Mad Men: The Final Season – Part 1: Blu-ray Review
Mad Men: The Final Season, Part 1, is the beginning of the end for television’s most celebrated show. Set in the captivating world of 1960’s New York, Mad Men continues to follow iconic ad man Don Draper, his colleagues and his family.
The Show:
All great shows must come to end (unfortunately) and Mad Men is making sure to close out the season with a bang. And mind you, this is only the the first half. I do ask myself if the show was broken into two parts to help extend the “life” of the show or if maybe it was a difficult task to put a close to such a spectacular show. My obsession with the show has been evident since the very first season. The story behind advertising might not sound as riveting as one might think, but the brilliant writers have managed to captivate many by giving us such drama behind each character. So this season opens up with the inevitable “break” Don was given after his melt down. The whole business doesn’t seem the same but everyone finds a place, even without Don. In only seven episodes, the whole ad world has been turned upside down. These first episodes were addicting and I can’t wait for the remainder of the season next year.
My Likes: The dethronement of Don. He was made to be more human and less powerful. I admire Don and his creative nature, but the all mighty attitude he held was sometimes a bit much. He needed a shake up of sorts.
My Dislikes: The feeling of defeat from many of the characters became a resonated tone throughout these episodes. Everyone seemed willing to give up, give in, or settle for whatever came their way. From Don and his marriage, to Joan and her “relationship”, and even Sally and her typical teen attitude of whatever. It felt as if everyone has just clocked out. The show is ending, does that mean so does everyone’s happiness?
Special Features:
Gay Rights – Personal stories from gay rights activists of the 1960’s, who speak of their fear of exposure, unemployment and desolation.
Gay Power – Borrowing strategies from the civil rights movement, gay activists organized, taking on the government. The denial of their human rights fueled many protests and pushbacks, igniting the Stonewall Rebellion and sparking the “gay power” movement.
The Trial of the Chicago Eight: Parts One and Two – A recounting of the events surrounding the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, which led to one of the most infamous trials in the U.S. history: the trial of the “Chicago Eight.”
The Best Things are Free – A look inside Robert Morse’s last day on the set of Mad Men.
Technology: 1963 – An interactive time line chronicling the birth of the personal computer and the internet.
