As Season 5 of critically acclaimed MAD MEN gets going on AMC, there’s plenty to anticipate. In addition to the great scripts and equally impressive performances, there are specific plot points which fans are going to look for when the series presents new episodes.

Here are a few of them:

What is the current state of financial affairs at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce?

When we last left the show, they hadn’t signed new accounts in weeks. This season is likely to start at least a few months after where they left off (we have a guess, but more on that later), so they either found a way to be solvent, or we’re dealing with the fallout. It’s likely that if they aren’t making huge shake-ups to the show, the company is still together, but how did it stay afloat? You can expect either some flash-backs or some dialogue to explain who their new top clients are.

What year is it?

Shows have been known to leap forward in time between seasons, and given the 500 days we spent without new episodes, we’re predicting a significant leap forward in time. Some are predicting a leap BACK in time, rebooting the show in the 1950’s, with their sole reasons being the LIFE magazine sitting on the table in front of them in the picture above.

Will Faye Miller still be involved in the show, as one of the only people who know the full story about Don’s secret?

Betty Draper had to pry the real backstory of Dick Whitman out of Don Draper after finding artifacts from his previous life. Faye Miller got the story from Don without any such effort, but in the season 4 finale Don broke off their relationship when he got engaged to Megan. So how does the good doctor deal with being a woman scorned? Will she reveal what she knows? Will there be blackmail? Is that whole situation a thing of the past? This may be the most intriguing plotline to follow.

Is Carla still working for Betty Francis and/or Don Draper?

Though just a side character in most episodes, Carla was an important part of the Drapers’ lives, and in the season 4 finale, Betty Francis fired her. Her new husband Henry wasn’t happy about Carla being fired, citing the want for stability for the kids, rebuffing Betty’s claims for wanting a “fresh start”. Some may see this as an unimportant aspect of the show, but as she was the nanny for the Draper children their entire lives, the impact of losing her might be a much bigger plot point for Bobby and Sally.

Speaking of Sally, is Glen still in the picture?

Betty’s least favorite neighbor told Sally Draper that he’d be around despite her moving to Rye, and that it would only be a couple more years until he could drive there (probably an exaggeration). Childhood friends come and go, so it wouldn’t be out of the question for us to never hear of Glen again, but it could provide an interesting wedge to come between Sally and her mother.

Has Joan had her baby yet?

We learned at the end of season 4 that Joan didn’t have an abortion, and one would surmise that means the writers want her to have a child when the series returns. How will the strongest female character in the show adapt to having a child? Will her role be changed at the agency? Those things depend on the following…

Is Joan’s husband back?

Last we saw of Joan’s husband, he was off at war. Depending when this season begins, he might’ve finished his stint overseas and returned to be a father and husband, but he could still be giving his service to the country.

What shape is he in?

If he has returned, what shape is Greg Harris in? If he’s not still at war, he might have returned due to an injury he sustained, which could provide more reason for Joan to stay with him instead of starting a new life with Roger Sterling.

How is Roger Sterling dealing with the fact that Joan didn’t have an abortion?

Roger is clearly in love with Joan, and though she has turned back his advances in season 4, she did show she still has a soft spot for him after they got mugged, so how will he deal with the idea that she wanted to keep his child?

Is Don yet a married man?

Don gave Megan a ring, she accepted his proposal and they told the rest of the primary cast members, but did the wedding happen yet? If not, is it something scheduled to occur, or did the engagement break off for some reason?

Is Don still renting an apartment?

His living situation worked alright for a bachelor, but as a married man with three children, a house is more likely the route Don would take. Did he upgrade his living situation?

Is Megan a copywriter now?

The executive assistant let it be known that she aspires to more in life than to answer phones. Has she advanced her situation yet? This show is filled with strong female characters, and at the end of season 4 we saw that Peggy Olsen and Joan Harris weren’t exactly thrilled with the concept of Megan being anything more than a secretary. If she got the chance to move up, how is that being received?

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