Spoiler alert below

For a show that was hailed, at one time, as the greatest TV series ever made, Mad Men has been quiet on the critical radar in Australia during its seventh and final season.

This week saw the end of part one of season seven.  Although some have criticised US network AMC for having split the finale into two seasons, we are not one of those organisations.

While it may not be as groundbreaking in its seventh season as it was when it first aired to critical acclaim in 2007, this is still a brilliant series, and last night’s penultimate finale proved that in every scene.

Set against the backdrop of the 1969 Moon Landing, episode seven saw Don Draper (Jon Hamm) almost sacked (again) from Sterling Cooper & Partners, the end of his marriage to Megan (again), and a gracious moment to his protegé, Peggy (Elisabeth Moss).

In the finest of Mad Men traditions, long-time character (and kook) Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) sung and danced his way out of the show to the tune of The Best Things in Life are Free, complete with secretaries as backup dancers. Just wonderful and a scene that has been called ‘pitch perfect’ by some US critics.

From here on in is the complete recap of the episode. Don’t read on if you don’t want to get burnt.

Mad Men season seven, episode seven: Waterloo (Spoiler Alerts)

Don

As the creative team sweat on the Burger Chef pitch in Indianapolis, Don receives a letter giving him notice of his immediate termination. Don storms into Cutler’s office and demands an explanation, Cutler (Harry Hamlin) retorts that Don’s sabotage of the Phillip Morris meeting was grounds for termination as a breach of his contract. Cutler goes onto further puncture the Don Draper mystique (“you’re a bully and a drunk”).  Don, not going down without a fight, shouts out every partner into the hallway and demands satisfaction; they’re all caught unawares (Cutler went behind their backs to unilaterally fire Don), a vote is immediately staged and Don is retained.

Rattled by the corporate intrigue Don calls Megan (Jessica Pare) in L.A and tells her the situation. He entertains the idea of moving out there with her permanently and his suggestion is met with …stone cold silence. Then they both agree their marriage is over, in what has to be the mutest marriage break up ever. Undaunted by his life falling apart (he must be used to it by now), Don heads off with the team to spearhead the Burger Chef pitch. But, hours before the presentation, Don, unclear of his future at the firm selflessly, hands the all-important pitch off to Peggy, who can continue the work even if he’s fired. Peggy delivers a flawless pitch (and has her first real Don Draper moment) and they win the account.

Megan (Jessica Pare) dumps Don (Jon Hamm) again. Will these guys ever work it out? Photo: AMC

Roger

After Cutler’s clandestine attempt to fire Don, Roger Sterling (John Slattery) storms Cooper’s office and asks what they should do. Cooper then schools Roger on politics and says Don is a liability but he (Cooper) has to support him because it is required of him as a leader. He then gently tells Roger that for all gifts, he is not a leader.

Later that night, with everyone having watched the moon landing, Roger gets a call that Cooper has passed away! He meets Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Cutler in the office in the dead of the night and Cutler tells him he will use this death as a chance to restructure the company and to oust Don once and for all.  Disgusted, Roger leaves and immediately springs into action and tries to negotiate the sale of Sterling Cooper as an independent subsidiary of McCann Erickson. McCann it turns out is amenable, but they want Don and Ted on board (at the expense of Cutler).

Back at the firm, before they can announce Cooper’s death to the staff  (and Cutler’s can announce Don’s termination), Roger tells the partners about the deal and that he will be president of the company. Don is reluctant at first, saying he has avoided working for McCann so many times (this happened in season one and was part of the finale in season three), but eventually decides he doesn’t care about corporate politics and just wants to work. All the other partners, realising they are about to clear over a million dollars each immediately agree. With even the dastardly Jim Cutler relenting.

Then in what has to be the most bizarre, David Lynch-esque moment ever, Don, returning to his office, sees an apparition of the late Bert Cooper (see main image), who launches into a soaring, shoeless rendition of The Best Things in Life are Free, complete with dancing secretaries and showgirls at his side, imploring Don that ‘the moon belongs to everyone and that, the best things are free”. Don leans on his desk in disbelief and the season ends. Whoa!?!

Don (jon Ham) and Roger Sterling (John Slattery) work things out as season seven comes to a close for the year. Photo: AMC

Other observations

Well, that was a great episode to finish off the first half of season seven. It was very sad to see Bert Cooper go, but it felt inevitable given how increasingly powerless he had become as the seasons wore on. It was good he got to have one final flash of insight and wisdom with Roger before passing away.

But what a glorious, bat shit crazy send off for Bert Cooper it was. And that song and dance routine was definitely a nod to actor Robert Morse’s earlier work: He’s still got it!

The Burger Chef storyline felt like a nice culmination to the Peggy/Don relationship: Don seemed to grow increasingly modest as the season wore on and settled into a kind of easy mentorship with Peggy where he was happy to see her flourish. Similarly all the old members of the firm seemed to become more and more important to each other throughout the season: Roger, Pete and Harry all remained loyal to Don when it wasn’t in their interest to.

As for the final seven episodes next year your guess is as good as mine. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the Don and Megan story line. (Although I have to say every time I saw her alone in her house in the Hollywood Hills I did think of the Manson family were going to show up at any moment). And we didn’t see a lot of Joan or Sally in these first seven episodes, so perhaps more to come before the finale.

Don’s secretary trying to comfort him, then ridiculously, trying to make an advance on him was great. Don just sort of sat there bemused and didn’t quite know what was going on.

It was a really great, touching moment when Roger slid Bert Cooper’s name of his office door.

Peggy and Harry chain smoking on the plane before the Burger Chef pitch – how long has it been since Mad Men made an inappropriate smoking joke?

Even though Harry was a made, still nobody takes him seriously.

Quote of the Week goes to Roger:  ‘Every time an old man starts talking about Napoleon, you know he’s going to die.’