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 It's the end of an era for "Mad Men," the slow-burning, Emmy
award-winning TV series. The AMC cable network show became a pop
culture phenomenon and inspired a revival of the fashion and
decor of a tumultuous decade.
Eight years after it arrived on U.S. television, the tale of
troubled advertising genius Draper and the men and women around
him draws to a close on April 5 with Part 2 of the seventh and
final season.
The show's creator Matthew Weiner says the season's title, "The
End of an Era," is designed to entice, in more ways than one.
"I was interested by the irony that the period is ending in the
show, and the period is ending that the show was on," Weiner
told Reuters.
"With all the clichés about the turbulent Sixties and all the
changes that went on, part of the message of the show was that
the characters' lives are very similar to what yours are. They
have the same problems, no matter what is going on
historically," he said.
And there are problems aplenty for twice-married Draper (Jon
Hamm), his mousy one-time secretary turned executive Peggy Olson
(Elisabeth Moss) and sassy divorcee Joan Harris (Christina
Hendricks).
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Back on top, and fabulously wealthy after selling the ad agency
to a rival when the first half of the split seventh season ended
in May 2014, Draper and friends seem no happier with their lot.
"The tone is dark, but maybe it seems familiar. I think the
difference is that everyone's older and that lessons should have
been learned and it seems as though they might not be. I think
that will have consequences," Hamm told Reuters.
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"There are two ways to go. Up or down, and we'll see," he added
obliquely.
Known for the unusual secrecy surrounding its plots, no-one involved
in the show is giving away how the series ends. That has not stopped
fans from speculating on scenarios ranging from Draper's death to a
blissful Don and Peggy romance.
One trailer released by AMC suggests that the characters move into
the mid-1970s.
Unlike some TV writers, Weiner had not mapped out a specific ending
when he first came up with the concept of "Mad Men."
"When I was trying to sell the show, I had an idea that it could end
in a certain way. But how it happened? That happened three or four
years ago. It was like an aha moment," he said.
Weiner hopes the core TV audience of 5 million or so viewers will be
happy, but Hamm says you can never please everyone.
"There needs to be one person who really likes the ending, and
that's the guy that writes it...Matt was given the ability to end it
the way he wanted to. I hope people like it. I don't want to be part
of something that people hate, but I don't think anything is 100
percent either way," Hamm said.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Mary Milliken and David
Gregorio)
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