Mad Men Roundtable – “The Summer Man”
Outside the Athletic Club, Don takes in the people around him, including a woman with a baby, a couple of sailors, and an African-American couple. Is it just me, or do you get a little jarred whenever you see minority characters on this show? Every time it’s a reminder that big changes are coming. On the soundtrack is the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”, which would have been released right around the time when this episode is set. It’s an interesting choice, because it’s an anti-consumerism song performed by dudes who were just starting to get crazy rich. It specifically singles out the advertising industry for criticism, and I think it’s a pretty good indicator of where society is at this point. People outside Don’s industry don’t respect what he does. And having Don stand there watching the younger generation (the woman and her baby), the forces of history (the Navy guys who represent the upcoming war) and massive social change (embodied by the Black couple) pass him by makes it seem like he’s coming to the end of his reign. Hunter S. Thompson used to ask “Where were you when the fun stopped?”, and guys like Don and Roger will be asking that of each other very soon.
I just rewatched this episode during its rerun on AMC Sunday mornings – the first time I saw it, I noted that it was the first time “Mad Men” ended with the credits rolling but no music playing over them. I wondered if there was something particular in the episode that made it special (like the silent clock in “24”). However, I wasn’t certain, so I’d be interested in hearing what you or other readers have to say about the matter.