Friday, March 29, 2024

“Mad Men”: AMC Does Itself In With Hit Show

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I’ve been writing about “Mad Men” and Matthew Weiner’s problems there for some time. So it came as no shock today that AMC announced it was going forward with a fifth season even though it doesn’t have an agreement with Weiner. The cable network — so lucky to have “Mad Men–doesn’t seem to get it. They proposed things to Weiner like cutting two full time cast members and shaving minutes off each episode for more commercials. Greed is no stranger to TV executives and networks but this takes the cake. “Mad Men,” if Weiner’s deal is ever done, won’t be back on the air until nine months from now at least. Ridiculous. AMC blew a whole year by not acting professionally. If HBO hadn’t passed on “Mad Men,” they’d be doing everything they could to keep it on the air as often as possible, AMC has literally pissed away all its good will with the public. It’s also hung up Weiner, his crew and cast for months for nothing. Cut two characters? Not on your life. More commercials? AMC should be taking pleasure in its future syndication and DVD plans, not trying to bleed the show before its done. What a shame. In TV History, AMC will now be remembered as the network that didn’t know enough to get out of its own way.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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