tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3627099652108339557..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: My thoughts on the MAD MEN finaleBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80134722345014213072015-05-25T10:37:45.944-07:002015-05-25T10:37:45.944-07:00Elizabeth,
Thanks again!
I've got to be hone...Elizabeth,<br /><br />Thanks again!<br /><br />I've got to be honest and attribute "Lots of pith" to Woody Allen. It's one of those things we say a lot in my life.<br /><br />GregGreg Ehrbarhttp://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/author/greg-ehrbarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19487387889704293802015-05-23T12:39:23.465-07:002015-05-23T12:39:23.465-07:00Matthew Weiner had previously said he wouldn't...Matthew Weiner had previously said he wouldn't have the show or a character on the show take credit for a real-life ad campaign, so while I expected the Coke ad to show up, given the timing, I wasn't sure how he'd handle it. Guess he bent/broke his rule. <br /><br />Loved the finale, though Robert Z's would have been even better.Tracynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56066828946130407382015-05-22T01:38:40.680-07:002015-05-22T01:38:40.680-07:00Mad Men for me is the show where after almost 25 y...Mad Men for me is the show where after almost 25 years I really *cared* about the characters again since I saw other TV shows - even I greatly enjoyed them - as nothing but entertainment.<br /><br />I was on the edge of my seat, I could not await the Mad Men finale more than I did. Many of the final moments were brilliant and entertaining and just great (Roger, Pete, Joan, Don), others I "only" liked (Peggy and Stan)<br /><br />To me it's clear that Don created the Ad - it all comes together here and makes full sense and Don/Dick finally realizes who he is an what is his "meaning in life". He will be the one to create this iconic Coke Ad. I loved it as much as I loved the whole show. I will miss it.Marcohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02383330899990240753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25201950441710426942015-05-21T10:49:36.596-07:002015-05-21T10:49:36.596-07:00I truly enjoyed the ending. But I can see what you...I truly enjoyed the ending. But I can see what you mean about Sally and I would hope Don does end up seeing his kids more.tvbingetop5. blogspot.comhttp://tvbingetop5.blogspot.com/2015/05/what-i-learned-from-don-draper.html?m=1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91852625719544155752015-05-20T20:44:36.228-07:002015-05-20T20:44:36.228-07:00I made it through three seasons of Mad Men, then g...I made it through three seasons of Mad Men, then gave up. Like you, I kept expecting Don Draper, the most boring character in the show, to finally learn something. Even electric shocks didn't seem to teach him not to try the left branch of the maze. How many times can you watch a flatworm fail? (Some biology grad student can pipe up here.)<br /><br />I'm glad it ended with a good Coke ad. I was always fond of the advertising business back in the 1960s. There was a lot of innovative stuff on the screen and in the way things were done. The show weirdly seemed to miss all of that. They mentioned the Vietnam War, but ignored what was happening on Madison Avenue.<br /><br />P.S. I'll have to check out what happened to Glen. I always liked him, maybe because he was more grounded than most of the characters.Kaleberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283840743310507878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60830013356075443302015-05-20T01:30:46.929-07:002015-05-20T01:30:46.929-07:00I pretty much enjoyed every season of Mad Men. Wei...I pretty much enjoyed every season of Mad Men. Weiner took a lot of risks over the years, not all of them paying off, but he kept you on your feet. I particularly liked that he denied his tragic protagonist a moral turn-around. Some people just can't help themselves and Don Draper/Dick Whitman is their undisputed king.<br /><br />You might disagree with some story lines, but the casting was mostly brilliant. Seeing Harry Hamlin in a larger role after all these years, still at the top of his game, was very satisfying. John Slattery proved to be a tremendous performer by portraying Roger Sterling in a very nuanced way. Even tiny roles were perfectly cast.<br /> <br />Most of our TV dramas revolve around doctors, lawyers and cops. Weiner and AMC took a big gamble when they bet on a Madison Ave period piece and I am delighted that they did. jcsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27931055425045132802015-05-19T18:52:38.109-07:002015-05-19T18:52:38.109-07:00To Greg E.
To think, I almost didn't post that...To Greg E.<br />To think, I almost didn't post that comment, because I was afraid it was presumptuous. You are very welcome, and btw, I forgot to mention that I also find your humor absolutely delicious. I could give you 10 examples, but I will only mention "Pithy. Lots of pith" made me laugh out loud.<br /><br />Elizabeth Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54850775908390904082015-05-19T18:36:34.075-07:002015-05-19T18:36:34.075-07:00Meh.
You know-for a show that had such an impact,...Meh.<br /><br />You know-for a show that had such an impact, the last several episodes left me wanting. I enjoyed them, but it was almost anticlimactic. <br /><br />Sure didn't live up to the hype that accompanied it. <br /><br />I agree, Justified had a much more rewarding finale, and since the Sopranos was mentioned (I was never a viewer-just kind of happened that way) and I am obliged to bring up better series enders.<br /><br />I didn't care for the MASH ending that much-too drawn out for me.<br /><br />Loved Mary Tyler Moore finale<br />Newhart was a goodie<br />Justified was excellent.<br />I liked the Leverage finale.<br />Burn Notice-not so much.<br /><br />My favorite series finale? I was a fan of "Chuck" and thought that was one of the most fulfilling finales ever.<br /><br />Life goes on-reruns foreverPizzagodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03216786974237160998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38755089495282306092015-05-19T18:21:17.903-07:002015-05-19T18:21:17.903-07:00I liked both the colorized I Love Lucys and Mad Me...I liked both the colorized I Love Lucys and Mad Men. The set design and costuming of Mad Men is so great, it looked like it was older the Lucy.Waynenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47120220332426986982015-05-19T16:10:28.780-07:002015-05-19T16:10:28.780-07:00Mad Men's finale got half the rating of two co...Mad Men's finale got half the rating of two colorized I Love Lucy.MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83415010009010103072015-05-19T14:03:33.235-07:002015-05-19T14:03:33.235-07:00I have to admit I left it whistling the tune and s...I have to admit I left it whistling the tune and smiling. The best post-showing understanding I saw was the New York Times interview with Jon Hamm. He pointed out none of the tying of loose ends meant happy endings. Peggy may have found love but others on the series have and then not. Joan's business is not guaranteed to succeed. Don may have learned something but that won't make him happy or fulfilled. His most important learning, in my opinion, is that two of his possible escapes--Betty and Stephanie--are gone and he literally has to start over except for the one person who loves him unreservedly, Sally. <br /><br />And Lord did Weiner get lucky with that child actress!breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45982510141369947652015-05-19T12:50:55.746-07:002015-05-19T12:50:55.746-07:00Not many mentions, but Mad Men frequently made a t...Not many mentions, but Mad Men frequently made a theme of Don Draper & Sterling Cooper is about serving customers and not being a machine. The Obelisk was a more blatant version of it, but even before Duck Philips and PPL were about dollars and cents while Don was about quality. <br /><br />I think Matt Weiner was trying to say something there.MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12996549566242693992015-05-19T09:00:13.059-07:002015-05-19T09:00:13.059-07:00I know she went with Harris Holloway or Holloway H...I know she went with Harris Holloway or Holloway Harris, but if Peggy were on board, was Joan's plan HO Films or HO productions?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67396104844984856002015-05-19T07:30:08.650-07:002015-05-19T07:30:08.650-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39051925381744965282015-05-19T06:52:46.906-07:002015-05-19T06:52:46.906-07:00Hey Ken,
It's the day after the day after- I&...Hey Ken,<br /><br />It's the day after the day after- I'm still decompressing. Didn't love the finale while watching it but I liked it more after reading about it/giving it more thought. Overall the final season wasn't up to par with early ones. I'm a huge fan of the show- HUGE- going to miss it tremendously- but, like most shows at the end, it was showing its age. Still, it was good, always looked forward to Sunday nights. <br /><br />I wonder what all the writers at Hitfix, Grandland, EW, etc, etc, are going to write about now. I've always joked that Mad Men didn't just support AMC, the actors, writers, directors, -but half the writers on the internet. What show id going to carry that banner? --LLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55634698083212699372015-05-19T03:06:57.070-07:002015-05-19T03:06:57.070-07:00Given the choice between MM and Justified the latt...Given the choice between MM and Justified the latter wins hands down for me. Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84464067702953501502015-05-18T22:27:07.240-07:002015-05-18T22:27:07.240-07:00I was leaning towards Don supplying Peggy with the...I was leaning towards Don supplying Peggy with the info for the coke jingle at first, thinking his smile represented his new found happiness. But then I thought his smile represented his realizing he was on to something good for the campaign. Such a con man.Also loved Joan doing a start up business in her dining room using her house phone and having her kid running around. Many successful people built their businesses like that. Peggy and Stan was corny and stupid to me. I actually cringed when he said he loved her. I love both characters and believed they belong together (they always had such great chemistry and a blind person could see how he felt about her) but it was so forced. Sally and Betty know Don the best and they know he is the wrong person to raise those two boys, as we have witnessed over the years. He always had a secretary/ wife/girlfriend taking care of them when they were with him. Finally, I was shocked so many people didn't understand the Coke commercial's huge impact and how big that was for the advertising world back then. Made me feel so old!<br />Janice B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14820063589668412362015-05-18T21:40:05.747-07:002015-05-18T21:40:05.747-07:00Ken, the true story of the coke jingle and Bll Bac...Ken, the true story of the coke jingle and Bll Backer, who thought it up.<br />http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/business/media/coke-spot-mad-men-finale.html?_r=0Ron Rettignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76288951299112238852015-05-18T20:41:38.600-07:002015-05-18T20:41:38.600-07:00Sally had a great episode and essentially a wrap u...Sally had a great episode and essentially a wrap up -- that's she's going to be fine -- last week. That said, I wish her last scene wasn't dutifully washing dishes while Betty read a magazine.<br /><br />I assumed Don returned with the Coke campaign AND to take care of his children, but that seems to be a minority view -- in my office at least.<br /><br />There was a general feeling in my office (it's a writing staff) that the Stan/Peggy wrap up was too pat and that less would have been more. Their first talk of love didn't need to take them so far.Greg Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90012414243185900972015-05-18T19:55:33.254-07:002015-05-18T19:55:33.254-07:00The Coke jingle was a commercial jingle first, the...The Coke jingle was a commercial jingle first, then a hit song. The New Seekers were supposed to record it and didn't have time, so a studio-created group dubbed The Hillside Singers did it. The New Seekers recorded it shortly thereafter. Both had big hits with it. <br /><br />Having come out of the jingle and advertising business, I can assure you that some of the best musicians and composers in the business were in that field, and I worked with a lot of them at TM Productions in Dallas. My wife's dad was a legendary big band musician/arranger (T. Dorsey, Tex Beneke, Freddy Martin, etc), and he played and arranged on those commercial music sessions and was the vocal group leader of the jingle singers at TM, PAMS, CRC and others. So it's no surprise to me that an ad jingle could be turned into a hit song (just ask Barry Manilow). But it also went the other way: as record librarian for TM, I kept an ear out for interesting new sounds in the record business to play for the commercial music composers, to "inspire" their work. <br /><br />As for "Mad Men," I never watched it, but my wife was addicted. Every Christmas, it was an easy gift choice to give her a Blu-Ray set of the last season. Don't know what to give her now. I don't think a boxed set of "Two Broke Girls" is going to get the same response. Pat Reederhttp://www.hollywoodhifi.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63506284011170688892015-05-18T19:00:34.858-07:002015-05-18T19:00:34.858-07:00My family had an album with the Coke song on it. ...My family had an album with the Coke song on it. Like all versions I've heard, it starts, "I'd like to buy the world a home, and furnish it with love." On the album version, the singer slurs together the words "furnish" and "it," a source of endless amusement. On all versions I've heard since then, the singer carefully puts a pause between the words.AAllenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04994241172130699272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27228846662381644092015-05-18T18:37:12.459-07:002015-05-18T18:37:12.459-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2396458535947008642015-05-18T15:57:02.882-07:002015-05-18T15:57:02.882-07:00How about this: that the Coke ad is a representati...How about this: that the Coke ad is a representation of the rare ad that is actually serving as a positive force in the world?<br /><br />Yes, Coke as a beverage has few redeeming features, but I think that particular ad expresses a beautiful sentiment and may have actually made the world a little bit of a better place.<br /><br />If Mr. Weiner feels this way about it (and who's to say he does), then Don's (hypothetical) creation of it is a sort of redemption as opposed to an act of gross cynicism.<br /><br />As for the episode itself - it was fine but the relegation of Don to the sidelines of his kids life REALLY bothered me. Yes, Sally is wise beyond her years, but to say she and her siblings no longer need their father sticks in my craw.-beenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79602543960349965262015-05-18T14:22:16.000-07:002015-05-18T14:22:16.000-07:00Elizabeth,
You have noooo idea how much your kind...Elizabeth,<br /><br />You have noooo idea how much your kind words have lightened an otherwise dark and heavy work day. Thank you.<br /><br />Sometimes it's just that nice little nod and smile that makes all the difference in life.<br /><br />Thanks. I needed that!<br /><br />GregGreg Ehrbarhttp://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/author/greg-ehrbarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37938539281222370162015-05-18T14:17:46.824-07:002015-05-18T14:17:46.824-07:00There are many hidden questions in MANNEQUIN 2 -- ...<i>There are many hidden questions in MANNEQUIN 2 -- like why was it made?</i><br /><br />William Ragsdale's gotta eat! Hamidnoreply@blogger.com