Some might find this news celebratory, others might find it quite surprising, but the creators of the TV period drama Mad Men have decided to split its season finale into two.

The award-garnering US television show will have its final season aired in seven installments each in 2014 and 2015, according to an official statement released last September 17 by the cable channel that has the broadcast rights of the show.

Milking the Mad Men

In AMC’s statement which was released a few days before the 65^th Primetime Emmys Awards, the network said the move is due to its hope of increasing the ratings of the show, the storyline of which is focused on an advertising agency and the era it was into – 1960s.

AMC made it clear it is trying to duplicate the success of splitting seasons with its other drama series, Breaking Bad.

“This approach has worked well for many programs across multiple networks, and, most recently for us with ‘Breaking Bad,’” said Charlie Collier, AMC chief.

It can be remembered that the latter’s second half premiere had ratings double the number of its viewers in its previous episodes and the channel is clearly aiming for that same turnout with Mad Men.

A total of 14 extended episodes are in the Mad Men’s final season. These 14 episodes will be split into half – seven installments will be aired by spring of 2014 with the working title The Beginning and the last seven will be shown in spring of 2015 and will be called The End of an Era.

“We are determined to bring ‘Mad Men’ a similar showcase. In an era where high-end content is savored and analyzed, and catch-up time is used well to drive back to live events, we believe this is the best way to release the now 14 episodes than remain of this iconic series,” Collier added.

Mad Men and the Emmys

Mad Men which stars Jon Hamm as the lead character ad executive Don Draper won the Emmy for best drama four consecutive years in a row, for its first four seasons. However, the drama’s crew and characters went home empty-handed in last year’s Emmys despite being nominated 17 times in the TV awards’ various categories.

The critically-acclaimed show this year, though, gets up from its ashes as its sixth season once again was not out in 2013 Emmys nomination list – it got a nod for best drama as well as in the best leading actor and actress categories.

Another AMC drama, Breaking Bad, was not far behind as the drama which centers on a chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-maker had a string of Emmys nominations to its name including the best drama division.

On the other hand, Mad Men creator and at the same time one of its executive producers, Matthew Weiner, said that the decision to split the show’s final season was because they wanted it to “resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience.”

Kevin Beggs of the Lionsgate Television Group, one of the show’s producers added:

“We anticipate a remarkable seventh season …we’re all working to ensure that the series will have the kind of send-off it so richly deserves.”