That'sAllFolks

This show has reached its peak. All splitting up has done is irritate the fans. Unless something spectacular happens this season (which I doubt), this will go out with a whimper (like Psych, though Psych was never that acclaimed).

OTOH, Breaking Bad had a core group of devoted fans. The seasons were progressively better and were heading to a conclusion. Splitting the season allowed the rest of the world to catch up and it went out with a bang. In this case splitting the season was a great strategy -- and placed BB on the list of the greatest shows ever -- and not on the greatest shows you've never seen.

Nausicaa

Yeah, this show doesn't have the emphasis on plotting like Breaking Bad. It's a slow burn character show. And a complex one at that, as most people here seem to have trouble remembering everything that happened last season. Dragging it out even longer just lessens the impact of everything that will happen as the background is less and less prominent in viewers' minds.

n.phelge

My favorite parts: Ken's toss of the earring and every moment of screentime with Pete.

flashburn

Completely agree. What a boring episode. It doesn't help with the fact that they are splitting this into two 7 episode seasons. That should mean every episode is fucking gold, and IMHO we are already 0/1.

Coral

It was alright. Felt more like a set up type of episode.

Liked Ken's lack of depth perception.

You figure with a break midway through the season and it being a whole year, they'd need to throw in some kind of major cliffhanger to get the viewer to salivate. But this isn't that type of show - so this may actually backfire on them. AMC better get their shit together... and quick.

misterchimpy

Oh, I also forgot, Peggy talks about a clogged toilet. TWICE.

Elisabeth Moss must have been sitting in her trailer after the script pages were delivered thinking WTF AM I READING.

Coral

It was obviously symbolism as to how shitty her life is.

I did like the end where buddy says he should get home because he doesn't like his wife alone in the house - and yet Peggy is reminded that she's alone in all respects (Ted, you bastard!).

Anyone else thinks that Lou could pass as Hershel's (Walking Dead) brother?

bunkaroo

They even had a line about her getting them fixed. Hilarious.

Raul3

That's Matt Weiner writing ladies and gentlemen.

Red Dog

at Pete's California look.

Coladar1

I was thinking up replies to AMC getting their act together (This being a network airing a show about grown men arm wrestling and the continually growing travesty that is Comic Book Men), and then this being the network that started the trend of shows about shows...

And it dawned on me - what're the odds we see a Talking Mad, or Madly Talking next year for the final batch? They did it with Breaking Bad... and while this *really* isn't the type of show to spend a half hour to hour discussing episodes at length (Just imagine last night - 'Man, that earring toss was way off the mark!' 'That sammich must've been mighty tasty!' But, well... Talking Dead and Talking Bad. I could so very easily see them doing likewise as a 'farewell tributary sendoff to the greatest drama ever!'

Is it possible for an entire network to 'Jump the Shark'? Methinks it'll happen if we get seven eps of Chris Hardwick talking mad.

Turd Ferguson

On the next episode, she gets a set of dentures and donates her current set to a young man in England named Freddie Mercury.

lamphorn

I thought the episode was entertaining but I had a hard time catching on to everything because it feels like it's been two years since the last frigging season. I'm also irritated by the lame half-season (I call them micro-seasons). Cable is getting stingier and stingier with the programming. I mean, seriously, they're considering 6 or 7 episodes A YEAR to be adequate to keep a show's momentum going? Ugh.

Moopher

I really wanted to watch this last night, but, I'm waiting until 7B is on air next year. This show shouldn't be split-up.

Jack Straw

Great review (as always) from Molly Lambert at Grantland

http://grantland.com/hollywood-prosp...to-disneyland/

Jack Straw

Absolutely! And hugging Don instead of taking his extended hand. If there was ever anyone that needed to have his gears oiled...

slop101

Yeah, and how old is he, like 22? He's way too young to be in a position like that.

bluetoast

I didn't see The Sopranos as it originally aired, but did people have much of a problem with getting back into the show after the huge breaks? That show also had a ton of moments that you'd have to remember, and I remember bitching about the long hiatus, but not about actually jumping back into the show.

Splitting the season thing they're already in the can, that decision I agree is pretty terrible (but I'm also reading reports that the actors don't know how it'll end, so have they really finished filming?). But we've had way longer breaks than this for Mad Men, some were well over a year. Plus that's part of what this show's season premieres have been doing the whole time anyway. Time has passed since the previous finale, and we're wondering what's going on and what the characters are up to now.

DJariya

Some are forgetting when Matt Weiner's deal with Lionsgate expired after season 4, the negotiations took several months. Season 4 ended in October 2010. Season 5 premiered about 17 months later after the delay.

bluetoast

Exactly: That was the largest gap, but I don't recall as much complaining about forgetting events during that premiere.

mphtrilogy

don and peggy gotta be getting the band back together one more time right?

Tracer Bullet

I don't care about breaks between seasons, that's standard. AMC is just playing games with Mad Men and stretching it out because they can draw out the Mad Men revenue for two more years without paying for two 13-episode seasons. This isn't even a Breaking Bad situation because all of season seven has been filmed and they're just sticking the back half on a hard drive somewhere. It's ridiculous.

starseed1981

Pete was clearly the MVP this episode.

flashburn

Definitely, his sandwich choice was impeccable! Can't wait to see what he orders next week.

stingermck

Oh yes. I remember fans, myself and friends being frustrated with the huge gaps between seasons.