Mad Men Season 7 (Episode 1): Time Zones

Why Mad Men Episode 1 (Season 7) Worked:

• Fashion.  The producers (and costume designers) really caught the groovy late 60s fashion zeitgeist, especially Megan (and especially the head scarf!). Don is looking dapper but pretty square.
• The music. Using the  60s music is an easy call, but the producers worked it in deftly, especially the last scene of the episode with Peggy.
• Freddy's opening monologue.  Clever.  Now that's a series opener!
• Don gliding on the electric walkway at LAX.  The scene was brilliantly stolen from the opening sequence of "The Graduate."
• Joan's scenes with the CMO from Butler Shoes.  She kicked ass.
• The delivery of the tv console the size of a coffin to Megan's Laurel Canyon home.  That's how the rich watched tv back in the day.
• Roger's breakfast with his daughter.  Extremely well written, especially the daughter's line.  He's so out of touch with his child that it was sometimes painful to watch.

Why Mad Men Episode 1 (Season 7) Didn't Work:

• Don and Megan's relationship. We know that there are huge problems between the two of them.  However, it's just not that much fun -- or interesting -- watching the relationship implode.
• Don's encounter with a strange woman on the LA-JFK redeye.  Yawn -- Don's excessive philandering is becoming a drag.  And it feels a bit implausible that every woman he meets in every encounter wants to bed him.
• Ken's rants.  Over-the-top.
• Roger with the hippie woman.  60s cliche alert.
• Peggy.  She's a bummer, man.  (However, we are interested about what's going to happen to her.)

Overall Grade for Mad Men Episode 1 (Season 7):  B.  The final season got off to a strong but not spectacular start.  It's a bit downbeat but overall we're optimistic about where the series will go from here.