The fourth season of "Mad Men" is almost here, and the Sunday night premiere has the Banana Republic-wearing, avatar-creating fans of the AMC drama swooning with anticipation.
But those fans should brace themselves for big changes.
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who saw the Season 3 finale that Season 4 would bring significant changes for nearly everyone in the cast. The last we saw, Betty (January Jones) was on a plane to Reno with her new boyfriend Henry, and Don (Jon Hamm) had just conspired to break away from the British-owned Sterling Cooper firm (along with Roger, Bert, Pete, Peggy, Joan, Harry and Lane) to form a new firm, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
So those changes (new offices, new homes) shouldn't come as a surprise. And yet, they do. The environmental changes give the show a different feel, and it's neither good nor bad, it's just ... different. I can't give away much more than that or the show's creator, Matthew Weiner, will come to my house and tase me. But trust me. Things are very different for Betty, for Don, even for Peggy. The fun of Season 4 will be watching these characters navigate their new environs and adapt to their new lives.
Peggy in particular is quite arresting in the season premiere. Confident and enthusiastic to the point of being nearly manic at times, you can't help but feel proud of how far Peggy has come and how she finally seems to be in a place where she can thrive.
But for those of you who really hate change, take heart, for some things will likely always stay the same: Joan (Christina Hendrick) still sizzles in every scene, Roger (John Slattery) is still the cool king of the one-liners, and Betty still isn't winning any Mother of the Year awards.
The Season 4 premiere of "Mad Men" airs Sunday night at 10pm on AMC.
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow 
Comments
If you haven't seen it yet,
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 09:03 — RonMexicoIf you haven't seen it yet, there is a "Betty Draper's Guide to Parenting" video posted on New York Magainze's site. "Sally, go upstairs!" seems to be her answer to all of life's little problems.
Either that or "Go watch TV!"
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 11:21 — brookecain (author)I'll have to go check that out - it sounds hilarious. Take a look at this video of a Betty Draper impression: http://vimeo.com/7698982