On the same weekend that Jon Hamm delivered a hilarious turn as host of Saturday Night Live, the critically beloved Mad Men wrapped up its phenomenal second season.  One of Hamm's memorable SNL skits had him doling out advice on how to pick up women while in character as Don Draper, but on Mad Men, Draper's love for the ladies nearly destroyed his marriage.  By the end of Sunday night's finale it appeared that Betty was finally willing to forgive her husband for his indiscretions, but can their marriage survive?  We'll have to wait until season 3 to find out.

The Mad Men finale may have left a few things up in the air, but there were also some great reveals and shocking twists to keep fans talking during the hiatus.  The biggest news was Betty's unexpected pregnancy, which led her to have an affair in the bathroom of a bar with an anonymous stranger, who just happened to be played by Chuck's Ryan McPartlin.  Betty (January Jones) pondered getting an abortion, but eventually decided to take Don back and tell him the news about the baby.  Aside from that surprise, Don considered walking away from Sterling Cooper, and Peggy finally told Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) about the child she gave away.

The thing I love about Mad Men is its subtlety.  The characters rarely say what they're thinking or feeling, so the show demands that fans pay attention and read between the lines to understand everyone's motivations.  This can be frustrating for the casual viewer, but it's a treat for those who love to be challenged by compelling television.  Now that season 2 has wrapped up, I truly think it improved upon the Emmy-winning first year of the series.  The second season imbued the characters with more depth, gave the supporting players more to do, and allowed creator Matthew Weiner to delve deeper into the personal issues that plague the Sterling Cooper employees.  I can't wait to see what happens in season 3, though it likely won't air until the middle of 2009.

It was a bit strange seeing Jon Hamm slip into his Don Draper persona just one night after he showed his goofy side on Saturday Night Live.  Like many other viewers, I had never seen Hamm in anything outside of Mad Men, so it was a treat to watch the actor show off his comedic chops.  "Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women" was a truly inspired sketch (watch it here), but I also liked "A-Holes: Pitch Meeting," which hilariously parodied Mad Men and featured appearances from John Slattery and Elisabeth Moss.  You can see it here.

Fans who missed the Mad Men season 2 finale can catch it on AMC next Sunday at 10am.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of AMC)