I agree that this first episode of the final season is confusing, partly because it's been so long since we saw the previous season. I watched this episode twice. It's time Don Draper examines his lifestyle. The waitress reminds him of Rachel, who rejected his offer to run away with him. Rachel was wise enough to know that you can't run away from yourself. Don has been running away from himself since the first episode of Season 1. He is a fraud, presenting a persona to the world that is not really who he is. He avoids confronting who he is by having one affair after another and drinking all day long. The waitress also rejects him. She tells him to bring a date the next time he comes to the diner because "I only work here." Rachel's sister rejects him when he attends the memorial prayer service. She says, "I know who you are." Don has never made a commitment to anyone. He is rich and handsome, but he has no true friends (Roger is as frivolous and superficial as Don). Don is estranged from his two ex-wives, and his children are not part of his daily life. It's time for self-examination. That's what this season will be about.
6 Reviews
***
edwagreen6 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
With his beard, Roger looks much older and distinguished. He is still quite the character that he is by referring to a waitress as Mildred Pierce, and then leaving her a $100.00 tip.
What a poignant moment when Don discovers that Rachel Katz died and he pays a Shiva call to her family. Her bereaved sister is cool to him, for as she says: "I know who you are." The men conducting prayers in a minyan, the requirement that at least 10 Jewish men be assembled before praying begins will send chills down your spine.
Otherwise, Peggy gets drunk during an apparent one-night fling and we know the results of that from the coming attractions.
The guy getting fired but holding our firm in his hand with his new position was for the most part superfluous, as far as I'm concerned.
What a poignant moment when Don discovers that Rachel Katz died and he pays a Shiva call to her family. Her bereaved sister is cool to him, for as she says: "I know who you are." The men conducting prayers in a minyan, the requirement that at least 10 Jewish men be assembled before praying begins will send chills down your spine.
Otherwise, Peggy gets drunk during an apparent one-night fling and we know the results of that from the coming attractions.
The guy getting fired but holding our firm in his hand with his new position was for the most part superfluous, as far as I'm concerned.
confusing
aa-nassiry6 April 2015
First of all, I want to admit that I am a big fan of series; but when I started to watch, I was shocked: There was no "previously on Mad Men" after such a long gap. (was there or I missed that?)
Secondly, it seems we are encountered with a cinematic gap between recent episodes; because there are some characters or events that I am not aware of and most of main characters have mustache (why?!)
So, I am confused by Mad Men S7 E8 and a little disappointed in fact. I just watched but could not digest it. I hope something happens in the next episode. Although it is a little impossible, because John Hamm said in the red carpet "we have filmed rest of series a few months ago"
Secondly, it seems we are encountered with a cinematic gap between recent episodes; because there are some characters or events that I am not aware of and most of main characters have mustache (why?!)
So, I am confused by Mad Men S7 E8 and a little disappointed in fact. I just watched but could not digest it. I hope something happens in the next episode. Although it is a little impossible, because John Hamm said in the red carpet "we have filmed rest of series a few months ago"
''Is That All There Is?''
3Lina311 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I love how this show is so full of allegories. This is such a top quality show. Matthew Weiner explores very important topics. He and his team are brilliant.
This episode starts and ends with Peggy Lee's song ''Is That All There Is'' and it illustrates Don's depression and revision of his life. Is that all there is to love, to relationship, to life?
He sees Rachel in his dream, the woman he used to have somewhat deep feelings for almost 10 years ago. Of course, we're talking about Don here and the ''deep feelings'' he has towards somebody are only deep in comparison to most of his other Don-Juanesque relationships (Is his name another allegory?). ''I was supposed to tell you you missed your flight'', she says in the dream. Later he tells his secretary to arrange a meeting with her only to find out later that she died from leukemia just a couple of weeks ago/a week ago. He feels like he missed out something important in in his life. Something he can never take back anymore. He could've known her better, he could've spent more time with her. But he ran away from her once she challenged his infantility and unseriosness and he forgot her quickly because he could get a dozen of other superficial relationships with women. Rachel wanted to have honest commited relationship, but he wanted to forget himself and to run away from his past and important challenges just like he ran away from his true identity once and started living a life full of compartmentalization and lie.
Another important thing to note is that Anna also died from cancer and so will Betty. So this way the narrator is showing us how Don misses out the relationships and people in his life, not being truly close to anybody. He lived an alienated life only superficially satisfying his impulses. He would start things, but he never truly lived them (''She must know you only like the beggining of things'', said one of his misstresses crying in despair after she found out he's leaving her for a next woman). But at the end of the day it's mostly because he's a product of his time, background and gender (not to confuse with biological sex). So we're just witnessing a human being, just as human and weak as all of us, no matter what image he tries to create because it's nothing but a glamorous lie. It's a myth of his time created also by advertising.
After finding out she's dead Don seeks out a waitress he saw at the restaurant. He could feel the connection between them because she also felt like a troubled person. She was reading a book set in 30's, a very difficult time Don was raised during. So this time he again attempts to somewhat reconnect with himself and his past, his feelings of depression he tried to avoid during all the falsely happy time.
This episode starts and ends with Peggy Lee's song ''Is That All There Is'' and it illustrates Don's depression and revision of his life. Is that all there is to love, to relationship, to life?
He sees Rachel in his dream, the woman he used to have somewhat deep feelings for almost 10 years ago. Of course, we're talking about Don here and the ''deep feelings'' he has towards somebody are only deep in comparison to most of his other Don-Juanesque relationships (Is his name another allegory?). ''I was supposed to tell you you missed your flight'', she says in the dream. Later he tells his secretary to arrange a meeting with her only to find out later that she died from leukemia just a couple of weeks ago/a week ago. He feels like he missed out something important in in his life. Something he can never take back anymore. He could've known her better, he could've spent more time with her. But he ran away from her once she challenged his infantility and unseriosness and he forgot her quickly because he could get a dozen of other superficial relationships with women. Rachel wanted to have honest commited relationship, but he wanted to forget himself and to run away from his past and important challenges just like he ran away from his true identity once and started living a life full of compartmentalization and lie.
Another important thing to note is that Anna also died from cancer and so will Betty. So this way the narrator is showing us how Don misses out the relationships and people in his life, not being truly close to anybody. He lived an alienated life only superficially satisfying his impulses. He would start things, but he never truly lived them (''She must know you only like the beggining of things'', said one of his misstresses crying in despair after she found out he's leaving her for a next woman). But at the end of the day it's mostly because he's a product of his time, background and gender (not to confuse with biological sex). So we're just witnessing a human being, just as human and weak as all of us, no matter what image he tries to create because it's nothing but a glamorous lie. It's a myth of his time created also by advertising.
After finding out she's dead Don seeks out a waitress he saw at the restaurant. He could feel the connection between them because she also felt like a troubled person. She was reading a book set in 30's, a very difficult time Don was raised during. So this time he again attempts to somewhat reconnect with himself and his past, his feelings of depression he tried to avoid during all the falsely happy time.
Losing me..
zoocar7 April 2015
I am with aa-nassiry from Iran in that I feel outside and not drawn in by this episode though for more reasons than being somewhat confused.
I have greatly enjoyed this series and looked forward to this return only to find myself unable to return to having any real interest in the characters. They feel dried up to me. I don't find myself rooting for Don or Peggy or anyone else for that matter and with so few episodes left I am thinking why get back into it if it takes work from my side to try and love it.
Perhaps I speak too soon and in these final few it will develop into something more engaging and enjoyable. Regardless, it has been a great and memorable series.
I have greatly enjoyed this series and looked forward to this return only to find myself unable to return to having any real interest in the characters. They feel dried up to me. I don't find myself rooting for Don or Peggy or anyone else for that matter and with so few episodes left I am thinking why get back into it if it takes work from my side to try and love it.
Perhaps I speak too soon and in these final few it will develop into something more engaging and enjoyable. Regardless, it has been a great and memorable series.
Don is going down
dierregi8 July 2020
The depressing tone of this episode is set by the song "Is That All There Is", hinting to existentialist issues by the truckload.
The awful Seventies' clothes mark the end of the stylish Mad Men era, even before the closing of the series. Roger himself, an usually dapper character, is first seen in a seedy bar, sharing a drink with his pal Don and three girls, sporting huge, white moustache and wearing a pastel-colored tuxedo (if I am not mistaken).
Enters waitress Diana, my least favourite of all Don's dalliances. Diana is a depressive, plain, ominous woman who reminds Don of Rachel. Don tries to hit on her, but he's forced to leave with Roger and their female friends.
Now living alone in his huge, empty apartment, ageing playboy Draper starts to feel the emptiness of his life. He tries to reconnect with Rachel only to learn she just died. He goes to the memorial, only to find her rude sister giving him the cold shoulder.
Considering how long ago the Don-Rachel fling was, I found Rachel's sister behaviour disproportionately unfriendly. Women have plenty of unsuitable boyfriends before settling down, but I bet it's rare for any to go to a memorial years after the split.
Meanwhile Joan and Peggy get dissed by macho men executives at McCann but this doesn't elicit sisterly feelings. Peggy gets angry about Joan complaints, telling her that if she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to work, since she's filthy rich. Promptly, Joan leaves the office and goes on a shopping spree.
Peggy tries blind dating and it's half of a success, the only lighthearted moment in a sea of gloom.
The episode ends with Don stalking creepy Diana, who's none too pleased about his attentions. A disappointing start of the last part in the Mad Men journey.
The awful Seventies' clothes mark the end of the stylish Mad Men era, even before the closing of the series. Roger himself, an usually dapper character, is first seen in a seedy bar, sharing a drink with his pal Don and three girls, sporting huge, white moustache and wearing a pastel-colored tuxedo (if I am not mistaken).
Enters waitress Diana, my least favourite of all Don's dalliances. Diana is a depressive, plain, ominous woman who reminds Don of Rachel. Don tries to hit on her, but he's forced to leave with Roger and their female friends.
Now living alone in his huge, empty apartment, ageing playboy Draper starts to feel the emptiness of his life. He tries to reconnect with Rachel only to learn she just died. He goes to the memorial, only to find her rude sister giving him the cold shoulder.
Considering how long ago the Don-Rachel fling was, I found Rachel's sister behaviour disproportionately unfriendly. Women have plenty of unsuitable boyfriends before settling down, but I bet it's rare for any to go to a memorial years after the split.
Meanwhile Joan and Peggy get dissed by macho men executives at McCann but this doesn't elicit sisterly feelings. Peggy gets angry about Joan complaints, telling her that if she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to work, since she's filthy rich. Promptly, Joan leaves the office and goes on a shopping spree.
Peggy tries blind dating and it's half of a success, the only lighthearted moment in a sea of gloom.
The episode ends with Don stalking creepy Diana, who's none too pleased about his attentions. A disappointing start of the last part in the Mad Men journey.
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