There have been dramatic shows that I’ve really liked over the years – “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad,” “The X-Files” – but none come near, in my opinion, to “Mad Men.” It’s the closest thing to a good novel I’ve ever seen on television, and I will miss it dearly once it’s gone.
Part of the reason may be personal: I interned at an advertising agency in college, and, while I enjoyed the experience, looking back on it, it wasn’t nearly as glamorous as the world presented on “Mad Men.” Of course, in fairness, I was a lowly intern, so perhaps I wasn’t invited to partake in the boozing, sexy-time shenanigans that Don, Roger, and the gang enjoyed these past several years.
Also, because all the characters are flawed – no heroes or villains here – they’ve come
across as more human and relatable than just about any characters in the history of
television.
Anyway, without further rambling, I invite my fellow Mad Maniacs to join me beneath
the Joan Harris (orange and curvy) for a bout of finale predictions. I have but one rule:
You must include one ridiculous prediction, sort of akin to picking a 14-seed to wind up in the Final Four.
And if you don’t like what’s being said in this diary, well, then, change the conversation.
As we left Don last Sunday night, he appeared to be completely content for the first time, sitting on a bench in the middle of nowhere. He just handed the keys to his 400-foot-long Caddy to a not-so-bright con-man wannabe with horrible grammar. He appears to be headed wherever his mood – or the next bus that shows up – takes him. However, little does he know that half a country away…
Betty has just been diagnosed with cancer and has a few months to live. (Is it wrong to insert “Bye-bye, Birdie” here?)
Prediction: Don returns to New York to take care of his kids. He’s tired of the ad game, but his love of words and disdain of Richard Nixon dovetail nicely and lead him to his next gig: George McGovern speechwriter. It’s the perfect melancholic gig for Draper, since we all know how well the McGovern campaign ended.
Isn’t it funny how Draper can fit in anywhere – a chance encounter with Conrad Hilton, a swanky dinner, a VFW in the middle of nowhere filled with drunks – yet never seems to be comfortable?
I don’t think we’ll be seeing Pete and Trudy in the finale, seeing how things wrapped up quite nicely for the lovebirds last week.
It was good to see Duck Phillips one last time, though he’s always reminded me of sportscaster Jim Nantz, and I enjoy the thought of a drunken Nantz losing it during a golf tournament or tearing into Phil Simms during a football game.
Ted Chaough is happy at McCann-Erickson and will spend the next 20 years eating his roast-beef box lunches and refining his pornstache.
I think we will be given every indication that Peggy will ultimately be a smashing success at McCann-Erickson. Is there any “Mad Men” viewer not rooting for Peggy to prevail fully?
Joan will marry the boring, rich dude.
Roger will stay at McCann-Erickson and do as little work as possible.
My fear is that seeing how everything is pretty much tied up – the series could have ended with Don sitting on that bench – Matthew Weiner will be too weird by half and present us with something completely bizarre: an hour of Joan playing the accordion, a blooper reel featuring nothing but Ida Blankenship’s outtakes, the revelation that baby Gene imagined the whole thing, a la “St. Elsewhere.”
My ridiculous prediction: It turns out Peggy and Pete’s lust child is being raised by Sal Romano and Bob Benson, who have found happiness together. Sal’s ex-wife is okay with it. In fact, she watches the kid three days a week.
And Bobby Draper will never get a plotline.
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