Mad Men’s weekly teasers became infamous for never really giving anything away from the following week’s episode. The Simpsons even did a pitch-perfect parody. So why should the preview for the series finale, which premiered earlier today on Vox, be any different?
But this is not a time for irreverence—one of the most popular, culturally significant dramas of the Golden Age of Television is coming to an end after seven seasons. The teaser for the series finale doesn’t feature any new footage, but rather serves as a reminder of just how much time elapsed in between Peggy Olson meekly walking into the offices of Sterling Cooper looking “like a little girl” and strutting into the offices of McCann-Erickson looking like a badass. Mad Men has always been character driven, so it’s apt that the spot—cut to Paul Anka’s “Times Of Your Life”, which was famously used in a Kodak advertising campaign in the ’70s—features little moments and smiles between Don, Betty, Megan, Pete, Roger, Sally and the rest of the gang. It’s touching, heartwarming, and ends with Don alone in an empty apartment, which should only add to internet speculation that Don is going to die.
Liquor stores nationwide can expect a run on Canadian Club this coming Sunday, May 17th, when Mad Men airs its final episode at 10 p.m. ET.