From Season 7, episode 3: Jim Cutler holds “The American Way of Death.” From Styleite.com.
Is it just me, or am I detecting a theme in Mad Men‘s final season?
In episode 2, Sally goes to a funeral. Don says to her, “I don’t like you going to funerals.” Too bad, Don! The girl needs to grow up at some point. And when Sally describes how the body’s skin had a yellow tint in the casket, Don says, “I’m sorry to had to see that.”
Don and Sally’s diner scene from episode 2, after she attended a funeral.
In last night’s episode 3, Harry Crane walks into Jim Cutler’s office only to see him holding Jessica Mitford’s The American Way of Death. I’m still trying to figure out the significance, as it seemed like an oddly placed prop that resulted in awkward dialogue.
I’m guessing that we will continue to see more death-related imagery as the season progresses. After all, this final season is itself the death of Mad Men. Perhaps these small hints in each episode are building up to something bigger.
If I missed something death-related in episode 1 of this season, please let me know. Sally and Don’s conversation stood out to me last week, as did the Mitford book in this week’s episode, so now I’m fully aware but any mention in episode 1 escaped my notice.
If You Have Five Seconds to Spare 
Death has been a heavy, dominant theme throughout the show’s run. Adam’s suicide, Gene’s death from a massive stroke, Ida Blankenship’s expiration at her post at Don’s desk, Lane’s tragic fate, Roger’s mother, Pete’s mother, Pete’s father, Anna, the murdered nurses, Don drawing nooses in his notebook, Bobby’s claim that when he’s 40, Don will be dead, Betty’s cancer scare, Don’s near-drowning in California, Don’s pitches in season six in which the subject is always absent (especially his first pitch, the one for the Royal Hawaiian hotel, in which a man’s clothes lie on a deserted beach), the heavy focus on historical events like the Kennedy and King assassinations, Marilyn Monroe’s death, Don dream-strangling his old flame Andrea in the throes of his fever, the Signal 30 student driver video, Ken’s story about the robot who kills thousands by destroying a bridge; the language of Mad Men is freighted with death.
It’s true that it’s a dark show with death all around. For some reason, the references this year are really sticking out to me. I guess they seem more obvious. I mean, of all books for Jim Cutler to be reading? It seemed like an odd placement, almost a non-sequitur.
I saw that too! Great post.
Thank you! Can’t wait to see what we’ll spot next week!