Sadly the only honorable option he could take given his upbringing, relationship with his father and old British code of ethics. Death was better than dishonour by the old rules. A real tragedy.
I love how Joan maneuvered that discovery of lane's body. I think she suspected pretty quick but didn't want to be proven right and have a public reaction or lose her composure first.
The first stage of grief is denial. Joan is shrewd. She can dissect any situation with razor sharp precision, which is why we love her. However, I don’t think she was trying to maintain her composure here for propriety’s sake. Upon first opening that door and seeing the turned chair, she has put together what’s happened immediately, but simply doesn’t want to believe it. She defers that responsibility onto the men in the adjacent office because she’s in denial. She knows what terrible thing has occurred, but is prolonging her transition into the next stage of grief: Pain and Guilt. She’s delaying the incoming trauma. Which she immediately slips into when they peer over and inform her that her suspicions are correct, and Joan subsequently breaks down. Christina Hendricks played this perfectly.
@@blairfoley2675 The thing is too, she is a secretary and a woman in an age when neither was considered a "senior" station. Deferring the judgement to a man in an office isn't an unusual mindset--many would do it even today.
Unique perspective as I haven't seen the whole series, only the first two seasons and this (this plot line had already been spoiled before I started watching), and yeah, Pete reacts with more sadness and perspective here then he does do the death of his own father. Striking how compassionate this one scene makes him look compared to the rest, and it's not done in a way that's out of place with the character.
@@TheArranBicKman that kind of just strengthens my point, war dehumanizes you, therefore Pete has more emotion because he hasn’t been to war and seen all of that death.
Kenny the only gentleman in mad men (though he grew into one as he wasn't at first). He comforts Joan whilst the others just stand there shocked. He knew she had a daughter like relationship with him. He evolved from mid 20s idiot looking up a girls skirt in season 1 to a smart and caring man in his 30s
@TMPanos96 It could be that traditional gender roles always aren't good or bad, they just exist as products of their place and time, as these characters do. Joan needed comfort because she was close to Lane and Ken provided it.
@@austinyoung3315 didn’t he? Without getting into if it would’ve been right or wrong to do so, it seemed to me like Don could’ve easily brushed the whole incident under the rug and other than himself and Lane, nobody would’ve been the wiser. But instead, he cut Lane out of the company completely, effectively turning his back on him. Even if Don didn’t see it that way Lane certainly did.
Absolutely... both my parents are baby boomers and its so true, they don't really believe in talking ab their inner pain that much. Even more so, my dad would say, "what good is it?" awwww. My grandparents both southern and depression era kids barely talked period.
Between having his own brother die the same way, and seeing soldiers getting killed around him back in Korea, it's very telling how Don reacted to Lane's death. Bothered even more by the guilt of driving Lane towards suicide, the mix of emotions Don must have went through to keep that a secret while processing his own dark past. Damn, the combination of great writing, acting, and cinematography makes for stellar entertainment. The likes of Mad Men are such that even those of that generation find it difficult to watch. Sometimes, truth IS stranger than fiction...🇵🇷🇺🇸😎
Yeah sometimes truth is stranger than fiction but Don and the others are fictitious characters there are sales and advertising people and suicides but not quite like that.
@@gezenews when Don is having dinner with Peggy she ask 'did you ever shoot anyone?' and he said 'no, but I some some men die' so I'm assuming there were more
The sound design when they discover the body is fucking incredible. It just dissolves into this messy, raw soundtrack of men cutting down a suicide. Don and Roger are both vets who have clearly seen a lot of death, and the near-clinical approach to the act of giving Lane some basic human dignity before the coroner arrives is on track for men of war
The sound design in this show was always next level. Every scene, every setting has a plethora of details that puts you right in the world with the characters, but hardly anyone really notices. It's one of the many incredible things that the team did with this show that set it apart from the normal tv drama schlock of time.
Don isn't interested in "human dignity," he just wants to get into the room before anyone else finds the note--and anything incriminating it may say about him. And Roger, well, Roger was just fine leaving Lane where he was--he tries to stop Don from going in and only helps after it's clear nobody is listening to him. "Men of war" indeed.
@SanctusPaulus-ic5gl: Most people assume that there will always be a suicide note (even though in reality this is not the case). Don covered up Lane's embezzlement, something Lane could have brought up in such a note if he left one. This anxiety in Don is made VERY obvious in the scene where Roger discovers Lane's resignation; they all assume it's a suicide note, and we get one definite shot of Don's fear as Roger reads it. It's all there on the screen.
@@spinblackcircles Lengthy segments from season 3 onwards is just repeats and repeats, they work because they built very strong characters in the first seasons but it's still filler. but that's the nature of the beast. Tv series gotta squeeze that script till the show keeps going. In terms of pure plot this show is likely only a 4-season series.
Don tries to act noble by demanding that Lane’s body be taken down, but you see that he is terrified of his role in Lane’s suicide being found out: if Lane has written a tell-all suicide note, then Don was going to be forced to explain everything. That’s a theme throughout the show, how Don was constantly looking over his shoulder, scared to death of being found out, whether it was his assumed name or his adultery. The man kept so many secrets that he could hardly keep track of them all.
But in this case the thing he did 'wrong' was giving Lane a chance of a graceful exit. Partners would be right to be mad at him for not informing him but won't blame him for the death.
@phucker tan I think Don thought it was disrespectful to let him hang that way. He is certainly flawed, but he liked Lane and was legitimately sad, not just out of guilt.
There's really nothing for Don to be scared of. He did the right thing from a business ethics standpoint forcing Lane to resign. His reaction is likely more due to guilt over his role in Lane's decision to take his own life.
Wow, that’s a bad take on it. Campbell found out about Draper’s past and told Bertram Cooper early in the show. I think Draper genuinely felt guilty (as he should) and not wanting to see the body of a friend in that position.
@@user-tq3rr8vy2w Yep, hypocrisy is nearly every human's middle name. We all talk nobility but when it comes down to it, when the noose is hanging in front of us (mostly metaphorically), most find a way to slip out. Try to find a boss and coworkers that don't shy away from political obstacles/challenges. There aren't too many that are honest when it comes at a personal cost. That's why friends, family, and colleagues that stick with you despite hardships and failures are truly priceless.
0:37 Pete's reaction- this entire scene was great acting. Though heartbreaking to watch. The first time I saw this, I was SHOCKED they actually showed his body.
Pete's Reaction was one of the most interesting parts. Even though Pete is kind of a terrible person and deeply hostile with Lane (even getting bloodied by him in a fistfight) he still has a pretty strong reaction to seeing his death. I guess it shows that even though Pete can do some very evil things he's not soulless just deeply damaged. I don't like Pete and I deeply enjoyed watching Lane beat him up, but I can also appreciate the level of nuance in Mad Men's characters.
The final shot of Don's face is so powerful - - he wants to explain Lane's fraud but decides not to. Others have commented that this is out of shame, and maybe so, but more so I think Don stays quiet so as not to tarnish Lane's legacy. Don's decision to privately ask for Lane's resignation was strong, but not unfair.
I'm sure he doesn't want to be blamed for Lane's death and that's why he doesn't explain it. It's in his best interest to say nothing now. Either he didn't tell his partners about fraud and he's at fault. Or he just drove a fellow partner to suicide. It's lose lose for the machiavellian Don so he stays quiet.
Lane was depressed. Not because of Don asking him to resign but because of his lack of authority over his life. His previous company would just bounce him around wherever they needed him, his wife decided to leave him when he was just settling down, then he fell in love with a waitress. But again his father came, beat the shit out of him and made him get back to his wife. Towards the end during his crisis he thought he has enough power to take up money from the company and answer to no one. But that didn't happen and he had to forge Dons signature. When he got caught he realised he doesn't have any authority in the his office as well. Later that day.... His clueless wife buying him a jaguar they clearly can't afford... Again 'without' his permission just led him towards suicide. Tragic. But not Don's fault.
It really hit me that Roger has seen the most death in war, Don the second, and Pete never, but they're all gathered around a fallen comrade. One of the many layered moments that showed MadMen was about more than an office.
He first tries to kill himself with carbon monoxide asphyxiation inside his brand new Jaguar in the parking garage, but the writers instilled a little bit more humor in the situation by having the Jaguar, infamous for unreliability then and now, not able to start. This is why he resorted to hanging.
Also gives a bit of false hope. I thought it would be one of those scenarios where he had a failed attempt and decides to live on afterwards after coming close to death with a renewed perspective, as is a common trope in TV. I’m sure it didn’t surprise most people but it still had impact to me when they found him just because they subverted expectations in the first place
As most mechanics know, Lucas Electric, was the prince of darkness! When Ford bought Jaguar, they sacked lucas and brought in Bosch.... that save Jaguar.
DON: “We can’t leave him like that” PETE: “Dear lord...” ROGER: “Come on I’m taking you home” JOAN: “No I want to stay” BERT: “Lane hung himself....” KEN: *first instinct is to comfort Joan This scene perfectly sums up the characters of this show and their first instincts in crisis situations. Don takes action to preserve Lane’s image and pride as a man (even in death), Pete lets shock take over so others take action for him, Roger’s first concern is Joan, Bert lets others take action due to his fatigue in his age, Joan’s first instinct is grief and Ken’s first concern is comforting those around him who need it
I disagree on Don. Don always needs to be in control. This can benefit others, yes, but even before Roger and Don know about what happened, we are given an example: Pete says: "You might wanna sit down." And Don's answer is: "What happened?" And after he knows, he sits down. He needs to be one step ahead of things. And that is both his strength and his weakness, because this urge is also driven by the fear that one of his many secrets might be uncovered.
@@blaustein_autor I disagree on Don. He realise he was too harsh on someone, causing horrible consequences, so he has to erase his guilt by playing the hero. A total hypocrite.
@@JohnSmith47534 Maybe because they fired Lane he didn't see the need in writing a personalized letter to his partners who he ultimately though were his friends.
But she still doesn’t accept the reality of the wire, the overturned table, or the smell until she has to, when the guys look inside the office. Joan, who is normally so unflinchingly pragmatic and clearheaded. That’s why it’s good writing and acting.
@@SjofnBM1989 and that's realistic, too. The bowels would have emptied by then. What's odd is the gang joking next door didn't pick up on it--those offices really seal tight. But once the door opens, they all react to the scent. Don and Roger just have been in battle before, so they aren't caught off guard by it as much as say, Pete would be.
Something about Don’s face when he says “he’s still in there?” Is so raw to me. His expression is unexplainable but, spot on, and it almost doesn’t even really look like him. He almost looks more unlike Don than any other moment in mad men.
Jesus Christ, the amount of detail in this show. You can see the wire that he hung himself with at the top of the door at 0:10. This show is phenomenal.
When one realizes that terminating a career, for some recipients, is the same as terminating a life. When your name is gone and your work unwanted, there's very little left.
Yeah. There is something very seriously wrong with people who wrap themselves up so tightly in a career or a job. Jobs end. Careers end. I mercifully killed off a well-paying career almost 6 years ago. Sh*t happens. But that doesn't mean your life should. Life is too beautiful and wonderful to have it end because something stoopid like a job ended. Don gave Lane an out--go get another job. Honestly, with his British background and accent, he would've found one quickly in the NYC ad world. People in NYC love having Brits around to provide some class in their companies...
That's right, why did the business did this to us, by propagating this and other toxic behaviors I"ll never know, cause witholding a worker is easy; Just dangle the carrot and most people with responsabilities will chase without much thought, but creating this notion that, without job you Don't provide anything to your friends, your loved ones, that you're worthless? That's callous and borderline nihilistic.
on the DVD commentary Jared Harris says that Joan smells Lane’s voided bowels when she tries to open the door, not that the body is decomposing, people void their bowels when they die
Felt sorry that actor Jared Harris character ended with Mad Men in such a finale like this. But Jared went onto other ventures such as The Terror and Chernobyl. He is doing alright
Interesting, isn’t it, that Don rushes to rescue Lane from hanging in his office because he didn’t want him to be disgraced in his death, but was not willing to do the same thing for Lane when faced with shame and desperation in life, which would prevented his death in the first place.
Don feels terribly guilty, but firing Lane was the right thing to do. He embezzled money from the firm. How was he going to be able to trust him again? What if he did it again? He had no idea Lane would kill himself and now he lives with the knowledge that if he gave Lane a second chance he would have been alive.
@@tartfuel maybe. But Don's fake identity and desertion puts the company at risk every day. Cooper knew about it and didn't fire him. Who knows what else Don was capable of? He put Pete Campbell in the villain role for losing the aviation contract to save himself, which could've put the company out of business with such a scandal. Of course he felt bad after Lane wasn't a risk to him anymore, like his brother. Others have said that Don expects others to be as cold as he is when things like this happen and just move on; maybe that's true. He throughout the show, became more of himself as he faced each downturn, but he was an ass in this scenario. They could've put financial controls in place that would have protected the company, like separation of duties (maybe they already had them and it wouldn't been caught elsewhere) to ensure it didn't happen again. In Don's defense, he's doing this unconsciously to survive because he had to in childhood and faced each situation along the way, which is all anyone can do.
Don's attitude is indeed, "you'll be surprised at how much this didn't happen or matter", and thinks everyone else can do it (ie, Peggy's baby). In an America of constant rebirth (think American Hustle), he's got it down pat. So when Lane does the opposite, Don's act to cut him down is not for Lane's benefit at all, but to assauge Don's guilt--his brother Adam hung himself and was left for days alone. and Don fired Lane for a simple reason--faking Don's name can attract attention to the fact that even Don is not Don Draper. Cooper let that go when Pete pointed it out...likely since Cooper couldn't get Don to sign a contract, but knew THIS was real leverage should he ever need it.
@@tartfuel It bothers me that so many people take that scene at face value. Don is a hypocrite, that is a core aspect of his character. The real reason Don let Lane go was that he didn't want it traced back to him, which might cause problems for his identity if an investigation were to begin. The hypocrisy of that scene was so evident-- Don was making such a big fuss about "forging my signature" when Don forges his own signature every single time he writes it. This is back in the day when all sorts of shady missteps could be easily covered up and forgiven with a gentleman's agreement to not do it again. This is why he feels so guilty and insists on cutting Lane down, because it's eating Don up.
I can't believe they actually showed the full body. One of the most powerful scenes in television history, especially when Campbell first puts his hand over his mouth.
I loved this whole series as it had particular meaning for me. My favorite aunt worked for a large ad agency in Toronto (Foster's) starting in the late '50's and in the late '80's I worked with her for 2 years. I have old photos of her at work and it's amazing how they get the set details so right. Also, the big agency that buys Sterling Cooper at the end...McCann...is a real agency that does do Coca-Cola and they are the same agency that bought out Foster's in 1989.
I worked closely with ad agencies in LA in the 80s and 90s and so many things resonate, not in just this episode, but the entire series. I tell my husband, who is 5 yrs my junior, that if we ever really want to understand the nitty-gritty of our parents' and grandparents' generations, to master watching and understanding this series.
I felt so bad for Layne. He was being threatened with jail by Inland Revenue, Britain's version of the IRS for failure to pay back taxes and he saw embezzling money from SCP & Partners as his only way out. Unfortunately, he did not count on being found out and being fired, which automatically invalidated his VISA and ability to continue working in the US. He could not face the shame he had brought on himself and his family. A terrible loss.
Hamm's acting is so good at 4:00....Don is feeling so many things, relief that Lane's issue was not revealed, bigger relief that his role in this event was not exposed, and guilt on top of it all. I think he really liked Lane and genuinely hoped he would take his advice about starting over despite having to part ways.
I love the writers' choice to make it boilerplate resignation letter. It's reflecting back the cold, corporate treatment Don gave Lane asking him to resign and ignoring Lane's humanity and sacrifices he made for the success of the company, all of his sacrifices and labors directly contributing to Don's own success and power. Lane mistakenly thought the other partner's were his friends, especially Don. But Don/Dick dehumanized Lane in Lane's most vulnerable moment, ignoring his pleas and sacrifices, so Lane dutifully makes a final sacrifice that Don could not ignore. A sacrifice that Don, himself, Lane's corporate overlord, ordered him to do. Certainly, being asked to resign and "make a graceful exit" could be intercepted as suicide to the desperate and depressed mind. It's a good lesson: if you are in a position of power, the weight of your words and actions can have incredible influence on people's lives, so be mindful. The world is filled with shades of grey, not black and white, and sometimes doing what's right isn't always following the rules. Don let Lane go to punish him, but the guilt of Lane's suicide will punish Don for the rest of his life. Be good to people when there is room for it.
I remember reading somewhere that the actors were purposely kept unaware of the suicide storyline. They were directed to simply look over into Lanes office to see what was blocking the door. So the reactions we see from Vincent, Richard, Aron and Christina are their genuine reaction to what they saw. I don't know how true that is, but I do remember reading that. Great show.
It’s true. I was reading an article about Jared Harris talking about his character Lane, he said he didn’t tell anybody, not even his agent, other cast. This episode hurt me deeply :(
@@wyald8890 It's a creative choice. Some directors like to talk to the actor's about the story, rehearse and have everything absolutley planned, others may prefer to leave more room for spontaneous reactions by keeping the cast in the dark about what's goint to happen. A good actor should be able to be convincing when faking a reaction, sometimes a "true" reaction may look more convincing. Both things work.
I don't believe that one freaking bit. There are several camera setups and angles in that shot. So they are going to have that kind of shock in real life seeing what...the actor with blue makeup on hanging in a body harness? Was the actor going to just stand there while all those shots and reactions were made? How could they guarantee the reactions if the actors were not acting? Christina would start crying over seeing a fellow actor off camera? Next you are going to tell us that reality shows are real.
that’s baloney, the audio commentary with Jared Harris makes no mention of such a ridiculous thing, matthew weiner even talks about some of the other actors’ acting choices during this scene like how Christina Hendricks reacted to the horrible smell of Lane’s voided bowels. This is simply false drivel and nothing more
Gah.. this episode has me still shaken (watched this a week before it was pulled off Netflix) the character of Lane Pryce broke me.. a man who carries shame, fear and sadness. I felt so truly sorry for him/ I think a lot of us feel like him sometimes- it’s so sad it had to end this way- the resign meeting he had with don discussing what he had done, the wave of emotions of the steps of grief- the moment he sits in the jaguar car and breaking his glasses in half was such a dramatic move.. I loved Lane, Jared Harris was excellent ❤️
Just saw this episode and I'm completely shocked... After his failed attempt i thought he was done with this and he would get a fresh new perspective.. damn it i really liked him especially after he destroyed campbell..
Lane's death crushed me. This was, and remains, the hardest part of the show for me to watch. I could never really identify many of the other characters like Don or Roger with people I knew in real life, even though they were so well written they definitely felt real. Lane, on the other hand, always reminded me of my own dad.
I've just watched this episode right now and I see your comment is the most recent. That part of this show was hard to watch, but I just don't think it was Don's fault. I feel very sorry for Lane, but in real life, if someone did the same thing to me as He did, I'd never trust that person anymore.
@@williamrodrigues8442 Fair enough. I wouldn't trust them either. I don't think anyone can really be blamed for someone's suicide. I will say that it was extremely hypocritical of Don to force Lane to resign though. Don literally deserted the army, stole someone's identity, and committed other crimes constantly. It baffles me how Don took such a hard line against Lane. I think he should have used the opportunity to gain himself an ally, the way he did with Pete.
My husband and I were great fans of Mad Men. My husband in particular felt strongly about the character of Lane. He died before this episode was aired. He too would have been devastated by Lane's death. It shows what excellent writing there is in Mad Men, like all the best series whether they be comedy or drama, what draws us in, is that we care what happens to these people.
@@leelahasan3988 Thank you. Mad Men has been the finest television series I have seen in 50 years. We used to talk about it so much, the ideas, the allegories, the symbolism, the use of colour, visual imagery - there was so much to enjoy. If you are a keen fan, it might amuse to look back at the very first episode where Sal and Don are discussing a cigarette campaign and Sal quite ironically mentions the idea that people live one life while secretly being a completely different person- that in effect is the premise of the whole series.
For some reason I'm drawn to Rogers reaction. There's depth there, an instinctive depth which harks back to his days in WW2. He's pulling from emotions back there and finds the resolve help don move the body. Its the scared, vulnerable Roger we rarely see.
Hello, I saw this comment last time I watched this clip and got very confused by the random LA Noire reference. I have since realised Cosgrove is Phelps and I feel I must return my brain as it is clearly defective.
When you rewatch the season knowing what happens it is so obvious because there are multiple mentions of suicide and at one point someone sketches a noose as they daydream
This is one of the most disturbing scenes in Mad Men in my honest opinion, for the second actual death scene in the show to be one of the more likable characters is simply gut-wrenching, not to mention the circumstances of it.
I remember watching this episode when it premiered. It was definitely disturbing and tragic. It’s probably the one scene that continues to come to mind when I think about this show…. Most people recall the pitches, but Lane’s story arc is the one that keeps resonating with me.
I rarely cry watching tv but this scene had me in tears for a long time. Jared Harris' acting was brilliant all the way trough. He really captured the sweetness, humour and tragedy of this character.
For me, what makes Lane's death even sadder is that, instead of faking Don's signature and getting fired for it, he could just asked Don for help lending him the money: they shared great moments together in the movies, getting drunk, later with hookers, just getting bond, and more importantly, Lane saw Don paying 50k for Pete's partners obligations, and Pete didn't even asked for it neither knew about it, so clearly (for me at least) Don would be more than happy to help Lane, as we also see during the series that Don doesn't care much about money (like he gives his car away to some kid)... but Lane chose the way of honor, pride or whatever...
@@jsrlord2625 he respectfully fired a guy that forged checks in his name??? lane was clearly a deeply depressed man, suicide doesn’t happen because of one thing
I think it’s clear he didn’t murder him based on the table blocking the door and in that era I don’t think they would have taken office bullying seriously as a contributing factor to suicide
Don really was fucked up for all of this. Yes lane forged his signature but this entire show is these people mostly Don doing illegal degenerate things. It was dons idea to have lane fire them out to exploit a loop hole in their contracts and steal clients and create a new company. That was shady as he'll. Let's not forget that he stole another man's identity. But for some reason lane was out of line for this.
Death is actually very messy, but they did a pretty good job to make it look authentic. Depending on how long he was in there, I'm sure the stench would have permeated the entire office floor. That whole company would have to have been closed for a week in order for a professional crime scene cleaning crew to properly get all the fluids and smell out of the carpets and upholstery.
@@neuralmute well, General Grant survived the war, was elected President and died of throat cancer. The point is, the actor's character didn't die in the movie.
For those suggesting Don keeps silent to protect Lane's legacy rather than shame, you're wrong. Sterling and Cooper tolerated a lot in the interest of the company, including the whole theft of identity by Don. Despite being allowed to steal a whole life of a veteran to escape war, Don never reciprocated that understanding, and he knows now he was too righteous with Lane, especially considering the allowences he was given.