Mad Men

At last, more insight into Don Draper's psyche. Now that old Don is back, most of season six's sins have been cyclical, from revisiting adultery and prostitution to a hefty resurgence in Don's liquor bill. The reboot of old Don has sometimes made this season repetitive and dry. But it's to serve a point: Don's stuck in a vicious cycle of debauchery as a means to self-medicate. But can he change? This episode, on the other hand, was shocking -- filled with feelings of panic and anguish, rather than dread lingering from season five.

As Salvatore Romano, the closeted art director at the turbulent Sterling Cooper ad agency in the TV series "Mad Men," Bryan Batt struck out — his character, cruelly compromised by a client, was fired partway through the third season of the much-admired cable show in 2009. But as an interior designer and author, Batt has enjoyed steady success, and that brings him this week to Baltimore, hometown of the fictional Sal. Batt will be the featured speaker at a reception Tuesday for the 36th annual American Craft Council Show that opens the next day. He'll talk about his recent book, "Big, Easy Style: Creating Rooms You Love to Live In. " "I haven't been to Baltimore in ages," Batt said, "and I have never been to the Craft Council Show, so I'm really looking forward to this.

Are you ready for Sunday night's two-hour "Mad Men" season premiere? Take a look at our photo gallery of cocktails and dishes inspired by the airless, joyless overproduced television show. We found recipes for classic dishes from Danny's, The Chesapeake and the Harvey House and other Baltimore restaurants that flourished in the 1960s. And read David Zurawik's hilarious post on the momentous televison event. Tonight is the Drink Like a Mad Men Party at the Creative Alliance, featuring classic cocktails crafted by Doug Atwell of Rye. The party will include appetizers and hors d'ouevres that were popular during the 1960s, as well as music and visuals from the same era. Atwell will be talking about some of those classic cocktails Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. on WBAL radio 1090.

"Mad Men's" love of Baltimore is no surprise. Creator Matthew Weiner is a native and multiple members cast and crew have Baltimore roots (the series notably took a trip to our city in Season 3). And now you can add last night's hilarious LSD trip to the list of Baltimore shout-outs. Sure, it's likely a coincidence, but both Peyton List (who plays Jane Sterling) and Bess Armstrong (who played Jane's psychedelic psychologist, Catherine Orcutt) went to high school in Baltimore.

To peer back in time via AMC's hit show "Mad Men" is like gazing into an old GAF Viewmaster. The advertising world it nostalgically depicts, often referred to as the "creative revolution," is frozen in a Purgatorial time warp. Each cultural meme of the show - from the Brylcreemed hair to the mod clothes donned by Don Draper - is a still frame with a Technicolor tint. When held up to the light, it appears more brilliant and unreal. Click fast-forward to a 2012 vantage point, then turn back, and you'll find we've since experienced numerous revolutions, some creative and many destructive.

"My friend down there, she was wondering: Are you alone?" -- random blonde to Don Draper It was a somehow infuritatly quiet end to the season. Sorry to those who had Pete Campbell killing himself as a sure bet in your office pool. That didn't happen. Though he was punched again. Twice. Still, there was a beauty in the understated season finale. Though I expected something a bit more major to happen (perhaps Don and Megan breaking up? Perhaps her revealing she's not really French or that she, in fact, really loves Howard Johnson)

"What's wrong with you people? You're all so cynical. You don't smile, you smirk. " - Megan Through all the years, through all the Peggy Olson working-girl iterations and Betty Draper mood changes and Don Draper bed-mate changes, one thing about "Mad Men" has remained the same: the show's about identity, how people cope with changes, roll with the punches or duck and run for cover. Society is there, too. Changing. In it's super-changey 1960s way.  And in the eagerly awaited "Mad Men" Season 5 premiere, it's right there in the viewer's face and on faces of the characters: Cultural upheaval!

"I can't believe I have to explain that I was doing my job to a man who just pulled his pants up on the world" -- Pete Campbell Five seasons in, we know this much about Pete Campbell: He's entitled, he's never happy, he can verge on super-creepy and he lives for impressing Don. And he has always deserved a good punch. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Lane Pryce for finally doing the deed. I can't remember the last time we had such a Pete-centric episode (maybe when his father died?