TMC
02-22-2026, 07:51 PM
https://www.looper.com/2105648/mad-men-seasons-ranked/
BY NINA STARNER FEB. 22, 2026 1:18 PM EST
In December 2025, "Mad Men," which was created by Matthew Weiner and premiered on AMC in 2007 (https://www.looper.com/2026037/jon-hamm-emmy-winning-tv-series-mad-men-streaming-hbo-max-december-2025/), finally came to HBO Max, giving it a chance to find an even wider audience. To be fair, it's not like Weiner's show, which he crafted after cutting his teeth working on "The Sopranos," needed more notoriety; it's widely considered one of the most influential and best TV shows of the modern age and has been called one of the final entries in the "Golden Age" of television (specifically, the one that emerged in the 21st century). So for the uninitiated, if there are any — what is "Mad Men" about in the first place?
Set throughout the entire decade of the 1960s, "Mad Men" focuses on Manhattan advertising executive Don Draper, played beautifully by the relatively unknown Jon Hamm (who took home his first and only Emmy to date for the show's last season). Though Don initially has a beautiful wife at home in the New York suburbs — Betty Draper, played by January Jones — he hides lots of secrets, including numerous affairs and his real identity (more on that shortly). Alongside his colleagues at the firm that's initially named Sterling Cooper, Don works on accounts with Roger Sterling (John Slattery), secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson (https://www.looper.com/1043561/peggy-olsons-best-and-worst-mad-men-scenes-ranked/) (Elisabeth Moss), office manager Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), scheming ad exec Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) and others, all while trying to keep his personal and professional lives afloat.
So which seasons of "Mad Men" are the very best? First, it's important to note that every season of this series is really good. Still, some are more effective and impactful than others, so without further ado, here's every season of "Mad Men," ranked.
BY NINA STARNER FEB. 22, 2026 1:18 PM EST
In December 2025, "Mad Men," which was created by Matthew Weiner and premiered on AMC in 2007 (https://www.looper.com/2026037/jon-hamm-emmy-winning-tv-series-mad-men-streaming-hbo-max-december-2025/), finally came to HBO Max, giving it a chance to find an even wider audience. To be fair, it's not like Weiner's show, which he crafted after cutting his teeth working on "The Sopranos," needed more notoriety; it's widely considered one of the most influential and best TV shows of the modern age and has been called one of the final entries in the "Golden Age" of television (specifically, the one that emerged in the 21st century). So for the uninitiated, if there are any — what is "Mad Men" about in the first place?
Set throughout the entire decade of the 1960s, "Mad Men" focuses on Manhattan advertising executive Don Draper, played beautifully by the relatively unknown Jon Hamm (who took home his first and only Emmy to date for the show's last season). Though Don initially has a beautiful wife at home in the New York suburbs — Betty Draper, played by January Jones — he hides lots of secrets, including numerous affairs and his real identity (more on that shortly). Alongside his colleagues at the firm that's initially named Sterling Cooper, Don works on accounts with Roger Sterling (John Slattery), secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson (https://www.looper.com/1043561/peggy-olsons-best-and-worst-mad-men-scenes-ranked/) (Elisabeth Moss), office manager Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), scheming ad exec Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) and others, all while trying to keep his personal and professional lives afloat.
So which seasons of "Mad Men" are the very best? First, it's important to note that every season of this series is really good. Still, some are more effective and impactful than others, so without further ado, here's every season of "Mad Men," ranked.