Digital TV Guides

Where to watch Mad Men

Thursday 17 February, 2011

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

If you’re a fan of Emmy Award-winning drama series Mad Men, you’ll be pleased to hear that season five is scheduled to be shown in the UK this summer on Sky Atlantic - but how can you get the channel?

With seasons one through to four originally shown in the UK on BBC4, Mad Men is one of the most talked about HBO series in Britain. Following the cliff hanger ending of season four, many viewers have been left wondering what will become of protagonist Don and new fiancée Megan.

The wait is nearly over however, after HBO confirmed that the popular series will return to UK screen on Sky’s new channel, Sky Atlantic, in standard and high-definition (HD). Read on to find out how you can get Sky Atlantic and watch every episode of Mad Men season five…

Mad Men: what’s it about?

Set in 1960s New York, Mad Men chronicles the lives of a bunch of sharp-suited, savvy-minded Madison Avenue ad men and their colleagues, wives, girlfriends and mistresses. Starring Jon Hamm as high-flying, chain-smoking, hard-drinking ad agency director Don Draper, the cult show has everything you’d expect from a HBO series: love, lies, deception and defeat.

Described by the Observer as a “triumph of style and substance”, over the last four years of broadcasting Mad Men has bagged itself the Emmy Award for best drama for three years running, as well as a plethora of other accolades, including three nominations at this year’s Golden Globes.

The eagerly awaited fifth season of Mad Men is due to be shown in August on new channel Sky Atlantic. If you want to find out more, just visit the Sky website: www.sky.co.uk

Cult 60s drama Mad Men stars Jon Hamm and January Jones

Mad Men on Sky Atlantic

Mad Men is exclusive to Sky (www.sky.co.uk), showing on the satellite TV giant’s new channel, Sky Atlantic, and in high-definition on Sky Atlantic HD.

Sky signed a deal with HBO in 2010, and Sky Atlantic is now home to some of the American TV production company’s biggest series, including The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and new period drama, Boardwalk Empire.

The channel, which launched in February this year, is only available to Sky TV customers. So, customers with a Virgin Media cable TV package or a subscription to BT Vision may want to consider switching to Sky if they want to watch Mad Men as and when its first shown on Sky Atlantic.

When is Mad Men on?

Though confirmed to be shown in August on Sky Atlantic and Sky Atlantic HD, Sky has yet to detail the exact date of when the first episode of season five of Mad Men will air.

However, any Sky TV subscribers worried about missing the first episode of Mad Men can use Sky’s free notification service, Never Miss.

Simply log in to your Sky account online and go to the My TV menu, or sign-up for the service here. You can then register to receive email notifications when your favourite shows are next due to broadcast, and on which channel(s) they’ll be shown. And, if you’ve got a Sky+HD set-top box, programme it to record the whole series of Mad Men.

Choosing a digital TV deal

If you’re a fan of Mad Men and want to watch every episode of series five when it premieres in the UK in August, you’ll need a subscription TV package from Sky.

Signing up for a Sky TV package will allow you to watch all the shows on Sky Atlantic, as well as a whole load of other channels, in either standard or high-definition.

The best TV option for you may not necessarily be Sky however - getting a deal from Virgin Media or BT Vision may be cheaper and cater better for your family’s needs. Compare digital TVpackages using the postcode checker on Digitalchoices.co.uk, and then sign-up online for the deal that you want.

Because the fifth series of Mad Men will be exclusive to Sky, if you choose a digital TV provider other than Sky you will have to wait for show to be released on DVD, or shown on another channel.

Sky TV packages

Sky TV only		Sky TV + Broadband + Calls
More info	More info	More info	More info
from £12.50 a month + Sky+ box + £25 M&S voucher	from £17.62 a month + Sky+ box + £25 M&S voucher	from £12.50 a month + Sky+ Box + £25 M&S voucher	from £20 a month + Sky+ Box + £25 M&S voucher
Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack	Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack 1/2 price Sky HD pack for 6 months	Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack Up to 14Mb speed 2GB monthly usage Inclusive UK evening and weekend calls	Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky Entertainment extra pack Up to 14Mb speed Unlimited downloads Inclusive UK evening and weekend calls
More info	More info	More info	More info
Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407	Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407	Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407	Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407