We’re approaching the season premiere of Mad Men — barely a month away! — and now there is an official promo. It’s just an animated version of the previously released photos, with the text “You’re invited to the affair of the year.†Get it? Because everyone on this show is constantly having affairs? Oh, you did get it. Anyway, last season’s promo poster kind of did reflect Don’s relationship with Megan after all; the season four one-sheet highlighted his loneliness, as did the season on the whole; and in season three, the promo showed Don drowning, not unlike how he was drowning in his own lies in that season. So let’s take a way-too-serious look at this promo and make some general predictions.
For starters, the zoom in on the first shot eliminates Roger — who is already struggling with feeling left out and past his prime. Second, Pete’s hairline is still receding, though he is attempting to make up for it with sideburns. Bold move, Pete. Third, Ken and Harry look really happy, and the shot seems to zoom in on Harry’s gleeful visage. Maybe we will get more Harry this season! Fine by us. (More Ken, too, please, and more Cynthia.) Then the promo zooms in on Sally and Megan while blurring out Betty — true of Don’s life in general, no? Neither Bobby nor Gene is present, which is to be expected, but the promo also skips the shot of Peggy sitting on the stairs, which better not mean limited Peggy visibility this season. Free Peggy.