Megan Draper, Bob Benson, and of course Don Draper … what might happen in Mad Men Season 7?

We don’t know much about Mad Men Season 7, although we know a little bit. Let’s try to piece some stuff together, no?

1. For sure: the premiere date is April 13th. 

2. For sure: the final season will be divided into two parts, ala the Breaking Bad model. AMC can only hope it will be as successful as the Breaking Bad model.

3. For sure: Robert Towne joined the writing staff of Mad Men. You don’t often see Oscar-winning screenwriters (Chinatown) head to TV, but Mad Men is a singular show.

4. For sure: these are the first photos from Season 7, which wrapped filming (Part 1 did, at least) last week. Looks like Jon Hamm and Harry Hamlin are outside a hotel in Los Angeles. Infer what you will.

5. Getting hazy: Megan Draper may be “put through the ringer” this season.

6. Getting hazy: Bob Benson’s role is unclear. You would think he needs to return since he was a prominent aspect of the end of Season 6, but the actor (James Wolk) is now on The Crazy Ones (Robin Williams’ CBS show) and answers vaguely about whether he shot anything for Season 7.

7. Getting hazy: it’s possible “nothing turns out as we expect it to.”

8. Extremely hazy: will Joan and Don hook up? (Hopefully not.)

9. Nothing here: there are not yet episode titles for Season 7, per IMDB.

10. Reddit theory: could Faye Miller be a force again?

11. The eternal question: do the opening credits mean that someone will eventually commit suicide on the show?

12. If Season 6 ended in November 1968, is going into the 1970s ultimately unavoidable?

13. Remember the “pick a job and become the person that does it” convo from Season 2? Could that inform Don’s Season 7 journey now that he’s out at SCDP?

14. Sally Draper is going full-on downward spiral this year, apparently.

15. Does the brown suit in the first photos released mean Season 7 must be picking up in 1969?

See you in about seven weeks, Don.

Ted Bauer