Sunday on Mad Men Season 7 Episode 12, things shake up when Sterling Cooper’s staff moves to McCann Erickson.
Moving into the 70s and transitioning from Sterling Cooper to McCann Erickson, the overall theme of Mad Men’s final episodes is “out with the old and in with the new.” But don’t be fooled. Newer isn’t always better.
The episode opens with the once lively halls and offices of Sterling Cooper emptied. Employees are turning in their keys and final resignations.
With the move, the once tight knit Sterling Cooper staff is separated into various floors and offices in their new building, and the fracture and separation of the firm has carried over into their relationships.
As Don waits for the elevator door to close, he hears a familiar voice calling to hold the door. To his surprise, it is Joan.
They greet each other, and it is evident they have not seen each other since transferring to McCann Erickson.
“Let’s make a date for lunch,” Joan says. Don simply replies, “Soon.”
Their demeanor and tone suggest their plan to meet for lunch is merely a formality—plans that will not come to fruition.
In their old office, they shared ideas, drinks, meetings, lovers, and responsibility. They collaborated on an (un)professional level that embraced inclusiveness. However, their new space separates them professionally and personally.
The disconnect stems far beyond the physical space they share. The entire way they run business changes.
For example, the daily functions of the office thwart the Sterling Cooper crew into a new corporate model of professionalism.
Whereas Don and his cohort used to pitch ideas casually over cocktails, the McCann Erickson crowd sips on cans of Coca Cola while shifting through formal documents.
It’s a different world at McCann Erickson. And no one feels this more than the women of Sterling Cooper.
At Sterling Cooper, women were rapidly excelling as professionals. Peggy transitioned from a secretary to copy chief. And Joan moves from an office manager to a junior partner of the firm.
Unconventional for its time, Sterling Cooper pushed boundaries and made room for women in the business sector. But the men at McCann Erickson are not as progressive.
They assume that because Peggy is a woman, she must be a secretary. So she is not assigned an office.
And Joan’s authority is mocked and diluted because her partner is “not going to work for a girl.”
When she asks for a replacement, Ferg agrees to join. Not surprisingly, he suggests they go on “a business trip.” He says, “I’m not expecting anything more than a good time.”
Fed up, Joan demands another new partner. But she was offered an ultimatum: shut up or get fired.
Of course, sexism was alive and well at Sterling Cooper. If Joan had vocalized her disconnect with her old bosses, Roger would have talked to her like a child, and Don would have bossed her around.
Despite women’s progress, 1960s culture had its limitations, even at Sterling Cooper. But eventually Joan would have been heard at Sterling Cooper. Likely, they would have even given her what she wanted—even if they pretended to put up a fight.
But McCann Erickson despises Joan simply because she is an authoritative woman. In fact, she is told “you’re going to have to get used to doing things the way we do them.”
After putting up a fight, threatening to call reporters at the New York Times, and demanding the $500,000 they owe her; she is overpowered and defeated.
Ultimately, Joan is left with no other option than to quit her job and settle for $250,000—half of what they owe her. Even Roger recommends she leave the company because he knows her future there is hopeless.
The relationships and progress that Sterling Cooper created are completely lost with the move to McCann Erickson. This suggests that the series is headed toward a finale where the characters lives are at the beginning of the end. And the end might not be hopeful.
The episode ended with the question, where in the hell is Don going?
He left during the middle of the meeting and drove to Wisconsin to stalk find Diana.
Diana might be Don’s attempt to right his wrongs. Through helping her, Don may feel he is helping himself. Because if we have learned one thing over the last seven seasons, it is that Don cannot help himself.
Before the episode ends, Don is driving through the Midwest, picking up a hitchhiker. One would assume he will come back to New York City after he collects himself on his road trip.
But realistically, Don has been running his whole life. He ran from his childhood and life as Dick to assume to role of Don. He ran off to California in a moment of panic while his marriage to Betty began to crumble.
It isn’t surprising that he is running away. And it won’t be surprising if he doesn’t return.
What did you think of the latest installment? As always, you can follow the link to watch Mad Men online at TV Fanatic to watch the episode in full.