web: "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.
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