With the third season of “Mad Men” having come to its glorious conclusion, it’s out with the old and in with the new. In “Shut the Door. Have a Seat,” Don Draper lost everything familiar and came out on the other side bruised but chastened, down but not out, surrounded by associates yet more determined than ever to reestablish family. If Season 3 was about knocking Don down to size (and then ultimately to the ground), this season finale was about him starting to pick himself up again.

Unlike many episodes of “Mad Men” in which tone dominates action, tonight’s finale was chock full of action. As such, tonight’s edition focuses less on carefully arranging the pieces and more on razing the whole elaborate construction down to the ground. And thank God Matthew Weiner realized the stale nature of the show long before its audience did: the repetitious, humorous use of “Again?” is describing the second sale of Sterling Cooper metatheatrically emphasized that the show was already going back to that well once again in order to break new ground.

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Don’t forget to watch this week’s episode of Mad Men titled “The Grown Ups.” Peggy’s taste in men is becoming more and more questionable. A big decision about his career is overwhelming Pete while a candidate makes a big impression on Don. The air date for this episode is on Sunday, 1st of November 2009 at 10:00 PM et/pt on AMC.

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Best episode of Mad Men ever? Quite possibly. This is what went down during it…

A former client returned to Sterling Cooper… and tried to return to Roger’s bed! She was a former flame of the partner, one that actually broke his heart. Showing incredible restraint, along with loyalty to Jane, Roger actually turned down her advances. Out of love for his wife, or bitterness toward this woman, it’s hard to say. But it was certainly a different side to the typically sarcastic Roger Sterling.

He also tried to help Joan find a job, as she called him early in the episode and said Greg was gonna need more time to study to be a psychiatrist and asked Roger for assistance with employment. After turning down his ex-lover, Roger called a friend and asked if he had an opportunity for Joan (another ex-lover, of course).

But, by the end of the episode, it looks as if Joan wouldn’t need this help, after all. Greg told his wife that he had enlisted for the army because it would let him be a surgeon. He’d do a residency in New York and then maybe get shipped off someplace, but maybe not. Greg was excited about this new plan, but Joan was as hesitant about it was any reasonable viewer. Greg joined the army on the heels of Vietnam? This won’t end well for him.

The crux of the episode, however, was all about Don and Betty. They had the talk. Betty confronted him with his shoebox and past as Dick Whitman. It was as gripping as television can get.

Don came clean, telling his wife all about his former life, even the most shameful of details, such as how his half-brother had killed himself because Don turned him away. There were no more lies, no more slick attempts at story-telling. This was Don at his most naked and honest and it resonated with Betty. She didn’t leave him. She actually seemed to finally appreciate some honesty in their lives.

By the end of the house - after Don had ended things with Miss Farrell over the phone - Betty and Don were trick or treating with their kids. They seemed like a happy family. While the symbolism of the kids being dressed like a gypsy and a hobo may have been laying it on a tad too thick, we loved the final line of the episode: a man answered the doorbell with candy in his hand, looked at Don and asked: Who are you supposed to be?

Download “The Gypsy and the Hobo” Episode

Sterling Cooper celebrated its 40th anniversary this week, while Betty discovered a major secret about her husband.

The episode kicked off with Don lying to Betty about spending the night in the city, due to the Hilton account. Instead, he went to Ms. Farrell’s house. These two are having an intense affair, as she clearly sees herself as more than just a sex buddy.

At the office, Don seems especially happy about the relationship himself, smiling as he bites into a piece of break Ms. Farrell baked. Kinsey is less happy because Peggy sort of showed him up in a presentation, although she really just thought faster on his feet than he did. This would take place again later in the episode, as Peggy used a saying Kinsey had uttered only moments earlier to pitch Don a great tagline for the Western Union account. Even Kinsey was openly impressed with Peggy’s work. (Or angry that she stole the spotlight again.)

In other office news: the firm was planning a major party for its 40th anniversay. Don was set to give a speech and receive an award at it, much to Roger’s chagrin.

Also, the British bosses informed Pryce that Sterling Cooper was up for sale again. They see an opportunity to make money off the changes they made to it, an interesting development for everyone involved. Will this be an impetus for Don to start his own company?

Back to Don’s personal life: he met Ferrell’s brother, a 25-year old with epilepsy. Don offered to help by driving him to a new job in Bedford, MA, but the young man had other plans. He asked Don to drop him on the side of the road because he didn’t wish to be performing menial jobs his whole life. Clearly seeing a chance to help in this case (as he failed to do with his own brother), Don obeyed, but also gave the kid money and his card, telling him to call any time.

While this was taking place, Betty was finding a key in Don’s pants in the laundry. It opened a drawer in his desk. She used it. Inside that drawer, she found piles of cash, as well as a shoebox. Inside the shoebox? Pictures, dog tags and documents: all from Dick Whitman’s life. The main document Betty focused on what a divorce deed between Don Draper and his wife.

She doesn’t know exactly what this means, but she’s understandably pissed off about it. She doesn’t tell Don what she has found yet, however (it looks like she had planned to, but he never came home that night), and attends the big company party with him. The episode ends with Don about to give his speech, and the camera focused on his wife. She’s staring daggers at him.

Download “The Color Blue” Episode