Mad Men Filming Years and Production Timeline
Mad Men was filmed primarily between 2006 and 2014, with principal photography for each season occurring months before the episodes aired on AMC. The pilot was shot in 2006, and the series finale wrapped production in 2014, aligning with the show's seven-season run from 2007 to 2015. Production took place at studios in Los Angeles, with location shoots in New York City to capture the 1960s advertising world. For more details on the show's broadcast history, see the AMC official page AMC Mad Men series page.
The production schedule followed a traditional broadcast model, with each season consisting of 13 episodes shot over roughly 8 months. Filming for the final season began in 2014, and the series concluded with a 2-hour finale that aired in May 2015. The show's creators, Matthew Weiner and the writing team, used the gap between filming and airing to refine scripts and incorporate historical details accurately.
Primary Filming Locations and Set Design
The interior office scenes at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce were built on soundstages at the Los Angeles Film Center, while exterior shots of Madison Avenue facades were captured in New York City. The show's art department recreated 1960s offices, diners, and apartments using period-accurate props and set dressing, with many interiors filmed on stages in Culver City. The exterior of the iconic Sterling Cooper building was a facade constructed specifically for the series, not a real historical office on Madison Avenue.
Additional location shooting included the Staten Island Ferry terminal for scenes depicting travel, and various bars and hotels across Los Angeles stood in for New York establishments. The production design team, led by the show's art directors, relied on archival photographs and historical records to replicate the look of the 1960s advertising industry. For background on the show's historical accuracy, the Museum of the Moving Image has featured Mad Men exhibits Museum of the Moving Image.
Broadcast History and Awards
Mad Men premiered on July 19, 2007, on AMC, and its final episode aired on May 17, 2015, totaling 92 episodes across seven seasons. The series was produced by Lionsgate Television and Weiner Inc., with AMC Studios overseeing the broadcast run. Mad Men won 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series four consecutive times from 2008 to 2011.
The show's ratings peaked during its fifth season, and it consistently ranked among the most critically acclaimed dramas of its era. The series finale drew approximately 3.3 million viewers and received widespread media coverage. For industry data on Mad Men's viewership and awards, the Television Academy's official records Emmys.com provide detailed statistics.