Rivers of Babylon Scene From Mad Men

Such a level of symbolism in this scene. It seemed to me that this was powerful even if you are not familiar with the television show Mad Men. But on second thought, there is no way for me to know for sure, since I was already watching when I saw this particular episode. What I will say is that this episode - and this ending scene in particular - really got my attention. I loved the old, folk sound of the song, as well as how dramatic both the music and the lyrics are, complimenting one another. 

This particular scene came from Season 1, Episode 6. Specifically, it is how this episode closes. A brief description, hopefully without any real spoilers for anyone who wants to watch the series, if you want it. Don Draper is, for the most part, the main guy of the series. He is the man pictures most often in this short video, notoriously handsome and suave, impeccably dressed and with dark hair. He is with a woman who is not his wife, but he is thinking about another woman altogether, the Jewish owner of a store who is pictured early in the video at a cash register, with a janitor sweeping the steps of the store in the background. Briefly, we also see Don's wife, Betty, who is overly fixated on her looks, and epitomizes the superficial values of the fifties and early sixties. She is fixing up her daughter, although her daughter will soon begin to rebel and not identify herself solely with her good looks, as her mother has done before her.

Then in the final couple of scenes, we see Joan Harris, while she is finishing dressing from another rendezvous with Roger Sterling. Yes, they are having an affair, and she clearly does not look happy. Roger is one of the owners of the commercial firm (hence the name "Mad Men," a play on ad men) that almost all of the major characters in this series work for. Yet, he does not have a sense of accomplishment, and feels a lack of respect for his status and/or for who he is. He is spoiled, with a false sense of entitlement, and getting older. He desperately wants to make his mark on the world, yet is also trying desperately to hang onto his youth, which can be seen her with his lingering with Joan. Joan is attracted to him, but as a woman in the sixties, she is tired of being viewed and judged exclusively for her sexuality, and not taken seriously in the workplace. She seems to be attracted to Roger because he has the kind of easy access to power and relevance, that he can afford to take it for granted.Clearly, Joan longs for that. 

Given all of that, this scene, with the dramatic and actually quite sad music accompanying it, seems to capture the drama and tragedy of all of the characters glimpsed during the video. It is captivating. Truly a brilliant scene, and I can hardly think of a better ending to an episode of any television show that I have seen that was not a cliffhanger or a season or series closer.  Just incredible, and it seems to speak volumes about why so many people loved this series, or why it often garners serious discussion about being a serious contender for greatest television show in history. 

There is a high degree of sophistication in terms of the complexity of the characters. This comes out in ways both obvious and subtle throughout. And the music that they choose is often both timely and very relevant. This particular scene was perhaps the very best example of that I can think of.

Enjoy!