'Mad Men' Finale: Bringing It All Back Home

Warning: Spoiler alert!

The “Mad Men” finale was a satisfying, although a bit too tidy, end to its 3rd season. When I was 8, my teenage sister introduced me to a card game called “52 Pick-Up.” When I handed her the deck, she tossed cards across the room. As I whined, she said, “What else did you think a card game called ’52 Pick-Up’ was about?” When writers Weiner and Levy created chaos with all my familiar characters in the opening episode, I should have thought “52 Pick-Up.”

After all, they just had a merger for heaven’s sake. What else to expect? Relationships between and among characters changed as work and economic status changed, and they were reshuffled into new and less pleasing ones. But we became gradually more accustomed to the new “order,” although the dominant “feeling” was a cheerless dreariness. There were some memorable moments. When a drunk Lois amputated the erstwhile new Brit super star Guy MacKendrick’s foot with a John Deere tractor in the office, I laughed out loud for minutes. Taken one show at a time, they were good, but the cumulative gloom and doom became stifling.

The finale begins with the all consuming “Connie” Hilton telling Don that Putnamm, Powell and Lowe is about to be acquired by McCann Erickson. When Draper complains that he has been “used” by Hilton, Hilton pulls an “Ayn Rand” and states that he alone built Hilton. Hilton expresses disappointment with Don for being a whiner and thought he was not like “one of them.” Funny stuff. But Draper gets the joke and is determined to persuade all the key former Sterling Cooper people they should start their own firm. He has some reservations. He recalls his father’s death when he tried to go it alone by leaving his wheat co-op. This represents “risk” (duh), while Ayn Hilton represents “reward.” But Burt Cooper makes Don realize he will have to right past wrongs if he is to create this new firm.

At this point, it begins to feel like an inside-out version of “The Godfather.” There was even the “it’s just business” line uttered by Hilton. Michael Corleone’s business solution was to blow away the other families; Draper-Corleone’s solution was to persuade all those he offended that he now understands their true worth.

He admits to Roger that relationships matter. Draper praises and values Lane Pryce’s financial ability. He prostrates to Pete as long as he can bring $8 million worth of business with him, supplementing Roger’s $24 million American Tobacco account. Burt Cooper is warding off the grim reaper by staying active. A newly svelte Joan (Marilyn Monroe has been dead for 18 months) knows where all the client boxes are buried, as she leads a midnight raid to steal them.

But Peggy and Betz are causing problems with the plan. Draper makes a perfunctory effort at marriage-saving but is relieved that Betty wants to marry the Rockefeller connected and wealthy Harry Francis. Don gets off alimony free with a Reno divorce. Look for Betz to mess with Harry’s head next season. Peggy and Don’s relationship went south this year. She wants his respect. The Draper-Olsen relationship is serious stuff for Weiner/Levy. Draper really does need her and says she is the only one who understands “how everything has now changed” since the Kennedy assassination. He admits even if she says “no,” he “will spend the rest of my life trying to hire you.” Ah, true (business) love. She caves.

The old crowd is back together again, temporarily holed up in the Pierre Hotel. Except for legal questions, the ending of the show was plausible. Weiner/Levy gave the characters and fans what they wanted. But I am getting hip to their tricks. That “old gang of mine” will be soon recalling that old proverb “be careful what you wish for.”

I can’t wait.