Expectations for Mad Men Season Five

With the Bob Dylan CD on repeat, everyone practising their long, meaningful stares with cigarettes, and Google hits for 'Old Fashioned recipe' increasing at an alarming rate, you know it can only mean one thing - that's right, it's almost the beginning of another season of.
|

With the Bob Dylan CD on repeat, everyone practising their long, meaningful stares with cigarettes, and Google hits for 'Old Fashioned recipe' increasing at an alarming rate, you know it can only mean one thing - that's right, it's almost the beginning of another season of Mad Men. Last season saw a radical breakaway for almost all of the main characters in some department - Don spontaneously proposed to his secretary Megan, Joan got knocked up with Roger's baby, and everyone was left rocked by the loss of Lucky Strike (and not very grateful after Peggy bringing in the first account since its departure). So in light of Season Five's near arrival on our screens, it seems only right to play Pete Campbell and snoop into what we probably will and definitely won't be seeing in what could be the standout season of the series so far.

What to expect

Marriage Complications

Don Draper isn't the kind of man that can keep out of trouble for long, so don't be surprised to see something going awry with his marriage plans with Megan. Predictions of the first episode being at least partly set at the wedding - either in flashback or the present form - are likely too, but if we don't see at least one spilt martini, it'll be a shock.

Dick Whitman Rears His Ugly Head

Since Betty's discovery that Don wasn't quite who he said he was, Mr Draper has managed to just about hold on to his deep dark secret identity. But with a new beauty under his spell, how long will it take before he has to once again step back into his past? Will he finally have to air his - albeit beautifully pressed - laundry to the whole world? With his spontaneous gesture towards Megan last time, perhaps this season will see a new leaf turned and a more honest Don stepping into the ring (but hopefully this won't be the case).

Pete Campbell Gets (More) Arrogant

There hasn't been much of Greedy Pete of late, and with his wife Trudi giving birth to a baby girl last season, the return of everyone's favourite pain in the proverbial is definitely on the cards. This season could see him struggle with coming to terms with fatherhood, especially after the problems he often had with his own father, and if there isn't a scene of him and Don bonding over what it means to be a dad over a few Old Fashioneds then I'll eat my fedora.

The Return of Sal

Last season saw our 'in the closet' artist get outed - at least from Sterling Cooper Draper Price. But with Lucky Strike now firmly out of the picture, there's bound to be at least one chance encounter with Sal Romano, even if, in the timely style of Mad Men rediscoveries, it means he turns up begging for money on a street corner to an unaware Don Draper - in turn triggering a further flashback into Don's life featuring hobos and the poor life.

What not to expect

Glen and Betty's Erotic Affair

Glen Bishop made a delightful return in Season Four as he tried to get close to Sally Draper, but we all know that secretly this was all just a ploy to get to his real love, Sally's mother, Betty. Even with Betty set to move away, Glen knows their secret love will hold out, and they soon find each other in a bizarre love triangle with Henry Francis. It all becomes too much for angry Sally, who hunts him down one night with a crossbow.

A Special Episode Featuring England Winning The World Cup

With this season set in the summer of 1966, it makes sense that the characters all go football crazy, football mad, and sit down to watch England beat West Germany to win the World Cup. Joan bakes a special Rule Britannia cake to celebrate and everyone gets wasted on Pimm's.

Season Five of Mad Men will air in the UK at 9pm Tuesday 27 March on Sky Atlantic