I’m still reeling from the season finale of Mad Men. I want to keep thinking about it and talking about it, whether by getting a Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce t-shirt, or going nuts over these Joan paper dolls, or chuckling at this Mean Girls spin on it. Oh, and I love this supercut of Roger Sterling zingers from the season. More, more, more, please!
Much to my delight, Matt Weiner talked to the Daily Beast to answer some lingering questions about the season.
On Don and Betty’s divorce:
Weiner: It’s so unambiguous to me that this marriage is over, but the audience seems to cling to the idea that they should be together because we want to believe in those things. The marriage was not good. It was built on a lie and the lie was exposed. … I knew from the beginning that this would be the end of their marriage and I worked my way up to that. I didn’t want the marriage to end because she found out who he was; I wanted the marriage to end because she didn’t love him anymore.
On Don versus Henry Francis:
Weiner: [Don said] to her: “I’ve given you everything you ever wanted” and Henry said, “I don’t know what you want.”
On the fates of Sal, Ken, and Paul:
Weiner: I don’t know.
This definitely gives us fuel for the speculation fire, especially if we know for sure that Don and Betty are through. I’m curious about the dissolution of the Draper marriage not because I care about Betty but more because it will force Don to reevaluate who he is and how he parents. (If…he parents?) I’m way more interested in Sally Draper’s future, particularly because she elicits some of my favorite responses to the season, whether it was the one line e-mail from my dad that just read “SALLY DRAPER IS GOING TO MURDER SOMEONE” or the text from my friend that said “Sally Draper is going to grow up to be Jenny from Forrest Gump,” both of which seem like perfectly valid theories to me.
As for Sal, Ken, Paul, and the rest of the left-behind Sterling Cooperites, I really hope we see them again, Sal in particular. Ken hasn’t had enough to do since season one, and I like Paul mostly as a foil for Peggy and less as his own particular self.
Are you still thinking about the finale, too, PopWatchers? And what do you want to see in season four?
Image credit: Carin Baer/AMC
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Too bad that there’s no future for Don and Betts.
Sal HAS to come back!
It will be interesting to see how they bring Sal back with Lucky Strike as Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s main client.
sal’s story is so over…
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
i’m glad he sees a future for sal.
he never mentioned any future for Sal at all. He simply says “I don’t know.”
Whether or not they remain series regulars, I seriously doubt we’ve seen the last of those three, especially Sal. Ken breezes through life, though there’d be dramatic potential in him suddenly not having a job at McMann and needing to turn to the SCDP gang. Paul I just want to see looking increasingly pathetic trying to connect to the 60’s youth culture as he ages.
Paul will become one of the Chicago 7…Sal and..Ken will team with Duck show ends an us vs. them
It’s McCann Erickson, not McMann (&Tate). You’re thinking about that other show about advertising in the 60’s – Bewitched!
Another cheer for Sal to come back.
Betty was a wack job. Geese, she was exactly what Don called her. . the “w” word. She just wore better clothes. She was so emotionally constipated that I thought at any moment in the series, she would explode. Roger is the best here, what a mouth! He is the best, I hope he lasts throughout the entire run. Don is just too dull without him in the mix. Kudos to all on a great finale.
I agree with you about Roger, but I couldn’t disagree more with your description of Betty. Why is she such a ***** when she does the exact same things as Don? Just another way that women are criticized for behavior that is equal to mens’.
Betty and Henry BORING francis will die when SHE DOES EXPLODE ON PLANE BATHROON DUE TO CONSTIPATION…good ridance
Don is the biggest whore on earth! What a hypocrite.
Sal should NOT come back. His exit was brutal and felt truthful for the times. While a big fan of Bryan Batt, I thought this was very much a “Sopranos”-whacking, if there ever was one, or a Joss Whedon death (ala Ms. Calender, Joyce Summers).
I just know that I’m over Don being a playa and would like to see him focus on the work and maybe the kids. I could handle Rachel, but Bobbie and the Teacher just annoyed me to no end.
I just hope they don’t jump ahead too much. I love that little girl who plays Sally. I want her around next season too. Honestly, if there is no hope for Don and Betty, I kinda don’t need to see her again. Love January and what she’s done this season, but its time to move on.
If they want to explore an adulterous relationship, lets see the future of the Peggy and Pete dynamic, although I really, really like Allison Brie now and it would bum me out to have Pete cheat on her.
Agreed. I would love for Trudy to become an official main cast member. I hope they find ways to include her more. Maybe she’ll find out about Pete and Peggy’s baby and try to get it back to raise as her own …
it is not time to move on! there are plenty of stories left for Betty.
I would love to see Betsey get over Henry Francis, only to find out that Don has moved on!
I just bought the shirt. Thanks for the heads up.
In the end, the person I see Don with is NOT Rachel, or Peggy, but Anna. She knows his secrets, accepts him as is, encourages him to be his best. She’d bring calm and peace to the Draper house (and let Carla FINALLY get back to her own family for a change) and be a good mother for his kids.
That’s exactly what I thought!
shes so old looking though
What I find amusing is Sterling Coopers bread and butter, half of their capital and account revenue is from the company American Tobacco. We all know the US government put a kabosh to tv advertising on cigerettes and restricted advertising. It will be interesting to see how S.C. survives when this new revelation surfaces next season.
Here is some info from wikipedia:
“In 1964, the Surgeon General of the United States, released the Surgeon General’s Advisory committee Report on Smoking and Health. It was based on over 7000 scientific articles that linked tobacco use with cancer and other diseases. This report led to laws requiring warning labels on tobacco products and to restrictions on tobacco advertisements.”
ads were not banned till 1/1/1970
If they brought back Duck, they have to bring back Sal…I am glad Betty and Don are going their separate ways. How can Henry know what Betty wants? Betty doesn’t even know what Betty wants? I think she will be miserable whoever she is with.
Not to mention that she’s only known Henry what, a month?!
Betty met Henry at the Derby party. So by the end of the season, she’s known him for over 7 months. (Although admittedly they haven’t spent very much time together during those months.)
What I also find interesting that Margaret Lyons copies and pastes the interview from Jace Lacob of Televisionaryblog.com and Daily Beast but won’t give him credit or thank him for this amazing interview. It says alot about you Margaret.
Jace, thank you for this terrific interview you are gem.
It’s both linked to and credited, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about.
sally will become a “Manson Girl” or end up passed around by the Who at Woodstock
too funny…wow sally with Keith Moon AND JOHN ENTWISTLE…and pete and roger…oh my! maybe thta is why Pete poped Abbie Hoffman in the mouth on stage over sally not some stupid rant Abbie was giving that would be awesome!
they shoudl hire you dude/dudette to help write next year…those are “far out” ways to incorporate the characters into the 60s headlines..
The marriage is obviously over, but I have a hard time thinking that this is the end of Don and Betty’s story together. It had to end though, because one thing that’s been obvious is that Don won’t change unless he’s absolutely made to… he’s gotten away with doing whatever he wants with no consequences before. One that will be interesting to see is what happens with Betty – she’s always seemed to get whatever she’s wanted, and I wonder if this is going to finally be the disaster she’s had coming. Will she end up being political kryptonite as a divorcee? After all, remember how she treated her divorces neighbor from season 1.
I’d like to see Betty and Don get back together and this time to have a really good marriage. I’d like them to really appreciate each other and bring out each other’s best qualities.
Yeah, and I’d like to see world peace and a cure for cancer. Ain’t gonna happen.
I’m really sad that I will never again hear Don tell Betty to “take a pill and lie down.”
Bring back Sal! And Ken! And Paul! [/in order of importance] I don’t want to be distracted with worry about what’s happened to them for the rest of the show’s run.
I think Betty’s been pretty clear to us what she wants – if not so clearly to herself – she was very happy modeling. She doesn’t want to live in Ossining. She would probably be happier in a city atmosphere, working, not performing primary childcare responsibilities. Probably not a realistic goal for 1963 but not entirely a hidden desire…
Some predictions/thoughts: Henry Francis will try to convince Betty to become completely dependent on him, before the six weeks in Reno are over, Betty will call Don and he will fly out to visit. Although Betty & Don’s marriage has been finished since season 2, they will stay together because without the two of them together, the Don Draper sexual angst will be diminished. Joan’s douchebag husband will be gone, eventually Joan & Roger Sterling will end up together. Sally will be involved in some tragic accident with her baby brother, on Don’s watch. On the lighter side, I’d like to see more of Don in California. Shirtless, in a pool, by the ocean, more of the jet set episode but without the jet setters.
I want to see Peggy moving up and showing all the men in the office that a woman can take charge. Joan needs to get in on this as well… as much as I love Don Draper I would love to see the women clash with him more and not swoon at his feet every chance they get. That being said I am hooked on this show and can’t wait to see what is in store for the characters next season!
I adore Joan. Whenever she is on screen it’s the 4th of July !!!
And, who knew Duck had a body? That would have been a great rear shot of him getting out of bed to turn on the tv but NO !!! Who would put his underwear on after a hot ***** ?
That horrible shrink from Season One was right about Betty, and it was a major theme in how she was presented this season: She’s a child. She’s dealt with the major events of her life this season, childishly. At some point in a future season, Don is going to have to take responsibility for his children because Betty will fail them unless she changes profoundly. She’s not going to stick with Henry Francis, largely because she’ll decide he’s a dud in the sack.
Was the Derby Party the first episode this season? That is were Betty met Henry. Someone who she felt say her as a person, not just an object to complete the image of Don. Don also met Conrad Hilton at the Derby Party, who changes the way Don see himself…employee to employer. The 1st sceen in the last episode is Hilton, one of the last sceens shows Henry Francis…these new characters have rocked the boat!!