Mad Men Finale Recap, ‘The Phantom’

It's been an odd, and short, season for Mad Men. I feel like last week's episode should have been the finale as this one left me feeling nothing.

Don, being the stubborn old man that he is, refuses to go see a dentist for a tooth ache. Megan's mom Marie is visiting and drinking all of their alcohol in between consoling Megan after she lost a role. As Don arrives at the office he sees who he thinks is his dead brother Adam in one of the elevators. In another elevator, Harry asks Joan if the company is moving to another floor because she pushed the wrong button.

Over at CGC, Ted Chaough puts Peggy on an account for Phillip Morris' new brand of lady cigarettes. It seems as if Peggy is fitting in quite well over there, she even has her own office with her name on the door! Earlier on the train, Beth joins Howard who tells Pete that she will be visiting her sister before they excuse themselves. Beth calls Pete at work and asks him to meet her at the Hotel Pennsylvania. Initially he's pissed, "I hope you like waiting. That’s what I did,"  but shows up at her room where she reveals that she will be receiving electroshock treatment. She wanted to meet him because it might erase her memories of him. I wish I could erase all my memories of Pete Campbell.

Roger has been calling the Drapers all day but saying nothing when Megan answers the phone, making her believe it's a prank caller. When Don answers he pretends to be Megan's dad Emile and asks Marie if she can meet him at his room at the Stanhope. Megan asks Don if he can recommend her for the Butler commercial. He tries to convince her that it's not the way she wants to start her acting career, "You want to be somebody’s discovery, not somebody’s wife." She agrees, then goes into the bathroom to cry. Maybe Don realized that his second wife was turning into his first wife when they met. Or maybe he's just that much of an ass. Marie tells her that she should stop feeling sorry for herself  because "not every little girl gets to do what they want." and calls her an ungrateful bitch. Sally Draper, this is your future. When he goes into the office the next morning he sees Adam again, this time in the copy room. Joan informs the remaining partners that SCDP has received a $175,000 insurance payout from Lane's death. Don tells her to write a $50,000 check to Lane's wife to pay her back for the money he gave the company when Lucky Strike left.

Don delivers the check to Rebecca who didn't want SCDP to have a memorial for Lane, citing a difference of cultures. She then asks about the photo of Delores Lane had in his wallet and says they owe him more than just that check because they corrupted him. "Don’t leave here thinking that you’ve done anything for anyone but yourself," she says before Don leaves.

Trudy shows Pete the plans for a backyard pool but he thinks it's too "permanent" and suggests that Tammy could drown. Trudy gets angry over all of his "doom and gloom" and leaves the kitchen. When Marie meets up with Roger, he asks her to take LSD with him. She declines because she doesn't want to look after him during his trip. Don arrives home to find Megan drunk. He carries her to bed where she asks why he won't give her a chance. He then berates Marie for leaving her alone to drink and then they blame each other for Megan's unhappiness. Don finally sees the dentist Joan recommended who tells him that he waited too long to have his tooth removed. While under anesthesia, he sees Adam again. He tells him that it isn't his tooth that is rotten, and when Don asks him not to leave he assures him that he'll be hanging around. Not the best experience to have when you've had a tooth ripped out of your mouth, but guilt will do that to you.

Pete visits Beth at the hospital, pretending to be her brother. She doesn't recognize him but listens to a story Pete tells her about a "friend" who became depressed after an affair. Going back home on the train, he is awoken by Howard who is drunk. After Pete fuses at him for putting Beth in a hospital, he realizes that the two have had an affair. They fight until they are broken up and Pete is kicked off. When he gets home he tells Trudy that he fell asleep in the car and drove it into a ditch. He feels bad that he works such long days and doesn't want anything to happen to him again, so she suggests he get that apartment in the city. Ugh.

Don runs into Peggy at a theater. She hugs him and they talk about work until the movie starts and she says they should get together sometime. The next day in his office, Don watches Megan's screen test alone. Joan shows the partners their new office space where Pete relinquishes in getting a view like Don's. At the Butler commercial, Megan kisses Don and thanks him for getting her the part. He walks out just as they start shooting and then goes to a bar where he orders a drink. A young blonde asks him for a light and tells him that her friend at the other end of the bar wants to know if he's alone. He looks at her and then we fade to black.

It wasn't the most exciting finale, and I thought there was too much Pete but at least we know we won't be seeing Beth again. I hope. I don't know what Marie's deal is, she obviously has no problems sleeping with Roger, but the idea of him becoming Don's Step Father-In-Law just seems like a natural step. I hope we get to see more of his LSD trips, and his butt, next season as well. Peggy is happy at her new job but she clearly misses Don and the dynamic around SCDP since she and Lane left aren't the same. No word yet on if Elisabeth Moss is leaving but like January Jones she might be downgraded to supporting actress, which would be a shame. Although I don't fault Megan for basically begging her husband for an acting job, her childishness became grating. Don seems to be getting his groove back, but with that ambiguous ending we'll have to wait and see if he's back to his cheating ways.

Until next time!