As you’ve probably learned from AMC’s aggressive, multi-media “End of an Era” campaign (Hey, it is a show about advertising, after all.) the final episodes of Mad Men will begin airing on Sunday, April 5. The TV spots and banner ads may be a tad dramatic (as advertisements generally are), but the conclusion of the show that made AMC an original programming juggernaut does mark the end of an era in more ways than one. For one thing, Don Draper is following Tony Soprano, Walter White, and Dexter Morgan out the door, and who will replace him as TV’s most effed-up anti-hero? (As much as we love him, Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill doesn’t seem quite up to the task. He’s just to…lovable.) But when Don stubs out his final cigarette, it’s not just the Age of the Brooding White Guy that will come to a close. The final seven episodes of Mad Men will likely explore the end of the 1960s, the end of a corporate world that’s dominated entirely by men like Don, and the end of what many consider to be the golden age of media and advertising. It’s a lot to take on, and based on comments he made almost four years ago, creator Matthew Weiner intends to wrap things up not with a bang, but with a massive jump forward in time: “What I’m looking for, and how I hope to end the show, is like … It’s 2011,” Weiner said. “Don Draper would be 84 right now. I want to leave the show in a place where you have an idea of what it meant and how it’s related to you.” Needless to say, it sounds as though Weiner is planning the exact opposite of a Sopranos-style non-ending. (Perhaps he learned his lesson from his time as a staff writer on the HBO mob series.) If he carries through on his plan, it’ll certainly be a shock to see Don Draper – the consummate man of his times – living in the 21st Century. Can you imagine Don/Dick receiving an-Emoji-laden text message from his grandkids? We can’t. But then, maybe that’s the point… If you still need to catch up in time for tonight’s finale, watch Mad Men online at TV Fanatic. And if – like the show’s central characters – you’ve blacked out on any of the major events, check out some of Mad Men’s most memorable moments in the gallery below: 9 Memorable Mad Men Moments 1. Lane Price and Pete Campbell Fight View Photo Lane and Pete go at it. Lane won the fight but this season, um…didn’t end well for him. 2. The Sterling-Cooper Lawnmower Incident View Photo A tragic mishap in the Sterling-Cooper offices. Well, tragically hilarious, anyway. 3. Betty Draper Shooting Pigeons View Photo Betty took her frustrations out on some neighborhood birds. She became a somewhat character in seasons since. 4. Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper View Photo Don’s daughter has had too many memorable moments to choose just one. It’s been a pleasure watching her grow into a sassy teenager. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 5. Mad Men: JFK Assassination Scene View Photo Mad Men memorably tackled a day that brought the nation to its knees. Just one of many historical events the series has vividly brought to life. 6. Don Draper Hits Rock Bottom View Photo Don was a drunken mess for most of season four. He drinks a lot, but now he manages to do his job…for the most part. 7. Peggy Olson Smokes Weed View Photo Elisabeth Moss puts her foot down as Peggy Olson. That girl really wanted to get high. 8. Roger Sterling: Drunk For Pearl Harbor Day View Photo Every day is an occasion to drink for Roger Sterling. Though he got especially plastered (and bigoted) on Pearl Harbor Day. Advertisement A message from our sponsor. 9. Don Draper Crying View Photo Don broke down and showed his human side after learning about the death of a friend. We’re sure the final season will hold many more emotional moments for Don. The End. Up Next: ” 9 Memorable Mad Men Moments .” We’ll be redirecting you shortly…
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Matthew Weiner Reveals How Mad Men Will End (No, Really)
