'Mad Men' Is Back in 4K: How to Watch Don Draper's Iconic Return Carole GlinesDecember 2, 2025 at 5:10 AM 0 Binge alert! The beloved retro series Mad Men is back just in time for the holiday season so fans can see Don Draper and the gang work their advertising magic while navigating troubled personal lives. All seven seasons of the original AMC show about a group of ad execs working on New York's Madison Avenue will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning on Dec. 1. Even better, you can it watch in 4K for the very first time.
- - 'Mad Men' Is Back in 4K: How to Watch Don Draper's Iconic Return
Carole GlinesDecember 2, 2025 at 5:10 AM
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Binge alert! The beloved retro series Mad Men is back just in time for the holiday season so fans can see Don Draper and the gang work their advertising magic while navigating troubled personal lives.
All seven seasons of the original AMC show about a group of ad execs working on New York's Madison Avenue will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning on Dec. 1. Even better, you can it watch in 4K for the very first time.
As Jim Packer, President of worldwide television distribution at Lionsgate, said in a statement, "Mad Men continues to show truly remarkable staying power with audiences a full decade after concluding its network run, and we couldn't imagine a better home for it than HBO Max.
"HBO sets the bar for premium entertainment, making it the perfect place to celebrate one of television's defining series while introducing Mad Men to new viewers and reintroducing it to longtime fans in 4K."
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Charismatic Jon Hamm shot to stardom playing Draper on the show and its 1960s era drama and fashion caused a sensation. And now viewers can bask in Mad Men's world in an even more enhanced way!
Here's Parade's guide to everything Mad Men as it hits streaming for fans both old and new.
What is Mad Men?
Matthew Weiner created and produced the period drama considered one of the best TV shows of all time. It premiered on AMC on July 19, 2007, and aired its finale May 17, 2015. Mad Men ran for seven seasons and 92 total episodes, depicting the goings-on of the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency in Manhattan from March 1960 to November 1970.
How many episodes are in each season?
There were 13 Mad Men episodes for the first six seasons, but 14 in the final season seven.
Who is Don Draper?
The show's main character, mysterious Don, is depicted as a NY advertising genius who creates some of the most famous ad campaigns in history. But through the series, Don faces trouble in both his career and personal life. While Don begins as a handsome family man with a flashy job, viewers learn he is living a lie. He is an unfaithful husband, an indifferent father to his three kids, and has hidden his real identity!
Who are the other stars and characters?
Mad Men starred Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris, January Jones as Betty Draper, Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell, John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Kiernan Shipka as Sally Draper, Jessica Pare as Megan Draper, and more.
(Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)Was Mad Men canceled?
No. AMC allowed creator Weiner to conclude the show on his own terms. After the 2015 finale, Weiner noted, "We were allowed to end it how and when we wanted to." It has never come back and Weiner has also said a Mad Men spinoff will never happen. Both he and lead actor Hamm were happy with the ending.
Related: John Slattery Reveals If He'd Ever Do a 'Mad Men' Reboot (Exclusive)
What is 4K?
HBO Max has announced the Mad Men streaming will be in 4K, which is a video resolution that offers a significant increase in detail over older HD standards, with an approximate horizontal resolution of 4,000 pixels. This higher pixel density results in sharper, more detailed images and richer colors.
Who is Peggy Olson?
Peggy, played by Moss, is a barrier-breaking career woman in the 1960s. While she begins at the ad agency as Don's secretary, her ambition allows her to break the glass ceiling and rise in the industry. But she pays the price in her personal life.
Who is Joan Holloway Harris?
Hendricks' curvy Mad Men office manager secretary character has an affair with her boss Roger but she ultimately holds her own amid workplace sexism. Joan marries Greg Harris, but they divorce as she implies he assaulted her. Fans see an empowering career development for Joan in the series finale.
Who is Roger Sterling?
The advertising exec, who was born into wealth, indulges in heavy drinking and cheating on his women. For fans, Roger is the suave "silver fox" they love to hate.
Who is Betty Draper?
Don's first wife is a former model who enjoyed a wealthy Philadelphia upbringing and then became a homemaker. Her perfect life with marriage to Don collapses, however. In memorable scenes, Betty shoots pigeons to protect her dog and eats whipped cream straight from the can!
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Related: 'Mad Men' Alum and Rarely-Seen Son Make Public Appearance
Who is Pete Campbell?
Up and coming ad man Pete is a hustler who tries to one-up his bosses. Although he comes from an old money family, he resents its dysfunction. Watchers of the Mad Men streamer can see why Pete throws a chicken out the window in the third episode of season 3.
Who is Sally Draper?
Don and Betty's neglected oldest child suffers because of her parents' horrible marriage and later divorce. Sally's grandpa's death hits her hard and she goes through a rough adolescence that includes drinking, smoking, and sexual awakening. A shocking scene in season five, episode four shows Sally masturbating to the TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Who is Megan Draper?
Don's free-spirited secretary becomes his second wife and in a notable season 5 moment, sexily sings "Zou Bisou Bisou" at his 40thbirthday party. Megan later moves to Hollywood to become an actress and their relationship flounders.
How does the fashion help create Mad Men's allure?
Many MM fans tuned for the fashion alone, delighting in Joan's curve-hugging dresses, Don's dapper suits, Betty's traditional A-line ensembles, and Peggy's conservative-turned-modern looks. Show costume designer Janie Bryant worked closely with producer Weiner to create the ideal looks for the characters. In addition, redheaded bombshell character Joan brought glamour to TV with her 1960s updo.
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What are some Mad Men spoilers?
Warning: those who are watching Mad Men for the first time on HBO Max might not want to read the following.
What is Mad Men's best episode?
Many fans point to "The Suitcase," from season four, episode seven, which focuses on Don and Peggy's complex relationship. The two work on a Samsonite ad account all night, making Peggy miss her birthday dinner with her boyfriend Mark, which leads to their breakup.
Who is the real Don Draper?
Viewers found out Don was actually born Dick Whitman, who grew up poor in the Midwest as the illegitimate son of a prostitute who died during childbirth. While serving in the Korean War, Dick's superior officer—the real Don Draper—is killed in an explosion, his body burned beyond recognition. Dick trades dog tags with Don to steal his identity, and starts a new life back in the U.S.
What happens in the Mad Men finale?
In the finale episode, Don is sitting cross-legged and meditating at a spiritual retreat in California when the camera cuts to the 1971 Coca-Cola "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" commercial. The last scene of Don smiling serenely hints that he went back to his NY job to create the famous ad. But it's open to interpretation, as creator Weiner shrugged about the ending, "I have always been able to live with ambiguities."
Related: A Master Schemer from Manhattan and a Trailblazer From Sterling Cooper Just Joined the Same Cult TV Fave
This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the TV section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Source: Entertainment
Published: December 02, 2025 at 09:45AM on Source: MARIO MAG
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