Peace at last: Less than 48 hours after talks between AMC and Matthew Weiner exploded into name-calling, the two sides have kissed and made up, reaching a multi-year deal that will keep Mad Men on the air for two — and perhaps three — more seasons. No word yet on whether the settlement means the show will get back this year or early next. But Weiner sounded a conciliatory note in his statement announcing the new pact. After thanking fans, Weiner said, “I also want to thank AMC and Lionsgate for agreeing to support the artistic freedom of myself, the cast and the crew so that we can continue to make the show exactly as we have from the beginning. I’m excited to get started on the next chapter of our story.â€
UPDATE: As part of the compromise deal, episodes of Mad Men will be trimmed by two minutes on-air, to 45 minutes. The season premiere and season finale will still run 47 minutes, however. And Weiner will still be able to produce 47-minute versions; they’ll simply air on video-on-demand or via streaming services such as Netflix. This could also make DVDs of the show more attractive, since studio Lionsgate can now market “producer’s cuts†of episodes. Meanwhile, it looks like there won’t be any cast reductions, and Weiner will also maintain control of any product integrations.