Betty (January Jones) isn’t skipping the Jif but redeems herself by being protective of a young runaway, Roger (John Slattery) suffers loss, and Don Draper (Jon Hamm) struggles with his identity and marriage.

Aloha, Mad Men is back and boy have we got a lot to talk about with the Vietnam War brewing in the background of this Madison Avenue drama, returning for Season Six.

Mahalo! Season Six is off to a start, with a two-hour episode for the premiere, ten months after the end of last season. The Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce office has expanded to two floors after the loss of partner Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) to suicide in Season Five.

Both Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Don make comments about the creative department replacing the usual scotch and vodka breaks with reefer madness. The Vietnam War is in full swing, Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) has grown a mustache and Stan (Jay R. Ferguson) has blossomed a full beard.

One of the highlights of the show is the fashion, and we are steadily seeing suit, tie and hat culture grow more accepting of the jeans, sundresses and facial hair seen around them day to day.

It’s Christmas at the Francis house, where Betty (January Jones) and the kids live in Rye is a distant and cold place. Betty remains distant and cold to her daughter. Sally (Kiernan Shipka) feeds this right back to her by politely but passive aggressively shutting the door on her Mom while she takes a phone call. Betty does try to save runaway orphan Sandy (Kerris Lilla Dorsey), a friend of Sally’s, from running away to the Village, but is unsuccessful.

Twice we find our unlikely acid-head Roger Sterling on the therapist’s couch, trying to explain his existential angst. Roger’s secretary informs him of his own mother’s passing, and he seems unaffected, even at his mother’s dry wake, where Don has found himself scotch and is drinking alone in the corner.  Don makes a scene and is carried out by Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Ken (Aaron Staton).

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