Don Draper fans rejoice: AMC announced Tuesday that it is shelving plans to end hit drama “Mad Men” in 2014 and is instead splitting the seventh and final season into two parts to air in 2014 and 2015.
By breaking up the final season, AMC is going back to a playbook that proved successful with another one of their acclaimed dramas, “Breaking Bad.” That show was split into two 8-episode parts for its final season, with the first airing in Summer 2012 and the second debuting last month.
“This approach has worked well for many programs across multiple networks, and, most recently for us with ‘Breaking Bad,’ which attracted nearly double the number of viewers to its second-half premiere than had watched any previous episode,” said AMC President Charlie Collier. “We are determined to bring ‘Mad Men’ a similar showcase.”
The first half of the season—called “The Beginning”—will air in Spring 2014, while the second half—“The End of an Era”—will premiere in Spring 2015.
Mad Men has become one of the most acclaimed dramas on television since its debut in 2007, and is nominated for 12 awards at this weekend’s upcoming 65th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Read more: The Hollywood Reporter, LA Times
Brief Take: By extending ‘Mad Men’ into 2015, AMC gives itself a bit more time to use one of its most successful brands to launch new series.
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