Mad Men Finale Recap – Don Searches for Meaning, Finds None: Season 7 Series Final Episode “Person to Person”

Mad Men Finale Recap - Don Searches for Meaning, Finds None: Season 7 Series Final Episode "Person to Person"

Tonight on Mad Men it’s an all-new Sunday, May 17 season 7 episode 14 series finale recap called, “Person to Person.” On tonight’s episode after seven season’s Don Draper’s [Jon Hamm] story comes to an end.

On last week’s episode Don had trouble sleeping; Pete was blindsided by a friend; Henry arranged a family reunion. Did you watch last week’s episode? If you missed it we have a full and detailed recap, right here for you.

On tonight’s episode after seven seasons of enjoying Mad Men we will say goodbye to our favourite characters.  As per the AMC spoilers synopsis “the stories of Don Draper, his family and his co-workers at Sterling Cooper & Partners conclude.”

We will be blogging the Mad Men Season 7 Episode 14 recap at 10PM EST . . . so make sure to come back to this spot and watch the show with us. Make sure to refresh often so you get the most current info! While you wait for the episode you can catch a sneak peek of tonight’s episode BELOW!

Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!

#MadMen begins in a desert with a race car speeding by – Don at the wheel. He pulls into a garage and gets out of the suped up Chevelle. The two grease monkeys chat with him and he says there’s a shimmy that will create drag. They tell him he knows a lot about cars for a guy that doesn’t have one. They all pop beers. Roger’s two secretaries go over his schedule. One says she’s having Marie delivered to the hotel tomorrow. Roger tells Allison he can’t keep her on since it doesn’t look like Don is coming back.

Lorraine runs a meeting and after, Peggy asks why she’s off of an account and he says it’s because Stu took over for Pete. The woman is rude and unsympathetic. Peggy says they should go talk to David right now to get him involved. Lorraine relents and says they can have the account. Don is in bed with a woman and she says she likes having a man to take care of. He asks if his wallet fell out of his jeans and should he take a look.

She admits she took a look to see where he’s from. He asks if she left him anything and she asks if he never paid for it. Don says he has and will but likes it to be voluntary. He tells her to get her purse. She does and hands over an envelope of cash. He says she could have asked but she says that never works. She asks about the ring and he asks wasn’t she going to steal it. She thanks him for the cash and he rolls back on top of her.

Joan and Richard are traveling and she asks who gave him cocaine as a birthday present. She agrees to try it with him and he says he thinks you sniff it off your fingernail. She tries it and then Richard sniffs off her nail. Joan says it feels like someone just gave her very good news and Richard says they could live like this all the time – taking advantage of all they both have and he says she should be spoiled. Richard says Kevin will go to school soon but says there are good schools everywhere.

Richard says they could get a place wherever she wants and he says he wants a future with him. She asks if he wants to get married and he says if she does and says she can turn her life into everything. She asks if they have to get married and he says hell no then she jumps on him. Pete comes to see Peggy and she says it’s him and Harry for lunch. He says someone gave him a cactus as a going awa gift. He offers it to her. Harry shows up and Peggy says she can’t go.

Harry asks if anything means anything to her and Pete hands him the tin of cookies he was given. Peggy reminds Pete they’ve never had lunch before then says she’s happy for him and they all hate him for getting that big job. He says to keep it up and she’ll be a creative director by 1980 and says someday people will bragged that they worked with her. Pete says he’ll be back and she better keep his cactus alive. He goes.

Sally talks to her dad who says he’s in Utah and he talks about seeing them breaking the land speed record and she says it sounds like he’s having fun. He asks what’s wrong then asks if it’s boy problems. She says she’s not supposed to tell him but he presses and she says her mom is dying. He says she’s a hypochondriac but Sally says she has lung cancer and six months to live. She says Betty didn’t want her to know and Don says he’s coming home.

She says she wants Gene and Bobby to live with Uncle William but he says they can all live with them. Sally says they should be with Henry but Don says grown ups make these decisions. Sally tells him to take her seriously. She says she has to go – someone is waiting on the phone. The phone rings and Betty coughs then goes to get it – she looks terrible. It’s a collect call from Don. She accepts the call. She tries to pretend things are normal. He says he talked to Sally.

He says he’s coming home and Betty says definitely not. He says the kids need him but she says she doesn’t want them upset and hasn’t told the boys. Don says the boys can come live with him and she says not to let his pride interfere with his wishes. He says he’s their father but Betty says they need a regular family and living with her brother and Judy is in their best interest. Betty says he can see them as much as he does know. Then she asks when was the last time he saw them.

Don tells Betty he didn’t know and she says she appreciates his good intentions but says she’s not going to waste the rest of her time arguing about it. She says she wants things to be as normal as possible and him not being there is part of it. Don is near tears and calls her Birdie. She’s crying too. She says she knows. Betty says she has to go and Don sighs and says he’ll talk to her soon. She hangs up and cries. Don hangs up and tries not to cry.

He goes back to drinking his beer. Ken meets Joan for dinner and asks about Florida. She says it was compelling and he asks if she held onto her Rolodex when she retired. He says she looks great. She asks what he wants and he says every department at Dow has to make an industrial film and he fell asleep on the script. He says the producer is drunk and asks if she knows who did Birds Eye. He hands her a check and says it’s $50k for eight minutes and says she can keep the difference.

Joan says for that kind of fee, it’s not problem. He asks about her family and she asks about Eddie. He says he’s weird and there may be something wrong with him. Don is on his bed when the two young racing guys show up to ask him for money. They remind him he promised to stake them. He’s horribly drunk and he says he has money – to just drop him in LA. He staggers and one sets him on the bed gently.

Peggy talks to Joan who asks her to lunch to catch up. She says she can’t wait and asks to see her this weekend. Joan says she ran into Ken and says Dow needs an industrial script yesterday and says they both thought of her. Peggy says she doesn’t have time to moonlight but Joan offers her $1200 and Peggy agrees. Don shows up at his niece Stephanie’s house. He says Patty is mad he gave her money and he asks for a drink. She offers coffee and asks what’s going on. He says he’s retired and on the road.

He says he wanted to check on her and see the little one. She says he lives with Ronnie’s parents now. She asks if they flew him in to make her feel bad. Don also hands her a ring and says it should be with her. He says Megan and he are done. He says Anna always wanted her to have it but she asks what she’ll do with it – he says sell it or do what she wants. She says she appreciates it but it seems like he’s the one in trouble. He admits a lot has happened.

Stephanie says he can crash there and says she’s living for a few days to go up the coast to a retreat. He says he just needs a shower and shave but she says to take a nap on the couch while she opens a can of strew. He stretches out. Roger asks Marie if she’s trying to kill him with sex but she says she’s trying to make him happy. He says French cigarettes taste like shit and he says she’s done with Canada but she says he’ll love it. She says her poor husband Emile suddenly decided he wants her.

Roger says he hopes she didn’t get in bed with him when she went to divorce him. She curses at him in French and he says to yell at him in English not French. She says he will leave her with nothing but a little suitcase wandering around Manhattan. She tells him to go sleep on the sofa. Stephanie wakes Don and says he’s coming with her. The boys are trying to make some food when Sally shows up. She says she missed them and Tommy asks if it’s going to happen now.

They tell Gene to go watch TV. Once he’s gone, Tommy says mom is lying down and Henry is at work. He says he heard it all before they stopped fighting. Sally says she doesn’t know how long she has but she’s not going to Madrid. Tommy says he was trying to make dinner and Sally says she’ll show him how. Don and Stephanie make it to the hippy dippy retreat and are showed to a communal cabin. Don asks where they are and looks at the crazy schedule.

Stephanie says to be open and it might make him feel better. There’s a guy snoring in one of the beds and they each take a bed then Stephanie turns out the lantern.

Roger brings Kevin home – he took him out for pancakes and Roger asks to speak to Joan. She clicks the TV on so he can’t hear and Roger says he’s revising his will and is dividing his estate between Ellory and Kevin. He says he doesn’t want it to put her in an awkward position. She says the ex is no problem and Richard is a man of the world. She says it’s an expensive way to mark his territory. She asks if he’s ill and he says for now, but he’s getting married.

He says he met her through Megan and is her mother. Joan laughs hard. She says that’s a spectacular mess. He says no one cares and he asks her to agree to take the money. She says if it’s what he really wants, she won’t say no and will like knowing their beautiful little boy is taken care of. He calls for Kevin who ignores him and Roger says Kevin really is a rich little bastard. Joan laughs and thanks him. Stephanie drags Don to a session with her.

They all walk around the room without purpose. He says to just move your legs. They walk silently. Stephanie smiles and shrugs. He says to stop and look at the person nearest you. Don is by on old white haired lady. He asks how that person makes you feel and to find a way to communicate that without words. Don looks decidedly uncomfortable. The old lady shoves him. Don is taken aback. Joan meets Peggy for lunch and hands over a check. Joan orders them drinks and Joan says that’s the tip of the iceberg.

She says she’s producing two more industrials and says Ken is now in charge. Peggy says she has a demanding job and Joan asks if she has a contract. She says she wants to form her on production company – she suggests Harris-Olson and Peggy is stunned. Joan says they won’t have to answer to anyone and it will be theirs with their name on it. Peggy says she’s flattered but then says she doesn’t know. Joan asks why she’s hesitating then says she has to find a writer by the end of the week.

She says the partnership offer is just for Peggy. Don sits in another session in a circle. The group leader asks how Stephanie feels and she says it feels like everyone is judging her. She says everyone thinks all she does is screw up – dropping out of school, getting pregnant, not being a good mother. One guy says life is full of shoulds. Stephanie says she just wants to get her life together. One woman asks if it’s so she can be with her child. Stephanie says no angrily.

The woman says she hears sadness from her about her baby. She says her mother left and her baby will spend his life staring at the door waiting for her to walk in. Stephanie starts crying then runs out. Don glares at the woman then goes out after Stephanie. He catches up to her and says not to listen to them. He says he could help her and offers to move to LA. Stephanie says he shows up with a family heirloom but he’s not her family. Don says he knows how people work.

He says she can put it behind her and it will get easier as she moves forward. Stephanie says she thinks he’s wrong then she leaves him to go lie down. Peggy tells Stan about Joan’s offer and says she could be her own boss. Stan says that’s not a good reason and says she has a rare talent. She asks if he thinks she’ll fail and Stan says she just wants to be in charge. She tells him he has no ambition but he says he’s happy being good at his job and she says – spoken like a failure.

Stan says he hopes she’s drunk because she needs an excuse. He says there is more to life than work. He walks out upset. Stephanie comes back to the cabin late. Joan calls for Richard and pours coffee. Joan tells Richard she can’t go with him today and says Nathan’s wants to show her around. She says it’s a business meeting and he asks did she start a business. She says we’ll see then says it’s just a couple of little projects. Richard asks doesn’t she want to be with him and says it will take all her energy and attention.

Richard says he’s done this and says he wants to be with her but will be rooting for her to fail so he can have her time. He says he doesn’t want to be back where he was but she says she wants him in her life and says it can be different. Her phone rings and she says she should answer it. He says this isn’t happening to her, she’s making a choice. Joan says she can’t turn off that part of herself and wouldn’t make him choose. Richard says when something is wrong, it’s always wrong.

She goes to get the phone. Richard goes to leave and she says he’s being silly. He wishes her luck and walks out of the door (and her life). She is devastated but brushes it off and takes the call from Jeff. Don wakes the next morning and sees Stephanie isn’t there. He goes looking for her and one of the guys says she took off a few hours ago but he doesn’t know where she went. Don goes to the front desk and asks how he gets out of there. She says it will be a couple of days to get a car.

Don curses and she says he can get a ride back with someone by the end of the work. Don says people come and go and no one says goodbye. She thinks he’s talking about the retreat and says people are free to do as they please. Don calls Peggy collect and she asks where the hell he is and says everyone is furious at him. Peggy says he can come home but he asks where. She says McCann will take him back in a second and asks doesn’t he want to work on Coke.

Don says he can’t. He says he can’t get out of there. Peggy tells him to come home. He says he messed everything up and he’s not the man she thinks he is. Peggy tells him to listen and asks what did he do that was so bad. He says he broke all his vows, scandalized his child, took another man’s name and made nothing of it. She says it’s not true but Don says he only called because he realized he never said goodbye to her. Peggy says he shouldn’t be alone right now.

Don says he’s in a crowd and just wanted to hear her voice. He ends the call and then tries to stop crying. He sits down on the ground breathing hard like he’s having a panic attack. Peggy calls Stan and says Don just called. He asks where the hell he is and she says California but he didn’t say where and she’s really worried. Stan says he always does this and always comes back and will be fine. Peggy says he wasn’t making any sense and Stan says to let Don go.

He says it doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about him. Peggy apologizes for what she said to him and he says she’ll be great no matter what she does. Peggy says she’s going to stay and he says he didn’t want her to leave. She asks why he didn’t say that and he says because he always wants to strangle her in person then misses her and calls. He says he brings out the worst in her when he stands in front of her. He says she drove him crazy when she came into his life and now he just wants to be with her.

Peggy asks what he just said and Stan says it again – I want to be with you. He tells her he’s in love with her. She says what and he says he loves her. Peggy is stunned. She says that’s what she thought he said. She says she doesn’t know what to say and says she can’t breathe and says she doesn’t even think about him then says she does all the time because he’s there and here. She says he makes everything okay no matter what. Peggy says she must be, because he’s always right.

She cries a little and says she thinks she’s in love with him too. She says she really does. He says nothing and she asks if he’s there. It’s dead quiet and she checks the line, but he’s running to her office. He asks what she was saying. She says she loves him. He smiles and she hangs up the phone. She goes to him and he kisses her.

Don still sits on the ground when a woman finds him and asks if he’s waiting for a phone call. He says what. She asks if he took something. She asks him to come to her seminar with her but he says he can’t move. She says she’s late and doesn’t want to walk in by herself. She holds out her hand and he goes with her. They go into the session and sit down. Don sits looking shell-shocked. A guy named Leonard speaks and says nothing is complicated about him but he’s not happy.

He says he’s never been interesting to anyone. He says he works in an office, people walk right by and don’t see him. He says he goes home and watches his wife and kids who don’t look at him when he sits down. He says it’s like no one cares that he’s gone. He says they should love him and maybe they do but he doesn’t even know what it is. He says he had a dream he was on the refrigerator shelf and the door closes and the light goes out and he knows they’re eating.

He says then the door opens and they smile but they don’t look right at you and maybe don’t pick you. He says then the door closes again and the light goes off. He smiles nervously then sighs and starts crying. Don stands and looks at him. Everyone in the group stares. Don kneels down and hugs him and starts crying too. Pete, Trudy and their daughter leave for Kansas. Joan and Peggy started their new business. Roger is with Canada with Marie ordering champagne in broken French.

Betty sits smoking while Sally does the dishes. Peggy is typing on a script when Stan comes to give her a kiss – they’re at her place. Don is by the ocean looking out at the water. He’s still at the retreat and then is ding sun salutations with the group about finding a new you. Don chants with the others and then offers a small smile to the world. We see the iconic Coke commercials with “I’d like to teach the world to sing…”

THE END!

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