In which Margaux and I are forced to say goodbye to Mad Men, at least until next year.
Trevor: So, the moral of “Waterloo” is: never fly in a plane with Ted. And I think the moral of the first half of Mad Men’s final season is summed up in the surprisingly insightful words of Freddy Rumsen, of all people: “Do the work.”
Margaux: It was interesting to see, that after keeping Don and Ted separated by coasts all season, that they’ve really been in the same uncomfortable position all along.
Trevor: Matthew Weiner pulled a Usual Suspects on us – Jim Cutler was Keyser Soze the whole time, not Lou Avery! Lou Avery is, in Jim’s words, “a hired hand” who is owed nothing by SC&P. And Don is a “bully and a drunk – a football player in a suit.” Ouch.
Margaux: Cutler has been anything but subtle about his feeling about Don and his “vision” of the company. Sending off that letter to Don finally made that clear to the partners that they’re actually not the ones in control. Not like anyone there ever is.
Trevor: I was kind of surprised that Joan threw Don under the bus – “I’m tired of him costing me money.” But I did love’s Pete’s reaction: “That is a very sensitive piece of horseflesh!” Perfectly indignant delivery by Vincent Kartheiser, who doesn’t get enough credit.
Margaux: I have a huge problem with Benedict Joan. For someone who still lives like it’s the first season of Mad Men; she’s never moved and her apartment looks like a fucking mausoleum – when has she ever given a crap about money? She makes more than enough now. I just don’t buy Joan being pissed at Don, there’s gotta be some shred of respect she still has for him somewhere. Especially now that he’s made her rich and the deal they have in place is contingent on Don staying onboard.
Trevor: I hope someday I’m as funny as you are. Sincerely. And to me, Joan’s betrayal is rooted in betrayal that engendered it – not necessarily that she was betrayed by Don, but she’s been getting shit on by men her entire career. Even this season, Ken Cosgrove threw an earring at her, and Bob Benson proposed because to him marriage was just an option, a convenience. I think her voting against Don was kind of a preemptive strike: hurt him before he can hurt her.
Margaux: We could probably argue about this all day but Joan turning against Don and taking out all the douchebaggery she’s experienced in her career just feels unfair – he’s the only one in that office that’s never disrespected her outright. But did I admire Joan’s get down to business-tude, she was upset about Bert’s passing but not too distraught to continue arguing her point that Don needs to go. I thought Roger captured that moment perfectly and it was a great call back to season three when he had a heart attack, “is this what would happen if I died?!” Yeah, probs, dude.
Trevor: Bert’s passing caught me off guard. I thought it was a lovely send-off, though. Great last words: “Bravo.” (If those were this last words, but for the sake of argument let’s say they were.) And any other show would have botched his song-and-dance number, but honestly I found myself tearing up at it. It’s fitting that after agreeing to a deal that would make him a millionaire, Don imagines Bert singing “The Best Things in Life Are Free.”
Margaux: It was a perfectly charming send-off for Bertram Cooper. I love that throughout the song-and-dance, he was still in his socks. It was so surreal and I mean that in the best way possible. It also was a nice moment for Bert after being a negative asshole for most of this season, Bert’s greatest hits from this season vary from him telling Don to kill himself to his last conversation with Roger where he basically implies that he’s a disappointment, not a leader. I’m glad our parting image of Bert is a happy one.
Trevor: Not a lot of characters get to go by literally waving goodbye to the camera.
Let’s talk about Peggy, who had her own carousel moment with her pitch for Burger Chef. I loved the look she and Don exchanged, that half-smile of encouragement. That’s been one of the nicest things about this half-season, seeing their relationship and friendship solidified, especially after she was so cold to him upon his return.
Margaux: At the start of the Burger Chef pitch Peggy gives, I almost thought she was going to have a panic attack, the way everyone was chatting away silently. Then I realized, I was having the panic attack for her and Peggy fucking knocked that bitch outta the park. You could tell what Don was thinking, Bravo. I liked how selfless Don has been with Peggy, their relationship has been the biggest benefactor from Don’s humble rebirth this season.
Trevor: “Rebirth” is an excellent word to use. I was so nervous before Peggy started speaking. She needed a win – and the audience needed her to win. And remember how season six ended: Peggy sitting in Don’s chair, shot from behind, making us wonder if that silhouette in the credits was her or Don. And in “Waterloo,” Don literally gave her his job (at least the presentation aspect of it).
Margaux: Unfortunately, Pete’s declaration that the “Don Show” is back didn’t turn out to be true. Don’s claim that he no longer wants to deal with the “business,” coupled with his speech to Ted to sign the deal with McCann – “I wrote coupons” – he’s effectively handing down the reigns to more qualified people. I don’t think Don’s dick swagger is gone but Megan called it: he’s tired of fighting.
Trevor: We knew Don and Megan were done, but it was nice to put a cap on it. Now I think we can all brace ourselves for Don and Meredith. That scene where she was trying to comfort him might have been my favorite. It’s a tough call.
“You can call my lawyer. And we can’t do this.”
“Not right now.”
Ashley Drake (who plays Meredith) needs more attention for killing it every time she’s on screen.
Margaux: Now that Ginsberg has a legit mental disease, his hilarious one-liners slightly sad to laugh at now, we need a comic relief. Meredith is my favorite secretary and that Janie Bryant always dresses her like a giant, doe-eyed baby really drives her innocent attitude home.
Trevor: I saw Ben Feldman’s name in the credits and hoped we’d see Ginsberg again, but alas.
Roger did some Game of Thrones-style wheeling and dealing. It’s nice that he’s been so on point, like he was when he sold the partners on Don’s return. Bert saying that Roger wasn’t a leader, and then dying, really lit a fire under Roger’s ass. And he got to tell Harry Crane to fuck off, which I’m sure was a plus.
Magraux: Poor Harry, he’s definitely going to get divorced. Which, let’s quickly go back to Don and Megan’s official break-up, phone call. Like, was that 1960s equivalent of breaking up via fax in the 90s? That was weak as shit. That cannot be the last we see of these two, right? It was wholly unsatisfying.
Trevor: On the one hand, it’s fitting that it ended over a phone call, because trying to be bicoastal is arguably what put the final nail in the coffin. On the other hand, Jessica Pare does such a great job that I can’t imagine this is the last we’ll see of Megan.
Margaux: Better not be, cause if she’s not going to go out like Sharon Tate or hell, even Bert – I’m starting a petition. Megan is way more interesting than Betty, at least, on the surface. And I am really curious to see if she does ever make it as an actress. Yes, really.
Trevor: Me too! Okay, when I review a season finale, I usually skip star count for the individual episode and grade the season as a whole. Do you want to try that? Keep in mind that Mad Men is hard to review as it is, and this is only the first half of the last season. (For the record, though, I’m inclined to give “Waterloo” the full five stars.) Thoughts?
Margaux: AMC really fucked us, who the shit splits a shows final season, TWICE?! Even though Waterloo, and majority of this season as well, has been…uh, turbulent, it was nice to see the “mid-series finale” end on an upswing. I mean, Mad Men to me is a show best binge watched, since so many episodes (and seasons) set up archs that pay off long term. I say 5 stars everything because…well, I love this show and I have no real smart-ass way to put it.
Trevor: I’m totally okay with that. Thank you so much for reviewing this with me, and being as insightful, funny, and generally enthusiastic as you’ve been the last seven weeks. It sucks to say goodbye to Mad Men, but hey, we’ll always have Fargo.
Margaux: …for two more episodes. Summer sucks for indoor TV-addicted kids.
Half-Season Grade: 5 Stars
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