Kiyoshi Martinez

"Mad Men" character scorecard

Let’s take a moment to recognize where everyone is in this mess. What got resolved and what’s up in the air?

Don - Sure, Betty left him, but he’s no longer under contract and has control over his destiny again. I’d say he’s relatively well positioned, except for that divorce, which could get really messy.

Betty - Everyone hates her character and is probably glad to see her gone, but I don’t quite feel that way. I think Betty’s going to end up somewhere tragic after the divorce. What does she really want in the first place other than to leave Don? I feel like her long-term happiness is in question here.

Roger - While he barely wanted to go along with the formation of SCDP, he did, but I think the larger question of his new marriage hasn’t been put to bed yet. And now that Joan’s back in the picture…

Joan - She’s back in her element and her husband’s sure to be out as well. The main question here is whether she’ll split with him and end up with Roger.

Bert - He’s going to miss his office with that dumb painting. That’s probably about it.

Lane - I’m happy the writers chose to keep him around for another season, but there’s the question of his wife’s happiness in the states that hasn’t been resolved. He seemed quite happy to get out from under the foot of his lords and stick it to them. “Very good. Happy Christmas!” was the best line of the night.

Harry - His reaction of “I need to call my wife” was hilarious, as it shows he’s still in the doghouse after all this time. For a guy who essentially created his own job, he’s lucked into his opportunities. When does his luck run out though?

Peter - Remember when you hated Pete? I don’t anymore and that says a lot. It’s been interesting to watch his relationship with Don grow and finally he’s getting what he’s due. The mention of Clearasil was very subtle but huge and shows just how good he is at his job. Plus, how much cooler has Trudy become?

Peggy - I’m really glad she stood up to Don and for herself. By far, she’s a fan favorite and I don’t think they needed to bring Peggy into SCDP to make for a great story next season, but they did. Having her reconcile with Don finally took their working relationship and respect level to new heights. Still, I’ll always wonder what would have happened if she’d gone her own way without Don’s shadow.

Duck - Uh, what happened to him? It would’ve been nice to have some closure with what he’s actually up to. But I’d guess that his relationship with Peggy will definitely come into play next season.

Paul - Wow, did he get the shaft on this or what? He’s got to feel extremely slighted and depressed by now. Despite all of his attempts at self importance, no one even gave a thought about him, yet Don worked double time to bring Peggy on board as a copywriter. Crushing.

Sal - The loss of him at SC was almost heartbreaking. We have no idea what he’s up to or where he landed. Despite having a lot of talent, there’s an opening to bring him back into SCDP, but also Don’s dismissal of him could create a riff. This is one relationship that Don hasn’t mended yet.

Smitty & Kurt - What the heck happened to these guys?

Suzanne - Don left her to repair things with Betty, but that didn’t work out. Will she come back into Don’s life next season? Seems possible, but part of me thinks they’ll try to introduce someone new instead.

Why we cheered for Don Draper in the end

I believe it all boils down to this quote from Don:

“I want to work. I want to build something on my own. How can you not understand that?”

I think many of us can identify with that statement. This comes after Don hears from Conrad Hilton that the company’s being sold. Connie tells Don that he and he alone built everything he has and acts as the catalyst for Don to realize what steps he needs to journey forward. From here on out, Don’s going to be self made.

That quotation above, directed at Bert Cooper is at the very core an American idea. Immigrants came here, started this nation and made it their own — away from the meddling hands of the countries they left behind.

I couldn’t help but think of the Revolutionary War while watching the episode. Tired of being squeezed by the British to “turn a dollar into a dollar-ten,” the colonials banded together and declared their independence, helped by a turncoat along the way.

I think until this season’s finale, Don had the version of the American Dream that he was selling to the American people: material objects, escapism and picket fences. But in the end, he finally realized what meant something to him. He had to be there for his children. He had to let Betty go and find happiness for herself. And he had to build his own colony — something to call his own.

Today, he finally got his name “in the lobby,” but there wasn’t even a lobby there and his name isn’t alone. He realized he couldn’t be a lone ranger, but needed the help of others to accomplish his dreams. He doesn’t have to stand alone and he’s no longer afraid of losing it all.

That’s why I cheered for Don in the end. He’s finally become an American Hero.

"Have a seat. Shut the door."

“Mad Men” again proved why it’s the best show on TV right now by being absolutely perfect. It’s going to be a long few months until it’s back for season four, but all great things are worth waiting for.

I’m thrilled to see Don finally take control of his own life, even when it was crumbling apart. While I don’t imagine for a moment that the writers will make it easy for SCDP to make it as a scrappy startup company next season, I have this feeling we’re going to love watching them struggle and maybe turn on each other while turning toward each other.

There are so few shows that completely thrill me to watch, and “Mad Men” compels you to demand better writing, better acting, better cinematography and attention to detail from all of your viewing habits. At the same time, it demands that you as a viewer invest a part of yourself into the show — but the rewards are so great.

Don & Roger & Bert & Lane & Peter & Peggy & Joan & Harry

A five-day weekend sounds nice

This weather has me moved to spend the few daylight hours outdoors writing on my laptop at a bar while sipping on white wine. Therefore, I plan to take Wednesday through next Sunday off, unless something blows up at work.