The new season of Mad Men is around the corner and the anticipation has me remembering the lovely way the previous season wrapped up.
Season Six as a whole was one of the more scattered of the series’ run, at least partly by design. As the 60s started to bleed into the 70s, the outside world increasingly encroached on the usually insulated characters. The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, as well as the Vietnam War, left everybody shaken.
Don Draper, played beautifully (as always) by Jon Hamm, spent much of the season backsliding into the infidelity and alcoholism that defined him in early seasons. At times, his story felt less like an arc and more like a rerun.
But it turned out that he was headed for a breakthrough all along. After all, you have to hit bottom before you can rise up, and the brilliant season finale had him do both.
I’ve included the two most powerful scenes in that episode below, though both are cut a bit short by whoever uploaded them to YouTube.
In the first, Draper delivers one of his trademark advertising pitches to the folks from Hershey, painting a portrait of a beautiful childhood scene. But for once, the dichotomy between his spin and his reality gets to him and he changes course and delivers a more heartfelt confession.
The other scene is the final moment of the season. Draper has lost his job and alienated his wife. His relationship with his oldest child, Sally (played by the wonderful Kiernan Shipka), is strained because she has learned about his philandering.
He drives his kids into a run-down neighborhood, much to their dismay, to give them a glimpse — for the first time — of his origins. He and Sally silently look at each other, and maybe start to really understand each other for the first time.
I can’t wait to see where Don, Sally and Mad Men go from here.
Scoring the final scene is Judy Collins’ hit version of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now,’ presented below in full as the SOTD.
And feather canyons everywhere, I’ve looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun they rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done, but clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real, I’ve looked at love that way
But now it’s just another show, you leave ’em laughin’ when you go
And if you care don’t let them know, don’t give yourself away
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say, “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I’ve looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange they shake their heads, they say
I’ve changed
But something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
Meet Me In Montauk 
So does Hershey’s go with the orphan eating chocolate from a girl in the whorehouse theme? Sounds like a winner to me.😄
As I don’t watch Madmen, I’ll just comment on the song. I know you don’t like Joni Mitchell’s voice, but I far prefer her version to Collins’ cover. Not a big fan of Collins’ vibrato.
Even though I am a fan of both Joni and Judy, this was one of the first albums I owned and I fully thought Judy Collins wrote it. I loved this song and used to sing it to my baby brother along with Blowin’ in the Wind and White Rabbit. (Sorry Dana to reveal such sentimental stuff :)). What a perfect use of the song in contrast to the image and feelings. Love it!
Thanks for sharing those scenes; I can’t wait until the show resumes-soon I hope. I too love the song in this scene–perfect!