Jon Hamm Reveals Why the Final Season of Mad Men Was So Difficult

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Jon Hamm, who played the lead role in the TV show “Mad Men”, discusses the challenges of filming the final season. Hamm played Don Draper throughout all seven seasons of the AMC drama, and received a total of eight Emmy nominations for his performance. In the series finale, where Don went to an oceanside retreat, Hamm ultimately won an Emmy for his work on the show.

In a chat with GQ, Hamm reminisced about his closing acts as Don Draper in ‘Mad Men’, explaining why those final scenes were tough to shoot. He mentioned that playing the intricate character during those last episodes felt unusually detached for him.

The challenges from the previous season I recall were quite tough for multiple reasons. My character embarked on a sort of personal journey or vision quest, and it became clear that there might be several episodes where I wouldn’t be acting alongside the main cast of the series.

What Jon Hamm’s Thoughts On Mad Men’s Final Season Mean For The Show’s Legacy

Hamm’s Isolation Reflects Don Draper’s Quest For Meaning In Season 7

Hamm’s portrayal of Don’s “vision quest” underscores the fact that the later episodes deliberately centered around Don’s personal psychological and spiritual odyssey, rather than primarily revolving around the agency or the entire cast. This emphasizes that at heart, the series was essentially about Don’s tale, and his conclusion was crucial.

The challenges Hamm faced while filming these episodes, because he was apart from his fellow cast members, seem to reflect a deeply personal ordeal for him. This might strike a chord with viewers who noticed the change in the show as it focused more on Don’s internal struggles. It underscores that the finale wasn’t just a plot device, but a conscious artistic decision that genuinely affected the actors. Moreover, it reinforces the notion that the enduring impact of Mad Men is rooted in Don Draper’s complex and frequently isolating quest for self-understanding.

Our Take On The Final Season Of Mad Men

Don Finally Faced Himself In The Show’s Final Hours

Season 7 effectively resolves the storylines for the main characters, but by sending Don Draper to the retreat, he is given the opportunity to confront his deep-seated feelings of isolation and disconnection in both his personal and professional relationships. This primal sadness has subtly influenced his behavior throughout the series, and it culminates as a full circle moment.

In the initial stages of ‘Mad Men’, Don Draper grapples with his past self and finding harmony between that persona and the new one he created for a fresh start. This internal identity struggle can take viewers by surprise, as seen in season 3, episode 11 titled “The Gypsy and the Hobo”, when a neighbor unexpectedly queries, “and what character are you meant to portray?

In the last episode of Mad Men, Don acknowledges and confronts the numerous errors of his past. Despite being miles apart, Peggy’s concern for him is evident throughout their phone call, as it leads to Don’s pride crumbling. A significant sequence in the episodes focusing on Don’s isolation from his family and work associates is the therapy group session where he embraces a stranger who cries after admitting feelings of loneliness within his own family life.

The fact that Jon Hamm personally experienced feelings of isolation while filming these emotionally intense scenes adds to our admiration for how the last episodes of “Mad Men” were executed. Just like Don Draper had to come to terms with his identity beyond SCDP and the executive lifestyle, Jon Hamm had to rely heavily on his understanding of the character without the support of his usual co-stars to bolster his performance.

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2025-05-27 23:27