.....Photos..... http://tvblog.ugo.com/tv/even-more-mad-men-season-3-promo-pics

Thank you, MsFabulous.

Variety piece..... http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006675.html?categoryId=2161&cs=1

.....I don't mean to hog these up, in case anyone else was wanting to post about them, but there are a few very interesting pieces out there today.....

This is Alan Sepinwall's blog, talking about AMC's Episode 1 screening and cocktail party.....

Yesterday was a good day to be a TV critic, and specifically to be a fan of "Mad Men," as I got to watch the show's season 3 premiere, and then attended an AMC cocktail party with the show's cast and creators.

There were also people there from AMC's wonderful "Breaking Bad," plus a couple of upcoming AMC shows, including Jim Caveizel from the remake of "The Prisoner" and the political thriller "Rubicon," but as far as the critics were concerned, the "Mad Men" people were the rock stars. (In much the same way that people like Kevin Smith are gods at Comic-Con.)

As soon as people like Jon Hamm, or Christina Hendricks or January Jones were arrived, they were besieged by critics with questions about the new season, most of which they said they weren't allowed to answer.

Creator Matt Weiner is a massive spoiler-phobe and rules all with an iron fist; after a chat with a group of reporters, he gave them a list of things he'd prefer they not mention before the premiere airs, including exactly when the new season will be set.

You can read the rest here..... http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/07/tca_mad_men_breaking_bad_own_t.html

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling very jealous of all the people who have seen Episode 1 already!!!

Two weeks to go.....

Gorgeous pics, huh? I hadn't noticed Pete until you pointed it out, and then it was so obvious. His suit is so different from the others and the background that he practically looks Photoshopped in. It does look to be quite on purpose. Think he got his position as Head of Accounts like Duck promised? That would put him in a different league.

Earlier today, I read somewhere that two people will be vying for the same position. I didn't save the link because a lot of the other stuff in the article was all stuff we already know and speculation about things that have already been cleared up.

.....Yes, they really are. Joan, and everyone, really, have never looked better.

Don, however, has never looked crabbier (but he does look younger). Wonder what's bugging him? I don't think that is an accident, either.

Additionally, they put Pete dead center in two of the photos, which also seemed curious.

There is Pete in the revolving door by himself, there are the "guys" in a group shot without him, then there are the shots of them, with him in the center.

This is making me crazy.

Did you notice that Pete is NOT wearing a wedding band? Wasn't he wearing one previous to this, or am I mistaken about that??

Knowing more and more people are viewing Episode 1, I'm not sure I can stand another two weeks!!

.....The "sepia" tone to almost all the photos was also a nice touch.....very pretty.

.....Okay, my bad. I looked closer and it seems there might be something on Pete's finger, after all.

That is so glaringly true, Dry...Pete is "set apart", both in the posing and the grey suit.... wish I knew why!

We'll soon know, I suppose...

That is what I call a fine looking group of people!

Joanie is unbelievably gorgeous...she's more gorgeous than before....which I did not think was possible.

JH....well, that goes without saying.....SIGH....

...ditto for JS......Wowsers.....and, is that a new pinkie ring?.....don't recall seeing him with any rings before....

.....Okay, I know I said I would shut up, but don't miss this article in Newsweek, either.....here is a little outtake.....

Behind the Scenes of "Mad Men," Season Three

The guys do really seem to like each other—at least when there’s a camera around. When the photographer instructs the guys to get close and comfortable, Kartheiser shakes Batt’s shoulders and peeks at his cards. Batt grins and hands his costar a dish of mixed nuts.

The photographer interrupts to ask Tony-winning Broadway veteran Morse to lean just a little behind Hamm. “I’m always a little behind Mr. Hamm,” Morse laughs and slaps the show’s cover boy lightly on the knee.

At one point, Slattery sniffs at a few of the open liquor bottles to see if the booze is real and seems a little disappointed that it isn’t. (So much for the show’s vaunted obsessive attention to period detail.)

Behind Slattery, Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner tells an unprintable Kim Jong Il joke that gets his cast roaring.

As the photo assistants hand the guys “drinks” in delicate shot glasses, Hamm starts a competition to see who can do the worst Irish brogue.

The camera clicks away. “It’s the nicest cast,” says Batt. “We genuinely like to hang out with each other off the set.”

Click to read the rest..... http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/popvox/archive/2009/07/30/behind-the-scenes-of-mad-men-season-three.aspx

..... As far as Season 3, it lists a few details.....

We know a few things: some people get fired, two others get a promotion, the extramarital affairs get more shocking, and Don Draper digs even further into his past.

Thanks for all these cool links, Dry....

I got carried away with all the gorgeousness (photos) and forgot to whine about CBS' possibly cutting our guy's chances to march up on stage to claim their Emmy(s).....wonder if a deluge of e-mails to CBS protesting such a crappy idea would help?

Why does our show always get picked on?????

guys' chances (meaning the whole cast/MW, etc.) I meant to post.....

.....I don't think they will cut the actors or directors, but some of the crew nominations might possibly get buried, which just isn't fair. They work so hard, and are so amazing.

Oh....well, anyway, like you say, it takes all the different people working on a show to make it what it is, and the crew works as hard as anyone...with MM, it shows, too...just how much every single person connected with it does his/her own part to make it shine.

Everyone who wins should get to take "the walk" up to get their award with no exceptions.

JMO there, CBS!

.....I wonder if Pete is now the head of Accounts, as he always wanted, and that's why they set him apart, AND in the middle of the group.

Right now, I'm obsessing on The Knickerbocker, pictured in a couple of the photos. I'm not from New York, so I don't know exactly what that is, and so far all I've found in New York is Knickerbocker Bar and Grille, which exterior looks nothing like the photo.

Where are all the New Yorkers who are so "in the know" that are usually here???

Dry Thanks for all the links. I wish the Newsweek one had the phot they took. (It was wierd not being there).

I don't have a high opinion of Emmys or most televised awards (they are more self congratulatory than inspiring discussion)

Also I want to coonfirm that Pete did wear a wedding band on the show (I cannot tell about these ) Back in "The Marraige of Figaro" Don has trouble wearing cufflinks, and makes a comment about how he was raised to believe that men should not wear jewelry. Pete thinks Don is talking about Pete's decision to wear the wedding band and gets a little deffensive about how he likes it. It is fun seeing them both defensively hiding their insecurites. Also it is not just the suit's color that makes Pete stand out, everyone is more tense around him. That is the big difference of the picture of Ken, Paul, Harry and Sal with out Pete; they are all really relaxed looking. Granted that is different from pretty much any promo picture of the cast, but one of the more subtle changes in these guys between season 1 & 2 is that there were no scenes of groups hanging around Pete's office in season 2 and it happened all the time.

As for The Knickerbocker I know there was a hospital for a while until sometime in the 1980s. Honestly there was a lot named "Knickerbocker", I mean NYC is the home of The Knicks

I don't like brown suits, period, and I really don't like the brown suit on Jon Hamm.

I don't like brown suits, period, and I really don't like the brown suit on Jon Hamm.

.....I remember Don's comment about it, and later him being gifted with a pair of cufflinks courtesy of Rachel Menken, but not the Pete part.

Good call on the body language. Looking again, I'd have to agree.

It's amusing the things they want us to notice. They have Joan's ring right out there in front, and everyone else's ring fingers are visible in the shots.

Plus the grey suit thing.....that car Roger is riding in looks pretty swanky, and I don't really remember that pinky ring either.

.....The stewardess sitting across from Don is the same (tall) woman in that screen shot we all saw from the first set of video clips.

Here it is again.....
http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr105/PublicPhotoBank/stewardess.jpg

I reviewed some of the casting calls that went out for the first three episodes, and won't mention them here, but they are even more interesting now than they were when they were published.

Yep, that does look like her....

....coffee, tea, or me! (remember that book?)

.....Argh.....I think I'm wrong again.....

This woman has a medium-blonde French roll (her hair). The one stew had a short, flippy 'do.....and the other one had bright blonde hair.

Now thinking it may NOT be the same woman.

(I can't believe that guy - he is such an alley-cat!)

.....BTW, your avatar is really cute, but I keep thinking you are Annie. And all this time I thought you were a blonde, I guess because of your former Sandra Dee.

"Bottle redhead" (like Christina H.) remember? We both look better since going red....but then, if I looked like her, I'd have gone red years and years ago (instead of just six years ago).

Oh well, a lot better than the dishwater blonde (light blah brown...icky!) that nature gave me.

Yes, mine and Annie's av are similar, but the face and the eyes and the clothes and the background differ. I will get a brighter red color (hair) if and when Dyna offers it....don't see why she didn't do that to begin with....Dyna? Also wish she offered the black satin number dress Joan wore in the heart attack (Roger's) episode.

You should go and Mad Men yourself, too, Dry...although I'd miss the little martini glass a lot....

.....That's right, I think I did read that not too very long ago. I thought I saw a variety of red hair colors on the application, though?? Aren't there a couple of shades brighter than what you are wearing now?

One thing I noticed on a couple of other boards, is that a couple of the accessories were different. One woman had long white gloves on and a white evening bag, which I don't see on the current version.

That app is too much fun. I've played with it so many times, tried on all the clothes and hair and accessories, then went over to the men's "department," played with all of those, then created a couple of "dreamboat" guys.

Maybe I'll use one of them for my avatar!

Anyway, for now I'll keep the anonymity. Gotta have a LITTLE mystery!

Besides, if I change my avatar, no one will know where to throw the rotten veggies.

Don't go changing', Dry, as the song says. I am having enough trouble keeping up with all these new posters as it is. If all the regular Maddicts get new avatars, it will be total confusion, for me at least.

I did not realize that was you, SCfan, until I read some of your posts and recognized your inimitable writing style. You do look cute, I must say!

.....I thought you were both original blondes, actually......from a post a few months ago where you were both discussing appearances, etc.

It's really fun seeing what people "look" like, after reading their posts for so long.

Wonder why none of the male Maddicts have done themselves??

I'll go back and check, Dry, as I'd just as soon have the closest to my red (about the same shade as Joan's coincidentally) as possible. And, yes, mine was red long before I ever saw Joan Holloway! And that's the truth.....pppttttthhhhhpppp (Edith Anne)

And yeah...you male Maddicts ought to do some "Dons", "Rogers", "Berts", "Petes", Harrys", "Kens", "Ducks", or "Sals"!!

Trust us girls...it's fun!

That little ditty that chick is humming while one puts oneself together is a real earbug, however...turn your sound down unless you want to be humming it for a week straight! ha?????

.....Dyna forgot Betty's and Pete's rifles (shotguns?) in the accessories section.

One woman on another forum somewhere used the bedroom background, and didn't bother to put on any clothes!

Yeah, she did pretty good to include the accessories she did, I guess...but, those rifles would have been great....also a chip and dip plate to hold!

And maybe Joanie's bird-in-a-cage Roger gave her.

Quote from Alan Sepinwall's Blog: "...But I don't expect anyone but the most obsessive MM obsessives to read the whole thing."

He's talking about his October 2008 interview (which ran 90 minutes!) with Matthew Weiner: The transcription is choppy in parts, and it's a long read but interesting....(And thanks to Dry Manhattan for providing the original Sepinwall link, above, which ended up leading me to the Intverview):

http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2008/10/mad-men-matthew-weiner-q-for-season-two.html