by Jon Partridge
Several months ago I sat applauding my TV screen, the final scene of the final episode of Mad Men cemented its legacy as one of the greatest shows ever broadcast. AMC now releases that second half of the final season for us all to revisit the splendor of what Matthew Weiner crafted.
For those not familiar with the show (shame on you),the AMC series depicts from 1960 onward the lives and careers of those involved with the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City. The main protagonist is the charming, talented, and haunted Don Draper (Jon Hamm), first the lead creative director and in later seasons a founding partner in a spinoff agency. He attempts to balance his personal and work life as well as conceal a secret about his past, which gradually erodes away at his conscience. Following him and the other characters in the show we get a glimpse into the social mood and changing face of the United States through the 60s, a time of great upheaval. In this its final season, Don Draper is on the verge of his biggest meltdown yet and the acquisition of the advertising firm by a larger corporation will have long lasting repercussions for everyone.
We covered Part 1 previously here at Cinapse and for a more in-depth breakdown of the episodes in this final stretch checkout the fantastic weekly recaps by Victor.
There’s a lot of pressure to wrap up a show and do its story justice. That’s the aim, appeasing the fans runs a close second. With Mad Men it’s always been about the characters, incredibly fleshed out, engaging and real creations brought to life by some wonderfully talented individuals. Hendricks, Slattery, Moss, Kartheiser, Jones and Hamm as well as the assortment of supporting actors that feed into this breathing world. One can only imagine the joy an actor would feel to work with such material.
The ‘Nostalgia’ trailer released to promote these final few episodes stuck an immense chord with me, a immaculately curated series of clips showing relationships within the cast, juxtaposing early with later seasons. It shows how far they’ve come. They have informed each other and been informed by the changing world around them. Weiner stays true to this until the end. Each character is afforded time in these final episodes to give them a fitting ending. For the most part it’s a happy one, some sad, some inevitable and others a little more surprising.
The central arc has always been Don Draper, arc being a loose description looking at his recurring patterns over the years. Here he really comes the closes to losing it than ever before. He hits his lowest low and then, through his talent and vision pulls himself to his highest high. It’s a fascinating journey, his character stuck in a destructive loop, dragging people down with him and educating others, allowing their journeys to mirror his and veer in a alternate course when tempered with a realization as to who he really is.
This final stretch is very affecting, it veers from uplifting to quietly devastating to flat out hilarious and all the while being brilliantly clever. In retrospect this review only briefly touches on the tales told in this release, instead choosing to wax effulgent about the show as a whole. Suffice to say if you’re a fan, you will be appeased by this release, if you’re not, then hopefully the exhalations here nudge you into giving the show a watch. I applauded the final scene of the final episode of Mad Men, I should have been doing it for every frame of this show that has been exceptionally well crafted throughout.
THE PACKAGE
The production design and values on Mad Men coupled to the changing eras have made it one of the most fascinating and gorgeous shows on TV. This release continues to show off the attention to detail the show is known for. The picture is crisp, colors are solid and deep, details are great and no artifacts evident.
Episodes are spread over two discs (three on DVD) with digital download versions as well as a number of fine extras. Most notable are the audio commentaries featuring show creator Matthew Weiner and a number of other cast & crew members. This is for all seven episodes; Severance, New Business, The Forecast and Time & Life, Lost Horizon, The Milk and Honey Route and series finale Person to Person. These commentaries alone make the set a worthwhile purchase.
On top of this are a series of documentaries that embrace the historical aspects of the show and efforts to embrace authenticity including Generation Boom: Baby Boomers and Earth Day 1970 which looks at the dawn of the ecological movement in this era. Laurel Canyon is a little look at the LA settings used in the show and Unmarried Professional Woman is a in depth look at the female characters that make their mark this season. Finally there is Advertising Timeline, a interactive gallery looking back at the world of advertising in the 60s. Extras as rich and enjoyable as the episodes themselves.
THE BOTTOM LINEHaving built up a reputation as one of the best shows on television, sticking the landing was always going to be difficult but Weiner delivers a series of episodes that bring Mad Men to a wonderful close. Character arcs are wrapped up, happy or progressive endings given and in the case of Draper, a resolution not only true to the character but folds into the show a stunningly clever piece of advertising history. Combining this triumph with a host of welcome special features make this a must own release.
Mad Men the Final Season Part 2 is available on Blu-ray and DVD from October 13th.
Get it at Amazon:
Mad Men: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray] | [DVD]
Mad Men: The Final Season Part 2 [Blu-ray] | [DVD] | [Instant]