Jon Hamm Weighs In On The Possibility Of A Mad Men Sequel
Sometimes a TV show needs to end and never be revisited. It's a harsh reality for fans, who, once they fall in love with a franchise, never seem to grow tired of its expanded mythology. When a show like Mad Men receives as much acclaim as it did after it ended in May 2015, the next question fans immediately clamor for is: Will there be a follow-up?
Now that Breaking Bad's spinoff, Better Call Saul, has received massive praise, and after shows like Deadwood, Sex and the City, and Veronica Mars all revived their characters in follow-up films, one can't help but wonder what Mad Men could reveal in a follow-up show or movie. Luckily, we got an answer from Don Draper himself, as the show's lead actor, Jon Hamm, recently spoke with BuzzFeed regarding the fate of the series.
"I don't necessarily see the point in continuing that story. It ended so beautifully and elegantly," Hamm said. "I think that the world and the time has moved past that story."
But Hamm did say that, although Don's story didn't need revisiting (it ended with Don creating America's most famous ad), he was curious to see what happened with supporting characters like Joan Harris and Pete Campbell. "If anything, I'd watch a Joan series. I'd watch a Pete spinoff or something." Joan's arc ended with her starting a production company, inviting Peggy to be her partner. Pete Campbell, now more likable from when the series began, moves with his family to start a new job in Kansas.
Hamm reiterated how well the finale was done, but said he felt the show needed to be put to rest. "I was so pleased with how Matthew [Weiner] ended the story, and I was so pleased with what we all did on that show. I think it's nice to be able to put it to rest. I think part of the beauty of Mad Men is that it didn't lend itself to spinoffs and it didn't lend itself to prequels or sequels. It's just a one-off story. It is what it is."
Jon Hamm knows he will be seen as Don Draper for a long time
Since he began playing Don Draper in 2007, Jon Hamm has established himself as one of Hollywood's most versatile actors, landing roles in hit films that span across genres, including Baby Driver, The Town, and Bridesmaids.
But even with his A-list status, Hamm is aware that no matter how many successful roles he finds in the future, he will likely be known as the 1960s adman for the rest of his life. "I will certainly be identified as Don Draper as long as I live," Hamm told BuzzFeed. "That's part of being on a television show as successful as it was, for as long as it was. It's the better part of a decade that I played that character and, until something better comes along, it's probably what people will keep pointing to. It's better than the guy I played in Bridesmaids, so..."
The guy Jon Hamm played in Bridesmaids, Ted, was a wealthy, dimwitted alpha male who, similar to Don Draper, had commitment issues. So even though we may never get that Mad Men follow-up, here's hoping for a Bridesmaids spinoff.