Could the winner of this year’s Best Drama Emmy be on the lookout for a
new head writer? It could happen, if Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner doesn’t close a new deal with Lionsgate, the studio behind his AMC show. Sources at several talent agencies have confirmed that they have received calls from Lionsgate, inquiring about the availability of other showrunners should the studio fail to reach an agreement with Weiner. His pact expired at the end of Mad Men‘s second season, on Oct. 26. AMC has already exercised its option to order a third season of Mad Men, which attracted 1.75 million viewers for its second-season finale — a sizable leap from its season 1 ender (926,000). Even before he took home the gold for Mad Men in September, Weiner had reportedly met with several other studios to explore his options outside of Lionsgate. In fact, one studio source told EW.com that Weiner is seeking a $2 million-per-year development pact — though this same source was hesitant about even considering the deal because “[Weiner] will never leave Mad Men.”
Given the heat surrounding Mad Men, it seems logical that Lionsgate will figure out a way to ultimately make Weiner happy and keep him on a show that has helped re-brand AMC as a destination for original dramatic programming. At the same time, Mad Men hasn’t exactly set fire to the house of Nielsen: The show only averaged 1.2 million total viewers during its second season. Still, few basic cable programs have generated the kind of adoration from critics (and competing network suits) as Mad Men has during the past two years, and the show has generated enough buzz that its star, Jon Hamm (pictured, far right), even hosted Saturday Night Live last weekend.
Give him whatever he wants, he is a genius….
I guess Matt is somewhat like Don “no contract”.
Please keep Matthew Weiner. Mad Men is the best drama on TV and I am sure that has a lot to do with the head writer. Kinsey likes the office the way it is and that goes for everything on Mad Men.
I really hope Matthew Weiner stays on the show, because I’m afraid of Aaron Sorkin Syndrome – when Aaron Sorkin left “The West Wing” as a writer, I think that the show lost something – and I don’t want that to happen to “Mad Men”.
I really hope Matthew Weiner stays. The show wouldn’t be the same without him.
What’s up with the perspective on that picture? The actor’s heights seem so off it looks like it taken in Middle Earth.
It’s the best show on television, bar none.
Ha ha, Jon, I was thinking the same thing. But that John Slattery, man. He looks sharp.
This is Matt’s baby – he wrote the pilot before “The Sopranos” and has to be stoked that he’s finally seen it brought to life. I don’t think he’d ever leave it. The outrage from fans alone would be reason enough to stay…
Will the show lose Weiner? Not if Don Draper gets to go in and make a case: http://tinyurl.com/3he7au
Is it me or isn’t the pic a bit odd… Don and Peggy are so short compared to the amazon woman of Joan and Roger.. maybe it’s a composite pic? LOL
I just saw John Slattery walking down the street. It looked like he was with his wife/girlfriend so I didn’t want to bother him. I wish I could’ve chatted him up.
Lionsgate: Pay up.
It’s a resized pic; some of the actors are on stairs. It’s set to the backdrop of the SC offices. Roger, Joan, Pete and Peggy are all on larger to smaller steps respectively and Don is on the floor floor.
On another note, I refuse to believe that Wiener will leave. I hear he’s a perfectionist who is often made physically ill by how ‘bad’ he thinks his show is… I hope that’s hearsay and, if not, is not motivation to become less involved in the program.
they have to keep matthew weiner — it would be so dumb not to! mad men is the best show on tv right now…
Lionsgate, write the freaking check already.