AMC's 'Mad Men'
won't return until 2012
Delayed six months by contract talks with creator
By Bill Cromwell
Mar 30, 2011
"Mad Men" will return to AMC for a fifth season.
The big question now is whether the man behind the show, Matthew Weiner, will be returning along with it.
It's a very sticky point, as Weiner, "Men's" creator and showrunner, is the heart and soul of "Men" in the same way that David Chase was for "The Sopranos."
Without Weiner guiding the show, "Men's" voice and vision could change significantly, which could alienate the relatively small but fiercely loyal, and very upscale, fan base of the show.
AMC said yesterday that "Men" will return in March 2012, some 17 months after season four ended and six months after most expected it to be back, and it may have a new look even if Weiner does re-sign.
AMC is pushing for changes to the show, including slicing two minutes from its running time to allow for more commercials and cutting some minor cast members in order to save production costs on the show, which is said to run $2 million per episode, very steep for a basic cable show.
Weiner does not want to make those changes, which is at the heart of his dispute with AMC. He has been offered a contract worth $30 million over three years, which would put him among the highest-paid showrunners on cable, but he is also at odds with the network over its demands to loosen rules governing the discussion of product placement on the show.
It's expected that Weiner and AMC will eventually come to terms, but the network has more clout in the negotiations than it might have a few years ago.
While "Men," the three-time best drama Emmy winner, remains one of the most acclaimed shows on cable, it's not AMC's highest-rated show.
"Walking Dead" now holds that distinction after a standout first season last fall, and fourth-year show "Breaking Bad" has seen its audience grow.
AMC also has two upcoming dramas to premiere, this weekend's "The Killing" and next fall's "Hell on Wheels."
It still needs "Men," but it needs it a little less than it did before, which means the network can afford to push Weiner toward the compromises it wants before reaching a deal.
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