‘Mad Men’ Season 4 finale recap: Don does more dumb stuff
“Man Men,” Season 4, Episode 13: “Tomorrowland”
Was Sunday’s “Mad Men” really the season finale? I’m confused, but don’t know why. It ended the way it started: slow and confusing. I love this show. I really do. But it disappoints me and makes me angry almost as much as it drops my jaw in glee and excitement.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved a lot of the episode. I even laughed a lot. It’s just the way it ended and the story they set up that bothered me. I’ll start from the beginning:
The season closed out with Don (Jon Hamm) heading to California to take care of some business and spend some much-needed time with his children. Don had planned to take the kids’ lifelong nanny along to take care of the kids, but Betty fired her for letting that creepy boy that she hates visit with Sally.
The scene with Betty (January Jones) and Carla was pretty amazing. Not because Betty fired Carla, but because what Carla said to Betty. “Someone has to take care of the kids,” she said, referring to Betty’s grossly lacking parenting skills. Hilarious.
So Carla’s firing leaves Don in a bind. He couldn’t possibly be a parent all by himself, so he invites his secretary Megan (Jessica Pare) along. This works out perfectly because the kids like her, she’s never been to California and Don has an instant sex receptacle.
But it’s not just sex Don and Megan find in California. They find love. Out of no where. I mean, sure they’ve worked together all this season and had sex once, but apparently they’re in love with each other. So much in love that Don asks her to marry him and she says yes. Seriously.
That’s one of the problems I had with this episode. Where did this come from? Don had been dating two other women throughout the season and now he’s in love with Megan? I know Don’s crazy when it comes to women, but there’s just something weird (and seemingly lazy) with this new storyline. I don’t know why I care; everything will be fine next season. I guess I just sometimes wish for a little more excitement with this show.
Not a lot more happened in the season finale, which was my other problem with it. No one else got any payoffs, story set-ups, or anything. I guess I have to take some of that back because we did learn for sure that Joan (Christina Hendricks) didn’t terminate her pregnancy. It seems she kept the baby and is passing it off as her husband’s and not Roger’s (John Slattery). So we can look forward to that storyline next season.
Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) did secure a new account, breaking the dry spell that the agency had following the fallout from Lucky Strike. But that celebration was a little over shadowed by the news of Don and Megan’s engagement. The reaction from that news is what really made the entire episode.
Peggy, clearly annoyed by the news, goes into Joan’s office, shuts the door and steals a cigarette. Joan looks up and says “What ever could be on your mind.” Hilarious. The two women are finally on the same side this season as they diss Don, the men at SCDP and women like Megan. It’s a brilliant scene.
I’m starting to realize there’s sort of a Megan/Peggy parallel. At least up to this point. Both women have had similar relationships with Don. He even compares Megan to Peggy. It almost seems as if Peggy would’ve been in Megan’s position if Don was actually attracted to her. I hope Peggy is OK with that because she’s the lucky one in this whole mess. Not Megan.
Near the end, Don and Betty share an odd scene. Betty pretended to just run into Don, but clearly had planned it. She even adjusted her makeup. Was she going to try to seduce Don into something? Ex sex? Getting back together? What? I love how crazy everyone on this show is.
Then the episode ends with Don and Megan laying in bed as Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe” plays them out. That’s it. I’m not always the best person at analyzing symbolism, but I didn’t get any clue if that ending meant anything.
What were your thoughts? Did you pick up on anything I missed? This show sometimes takes a second watch, so go easy on me.
