Matthew Weiner and Jon Hamm have weighed in on ‘Mad Men’s ending
Since premiering on Sunday, the finale of Mad Men has been THE topic of conversation. Fans of the show have a lot of thoughts and feels about the iconic AMC drama ending, and given that Mad Men has been a huge cultural force since premiering in 2007, it’s only natural that the show ending has brought up a lot of questions and reflection on its seven season run. But what do the big names behind the show think about how the show ended?
Matthew Weiner, the creator of the show, has dealt with ending iconic shows in the past. His hit HBO series The Sopranos is one Mad Men’s finale is drawing a lot of comparisons to, with some feeling it was a little bit of a let down after so many years. But Weiner has gone on record a few times to talk about the ending of the series, and each time he’s stood by his decisions.
“We have our own story to tell,” he told the LA Times ahead of the finale. “Thought this would be a great ending to the story, and I’ve had it every season, and people like our endings, so I’m not going to go on the fence and say that we did anything different.”
He also shared his take on criticism, and the struggle of walking the line between being tuned into what the fans want and staying true to your vision. “You learn very early on in your career that giving the audience what it wants will make them hate you.”
Even at the finale’s screening, Weiner kept the episode hush-hush, a move that has defined the show’s constant level of surprise. Although he did get sentimental about the series ending, saying that, “The fact the [the show] meant anything to anyone else enough to let us keep doing it.… I feel so blessed, so grateful,” he only had one thing to say about the episode specifically. “It’s true to the show.”
Actor Jon Hamm had a little more to say after the episode aired, sharing his take on Don Draper’s final turn on screen (and that Coke commercial) with the New York Times.
“My take is that, the next day, he wakes up in this beautiful place, and has this serene moment of understanding, and realizes who he is. And who he is, is an advertising man. And so, this thing comes to him. There’s a way to see it in a completely cynical way, and say, ‘Wow, that’s awful.’ But I think that for Don, it represents some kind of understanding and comfort in this incredibly unquiet, uncomfortable life he has led.”
While we’re sad to see Mad Men end, we do like to think Don Draper may have finally found a little peace. And of course, we cannot wait to see what everyone involved, including Weiner, are involved with next!
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