Mad Men Season 7 epi 7 Waterloo

Bert Cooper singing The Best Things in Life Are Free

Last night was the mid season finale of the final season of Mad Men and it did not disappoint. Many story lines where tied up and another fresh start was secured for our boy Don Draper. All of this was anchored with the historic moon landing. It was one of those rare episodes where we get to see all the shows main characters develop simultaneously.

Things start out pretty scary with Ted taking Sunkist on a flight that it looks like he's not too interested whether they ever come back from. Telling them that if the astronauts don't make it all their troubles will be through. He really is off the deep end, wandering into to bleakest Don territory.

Lou  has a fit that SC&P lost the Commander cigarette account, worried that all the reputation he built up before coming to their firm will be squander and Cutler tells him they don't owe him anything and he's a hired hand. Looks like he's on his way out. Then Cutler, without consulting the other partners, decides to serve Don breach of contract papers for his Commander Cigarettes stunt. Don has a more successful fit of his own bringing all the partners together to vote on it immediately. Don wins by one vote, his own. Cutler voted for himself and Ted and shocker Joan votes to send Don packing. Benedict Joan as Roger later says.

The shock of the finale was the passing of Bert Cooper who dies watching the moon landing with his housekeeper. I couldn't help but be reminded of his line when Ms. Blankenship died about her being born in a barn and dying on the 23 (?) floor of a Manhattan skyscraper. She was an Astronaut.(Something like that)

Don knows he is hanging on by a thread even with the vote, but when Bert Cooper dies he thinks all is lost. In a rare selfless act he tell Peggy that she should now do the Burger Chef pitch so that when he is gone the business will be unequivocally hers. Peggy is terrified at the prospect but nails it in the room.

Roger takes his final conversation with Bert to heart and becomes the leader they all need and works out a deal with McCann to protect his team, as Bert told him a leader does. After Don convinces Ted, who really just wants to curl up in a ball and die, The deal is made with even Cutler voting for it. They will all be very rich selling their share to McCann and Roger will be the King.

The final scene finds Don imagining the ghost of Bert doing the above pictured musical number The Best Things In Life Are Free. Funny advice from a man whose greatest pleasure seemed to come from really expensive art, to a guy who is about the be a multimillionaire. But maybe this is setting up Don for the completion of this last season. Will he be able to create real connection with his kids and co workers? We'll have to wait till next year to find out.

Post by Mad Men.

There was so much in last night episode so stay tuned for more details on tonight's Mad Men Podcast Or join us live at 9PMet/6PMpt