. Just fab.
9. Holloway-Harris.
While we have Peggy settling with her man and sticking to her job at McCann, with the idea of becoming creative director by 1980...thanks Pete... Joan went the opposite direction and decided to no longer take that extending vacation. I mean, as she said, she's been to Florida, time to move on. And move on she does, starting her own production business titled: Holloway-Harris. Ya, you need those two names to make it sound real. After all, she's set for life anyways. Thanks Roger.
10. Don.
The series finale begins and we pick up with Don continuing to flee west. Now, not to say I told you so, but I totally knew Don was gonna end up in LA in the end. Throughout the series, Don and his collegues travel back and forth between NYC and LA and LA is viewed as somewhat of a paradise, a shangri-la that is an escape from the NYC troubles. The land of Sunkist, movie stars, European nomads and hippies. But, for Don, LA becomes less of a happy place when we has to deal with his failed marriage to Megan and of course, Anna's death. But, yet again, Don finds himself in Cali with Stephanie, and on the road again to a hippie retreat in the mountains. So, the best part of the hippie retreat?
a. The old woman shoving Don. HA. I mean...trying to communicate feeling without speaking...she was obv not loving Don's allure. Rude, but so great. Made Don again feel like he didn't belong.
b. Stephanie leaving Don stranded. Yeah...Steph just up and PEACED. Leaving Don to fend for himself. At first you're like really mad at Stephanie because you're like UMM Don NEEDS to get home!! But, then you hear Don talking to the girl at the I guess reception desk and she explains to Don that people come and go as the please...and first you see he is upset by that, but then he realizes - that's him.
c. The red ribbon braids. The iconic braids in the girl's hair are now going viral when fans realized they matched the blond girl's hair in the Coke commercial. SO, was she Don's inspiration? Did Don actually go back to NYC, walk BACK into McCan and pitch the forever iconic 1971 commercial? Was that truly the show's last pitch?! Hmmm.
d. Don's phone convo with Peggy. Just, brilliant. Award wining, spectacular TV dialogue.
e. The invisible office worker. I mean...I think was probably the most beautiful thing... ever. And I know I have said that a lot, but I really, really felt this. I was so overcome with emotion. At first I was SO confused because this poor, sad, man was talking about how no one see hims and how he feels invisible in every aspect of his life. And I was thinking, okay this is MIZ, but there's only like 8 minutes left in the show SOO where is this going Matthew Weiner?!! But then the guy starts to cry and you see Don having some kind of epiphany. The two characters mirror each other. While this guy goes unnoticed by everyone in his life, Don is the opposite. Don is noticed by everyone. Everyone sees him and admires him, but he doesn't see anyone else. He realizes this and choose to acknowledge this man with an incredible heartfelt embrace that really brought on the tears. I mean I was sobbing. It's fine.
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f. The lotus position. Don finally finding peace on top of a mountain, with the blue waters in the background. He is able to finally think clearly. No strings, just himself. And his little smile at the end, some people are interpetting as the master finally finding happiness, and other's are of course interpetting as the spark of a genius idea.
"Oooomm..."
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I'd like to buy the world a Coca-cola. Ending with a commercial...phenomenal.
WHY WE LOVE MAD MEN
Great television presents itself in the form of Mad Men. There
has never been a show that so eloquently describes this era. It's truly
brings the 1960s back to life, so much so that as a viewer you feel
physically drawn into the show. I feel as if I'm living their lives with
them. I feel apart of the story, apart of the journey, apart of the
history and all the incredible discoveries. Mad Men is
one of the first TV shows to genuinely make me feel. For me, it was more than just a TV show. As an art, history, and fashion enthusiast, MM was like a live archive that I could watch over and over
with beautiful stories, impeccable characters, striking costumes and sets, and remarkable truth.
Everything about Mad Men was and felt so real. And that's one
reason why it is one of, if not, the BEST modern American TV classic. After 8 years, I am obviously SO emotionally invested in the show. It is a true television masterpiece and it's tough to see it go. Thanks for the spectacular era.
"The best things in life are free."
MY FAV EPISODES
The Wheel
The Crash
The Strategy
The Suitcase
Babylon
Anything with Megan
Anything with Megan
VIEW Entertainment Weekly's FAV EPSIODES HERE !
Bye. Wahhhh.
