You can say that I saw every episode, but it threw me off to watch it in that order, rather than chronological order, so I never did get around to reviewing it.
I will say this, though: the way that they ended season 6 was phenomenal! Through all of the turbulence, the one constant with Don Draper was the job security that was his privilege to enjoy. His first marriage ended, his one true friend who knew who he really was, out in California, died. He got remarried to a very attractive, much younger woman, but began to resume his old, cheating ways again. And his drinking problem is getting worse. But the job was always there, always present, and they always needed him....until the end of the final episode for season 6!
That made the anticipation for this season very strong!
Or so I thought. But I'm a fan, of course. Apparently, the ratings for the opener this season were abysmal. Not sure why, but those are the headlines (see link below).
So, now, the first episode for the final season. If you have not yet seen it, then I recommend you doing so while you can. It is currently available online at AMC to view for free. All you have to do is click on the following link:
http://www.amctv.com/full-episodes/mad-men/3472393097001/time-zones
There are 25 days until AMC takes this episode down, so you probably don't want to wait too long to watch it. It's good, so enjoy!
Now, if you have yet to see it, then you probably do not want to read on, because I will now discuss it here. Don't say you weren't warned.
***Spoiler Alert***
It starts with Peggy being impressed with an idea from...I can't remember his name - sorry, but terrible with names! He was on earlier seasons, and was essentially forced out because of a drinking problem. Just can't remember his name, and he's on other television shows, some bad sitcom, I think. In any case, he has what seems like a great idea, and he's pitching it to Peggy, who is impressed, but alters it a bit, to make it sound more "elegant". Ultimately, her alteration not only does not work, but it runs the idea completely for the agency, period. In the meantime, she is still recovering from her ill-fated love affair with Ted, who took his family and left for greener pastures in Los Angeles to save his marriage, leaving Peggy broken-hearted, of course. Well, he's back, and his very presence keeps setting her off. She is obviously still affected strongly by him, but love has turned to hate (as it can do sometimes, when things end bitterly). His presence bothers her greatly.
Don prepares himself for his wife, Megan, who is now living in Los Angeles. She looks better, sexier, than ever! Their marriage clearly on the rocks, but he seems to sincerely want to do better this time. He is only there for a few days, and sees that she is truly building a life for herself out here. During his stay in LA, he does meet with Pete Campbell, who looks and seems entirely different out west. More pleasant, almost, and frankly, almost effeminate. He seems truly happy to see Don, and tells him that if it were up to him, Don would be back working regularly in the agency already. In the meantime, Don is without an active job, having been forced out, but he is clearly still collecting paychecks from them. The time spent together is too short for both of their tastes, but in the end, Don returns back to the apartment in New York. He comes very close to giving into temptation with an attractive woman on the plane who invites him to be with her when they land, but we see that he is really trying to get his head on straight, to make things work, as he ultimately rejects and turns away from her. He meets with the same ex-employee that Peggy was conversing with at the beginning of the episode (sorry, still don't remember the name), and he seems to be helping Don get sober again. Don's doors to the balcony are stuck, he cannot close them, and it is in the middle of winter. Towards the end of the episode, in the closing scene, we see him looking truly miserable, sitting there, looking almost pathetic in the cold night.
Joan is excited about the opportunity to grab one of Ken's clients, hoping she can branch out. But she is not taken seriously, and finds that the client seems ready to drop the agency. The challenge of trying to get them to take her seriously, and keep the agency on, proves overwhelming, and she resorts to her familiar threats in order to achieve this.
Roger Sterling seems to be living a lie, with sexual partners (yes, plural) all at one time, orgies an all. His daughter wants to meet with him, and in his skeptical mind, she clearly wants something from him. But she tells him she forgives him, and that is it - nothing more. He is skeptical, but she insists that is all that she is doing, although she makes him confront his past transgressions as her father, having torn the family apart. He seems weighed down by this through the rest of the episode.
No other Draper family members in this episode, and nothing else to report until next Sunday!
'Mad Men' end in sight for Weiner with new season By Frazier Moore, AP Television Writer, April 14, 2014:
http://news.yahoo.com/mad-men-end-sight-weiner-111149122.html;_ylt=AwrBTzvBpU9TMTsAqj9XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0dXIwdmRpBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDM3NV8x
‘Mad Men’: Where We Left Off -by Amy Zimmerman, April 11, 2014:
http://news.yahoo.com/mad-men-where-left-off-094500624--politics.html;_ylt=AwrBEiFvpk9TPkEArNDQtDMD
Mad Men recap: season seven, episode one – Time Zones
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/apr/16/mad-men-recap-season-seven-episode-one-time-zones
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