Summary
- Jon Hamm believes that a reboot of Mad Men is unnecessary due to the satisfying ending of the show.
- Continuing the Mad Men story through a reboot would risk undermining the perfect conclusion of the series.
- The ambiguous ending of Mad Men, particularly for Don Draper, adds to the perfection of the show and doesn’t require further exploration.
Though it has been eight years since Mad Men came to an end, actor Jon Hamm does not think a reboot is necessary, and his reasoning behind this actually makes a lot of sense. In 2007, the workplace period drama Mad Men first premiered on AMC and had a successful run for seven seasons. The show followed Don Draper, a suave and confident ad-man in the 1960s who is hiding a variety of dark secrets. Though Hollywood is always in the market for reboots these days, Mad Men’s lead actor, Jon Hamm, is of the mind that the show is perfect as it is.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Hamm revealed that, though he would be willing to return to his role as Don Draper, he doesn’t necessarily think Mad Men needs a reboot because of the solid way the show ended. Hamm said, “I was so very happy…with how satisfying the ending was for Don, that I think to revisit that might be—I don’t know… might be too much.” Hamm went on to say that a Mad Men reboot is a possibility, but is not something that the showrunners have discussed at all. All in all, the actor reiterated that, because of how the show ended, a reboot would be unnecessary.
Jon Hamm Is Right: A Mad Men Reboot Doesn’t Need To Happen
Ultimately, Jon Hamm is correct about a Mad Men reboot. Although it would be amazing to return to the world of Sterling Cooper, continuing the Mad Men story isn’t really necessary or even desirable. The series was already quite long, with seven Mad Men seasons and 13 episodes each, and the way it ended perfectly wrapped up Don Draper’s story, and the stories of his peers. By restarting Mad Men, showrunners would be taking the risk of making that perfect ending pointless. Therefore, it is better to just keep the series how it is rather than open up an opportunity for the show to ruin what it already has.
Since Mad Men’s ending is the crux of why the series does not need a reboot, it is important to discuss said ending. In the final episode of Mad Men, Don runs away to California to find some peace after the intense drama and pain he has caused everyone in his life. While there, he joins a sort of meditation retreat, and makes peace with his ex-wife Betty and his long-time colleague Peggy. The final shots show Don meditating, perhaps at peace, but then it cuts to the iconic 1971 Coca-Cola “Hilltop” advertisement. In this way, Mad Men’s finale is ambigious but satisfying all at once.
Why Don Draper’s Mad Men Ending Is Perfect The Way It Is
The vagueness of Mad Men’s ending, especially for Don, is what makes it so perfect. Though it seems like Don may have found the enlightenment he was looking for, the ad at the end implies that perhaps Don’s “enlightenment” simply led to the best ad he ever created. This leaves many questions as to Don’s future, but in reality, they don’t need to be answered. It is sort of like his cycle of success is just starting again. In the end, all audiences really need to know is that Don is alright, and the rest of the Mad Men cast have reached their fates, both tragic and pleasant, as well.
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