3) Mad Men
It makes one shudder to think that there are only seven episodes left with such a marvelous cast of characters. Although the decision to slice Mad Men’s final collection of episodes into two halves may have stalled the momentum, it may have worked out better artistically. The year of this seventh season, 1969, was one that left behind a decade of freedom and revolution and welcomed a darker period. Fittingly, the first half of Mad Men’s last hours basked in hope, hysteria, comedy and tragedy, helping to bring the decade (and one of television’s great shows) to a terrific close.
It was this past season where Don Draper fought to get back into the ad game and then couldn’t back away from a threesome. It was the season where Peggy Olson fought with her own bitter emotions but also seized leadership of her own, nailing the Burger Chef campaign. It was the season that Michael Ginsberg was destroyed by madness, just like the best minds of his generation. It was also the year that Bert Cooper whispered a “Bravo” at the moon landing, and then couldn’t quite go away without offering a posthumous soft shoeing to Don. (That moment was one of the finest on the small screen this year.)
As the generational gap became deeper – just ask Margaret Sterling or Sally Draper – as did the office’s economic disparity, there were some major changes in store. How Don Draper will react to Bert’s parting words (“the best things in life are free”) could define how rich the last seven episodes are. This was a wild, unpredictable season that may have been a bit too brief with some fan favorites given its shortened length. However, it should prove to be a triumphant start to a spectacular last season.
Published: Jan 3, 2015 06:49 pm