AMC's Mad Men has spent the last seven seasons as an award show darling, and yet the ad agency drama has yet to score an Emmy for any of its leading stars.

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"One of my great frustrations is that they haven't been recognized more," explained creator Matthew Weiner during an interview with to Variety on Monday. "None of the actors has ever won an Emmy and they are the gold standard."

While Mad Men launched the careers of many of its stars back when it began in 2007, Weiner insists that the performers "kind of did it on their own." They were an ensemble which rose to the occasion, coming together to form a memorable piece of television history.

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"I feel like their contribution has been unrecognized," he insisted.

The series has earned a number of Best Drama wins at the Emmys, but the frequently nominated Jon Hamm (Don Draper) and Christina Hendricks (Joan Harris) have yet to actually beat out the competition.

With half a season left, the program will still have a chance to pull in some acting wins next year before the show gets shelved for good. Weiner has noted that the end "will be completed and it will be sad," which bodes well for the show's stars as far as nominations go.

Mad Men returns to AMC to finish off its seventh and final season in the spring of 2015.

Tags: Mad Men AMC television