Claim: Mad Men is a basic cable series.

Mad Men is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television . The series premiered on July 19 , 2007 , on the cable network AMC . After seven seasons and 92 episodes , Mad Men 's final episode aired on May 17 , 2015 .   Mad Men is set primarily in the 1960s , initially at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City , and later at the newly created firm , Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce -LRB- later Sterling Cooper & Partners -RRB- , located nearby in the Time-Life Building , at 1271 Sixth Avenue . According to the show 's pilot , the phrase `` Mad men '' was a slang term coined in the 1950s by advertisers working on Madison Avenue to refer to themselves , a claim that has since been disputed . Don Draper -LRB- Jon Hamm -RRB- is featured in the series , initially as the talented creative director at Sterling Cooper and later a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce , and the people in his personal and professional lives . The plot focuses on the business of the agencies as well as the personal lives of the characters , regularly depicting the changing moods and social mores of the United States through the 1960s . Season one begins in March 1960 and moves through November 1970 by the conclusion of season seven .   Throughout its run , Mad Men received widespread critical acclaim for its writing , acting , and historical authenticity ; it has won many awards , including 16 Emmys and five Golden Globes . The show was also the first basic cable series to receive the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , winning in each of its first four seasons . It is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time .