Stalled contract negotiations between Matt Weiner and AMC have ended, and the critically acclaimed "Mad Men" will return for at least two more seasons.

But will it be able to defend its crown as Emmy's Outstanding Drama Series next year?

AMC says the earliest it can start airing "Mad Men" again is in March ... 2012. That means an extended break for the cast of the 1960s-set advertising agency drama starring Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones and Christina Hendricks.

The fate of the series was up in the air, not because AMC didn't want to continue it, but because the cable channel wanted to add more commercial time to each episode -- two minutes of commercial time, to be exact.

Also, in a cost-cutting move (despite its awards, "Mad Men" is still a lower-rated cable drama), AMC demanded Weiner cut two regular characters from the show.

Weiner did give in on the extra two minutes of commercials, but was able to negotiate a full cast for the show, making any exits a creative decision, not a network one.

Of course, Weiner will still be able to film the extra story that doesn't make it on AMC. That footage will end up on iTunes, DVD packages, and other alternative media materials.

With the announcement, Weiner has made it clear: These are the last three seasons of "Mad Men." Weiner signed a two-year deal with AMC that includes a third-year option. Weiner has made it clear that he won't go beyond the current contract.

The new deal between Weiner and AMC was said to be worth $30 million, according to Deadline.com.

"It's never been about the money," Weiner said. "I wanted to do the show I wanted to do, and the show the audience has come to expect."

Weiner said he's still pushing for a 2011 return for the series, but a year from now looks like the best-case scenario. The last episode of "Mad Men" aired Oct. 17, 2010, meaning a March return would create a 17-month gap between seasons.

Over its first three season, "Mad Men" has been nominated for 59 Emmys, winning 13, including Outstanding Drama. It is eligible for September's awards, and could very well just make the cut for the 2012 awards as well. That is, as long as AMC doesn't push the premiere past May 2012.