The flap over "Mad Men" contracts has officially taken its toll on the AMC show's production schedule: the show's fifth season premiere won't air until March of 2012.

The statement AMC released pointedly indicated that these are "non-cast" negotiations -- i.e., Jon Hamm and Co. were all set in plenty of time to shoot.

AMC, Lionsgate (the show's production company) and creator Matthew Weiner were the ones holding up the works.

"Mad Men" usually starts shooting in late spring, but the delay in paperwork makes that impossible for this year. Production won't start for several weeks at the earliest.

For the rest of the year, "Mad Men" maniacs will have to console themselves with the Season 4 DVD -- which just happens to go on sale today.