"Mad Men" is back in full form. Its first episode, which aired on Sunday, reintroduced fans to the mysterious, self-loathing abyss that is Don Draper. Upon the close of season 5, fans saw a fierce Don walk away from his pretty young trophy wife, leaving only one question on their mind. What will become of Don and Megan's relationship? You could feel a subtle tension growing between them throughout the last season. Could season be the end?
The Don we grew to love in the first several "Mad Men" series was a dark, discontent ad man who never thought twice before cheating on his wife, a luxury he took advantage of far too often. So if Megan and Don don't split, or at least not right away, this could possibly mean that Don will revert back to his old ways. He's already gotten into bed with the devil so to speak in episode one, so it looks as though Pandora 's Box of infidelity has been opened. Classic Don.
Don and Megan enjoy a much-needed Hawaii getaway to escape from the stressful city grind, but their vacation is spoiled by a maltempered Don. He doesn't say a single word until a stranger approaches him at a bar and begins to read from Dante's "Inferno," a story that delves deep into the dark corners of death and sin, setting the tone for season 6. And then, before we know it, there's Don in bed lying next to woman other than Megan. He's back. Will Megan falter? The sneak peek for episode three features an obedient Megan, so it's clear she has yet to discover Don's unfaithful secret.
And with the return of the old Don, fans can't help but think back on his previous wife Betty. Her last season's tremendous weight gain carried over into season 6 and her angst still seems to be getting the best of her. Her rape jokes in bed to her cut-and-dry husband and her decision to go brunette prove that she's on the brink of a suburban housewife meltdown. What joy. As her bratty teenage daughter Sally continues to grow up, it's unclear whether Betty will be able to pull in the reigns if she can't regain control of herself.
Only time will tell. We're only one episode into season 6. There's plenty more to come and even more "Mad Men" drama to drool over.
Episode 3, "The Collaborators," will air Sunday night at 9 p.m. on AMC.