“Mad Men” will soon come to an end, as much as fans would like to pretend it won’t. But AMC execs say they’re giving us a bit longer to get used to the idea by splitting up the final season into two parts, much like the network did with “Breaking Bad”. The first half of the season, “The Beginning”, will air in the spring of 2014. The final half will air the next spring.

“This approach has worked well for many programs across multiple networks, and, most recently for us with ‘Breaking Bad,’ which attracted nearly double the number of viewers to its second-half premiere than had watched any previous episode. We are determined to bring ‘Mad Men’ a similar showcase,” said AMC President Charlie Collier.

Besides garnering more viewers, the approach also has a practical side; by splitting up the last bit of the story, writers can take their time and draw out the conclusion, which will effectively create suspense for the viewer and leave them thinking about it long after the final episode has ended.

“We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience,” creator Matthew Weiner said.

AMC also split up the seasons of “The Walking Dead” to great effect; however, with “Mad Men” being a very different sort of drama from either of the other shows, many viewers are wondering what the writers have up their sleeves in order to blow us away without grafting on a last-minute sensational storyline.

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