Like most Mad Men fans, I was glued to the television last night. I would not have this finale sullied by spoilers. (Also, here’s the mandatory *spoiler alert* for anyone reading this essay.) Don gets much of the attention, because, well, he’s Don — man of many falsehoods, all-around cad, talented agency man, mentor, father, soldier, liar. I, personally, wanted to know if Don would become D.B. Cooper, my favorite of the slightly-too-wacky-for-Weiner theories. Basically, his redemption or destruction was nigh, and we all wanted to see how Weiner would play it, knowing his story would never be wrapped up as neatly as we’d like. It wasn’t. While I found myself leaning toward a desire for destruction (see above D.B. Cooper wishes), I’m fine with his ending. Enough about Don. Plus, Todd VanDerWerff of Vox called his ending days ago. Kudos.
The characters I care the most about — now and always — are Joan and Peggy. As a woman in the workforce during a very different (but sometimes not so different) time, their journeys — diverged and twisting — gave me pause. The last few weeks have been especially interesting. What would Joan do now that the sexism of her workplace forced her out for good? And what about Peggy, badass new copywriter on the McCann block, making the most gif-able first day walk in the history of pop culture? What happens after she hangs up the octopus?
Well, ICYMI and want to know, last night’s finale brought lots of changes for our favorite Mad Women. In a nutshell: Joan, after speaking with Ken, decides to open her own production company. She offers Peggy a partnership. Her dude leaves her because he doesn't want to be with someone starting a business. Peggy considers, and ultimately rejects, Joan’s offer. Peggy realizes she’s in love with Stan. Peggy and Stan live happily into the credits. Joan starts the Holloway-Harris production company with herself, like the boss bitch she is.
Theirs are the stories that kept me thinking last night. Theirs are the stories I woke up thinking about this morning, and I think I’ve realized why I’m so flummoxed by their last lines. Subconsciously, I had envisioned Peggy’s fate for Joan and vice versa. Peggy was the climber who always put work first. Joan was the bombshell of every man’s dreams. We ended up with Joan as her own boss and Peggy madly in love. At first glance, it seemed like a reversal of roles and ultimate fates, but I don’t think that’s the case.
Let’s start with Joan. Joan, Joan, Joan. Leading up to the finale, her story arc is arguably one of the saddest of the series. She meets terrible men and the sexism they ooze around every corner. Her own sense of ambition blossoms a little later in life than Peggy’s, or perhaps she didn’t see a way into the higher management positions as Peggy did. She finally achieves partner status at SCDP, but by bedding one of the aforementioned men. Once she reaches the status she desires, she has to fight to stay there, ultimately losing the McCann battle in the penultimate episode. So, we shouldn’t be surprised when Joan chooses to build her own business in the finale. Shaped, but not broken, by the bad men in her past, she chooses to start fresh. The Holloway-Harris firm is all hers. There are no shady back room deals. After saying goodbye to the soon-to-be-forgotten Dick, there’s no one standing in her way. You go, Joan.
Now, it’s Peggy’s turn. Maybe I’m the only person in the world who didn't see it coming, but I was surprised and pleased with the Stan and Peggy pairing. Peggy was just as shocked. The moment was an adorable, romantic comedy-style ending. But should we have wanted more for Peggy? I don’t think so. The beauty of modern feminism is that she can choose love and career, not one or the other. Unlike Joan, she has found a partner and creative collaborator instead of a naysayer. Her work “spouse” (a term I abhor, but that fits here) supports her work and appreciates her drive and intelligence, while reminding her that there is, indeed, more to life than work. Peggy will succeed in business not in spite of or because of love, but with love. It’s an important reminder to all, especially those of us who look up to those women who've leaned in.
I must also acknowledge how satisfying it would have been to see the birth of the Harris-Olson company in this finale. As disappointing as it was, I think Weiner made the more authentic decision for the pair. Joan wants something new. Peggy is still working her way up. Mutual respect does not necessarily a good partnership make. Having said that, I would read fanfiction about their future collaborations together.
That’s all for now. I’m sure we’ll all continue talking about the show’s importance in the cultural landscape for years to come. As we saw in last night’s episode, the show maintained its subtle sensibilities and ability to surprise until the very end. I’ve added Joan and Peggy to my personal canon of favorite television characters. For a show called Mad Men, Matthew Weiner created some great women.
