After a Mad-deningly (see what we did there? Yeah, not our best) long hiatus, AMC's Mad Men is finally set to return Sunday night. So will it be worth the wait? And what are the chances the hit show's cornerstone couple, Don (Jon Hamm) and Betty (January Jones) will rekindle the old (totally dysfunctional) flame?
Get the latest on Mad Men, plus scoop on other fan-favorite shows, like Big Bang Theory, Shameless, Survivor and more...
RebeccaL: What can we expect from the Mad Men premiere?
Two hours that prove the show hasn't lost that magic! It airs this Sunday on AMC and Jon Hamm, who directed the premiere, tells us ominously: "Actions have their consequences and this season is no exception!" He also reveals the premiere will move the major storylines forward "dramatically," but it sounds like episode five might be the best Mad Men episode ev-ah--at least according to the episode's director (and star) John Slattery: "This script was one of the best scripts I think in the whole run of the show. And I was amazed when I finished how much story is there that you could pack into 44 minutes without seeming like you're just stacking one scene on top of another!" OK. We're kind of excited now. We like the sound of Mad Men on speed.
Ginny: Any chance of Don and Betty getting back together this season?
Well, it sure sounds like Betty could be getting pregnant this season—don't forget, January Jones told us in regards to how they handled her real-life baby bump: "I was very happily surprised...I'm just really excited for the fans to see Betty's arc this season because I think it's something we've never seen before and it was a challenge for me." For some reason, that whole sentiment smacks of a Betty-Don reconciliation (one night?) and surprise pregnancy to us. At this point, all we can confirm is that you will definitely see a baby on this season, and you will see that baby very soon. As for Don, we can tell you that he starts off looking perfectly happy with Megan. And perfectly locked down. Sorry, Betty-Don shippers!
Monica: Anything on Big Bang Theory? Maybe something on Amy and Sheldon?
We just caught up with Mayim Bialik and she teases "more of the same for Amy and Sheldon" and reveals they're almost done shooting the season. So will she be back next year? "I'd like to be picked up for next season!" she tells us. We second that emotion.
Rebecca: Anything on Hart of Dixie! I'm still rooting for Zoe and Wade.
Well, you may be in luck, because Scott Porter tells us the season finale will be his wedding (to Lemon, not Zoe), so it certainly appears that he will be off the market. Oh, and he's off the market in real life, too, preparing for his real-life wedding. Mazel tov, Jason Street!
Maurice: I can't get over Colton on Survivor and what a raging A-hole he was! Last episode was insane. Can you give us anything about what happens next?
Colton predicts that Kim will win the whole game! Do you agree? He also believes the men will fall apart after his departure, saying, "My soldiers will crumble without their queen." Gotta hand it to this self-proclaimed "Susan Lucci" of reality TV: The guy is a soundbite machine! Offensive, but fascinating nonetheless.
Reneehere: Gotta tell me about Shonda Rhimes' Scandal. It's got Desmond! Is it any good?
Henry Ian Cusick shall forever by my Constant. And yes, I've seen the first four episodes of Scandal and am totally obsessed! It gets crazy good after the first episode, so you do need to stick around past the premiere (April 5). As Shonda herself points out, the series is also not really very much like Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice but rather "a totally different animal. It's part of my evolution as a writer, hopefully. You just change as a writer as time goes on. It's very juicy. I hope that audiences think so, too." By the way, I'll be hosting a "Shondaland" event at the TV Academy soon, so make sure you fire away your burning Q's for Grey's, Private Practice and Scandal peeps to @kristindsantos (Twitter) or tvdiva@eonline.com (email).
Monica: What can you tell us about the scenes between Haley Reinhart and Adrianna on 90210?
Haley herself (who was back on Idol last night, let the angels sing!) tells us: "I'm in a little sound check, and then I don't want to give away the entire scenario or what happens, but let's just say Adrianna was kind of unaware of some things, so me and her had a little introduction together. It didn't last too long. [Laughs.]" Hmmm! Color us intrigued.
@erinvanm: Please tell me that the gunshot on Shameless is horrible Monica and not one of the kids! Fi wouldn't survive losing one.
To put it mildly, this Sunday's episode is intense! It's Thanksgiving (time warp!) at the Gallaghers, and we're hoping that your family get-togethers are absolutely nothing like theirs. Here's a little rundown: Carl is now obsessed with having a gun, Debbie battles with the reality that she too could be bi-polar and Lip gets mixed up in a dangerous situation. Oh, and Karen is even more heartless than you could ever imagine. We can't tell you anything about the gunshot, but we can tell you that Fiona's (Emmy Rossum) life is not going to get easier anytime soon.
—Additional reporting by Tierney Bricker and Leanne Aguilera