1) Was the finale surprising in any way? And, if not, did that diminish the episode?

I think so! It was an elegant capstone that encompassed the themes (particularly, Footnotes favorite: stubborn individualism!) of the season. It also packed the wallop we’ve been all waiting for — who knew that a dreary old business deal would have more verisimilitude than the Kennedy’s assassination this season!

2) Were there really no non-compete clauses in the early 60s?

With McCann-Erickson, essentially, no. In the early 1960’s they gobbled up a mid-sized shops and retained them under one umbrella, but still forced them the compete for clients. This had an upside: two agencies could be under the McCann-Erickson parent with one shop servicing American Airlines and the other shop servicing TWA. And a downside: the fear, at the time, was there would be leaks and betrayals between agencies.

3) Is the last shot of Don Draper meant to signal a kind of re-birth?

Goodness no! That’s Don at work. Don with his team. It’s just Don doing what he does with all that charisma: lead. Don’s far too restless and caught up in his own melodrama (divine though it is) to reform himself into being any kind of consistent, deferential personality. He’s a powder keg of emotion in a very tidy hat!

4) Was Don full of horseshit when he told Pete that Pete has always been one step ahead?

I think Pete is one step ahead purely by virtue of being young. And Don was right, Pete is the one pushing Sterling Cooper (RIP) into aerospace space and black magazines. While Peggy has been great in the clutch for copy, it’s been Pete and Harry who have tried to pioneer into new markets. I think that’s why Kinsey and Kenny were left behind because they seem endlessly complacent.

Why are people so obsessed with the show?

Well, it’s high art but totally accessible. Top notch writing, complex characters, high stakes historical moment. It’s like a visual novel or a really sexy play. But it’s on TV so it’s relaxing to consume! Also, I think the narrative is engrossing because, you know, we’re so anxious right now! There are these slow rolling cultural shifts that are happening right beneath our feet. Similarly to rumbling Don and the feet of his cohorts.

Tell me about the book.

There all these historical elements floating around in each episode, adding to the overall mood and motif of the show. I want to grab them all and put them in one place, not just because I love the show but because I’m also fascinated by midcentury society, its social mores, politics, design, etc. So the book will use Mad Men as vehicle to explore and catalogue that time in our history. It will be handsome both in look and verse with tons of new stuff.

Most of the actors in Mad Men came from left field. Do you think the show would be the same if Don was played by a marquee name?

Ooo going with lesser known actors was a great move. I feel strangely uprooted when I see them out of their suits. They are also such fine actors that I never feel like they are acting!

What would Betty Friedan say about Betty Draper?

I’m sure she would shake Betts by the shoulders and scream, “is this all?!?” But I think Betty really just needs a friend more than a pamphlet. Oh, Betty! She’s the most complex character of the show, I veer between thinking of her as villain and victim.

Who does the best post show analysis? Slate?

Slate has wonderful dish, it’s a must. The AV Club is my favorite for commentary. Also Basket of Kisses is a kicky site that puts a great emphasis on the ladies of Mad Men. Also, artist Dyna Mo! She created the Mad Men Yourself site for AMC and does beautiful illustrations of a scene from Mad Men once a week on her flickr site.

Why is the date of Roger Sterling’s daughter’s upcoming wedding significant?

Oh dear. Events at a parade in Dallas are going to overshadow her special day and put a general damper on you know, THE COUNTRY.

Why Meditations in an Emergency?

Ah, what a glorious choice! Totally risky, right? But what a great payoff. So many reasons. Ok, let’s start with the title. It just taps right into the sense of slow moving dread and forced introspection of Don Draper and the whole mood of the show. Also, O’Hara’s verses are so wry and punchy, so easily digestible that it reads like the best ad copy and vice versa.

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I’m obsessed with Mad Men’s cult following. Given the character’s fictitious presences on Twitter and the dazzling Mad Men Flickr stream, I was not at all surprised to read the show may take its costume design to retail. With Tivo’s purchase feature through Amazon, it may be only a matter of time before you can buy Betty’s yellow bikini with your remote. [Mediabistro]