Mad Men “Person to Person” Review (7×14)

“Happiness is just a moment before you need more happiness.”

This specific quote is nowhere to be found in the series finale of Mad Men, but the idea behind it plays out in nearly every scene of the hour. It’s certainly not the best episode this show has produced, but it puts a thematic bow on the series, giving us a snapshot of and hope for these characters’ futures; yes, there will always be something in life that knocks them down and causes intense self-doubt, but what matters at the end of “Person to Person” is the fact that they find happiness in this moment. What matters is that we see just how much life is built on being person to person, on being formed out of the relationships we share with others. Happiness, therefore, is only a person away.

Let’s start with two of the most fascinating people ever to grace the television landscape: Joan and Peggy. In a scene that had the entire fan base clamoring for a spinoff, Joan asks Peggy to be her partner at a new company of her own, an offer the latter eventually turns down due to her relationship with Stan. It’s interesting how the two end up in a bit of a role reversal: Joan finds happiness by setting her mind on her work, whereas Peggy finds happiness outside of work. “There’s more to life than work,” Stan says, and that reminds us of Bert Cooper’s famous saying: “The best things in life are free.”

And what a scene it is when Peggy realizes this fact. Elisabeth Moss is absolutely brilliant here from her “What?” to her “I don’t even think about you…” to her patting her chest above her heart. Sure, it would be easy to call it cheesy, but at this point, I’m not sure I care about that. What I care about is the fact that Peggy finds happiness, that she finds love, that she finally begins to live a life person to person rather than work to work. That’s the beauty of her storyline here.

As for Don? His storyline is certainly up for interpretation, and it pretty much comes down to the following: 1) You can read it from a more cynical viewpoint, with Don going back to McCann Erickson and coming up with the idea for the Coke ad. However, this ad is just a reflection of how empty he is, how driven he is by the job and by consumerism. His happiness is merely derived from the success of a product that promotes cheap happiness, and his smile is him coming up with the ad idea. Or, you can look at it from a more optimistic standpoint: 2) Don’s finally found his happiness. He’s finally accepted who he is, and he is not the one who makes the ad. His smile is the reflection of his happiness. Or, go with: 3) Any combination of the two.

I’ll go with choice 3 for my interpretation. Yes, the girl with the ribbons and the “ding” sound are clues supporting the fact that he makes the ad, but at the same time, I don’t want to believe it. I look at it as Don’s moment of happiness contrasting with the fake, saccharine aspect of the Coke ad, and I look at it from both a cynical and an optimistic standpoint…cynical because that cheap happiness conveyed by the Coke ad is going to run the world, and optimistic because I think Don Draper has found happiness, has realized certain things about himself. Part of that is due to the heartbreaking monologue delivered by Leonard–Evan Arnold in the role of a lifetime–as Don finally realizes that other people are experiencing what he’s experienced. In a contrast to the earlier image of the old woman pushing him away, he ends up hugging Leonard, realizing that he feels what Leonard feels. It’s all about a moment of empathy, a moment of person to person connection.

No, this is not a permanent state for him–or for any of the characters–whether it’s him finding happiness within work or outside of work. However, what matters is that happiness flows through him at that moment, allowing a small smile to grace the face of a man who hasn’t had much reason to do so recently. We don’t know what the future will bring for Don and Peggy and Joan and Pete and Sally and Roger and all the rest, but what we do know is that we were able to watch them grow for these last eight years. It’s been a blast, Mad Men. Farewell.

GRADE: B+

SEASON GRADE: A-

SERIES GRADE: A-

OTHER THOUGHTS:

-Okay, there’s a wonderful point I saw online: yes, the Coke ad is saccharine and fake, but last year, Don/Peggy/Pete had a genuine moment at the burger restaurant in service of a burger ad. Also, Don’s biggest moments have come through his ads.

Edit: I also really like the idea that Don making the ad is not necessarily a bad thing. He can both fall back into old patterns and grow as a person.

Still, though, I’m sticking with my interpretation. I know the evidence is laid out before us, but let me have this!!!!

-Once again: THESE PEOPLE BETTER GET SOME ACTING EMMYS.

– “There are a lot of better places than here.” Meredith with the mic drop.

– “I had a dream I was on a shelf in the refrigerator. Someone closes the door and the light goes off. And I know everybody’s out there eating. And then they open the door and you see them smiling. They’re happy to see you but maybe they don’t look right at you and maybe they don’t pick you. Then the door closes again. The light goes off.” This is part of Leonard’s speech. Reminds me of certain ad pitches, actually, but quite different.

-Oh, Don. Still lighting up a cigarette right after you find out that Betty has lung cancer (also, smoke gets in his eyes….callback to the pilot?). By the way, that scene between the two of them is absolutely devastating. “I want to keep things as normal as possible, and you not being here is part of that.” Ouch.

-Holloway-Harris. Perfect.

-I like how Roger’s storyline ends. He ends up where he does because he understands that there is more to life than work, and the person he ends up with is the result of his work and personal life working in tandem. Also, he still gets the best lines: “Little rich bastard.”

-I love how Joan doing Coke foreshadows Coke’s role in the remainder of the episode.

– “You gotta let him go. Doesn’t mean you should stop caring about him.” An important idea in terms of living person to person and learning to cope with your past.

– “People just come and go?” “I’m sorry, but people are free to come and go as they please.” Don, do you notice anything here?

-Goodbye to one of the most brilliant opening credits I have ever seen.

-Thank you so, so much to everyone who read my reviews over the years. If I had to choose, I’d say that Mad Men has brought out some of my best writing on this site, and I will never regret those sleepless nights spent dissecting one of the most thematically rich shows ever created. Once again, thanks. Please share your favorite moments/episodes/characters below, as well as any theories you might have.

Photo credit: Mad Men, AMC

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