Most of the time people gauge the success of a series not just on the collection of episodes but how they wrap it all up in the series finale.   Prior to watching the finale of Mad Men last night, I had thought of what they could do to give the series and the characters I've grown to know so well over the past 7 seasons, a respectful farewell. 

I thought of all the things that could happen that would leave me feeling "satisfied" with the series being done-zo.  

• Like what if Don comes back to the office & then somehow falls or gets pushed out of the window, and then they flash to the intro of the show where he’s seen falling?  What a full circle, twilight zone-like ending that would be!! 
• How crazy would it be if the ending of the show was played in the intro prior to every episode?! Real crazy.  

After spending a good percentage of the episode preparing myself for Don to “off” himself, at 11:18pm as the credits to the episode rolled, I realized that NONE of the things I had thought of actually occurred in this episode – but I was still somehow very pleased.

My overall review:  

Reaction: Emotional & Ambiguous!  

Emotional: 

Partially because one of my favorite TV shows of all time was ending, I mean my god – the montage of scenes before the episode even started to the song  “Do you remember the times of your life” had me tearing up.  Don’t even tell me you didn’t get emotional during the finale because when Don Draper cries--- YOU CRY! 

Ambiguous: 

Pretty much all the character stories after the finale are really just left up to our interpretation.  

I mean, sure - most all of the character lines wrapped up and showed what direction the character was heading.  Whether dying of terminal lung cancer (Betty), falling in love (Peggy + Stan FOREVER), becoming a boss b*tch (Joan) or reconciling your family all snuggled up in a fur coat on an airplane (The Campbells) - you could kind of decipher how the cookies were crumbling for each character.   

All in all, I'm rooting for a spin-off with Meredith.  Annoying? YES.  Driven? Yes – That girl translated Roger's speech into Pig Latin, just as she was asked (although jokingly).  I believe she will indeed "land on her feet".

My Favorite quote from the episode: 

Yell at me slower, or in English.

Congratulations on your marriage Roger & Megan’s Mom (I will never remember her real character name – she’ll always be Megan’s mom, because it’s weird).

The Last 3 Minutes

The very “OM” ending of this finale really leaves quite a bit to the viewer’s interpretation.

Don has already stolen a man’s identity and has been living out his life as him for so many years but no matter, Dick or Don – HE is who HE is.  A poetic advertising man! (…& probably an alcoholic) . The final 3 minutes of the finale we see Don sitting there criss-cross-apple-sauce with the rest of the hippies, & we watch as he hears the leader say the final line:

The new day brings new hope. Lives we’ve lead. Lives we get to lead.  A new day. New ideas. New you.

Then the sudden ding of a bell – almost strikes me as the ding of when a cartoon character has an idea.  I think that final line hits Don’s (or Dick’s) ears as a sweet line for an ad, a language which he speaks fluently.   

A smirky smile slowly appears on Don’s face & then the Coke Ad  “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” plays – the ad having the same scenery & hippies we just saw with Don.  (I see you girl with red ribbons folded into her braids!)  

To me, this implies that he realizes while he’s sort of reached a dead-end, and  he ran to escape or refresh or even reinvent himself  again - he didn’t need to.  He has made Don Draper who Don Draper now is, and is taking his life experience from his brief time getting in touch with his spiritual side (luckily avoiding the Mansons or drinking any of the Kool-aid) to create an Ad for Coke.  

Well, now that it’s all over.  I guess I will just have to re-watch all the seasons again.  I need a Whiskey & Coke….hold the Coke. 

What did YOU think of the finale? Want to drop us a line about your crazy predictions that may or may not have come true?  Comment below or chat us up on Twitter.