‘Mad Men’ season 7 endgame debate: Talking John Slattery, Roger Sterling

On “Mad Men” season 6, there was no character that we were enraged at Matt Weiner over as much as we were John Slattery’s Roger Sterling. In the early seasons of the AMC smash, this was the man that we really looked at as a impetus for so much of the Sterling-Cooper drama. However, we now have SC&P, and with there being so many other people in play, he suddenly feels marginalized. Who do you blame for this? Mostly look at Ted and Bob Benson, who collectively between the two of them seemed to borrow scenes that would have otherwise went to either Roger or Pete Campbell.

Luckily, we get the sense that at least some of that will change moving into season 7 of the show. Ted is going to move to Los Angeles, meaning that Kevin Rahm’s character is hardly going to be available in the same way that he once was. Meanwhile, Bob Benson’s future is at least somewhat in question given the schedule off James Wolk on “The Crazy Ones.” (Luckily, “Mad Men” has made this sort of thing work before with Alison Brie.)

So where would we like to see Roger go this coming season? During the finale, we like to think that he, like Don and Pete to a certain extent, started to turn the corner and realized that the status quo was no longer tolerable. He made an effort to be in his child with Joan’s life, cut the cord with Don despite his past loyalty to him, and did not seem as caught up in the world of sleeping with everything with curves. He also seemed to have left a certain drug habit from season 5 (strangely abandoned this year) behind.

We don’t imagine “Mad Men” necessarily as the world of happy endings, given that this is not a reflection of real life. With that being said, we do envision that the right ending for Roger would be that he learned something from his misdeeds, learns to be a better father, and realizes that there is something to be said for monogamy; and if he cannot commit himself to that, perhaps it is better for him to have nothing at all. This is not necessarily a grandoise way to go out with firecrackers and overtures, but Roger doesn’t need a grand parade down Broadway. He already has all of the success that many could hope for; now, he just needs a touch of relief.

This article is one of many in our “Mad Men” endgame series. If you want to check out our recent entries on Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Betty (January Jones), all you have to do is head over to the link here.

Photo: AMC