Has Don gone completely "Mad"?

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On "Mad Men" last week, hotshot Madison Avenue adman Don Draper was last seen stepping into the Pacific Ocean for an impromptu dip, still wearing his slacks.

Meanwhile, back at the Manhattan headquarters of the Sterling Cooper agency, Peggy Olson had certified her status as a secretary-turned-copywriter by claiming her own office. But the whole agency may be up for sale.

And through it all, everyone was wondering what had become of Draper. There had been no word from him since he vanished while attending a conference in California weeks earlier.

All too soon, the second-season finale of "Mad Men" is upon us, laden with many questions. Foremost among them: Will the mysterious Draper return to his old life, family and career in New York — or flee for good, as he has done before, and fabricate another new identity to live out?

"Mad Men" has earned critical raves, loads of awards and a devoted audience as it penetrates modern times, as they were experienced in the early 1960s. Its sterling ensemble includes Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, John Slattery, Christina Hendricks, January Jones and Robert Morse, as well as Jon Hamm.

It airs at 10 tonight on AMC. Then it's lights out at Sterling Cooper until next season.

Few things can fill you with more patriotic fervor than those moments spent behind the curtain at your polling place, declaring your choices for those who should lead the government. And maybe no drama series ever offered a more inspiring version of how national leaders are capable of serving the electorate than "The West Wing," which aired from 1999 to 2006, through the fictitious Bartlet administration. A weekly display of intellect, wit, conscience and high drama, "The West Wing" explored possibilities for statesmanship that, during most of its run, seemed alien to the real corridors of power. Now it should provide a nice run-up to real-life Election Day 2008 as Bravo airs mini-marathons 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m.-noon Saturday and 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Nov. 3. The multi-award-winning series features a cast including Martin Sheen (as President Bartlet), John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff and Allison Janney. As always, hail to this series!

Even Indiana Jones hates snakes. Being scared of certain things is only human — and, in fact, is one good reason we evolved to our present human state, according to a new documentary on History. "Primal Fear" is a two-hour special exploring human fears — their origins, meaning and continued usefulness. Humans have deep-seated fear of monsters that typically begins in childhood. Of drowning and rats. Of being buried alive (a valid concern until not so long ago, when methods of certifying death in patients were unreliable and led to premature interment). A beach-side shark attack a century ago left a widespread psychic wound ripped open decades later, for entertainment value, with the film "Jaws." Whether fear is inherent, traceable through human ancestry or a learned fear caused by a traumatic event, the response is the same: the triggering of a part of the brain called the amygdala. Then the more reasoned portion of the brain can take over and choose fight, flight or sitting back and enjoying the show. "Primal Fear" is a crash course in dread, with the helpful reminder that being afraid doesn't make you a wuss. It airs at 9 p.m. Monday.

"I have a really sensitive throat," says Farah. "That's the only part of my body that can't keep up with my lifestyle." Trouble is, Farah dreams of making a splash as a singer, and her party-hearty lifestyle has derailed that goal before. Can she seize what may be her last shot at music stardom? Or will she be blown out by one of 10 other competitors who are also desperate to leave their troubled pasts behind and step into the spotlight? Cable's Fuse music channel presents "Redemption Song," the ultimate entertainment do-over that challenges 11 young women to battle for music stardom while overcoming the demons (bad habits, bad relationships, bad attitude) that may have held them back. Weekly challenges will test their vocal abilities, performance skills and charisma, with eliminations resulting. Part "American Idol," part rehab, "Redemption Song" is hosted by WWE star and rock singer Chris Jericho. It premieres at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Are Hollywood stars really star-crossed? Throughout showbiz history, a range of misfortunes has befallen celebrities involving plane crashes, car crashes, drug overdoses and fatal illnesses. Do they get more than their share? The E! Entertainment documentary "Doomed to Die? 13 Most Shocking Hollywood Curses" licks its chops and investigates the supposed "jinxed" casts of "The Exorcist" and the Superman projects, the generations of famous Hollywood families rumored to be cursed, and the untimely deaths of young rock legends. "Doomed to Die" counts down Hollywood's Top 13 curses. A pox on you if you miss it, premiering at 8 p.m. Halloween (Friday).