Mad Men Returning in 2012 With or Without Matthew Weiner

Since Mad Men is traditionally a late summer-early fall show, it already feels like forever since its been on. Making matters worse, AMC and show creator Matthew Weiner have been engaged in heated contract talks to keep the show runner attached to the hit series. Today brought both good news and bad news, with AMC announcing it had authorized production on the show, with early 2012 as an air date. The only hitch is that Weiner doesn’t have a deal yet, meaning the show could go on without his guidance. Apparently, AMC is asking for a few things, including reducing two minutes off the show’s run time to run more ads and cutting back on the screentime of some major characters, while Weiner is reportedly asking for somewhere in the range of $30 million, which would make him one of the highest paid showrunners in television. No matter whose side your on, it sounds like a mess that could jeopardize the quality of one of the best shows on television. Stay tuned for more.