AMC is having a hard time separating from its hit series. On Tuesday the network announced that instead of a final season of “Mad Men,” as was planned for next spring, the much-acclaimed series will divide in two, pushing off the finale for another year.

A day earlier, the network announced it would spin off a new series from its hit zombie show “The Walking Dead” and last week it made a deal to spin off a show from “Breaking Bad.”

In the case of “Mad Men,” AMC is following the strategy it took with “Breaking Bad” in dividing up a planned final season into two installments, and it will be waiting a full year between seven-episode arcs. That means the final season is really two entirely separate ones, at least in terms of scheduling.

The first seven shows will be shown next spring under the title “The Beginning.” The second group will be shown in 2015 and will be called “The End of an Era."’ Variety reported that the writing staff for the final season will include the Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne, who will be designated a consulting producer.