I’m sure you’ve read this already, but here’s an excerpt from Elizabeth Moss’s interview with GQ Magazine, in which she talks about being surprised by something that happens in Season 5. Surely she was referring to Peggy’s departure from SCDP. Here’s the quote:
GQ: Do you still get surprised by Mad Men scripts?
Elisabeth Moss: Definitely. The funny thing in Season 5 is I had a very strong experience of being very surprised by something that happens, but then very quickly afterward looking back and seeing how it was layered in throughout the entire season, from the first episode. Something that I didn’t even realize was going to happen, but when I looked back I was like, “Oh my god, it’s so obvious! It’s all there, from the very beginning.” I always just find that kind of thing fascinating, to see the writers and how they do what they do, and to see Matt and how he does what he does, and you just go like, “Goddamn, you bastard, you knew this was gonna happen! You’ve been doing this the whole time!” It’s just genius. Total genius.
Seeing this quote and considering what happened in the last episode, I’m starting to wonder if Elizabeth Moss was...
YUP. At first I felt blindsided, then I thought a bit and realized the whole thing was inevitable.