Mad Men Recap: "The Forecast"

“Mad Men” has been a deliberate period drama, with impeccable detail and ample subtext. With seven episodes to tie up multiple character arcs and bookend the series, some of that richness gets lost. “The forecast” was a literal title and, by the show’s standards, quite a literal episode. Each character, you guessed it, is forecasting to the future, just as the nation is in the aftermath of the 1960s.

Roger asks Don to write a statement forecasting the company’s future. This task is tied intimately to his personal future, which is unclear. The entire series has been Don lying about his past and lying in the present to get by. He does not have a firm enough handle on the truth of either, necessary to “paint a picture” of the future.

As he casts around for ideas, Don is confronted by truth, bluntly. His apartment, per the real estate agent, “reeks of failure.” Peggy calls him out for shitting on others’ dreams. Mathis, on his way out, assesses Don’s “character” for what it truly is, handsomeness and superficial charm. Jon Hamm’s ability to emote with his face without emoting makes these scenes.

Don does not find the way. But, he does sell his sad apartment for asking price with 30 days escrow.

Glen returns, with almost my exact hair, sideburns, chest-hair exposure and physique circa 2004. Don’t be fooled by his flower jeans. He’s going to Vietnam, voluntarily. He rekindles his creepy, sort of reciprocal relationship with Betty. As a child, he watched her pee, treasured a lock of her hair and tried to run away with her. As a legal, beer-wielding adult, he captivates her attention and makes a feeble move on her. As in the former instance with Betty, he’s lonely, scared and wants acceptance. Joining the army was his attempt to obtain that.

Noteworthy: Loretta, the new maid, lets Glen into the house. The last time that happened led to Carla’s firing and, as a consequence, Don bringing Megan on short notice to take care of his kids in California.

Sally faces parallel storylines with her parents. Glen is transfixed by Betty. Her “fast” friends are transfixed by Don at a Chinese restaurant before they leave on their trip. (Not sure I buy that. These girls have had the Beatles throughout puberty. The masculine ideal has changed dramatically. Don is the polar opposite of what a male sex symbol looks like in 1970.)

Sally wants to leave Don and Betty far behind by getting on that bus. Don drops the ultimate parental spoiler (or forecast) on her: she is and will end up just like them. The flaws she sees in her parents are also projections. She’s witty. She’s manipulative in tight situations. She’s desperate for attention.

Joan meets a rich, divorced developer Richard and has a one night stand. Richard shows up in New York, then dumps her because she has a young son and can’t jet off to go see the Pyramids, then recants and announces with flowers that he’s buying property in New York, not near 12th street, of course. Joan admits to being divorced twice during this courtship. Interesting, since we only knew of the one.

Her dilemma has been an inability to have the grapefruit with the french toast. Her initial ambition was to find a husband. Her tumultuous marriage disabused her of any notions about marrying a doctor. She climbed the corporate ladder, attained financial security and has an empty personal life. She turned down the artifice of being Bob Benson’s beard. Joan’s once bleak forecast now contains the possibility of some unbeholden affection, and a world outside the company.

We are all forecasting, in this final season, searching forward for an epiphanic ending that harmonizes characters’ pasts and presents. Life seldom provides those. Will the show that has stayed true to it?