document: '' `` Mad Men '' '' creator now glad man Settling of differences puts series on path to resume next March Detroit News wire services Matthew Weiner , the creator of the Emmy-winning AMC series '' `` Mad Men , '' '' needs to be peeled off the ceiling . '' `` I 'm just so pleased , '' '' Weiner said , hours after the announcement that he will remain with the series for the show 's final three seasons . '' `` Mad Men '' '' is an hourlong drama about fast-living advertising executives in 1960s New York City . Weiner , whose protracted contract negotiations with AMC became a major media story in recent days , planned to return to his office Friday to begin mapping out the season . The show , which normally runs in the summer , had already been pushed to early next year , in part because of the contract dispute . His writing staff will join him four to five weeks later , with production scheduled to begin in July . The show is set to return to the network 's schedule in March of 2012 . '' `` It 's not desirable to be off the air this long , '' '' said Weiner , noting the more than 17-month gap between Seasons Four and Five , adding that he fought to get back on the air sooner but was resisted -- and ultimately denied -- by the network . While Weiner will be paid handsomely for staying with the show -- people familiar with his contract say it is worth close to $ 10 million a season -- money was not the main issue threatening his status . AMC had wanted to add commercials to '' `` Mad Men '' '' and Lionsgate wanted to cut talent to reduce costs in production of the expensive period drama . AMC had also wanted to pursue more product placement and product integration in the show to help recoup its costs . A compromise of sorts was reached on the commercials . The first and last episodes of the upcoming fifth season will run at 47 minutes and the rest of the episodes will run at 45 minutes . Weiner will have the option to make those other episodes at 47 minutes for other platforms including video on demand , DVD and iTunes . With regard to the cast , people close to the show said the main characters are all locked in for the next two seasons , which is how long AMC 's current deal with Lionsgate for the show runs . Weiner said any cast changes will be made for creative reasons , not financial ones . A seventh season with Weiner onboard is likely unless AMC decides it is ready to move on from the series or the bulk of the cast is not renewed . '' `` I 've never known , even the first season , if I was going to be back , '' '' he said . '' `` I 'm still going to put everything I have into every episode , but seven seasons seems like the right length for the life of the show and I 'm very excited knowing that I have that canvas to paint on . '' '' '' `` Mad Man '' '' won three Emmy Awards and helped boost AMC from an also-ran cable network to a first-tier channel . It now has other successful original shows including '' `` The Walking Dead '' '' and '' `` Breaking Bad '' '' and it has been able to boost both the dollars it attracts from advertisers and TV distributor fees . Subscribe to Detroit News home delivery and receive a SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER .
doc_bio_tags: O O B I O O O O B B O O B O O O O O O B O B O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B B B O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B B O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B B O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O