When we spoke to Mad Men star Rich Sommer last week, he couldn't offer us any season four spoilers.

That's because series creator Matthew Weiner is notoriously tight-lipped about upcoming storylines, ensuring his actors and actresses also keep their mouths shut. Therefore, it's not shocking that Weiner responded to a TV Guide question about the new season with: "I have nothing to say."

That wasn't entirely accurate, though, as Weiner did open up a bit about the fourth season, which premieres July 25. A few excerpts from the interview:

On the energy of the third season finale: I think there is some energy coming through. Part of the story of the show is the story of the era and things that were changing very rapidly. There were periods in time when things changed that rapidly. Things are always changing... whatever you saw at the end of last season had a permanent impact.

On using historic events on the show: The Kennedy assassination, what that was about to me was a sort of...I can't say it's the birth of nihilism but it certainly affected that generation in a way where they said, 'Well, no one is in charge of this,' forgetting about just the President being killed because that's happened a lot in this country...

True or not, I felt that it was something that was permanent that changed in the culture in terms of how complicit we were to authority...

Also, being televised, which made it intimate and it wasn't coming through any other source. You experienced it. So those are the reasons why the history, why Bye Bye Birdie, was in there. Just for that one line: "It's not Ann-Margret. You can't just steal stuff." You have to have the person.

On ideas for a series conclusion: I have an image in my mind and I have a story that goes with it. It's all about where Don is when this thing ends. You just want to get there, in a place that feels organic to the show. So I would say, yes, I have something in mind and then I would say, no, I'm not ready to tell that story yet.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.