With the season coming to a close, the networks are starting to look toward next season. In the case of 'Criminal Minds,' that includes exploring the possibility of a spin-off series. They ran an embedded pilot for it earlier this season, introducing the new cast, and they've already had tremendous success with both 'NCIS' and 'CSI' spin-offs. But whatever happened to the old-school way of creating spin-offs?

'Frasier' was a long-time cast member on 'Cheers' before he headed off to Seattle and sitcom super-stardom. 'The Jeffersons' spent time living next to the Bunkers ('All in the Family') before moving on up. Even as recently as 'Friends,' they spun series co-star 'Joey' off into his own series -- maybe that's when it all went so wrong.

The producers behind 'Mad Men' are trying to maximize their potential Emmy nominations and wins. They have decided to reposition last year's nominee Elisabeth Moss from best lead actress to best supporting actress.

The move kind of makes sense, particularly given the strong performance January Jones gave at the end of last season. The emotional drama between the soon-to-be-divorced couple of Don and Betty Draper is likely to take more of the show's spotlight rather than the affairs of Peggy Olson (and I mean "affairs" literally).

Admittedly, it's kind of sad that the producers have to do this sort of political maneuvering in order to improve their chances of winning an Emmy, particularly since Peggy Olson is such a cute character. While the show centers around Don Draper, 'Mad Men' has more of the feel of an ensemble show and it has some excellent acting talent. Perhaps the Emmys should create a new category for "Best Cast." 'Mad Men' would be sure to win that one.

If you can't wait for season four of 'Mad Men' when it debuts later this year, Mattel can help you play 'Mad Men' and create your own stories. According to the New York Times, the toy company is creating versions of Barbie and Ken based on four 'Mad Men' characters - Don Draper, his wife Betty, Roger Sterling and Joan Harris.

If you want to play out Draper's past, you can get a full-sized G.I. Joes and swap clothes. Or you can get a bunch of regular Barbies and have an office party and make them dance to the 'Mad Men' soundtrack.

When we last saw Betty Draper, she was on a plane to Reno with Henry Francis by her side. Was that the end of her story, especially since Don Draper's undoubtedly going to go on without her? Well, Matthew Weiner doesn't like to give away much about the future, but January Jones has renewed her contract with Mad Men.

Weiner confirmed it and spoke about some other bits and pieces from the Mad Men finale. He was in a giving mood. It wasn't just the holiday season, either. Mad Men had a great week in award nominations -- Golden Globes, Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild.

Are you a fan of Mad Men? Are you a fan of X-Men? Have you been hoping that Matt Weiner and Stan Lee would somehow meet up at an exclusive Hollywood party and eventually create a series that combines your two favorite television franchises?

If so, please get out of your house more.

And that hasn't exactly happened but the funny folks at Madatoms have done that for you with their new line of Mad Men/X-Men mash-ups. The shows are actually eerily similar when you think about it. Both of them feature ruthless characters who will stop at nothing for ultimate power. Both deal with the changing intolerance of their respective ages. The only thing missing are the tight fitting spandex outfits, but hey, a man can dream, right?

That was some Mad Men finale, wasn't it? If you haven't seen it yet, please stop reading now, because there was just too much going on for me not to just launch into some discussion.

OK, I'll wait until after the jump to really get into things. But, suffice to say, the end of season three left some characters going down a pretty well-determined path, but others have entered a sort of limbo state, where we don't quite know what their roles will be in season four.

(S03E13) It's a cold Friday, December 13, 1963. The President's been killed and the world as Don Draper knows it has pretty much fallen apart. For most of the season, the ground has been shifting under Don's feet and he's be holding on, trying to right himself and his life. He's tried with Betty. He's tried for Sally and Bobby and Gene -- at least as much as Don is able to try.

With Conrad Hilton he's never been on a level playing field, and from the moment he was forced to sign the contract, Sterling Cooper has not been his domain as it had been. With this episode, this season finale, all was changed and, perhaps, all has been righted. More after the jump.

The assassination of JFK on Sunday's episode of Mad Men may have been the catalyst for Betty Draper's "awakening," but it's been a long time coming.

Here comes my rant: I, for one, am sick and tired of seeing the women in this show get walked all over! I know it's the way things were back then, but the times they are a changin', so I'm hoping we'll get to see more women stand up and take charge of their lives.

I was cheering when Betty stood up to her lying, cheating, skank of a husband Don and told him she didn't love him anymore. Bonus points for driving off to meet your lover, Betty. Hopefully, he won't cheat on you.

Now if Joan would leave her loser fiance who raped her at the office and then went about his business like nothing happened -- that'd be the icing on this women's movement cake. I'd say that she and Roger Sterling belong together, but she's too good for him.

(S03E11) Autumn in New York, why does it feel so inviting... That's a great song, and I thought of it while watching the opening of this episode, with the Draper kids all excited about Halloween. And there was also that chill in the air between Don and Betty. Actually, the icy glare was all Betts. She was off to see her brother about selling their father's home, but what was really on Betty's mind was the contents of Don's desk drawer. More on that and gypsy and the hobo, after the jump. By the way, this was a great Mad Men episode.

So ... Betty Draper is starting to get an inkling of Don's dark and secret past on Mad Men. In Sunday's episode, she found the box with all his secret things. Really, you'd think he would keep it in a safety deposit box or something. You can't just leave that stuff lying around the house, even in a locked desk drawer. Someone's bound to find it, just as Betty did.

My question is what will Betty do with this important information? She' s already been stung by Don's affairs, and now she's got this to contend with.

For all of their problems and dalliances, Mad Men's Don and Betty Draper are one sexy couple. Sunday's episode, "Souvenir," was another stellar offering, and one of my favorite scenes was when Don and Betty pretended to be strangers in Rome, then went back to their room and made sweet love.

It made me swoon, not just because they're two really handsome people (her beehive-type hairdo was something else), but also because I felt like I was part of the whole deception involving the Italian guys at the cafe. Very fun.

And this, after Betty accepted a kiss from Henry Francis after the courtroom scene. She's such a cold fish with these things, and I have to wonder if she's just doing it to get back at Don for his affairs. She doesn't seem to enjoy the attention of other men. She doesn't seem to enjoy much of anything. Bob likened it to Revolutionary Road, and I quite agree. And it's no wonder Sally has repressed anger issues. She comes by it honestly.

(S03E06) What do disappointment, opportunities and snakes have in common? They're all themes in this episode of Mad Men. The British, in the form of Powell, Ford and Mackendrick came to Sterling Cooper for a visit, but what that visit meant was anybody's guess. The visit wrecking holiday plans for the staff -- no Independence Day for you, colonists -- was obvious irony and true nonetheless. And the Guy walking into the ad agency, well, it would be a hollow joke after this tragedy. More after the jump.

Does it seem like somebody lit a fire under Oprah Winfrey? It seems like it to me. Her new season commenced this week with the Whitney Houston two-parter, she's off to Central Park for tomorrow show which will relaunch Oprah's Book Club, and on Monday Oprah's doing a flashback to the 1960's with Mad Men's Jon Hamm and January Jones as guests.

First of all, I have to say that I'm terribly distracted at the moment, because my daughter is watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Even though I just watched it a few months ago, I wouldn't mind watching the entire series again from start to finish. But, alas, there are other things in my stack o' DVDs, so I'll have to be content with hearing it in the background while I work. She just watched the first two eps, and I had totally forgotten that Darla showed up in the very first episode. Interesting. Anyways...

I'll get back to The Wire -- I still have season five to watch -- but this week's Jane After Dark is all about Mad Men. Sometimes I fall deeply and madly in love with a TV show, and that's how it is with AMC's love letter to the 1960s. I raced through season one right after it was released on DVD, but stupidly waited for season two on DVD. I bought it last week and watched the entire season, devouring it like a hearty tenderloin that's perfectly cooked, so I'd be caught up for the season three premiere on August 16. If you haven't watched season two yet, spoilers follow after the jump...

Season 3 of Mad Men is set to premiere August 16th, so of course the cast and crew are busy shooting it right now. While we don't have any new footage yet, AMC has released a series of new promos for the upcoming season.The ads focus on the different aspects of the series: Drama, Romance, Comedy and Action.

The idea behind them is that there's a little something for everyone, and let me tell you: they're right. Don't believe me? Not only do you have the requisite Mad Men drinking, smoking and sleeping with inappropriate people, but you have Don Draper making a googly face and saying "Pat M'Groin." How can that be beat? IT CAN'T.