Mad Men: Season 7, Episode 8 “Severance” (B+)
While this is technically billed as the eighth episode of the final season of this show, make no mistake about it: it’s the beginning of the end, the first of the show’s final seven episodes that will always be considered something separate from the first half of the seventh season. It’s hard to remember where we were a year ago when this show last aired, but a few new mustaches and chauvinistic comments help place us exactly where we need to be. Casting a known actress in a seemingly insignificant part is always a sign that there will be more than meets the eye, and Elizabeth Reaser’s waitress is definitely important for Don. Seeing Rachel in his office seemed like a hallucination but wasn’t the appropriate preparation for the news that she died, robbing Don of the opportunity to reconnect with one of the more driven women in his long list of conquests. His visit to the shiva home was met with hostility by her sister but served as a poignant and haunting scene. With no Betty or Megan in his life, it’s hard to keep track of Don and to think that there’s any way that he won’t end up alone. It’s so interesting to see Joan and Peggy still clashing over how they have made their way to the top in a man’s world, and Peggy seems to be dreaming big after her date. Ken has always been a maligned and underused character, and it appears that a thoughtless dismissal of his talents will make him the ultimate thorn in the side of two men who once hated each other, Roger and Pete. The remaining six episodes are sure to be captivating and eventful.
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