
EXCLUSIVE: What did Hawaii look like in the late 1960s? We’ll get a glimpse in the Season 6 premiere of AMC’s Mad Men. I’ve learned that the New York-set drama series is headed for a secretive two-day shoot on the islands. Sources say it will involve actors Jon Hamm and Jessica Pare, who play husband and wife Don and Megan Draper on the ad agency show. The two, joined by a very small crew, are expected to leave Sunday. As usual, Mad Men mastermind Matt Weiner is keeping things close to the vest, but I hear that the scenes will be part of Mad Men‘s sixth-season premiere. I hear Weiner and fellow Mad Men executive producer Scott Hornbacher did location scouting in Hawaii in late September. There is speculation that the scouting trip had not been authorized by Lionsgate TV, which produces the Emmy-winning drama, and that the studio may have initially objected to the shoot. Weiner and Lionsgate have long tussled over the budget for the series, which I hear has been substantially increased going into Season 6.
Season 5 of Mad Men ended with Hamm’s Don Draper sitting alone at a bar after helping Megan book an acting job with his connections — helping her advance in a career that has strained their relationship. A woman approaches him asking if he is alone, and the scene ends with him pondering the question.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.


Well, if they’re very clever they’ll shoot at the timeless Royal Hawaiian, natch…
I actually can confirm that they were shooting at the Royal Hawaiian. I was in Honolulu for work this past week and randomly decided to take a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian after dinner. I came across a crowd on the one lanai and talked to a woman with a walkie talkie who said they were filming an “unnamed TV show.” I then went to watch and saw one of the actors was Jon Hamm and that it wasn’t an “unnamed show” but “Mad Men.” I don’t know who else was there or where else they filmed, but I can confirm the Royal Hawaiian and I heard one of the characters say something about a “Private ____” (missed the name) so it may have something to do with Don’s military service.
Hamm could play a convincing Jack Lord. Book ‘em, Dano!
Matt Weiner is a genius.
He said yes.
He bangs her. We Alll want the old don back. I just hope they don’t give him a pass by having her cheat or something…
Season 5 was solid but not a patch on seasons 1-4. Here’s hoping season 6 marks a return to form (more Betty, please).
Agree, bring Betty back = bring SEXY & GLAMOUR back!
The Brady’s did this back in the 70′s… the final sign this show is on it’s last legs.
It’s Tiki Taboo all over again!
What did Hawai’i look like in the 60s? Has no one seen the classic Brady Bunch episode? Is Don going to find a haunted tiki doll?
That episode was taped in the early 1970′s.
It wasn’t taped – it was filmed – back when you couldn’t tell a single-camera comedy was one.
Oh great, more Megan. Just what the show needs. There’s a reason season 5 won no Emmys.
I agree with some of the other posts — more Betty, no more Meghan, bring back the glamour of the earlier seasons! I have nothing against Jessica Pare, but other than the debut of the last season when she did the dance, she sucked on the show. Dare I say it was actually BORING a lot of the time, something I NEVER felt with Mad Men before! A great storyline would be Don and Betty considering getting back together – yeah, she knows what he’s REALLY like, but still, they were good together (at least good drama). This past season almost made me STOP watching, but the ending of the last show, with Don wondering about his marriage, gave me hope!
Megan represents the sixties, all the incredible changes that took place at that time. Without her character, this show would have died by now.
Right on Anna,she is boring with a capital B,where’d they dig her up anyway?
I realize your comment was from 2012,but these have been my sentiments all along
A trip out west (way out west) for Mr Draper; that normally is a very good sign – some of the best, most intriguing episodes of MM have been when Don heads west. In the past, he’s come back to NY each time a changed man, having discovered something new about himself. Maybe this trip will have a similar effect, with perhaps some insights into the two core questions that keep haunting him – “Who is Don Draper?”, and “Are you alone?”
Great point. Usually he returns to NYC reinvigorated and more optimistic.
Anybody know when Season 5 comes out on DVD? I have no doubt it was fascinating. The Emmys usually move on to another (the new hot great series; that would be “Homeland”) after three seasons. I know there are exceptions to the rule – but not often. The number of nominations alone for last season speak for themselves. The same is true of “30 Rock.”
MM Season 5 DVD just came out on Tuesday – 10/16. Another really nice DVD set. Worth checking out is Matt W’s take on that final scene at the bar in ‘The Phantom’.
In the voice-over commentary track for ‘Phantom’, Matt notes that the look on Don’s face – it’s like he’s another person we’re not familiar with yet. Matt noted that the end of season five was not really meant to be a cliff-hanger of ‘does he say yes or doesn’t he.’ It’s really more of Don coming into focus with who he is really is, or is becoming. He’s worked hard in season 5 to be faithful to Megan, to become that ‘better man.’ But he’s always ‘moving forward’; he has to.
The MM Season 5 DVD just came out this past Tuesday- 10/16. As in the past DVD sets, this one is very nice. Excellent commentaries as well, particularly the one from Matt W describing his insights into that final bar scene with Don and the ‘Are you alone?” gals.
It came out this week and it’s sitting on the to-be-watched DVD pile on top of my DVD player as we speak (write?). It’s a monster DVD, in a fancy fold-out case. Head over to Amazon and it’s your’s for the asking (and, of course, for the paying).
Please get rid of Megan and bring Betty back instead!
Agree! Betty Francis is my favourite character on the show.
Betty is not coming back at Mrs Draper redux. She will make appearances at the mother of Don’s children but that’s it. Matt Weiner has said in the past that the Don/Betty relationship ran its course. Betty remarried, Don remarried. Period.
PLEASE-Betty seemed like she was on that new 60′s drug, Quaaludes! Glad shes off, so dont keep on referencing her, bringing her back, and for the love of Pete, BANISH HIS DREW BARRYMORE CLONED DAUGHTER SALLY!
I agree – PLEASE don’t let the episodes start focusing on Sally. She is a good actress, but Mad Men is supposed to be an ADULT drama. She was fine when she had only a few lines per episode. I would like to see MORE Betty, LESS Sally and MUCH LESS Megan!!
Mad Men is not Dallas.
Don and Betty are divorced and Betty has married Henry and Don and Megan are married as of the last episode in season five.
So magically Betty dumps Henry and Don dumps Megan and they reunite. Even a five year old wouldn’t believe that scenario given what has happened over the last two years.
No one said they wanted Don and Betty to get remarried, just that Betty gets more screen time again. She’s a far more interesting character that boring spoiled Megan and since this is a TV show they should be focusing on the interesting characters.
Betty will be back more substantially this season if the new contract January Jones signed is anything to go by.
Get rid of Megan. She brings the show down. I want to see the old Don Draper back in form!
Who takes care of the kids every other weekend?
In Inside Mad Men after season five’s last episode Jon Hamm claimed Don Draper has got his groove back and intends to go after bigger fish.
Having to take care of his 3 kids as a single parent would simply compromise his ability to do that.
If Don did not have young children I would agree with you but Don has no backup plan.
Matt Weiner BIG MISTAKE getting rid of Betty – the show’s loss and I don’t care where you film…much like when Marc Cherry got rid Nicollette Sheridan the show wasn’t watchable anymore… If you are a homeviewer than you know what I mean. Surprise us Matt – have Betty waiting in some bar for Don Draper on the islands – they go off to a volcano and sit and ponder life on the cliff over the ocean while the sun is rising! Don wakes up from his dream and Megan runs off with a surfer that looks just like Bon Jovi, in fact, get Bon Jovi to be the surfer.
The Brady Bunch went there before it finished, so this is appropriate.
Season Five of Mad Men came out on DVD Tuesday.
I agree, let’s get rid of Megan. I would love to bang Betty again so I can get back at Henry.
And, are you ready for this? I want the series to end with me getting into a foursome with Roger, Joan and Betty. Obviously, Bert Cooper has to watch us from a corner while he is wearing a diaper and sucking his thumb.
Pete Campbell should be cleaning his house wearing a french maid costume while Trudy whips him every once in a while.
Or should I just let Matt Weiner just come up with something.
EXT. BEACH – OAHU, HAWAII – CONTINUOUS
We see Don asleep, sunglasses askew, under a oversized umbrella. A smaller umbrella sits inside a hollowed out coconut which has remnants of a powerful rum concoction. A small child runs into frame fresh out of the pacific ocean and right up to Don.
Kid: HEY!
Kid: HEY!
Don: What? What’s wrong?
Kid: Nothings wrong. Can you throw me in the ocean?
Don: What?
Kid: C’mon! You’re strong! Throw me in!
Don: Ok. Fine
The overexcited kid pulls a groggy Don to his feet and Don squints through his glasses.
Don: (CONT’D)
What’s your name?
Kid: Barack!
“a secretive two day shoot on the islands”
Which one or ones? There are six main ones. Boring Oahu [Honolulu] or more exotic Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Or perhaps remote Molokai or Lanai.
If some of you people keep going hysteria about bringing back Betty, more Betty etc, etc, please watch again Season 1 to Season 4, she rules all the way. She’s not Mrs Draper now and has remarried. Get over it. I would prefer the screen time given to Trudy Campbell a little bit more than her instead. Her role is more significant being the wife of the second male lead character of the show.
I dont get why people are asking for more betty, the only reason she would come in is because of her children with don(I wouldnt mind) or a side story with henry & his political stuff (which would boring).
Id love for them to get back together but betty is such a petty child & acted as such in season 5. Megan isnt good either but jeez we need someone for don who is his equal not some petulant child. But hey we cant have drama that way now can we?
Pleeeese get rid of Megan! Tiger shark in Waikiki perhaps??
Sounds amazing. Don and Megan the love and heartwarming couple. Why all the hates and jealousies?? Give Peace a Chance.
It was just filmed yesterday near the Sheraton beachfront hotel in Honolulu.
The show is fascinating. And to me, character development with depth is particularly interesting. But what really does it for me is the fact that I was in the business way back then and when I heard the name of an agency on the program that I recognized and remembered, that was a startling experience to be sure.
And I also know Hawaii, so as you might imagine, I will be watching for the new season — which will be starting when?