I REALLY liked this episode. It was a complete departure from the series' usual tone. While we've gotten used to the show being a slow, quiet, dramatic build-up towards a climax that is itself slow and quiet, this show had action, speed, and a sense of urgency. And it was funny! The show has always had enough of a sense of humor to keep it from being an over-the-top melodrama, but they really gave this finale a light-hearted tone, and it worked!
Jon Hamm was brilliant. The way he handled a new direction for Don Draper, one where Don has been humbled enough to stop fighting his wife's departure and move on to dealing with what comes next; and I loved Hamm's scene with Peggy. Draper finally had to face up to how he had treated Betty, Peggy, Roger, and well, everyone really. This episode was when Don finally realized he needed other people and he couldn't just treat them all however he liked, do whatever he wanted, and assume it would all end well for him.
Consistent with the quicker tone and action of the finale, Cooper and Roger finally did something, which was nice to see. Hell, other than show up for the odd meeting and give his random two cents, this was the first time I'd ever seen Cooper really working at all. And it took Don to get him, Roger, and Pryce off their lazy, executive asses to actively fight against the cold hearted businessmen that had done their best to buy their submission along with their ad agency.
Not to say that Draper, Sterling, Cooper, and Pryce will be any less greedy or shallow, but at least they're not in the habit of buying and selling people the way their new bosses have been. They're just a little too "It's not personal, it's just business" while dealing with people's livelihoods.
Sometimes shows hit a Reset button as a way to get various characters back together under circumstances at least similar to the way they had previously been, but I don't think that's what this was. The whole tone of the episode, the speed, the way the characters had to interact differently than before. This seems like more of a change in direction for the show; the building of something new as opposed to simply continuing what was already there.
This seems to be a shift in focus and direction for the show, but I'm loving it.
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I agree completely with what you said. This was a brilliant episode, the best of the season by far, and maybe the best of the series run so far. Not only was the action fast and furious (especially for this show, which moves at a very slow pace usually), it was very funny (I really liked Pryce's last conversation with his British boss and his underling at the former Sterling Cooper. Both priceless), and even had some generally moving scences, i.e. when Don and Betty told their kids that their parents were splitting up. That scene was almost heart breaking in its conculsion, and good job acting all around, especially from the young actor who plays Bobby. He was great in that scene. Here's hoping they keep the new company small for next year (if I never see that weseal Cosgrove or that pretenious ass with his dumb commie beard again, it will be too soon) but they can bring back Salvatore (the gay guy) when ever they want to. Oh, and though this doesn't feel like a reboot to me, either (having lived through a few too many on Alias, I am very aware of how they can ruin a show) it was a pretty good way to get Joan back on the show without her losing face and having to go back to Sterling Cooper with her tail stuck between her legs. How they will keep January Jones's Betty a regular charcter without her being at home waiting for Don everyday will be a challenge, and I am interested to see how they will pull it off. Here's to the next season, when ever it starts
ReplyDeleteThe next season is coming next summer, though seeing when they started this last season, that probably means mid to late August. Oh, and there is no way Joan could ever put her tail between her legs, that woman's got ass for days! DAMMMNN!
ReplyDeleteOn your note about the kid's great acting, my one follower not related to me, Andrea who prefers to remain silent, has always said that child actors have it easy, still being young enough to simply "imagine" themselves completely into whatever situation, though some prompting is probably needed.
Betty they can keep in the show because we've gotten used to folowing her life outside of her relationship with Don, and I am curious to see how she and her new Don work out.
I'll be doing a seperate post about who's in and who's out for the new agency along with my thoughts on that, so more on that issue later.