If everyone starts splitting their seasons into two parts and spacing these "split seasons" a year apart... can we just start calling it what it is? A new season. And an era of shorter seasons. Breaking Bad is about to end with the final episode of their fifth season, which was split into two parts of 8 episodes each, and spaced a year apart. And now Mad Men is about to do the same thing, but with even fewer episodes.
According to Variety, the final season of Mad Men will start in the spring of 2014, and be split over two years, with seven episodes airing in 2014, and seven airing in 2015.
"The move allows AMC to extend its hold on its most signature original drama series. The split final season model has worked well for Breaking Bad, which was able to drum up anticipation for the final seven segs for a year, boosting viewership considerably. AMC ordered an additional episode for season seven from producer Lionsgate TV to allow the cabler to serve up what it cheekily dubbed 'a Seven and Seven.'"
AMC notes that the first half of the season will be dubbed "The Beginning," and the final half "The End Of An Era." And of course, there's already talk of a spin-off.
