Mad Men Season Finale Sets Up New Mad World

The Mad Men season finale had to do a lot to top the last few weeks, considering how the Mad Men season finale had been set up. Since the Mad Men season finale came after Dick Whitman had been exposed, after Betty wanted a divorce, after Sterling Cooper got put back on the market, and even after JFK's death, Mad Men fans wondered what could be left. But the Mad Men season finale came during a season where the era of Don Draper withered and died at home, work and in society at large. So Sterling Cooper, another symbol of that dying era, is now all but dead with it, to give way to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and a new Mad Men world.

The Mad Men season finale was another case of how fans must pay attention to every little thing, because it will pay off big later - no matter how long it takes. The latest sale of Sterling Cooper, which hadn't been mentioned in two weeks, was now the centerpiece of the finale. McCann-Erickson, the firm which memorably tried to woo Don and Betty in Season One's "Shoot" three years ago, was the buyer, to Don's disgust.

But although Don hated to sign a contract with the company several weeks back, it was actually the salvation for all. Otherwise, he might not have had the bright idea for Lane Pryce to fire him, Roger and Bert so they could all start a new agency. So Lane, who fired so many people to start the season, made his biggest firings of all as the new partners raced to escape Sterling Cooper.

In the process, the Mad Men season finale gave Don the chance to make peace with both Roger and Peggy, whom he has fought with all season. Pete and Harry also joined up, but of course, the job wasn't done until Joan came by to get things moving. But although Don has a new work home, his home with Betty and the kids was officially shattered forever.

The Mad Men season finale may have taken fans by surprise in many ways. After the intense revelations and confrontations of the last several weeks, there was actually a lighter, comedic mode this time. Many critics compared the Mad Men season finale to a heist movie, as Matthew Weiner actually dared to end this dark, turbulent season with a bit of hope.

With the Draper marriage over, the old Sterling Cooper gone - though Paul and Ken are stuck in its corpse - and America about to face the 60's, such hope may be foolish. But the Mad Men season finale showed that Don and the gang won't be defeated by this new world so easily. Yet it will be about eight months until we see how well they're doing - and what year they'll be in next.

Sources

Television Without Pity- "Sterling Cooper....Draper Pryce!"

The Watcher- "Sterling Coup: A terrific ending to Mad Men's season"