Monday, May 18, 2015

Awful final scene of Mad Men



I hadn't watched many episodes of Mad Men before last night's finale, which seemed more or less okay until Don's final scene (starting at 1:34 above) that seemed like it was written by someone on the East coast who's never been to California, much like Woody Allen's jokes about LA in Annie Hall. 

When Don got up in the group session and started to move toward the sniveling guy in the blue sweater, I shouted at the TV, "Don't do it, Don!" Alas, Don did it; he gave the guy a hug.

It was all downhill from there, with Don in a group meditation at an Esalen-like retreat chanting "om" in the classic lotus position, which is difficult for beginners (The scene would have been more authentic if it had featured a more fashionable type of meditation practice). The scene suggests that some time has passed and that Don has achieved some kind of realization, which is really just a New Age version of deux ex machina, a contrived, unconvincing resolution of Don's story.

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