That was their secret weapon. this is kind of ambitious television that hbo had creatively pioneered, which was when cable channels like fx and amc got into the original programming business. and they re willing to take chances on shows like mad men. and then the walking dead was an extended preacher feature. the walking dead on amc was a gigantic zombie show at a moment when people were loving zombie things. walking dead really captured everyone s attention. it just has this explosive moment across social media. people can t stop talking about it. because of that, amc kept renewing it season after season. it was a show people responded to because it was gross and terrifying and fun and visceral in all of those ways that mad men is cerebral and precise. the blissed out, crossed leg