WHAT?!! A Whole Year without Joan Holloway?!!

[klondike]

'Mad Men' delayed until 2012 as negotiations drag on

March 29, 2011, 3:50 PM EST
By Tim Molloy

The fifth season of AMC's acclaimed "Mad Men" has been delayed until 2012 because of ongoing negotiations between the network, Lionsgate, and creator Matthew Weiner.

"AMC has officially authorized production of season 5 of 'Mad Men,' triggering our option with Lionsgate [the production company behind 'Mad Men']," AMC said in a statement. "While we are getting a later start than in years past due to ongoing, key non-cast negotiations, 'Mad Men' will be back for a fifth season in early 2012."

"Mad Men," which has won three consecutive Emmys for best drama, has been AMC's flagship since its debut, and was the first show in AMC's highly successful return to scripted television in 2007. It provided a model for the later success of "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead," the network's highest-rated series.

Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior vice president of original programming, said in January that the show would definitely be back for a fifth season, but that he didn't know when. The push until next year means viewers will be without it for a calendar year for the first time since its debut.

The length of AMC and Lionsgate's current negotiations with Weiner -- the parties also underwent length contract talks two years ago -- has made some fans start to worry about whether the show would return at all. AMC's announcement Tuesday was designed to assuage those fears.

Weiner's two consecutive rounds of arduous contract talks reflect a downside, for AMC, of the power it allows its show runners. While the show runner-as-auteur model has led to such creative successes as "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "Mad Men" and the upcoming "The Killing" -- which debuts Sunday -- it also places Weiner in a stronger bargaining position.

As "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm said during the last round of negotiatons, "We can't do the show without Matthew. Of course, you 'can' do it, but you know you can't."

Weiner's reps declined to comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The show won the best drama Emmy for each of its first three years, and is eligible to extend the streak in its fourth season. Because the eligibility period runs from June 1 to May 31, it would also be eligible for its fifth season, so long as it airs, as planned, early next year.

[movieman1957]

I must be missing something if this has you upset.

[Lzcutter]

K,

I am witb you. I had a feeling when Lionsgate and AMC couldn't come to an agreement late last year that this would happen. I am only hoping that my beloved Don
Draper and company return in early 2012 and not next summer.

I also hope that Lionsgate and AMC come to their senses, stop messing with Weiner, give him a two year contract and abandon the idea that the show needs to jettison two regulars and do more product placement.

Are they smoking their sweat socks over there? This is their prestige product (along with Breaking Bad). Walking Dead may have the viewership but Mad Men and Breaking Bad bring in the critics and the awards.

AMC is able to afford Walking Dead and other shows because of the path blazed by Mad Men and Breaking Bad.

HBO or Showtime would probably pick our show up in a heartbeat if AMC is stupid enough to screw this up.

[klondike]

For Chris:

[youtube][/youtube]

[Lzcutter]

It's not always pretty and it's not always what we want to think about when we remember that era but it reminds us, always, that the era was ripe for change and the reasons for that change. And the design of that era, well, that's the hook.

Why Mad Men must come back and continue (because that history deserves to be told):

[youtube][/youtube]

[Rita Hayworth]

Christina Hendricks



You all know that I have an affinity towards redheads - like her too and this Show. Its classy, jazzy, I love the fashion, and its has a style of its own. Christina is so ravishing and full of glamor too :!:

This can't be happening ...

[klondike]

In an odd, and strangely ironic way, Christina Hendricks is being featured as an altogether sinister (and not very alluring) creepy-criminal corporate executive on FX-TV's "Justified".
And yes, I know I'm always promoting the show (which is on TONIGHT, btw), and no, I'm not on their PR team, nor do I own stock.
Wish I did.
But I don't.
I just like it.
A whole lot.

[movieman1957]

Well, Klondike, it's going to be a long year for you. By that clip I can see that she is an active young lady and she certainly knows how to fill out a dress.

I guess if I had known this last night I could have checked OnDemand on the TV instead of looking for something else to watch and not finding anything i wanted until the 10pm Harlow film.

I may have married a brunette but I like red heads too.

[klondike]

Speaking of the women in our lives divided by hair-color (and you know me, when it comes to chicks, I'm a "hair" guy), I just took time to think about it, and realized that, oddly enough, I've never romanced a blonde.
Although, odder still, over the past 15 years, my "best friend" (outside my personal family) has been a . . . blonde woman!

[movieman1957]

There's an article in The Wall Street Journal about this too. They are even negotiating over things like product placements and AMC wants two minutes less for more commercials and character screen time. There is still some work to do though.

[jdb1]

Please tell me, MM fans, what is it like?

I've been avoiding watching this one because of the media emphasis on the sexist side of it. I was just coming of age during this time period, and I had to endure the boorish and occasionally illegal behavior of men in office situations, so that the thought of sitting through such a program makes me more than a little uncomfortable. There's nothing glamorous about such things in real life when you are on the receiving end.

But there's been so much hubbub about it -- is there any redeeming quality to it? Does it present its characters as heroes whose behavior should be emulated? Is the ill-treatment of women as glorified as the ads make it seem?

[Lzcutter]

A DEAL HAS BEEN SIGNED!!!!

AMC, Lionsgate and *Mad Man* creator, Matt Weiner, signed contracts today. Weiner signed up for another three years, likely the last three. AMC and Lionsgate took the cutting of two series regulars off the table.

The first episode and the last episode of each new season will run 47 minutes. Episodes 2-11 will run 45 minutes. Eight days after broadcast, the "director's cut" with the restored two minutes included, will debut on line (and likely be what goes to Blu and DVD).

So, while I hate to think of the series coming to an end, I plan to enjoy the next three seasons!