At last, the renewal of “Mad Men” — starring St. Louis native Jon Hamm as Don Draper — for a second season is official. Here’s AMC’s release.

New York - NY, September 24, 2007 - AMC announced today that it will renew Mad Men for a second season continuing the network’s mandate to deliver a distinctive viewing experience through cinematic-quality original programming. Created, written and executive produced by Matthew Weiner (Executive Producer/Writer, “The Sopranos”), Mad Men follows the personal and professional lives of New York advertising execs circa 1960.   Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, produces the series.   Season one’s finale will be on Thursday, October 18th at 10PM EST.

The first season of Mad Men received unprecedented accolades from the press including being deemed “the best new show of the summer” by The New York Post, “unmissable” by Time Magazine and “Must See TV” from Newsweek. The Los Angeles Times declared “If you want to feel good about being alive on the planet in 2007, watch the premiere of Mad Men on AMC” and the Wall Street Journal stated that Mad Men is “one of the best-written, all-around sparkling works to come along in many a summer season.”  

“AMC’s first foray into original scripted series has been a success right out of the gate.   The incredible production values coupled with an utterly unique and intelligent writer’s point of view has made for a wholly distinct program,” said Rob Sorcher, Executive Vice President programming and production for AMC.   “We’re grateful that our quality-driven programming instincts connected with a passionate fan base, and we’re looking forward to an exciting second season which will continue to spark broader cultural conversation.   Mad Men clearly fulfills AMC’s new promise to be The Future of Classic.”

“In a season distinguished by the high quality and variety of dramatic programming on cable, we’re particularly proud that Matt Weiner’s distinctive voice and the exceptional work of Mad Men’s cast have resonated so strongly with critics and audiences alike,” said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate’s President of Television Programming and Production.   “Mad Men epitomizes the kind of daring and provocative entertainment that defines the Lionsgate brand, and we’re thrilled to continue our relationship with AMC and our outstanding creative team to produce another season of great storytelling.”