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“Are you trying to trick me?”

An understandable assumption given that the man asking this question, John Slattery, is in the enviable position of knowing all sorts of delicious details about season five of AMC’s “Mad Men.” Sunday’s two-hour premiere (starting at 9pm ET/PT) will be the first new episode seen on TV since October 2010 — or to get even more specific, it will be first original “Mad Men” in 525 days.

The fans are thirsty for answers to all of the questions with which the season four finale left us, and other much more basic information. For example, what year will it be when the drama returns? We’re not saying because we’ve been asked not to.

As always, AMC and the show’s creator, Matthew Weiner, have issued a strict omerta to anyone involved with the production, as well as any members of the press fortunate enough to preview the premiere. Everybody’s lips are sealed, including those of the man who plays the suave and egotistical Roger Sterling.

“It’s the usual dilemma, which is talking about the show without saying anything about the actual show,” he explained during a recent phone chat.

What Slattery was happy to talk about, however, is one of the season’s major themes: change.  Granted, change might as well be a secondary character on “Mad Men”; through the years, some of the show’s most distinct and beloved personalities have proved to be far more adaptable than others. But this season, as women’s lib and the Civil Rights movement are spilling into the streets and taking over televisions, life at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is bound to transform along with the rest of the country.

And Roger, who’s almost always the wittiest guy in the ad agency’s board room, could at last find himself at a lack for words.

Even so, Slattery said, “(Matthew Weiner) gives you not what you’d expect, but he gives you a specific, peripheral angle or a different take on something momentous.

“…It isn’t a text book,” he continued, “it’s a conversation.”

Keep reading for the rest of our conversation with Slattery.

What were the highlights among the things you did during “Mad Men’s” very long hiatus?

Slattery: I did a couple of films, one called Return, which did pretty well at Cannes and is in release now, and I did another one called In Our Nature which just premiered at SXSW. And I was writing something that I’m hoping to direct someday when I can get the right people to do it. And, you know, stayed home. Didn’t do “Mad Men.”

Was it kind of a relief to leave Roger Sterling behind for a while?

Slattery: Well, yeah, for a while. We do 13 shows, and that takes about five months to shoot, obviously longer to produce from start to finish. The actual acting commitment is about five months. So it’s pretty ideal in that sense. But you know, if you get restless, you can go and do something: a play, a film, or just nothing.

But it’s probably great to have been back on the set, too. After that long amount of time, was it difficult to step back into Roger Sterling’s shoes?

Slattery: It takes a day or two to get comfortable again…yeah. You’re a little tight in the beginning. But at this point, I’m so used to that. It seems to happen every year. You get back into it, and you try to walk and talk at the same time… it’s a little disorienting at the beginning. And then it all falls into place.

One of the most endearing qualities about Roger is that he’s always there with a ready quip, he’s both purposefully and inadvertently hilarious. But one of the first jokes (of the season) really backfires in a meaningful way, so much that it looks like an indicator of major changes ahead.

That was one of the things that I found most interesting, and it made me a little bit fearful that your sense of humor might not strike us as so funny anymore.

Slattery: It’s a pretty astute observation. When (Matt) says it’s about change, that’s what change is. Some change willingly, and some go kicking and screaming. Or they don’t change at all, and the world changes around them. Without being specific to Roger, what’s interesting is to see the people who are willing to change, or welcoming the change that the world is going through. Can’t wait to reinvent themselves. Can’t wait to try to change their appearance. It’s not the people you expect that are going to change.

It really is an interesting time in the history of this country. The generation gap, the sexual revolution, all the cultural changes that happen to these people. It’s always unpredictable.

But you’re right, the things that worked before don’t necessarily work anymore. Things that were funny aren’t funny anymore. Things that are taken for granted shouldn’t be. And Roger’s had the rug pulled out from him already at the beginning of last season, losing the Lucky Strike account. There was an imbalance where we left off in Roger’s life. Whether he regains that balance remains to be seen.

So I take it you’re not going to say of which camp Roger is, the kicking and screaming camp or going gracefully?

Slattery: No, I’m not. (Laughs.)

It also looks like we’re going to see a major shift in the office that was hinted at last season between the younger employees and the old guard.

Slattery: Well, being that I lost the Lucky Strike account and I’m the senior partner in the place, someone has to bring in business. Pete Campbell isn’t shy about wanted to it for himself, or elbowing me out of the way to get what he wants – elbowing anybody out of the way to get what he wants. So yeah, people’s power positions change… and the young guys want what they feel like they have coming to them.

There was also an aspect of Roger than has always been a creature of emulation, but it also seems very blatant this time around. Is that part of the character going to be coming out more during season five?

Slattery: I think that’s part of it…that’s what culture change is, when you look at people who are your shining examples of position and power and wealth, and then all of a sudden you look up and those things don’t mean what they used to mean, and they’re not desirable any longer, and now they’re looked at as, ‘You’re overfed and greedy and selfish.’ What was the example prior isn’t necessarily the shining example any longer. And what do you do about it? Do you change yourself? Do you disregard what’s going on around you? Or do you look inward and realize that maybe there’s something to this?

Recently there’s been a lot of conversation about the controversy surrounding the show’s key art (the image of the falling man ) but one thing that people haven’t necessarily returned to discussing is that the show has gotten some heat for putting  the burgeoning Civil Rights movement on the sidelines — referring to it, and having some storylines involve the movement somewhat. But now it seems to be front and center.

Slattery: Yeah, but what’s front and center can’t stay front and center…It’s not a show about the Civil Rights movement. It’s not a show about the ‘60s. It’s not even a show about advertising. It’s a show about these characters that happen to live in this period in which the Civil Rights movement was, and is growing.

Yes, it was touched upon earlier, and is touched upon again, but a lot went on in a lot of different areas. And it really isn’t about those events, per se, it’s about how the people in the show lived that day, or get through that day.  The Kennedy assassination, someone gets married… It’s about the people the people who watched those events in that time period. It isn’t about the people who created those events, you know what I mean? It isn’t about the movie stars of that time, it’s about the people who, like us, watched the movies of that time.

It was still a Tuesday, and on Tuesdays, the trash went out. Just because a riot happened or someone was killed, do you not take the trash out? Do you not go to school? It’s interesting how much of one’s life gets put on hold during these things, and how much you have to live through.

So, are we going to see you direct any more episodes this season?

Slattery:  Yes, I did the fifth episode, which is an amazing script.

Can you give us any hints about anything that happens in that episode?

Slattery: No. No. I’m in it… which was easier. The acting and the directing at the same time got a little easier.  You know, it’s a great story. Vincent Kartheiser… has some amazing stuff in it. I’m such a fan of his, and I got to work with him.

His character has developed so beautifully through these seasons.

Slattery:  I agree, and I’m always amazed when the (awards season) accolades start, and I don’t want to bring attention to the fact any more than I do every year, that he seems to get overlooked. I don’t think people think he’s acting.

Why do you say that?

Slattery: Because this show gets nominations for all kinds of stuff, and he hasn’t gotten the attention I think he deserves. I think people just say, ‘Oh, he plays that weaselly guy,’ but I don’t think that’s the character at all. Pete’s the most forward thinking, and he’s certainly right more times than most of the other characters about what’s going on around him. He’s good at what he does. (Pete’s) a family man, he’s a really interesting character. And that character has a great season.

Last question: It hasn’t been written yet, but where would you like the story to end for Roger?

Slattery: Somewhere above ground, that’s where I’d like to be. I’d like to remain above ground.

So, no more heart attacks, you’re hoping.

Slattery: Yeah.  I’d like to not be in a box and six feet under. Beyond that, I don’t care.