AMC really wanted a Mad Men spin-off about Sally or Peggy — but Matthew Weiner said no

Anyone desperately wishing for a little more Mad Men has plenty in common with AMC, which once pressured series creator Matthew Weiner to come up with a spin-off series. A massive series retrospective at The Hollywood Reporter describes several aborted ideas for Mad Men spin-offs, including new shows following Peggy, an adult Sally, or another minor character.

"When we first started negotiating with AMC, one of the things they wanted was a spin-off," says Sandra Stern, the chief operating officer of Lionsgate TV, talked about doing a contemporary one. Given the fact that [Mad Men] ends nearly 50 years ago, most of the characters would be dead. Sally was the one character young enough that you could see her 30 or 40 years later. There was a time we wanted a Peggy spin­-off, too, and, a la Better Call Saul, a minor character going off to L.A."

Though the network was enthusiastic, Weiner turned down the opportunity. "Matt wasn't comfortable committing to a spin-off," explains Stern, and the idea was scuttled altogether.

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For more behind-the-scenes info on Mad Men, click over to The Hollywood Reporter.