Last night was "Mad Men's" fourth season finale and it was great representation of everything that's great about this show.
I wasn't a regular viewer of the first three seasons, but season four really captivated me and turned me into a fan. This season has dealt with Don Draper's journey from self loathing to new man.
Jon Hamm's portrayal has been so spot on all season long, but in the finale he was outstanding in all the subtle ways he depicted Don's fear and resigned happiness.
Hamm has gotten more praise for his comedy lately, so its easy to forget that he is a really superb dramatic actor. If he submits any of the last three episodes of this season, he may finally beat out Bryan Cranston at next year's Emmys.
Also delivering an outstanding performance was Elisabeth Moss as the perpetually unappreciated and alone Peggy. The way her face went from jealousy to resignation to offended when she heard about Don's sudden engagement was sublime.
Also the little rant session that she Joan had at the end said everything about their love-hate friendship. Their the only two women at the company who can truly understand what the other deals with and yet they'll never be really close.
It's no secret that I'm no January Jones fan and honestly I think the show is better without the cold, unfeeling Betty. However, the scene between her Don at the end really underscored how much he had gotten himself together and how wrong things had gone for her.
It'll be interesting to see if things work for Don and his secretary/fiancee Megan, or will he fall into his old tricks once he's a married man again.
This was everything a season finale should be, well-paced, well-written and extremely well-acted.
If Clark Kent hadn't finally flown this week, it would definitely be my pick for best of the week.
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