The golden age of television is often celebrated for its artistic vision, meticulous detail, and the indelible impact it has on our culture. Shows like "Mad Men," a critically acclaimed period drama set against the backdrop of the advertising world in the 1960s, are prime examples. When HBO Max announced that "Mad Men" would be gracing its streaming platform, complete with a brand-new 4K remastering, fans were understandably excited. The promise was of enhanced visual clarity, allowing audiences to appreciate the show’s authentically crafted elements with crisp detail.
However, this modern pursuit of visual perfection took an unexpected and rather comical turn. Not long after the remastered series became available, a screencap began circulating on social media, originating from a pivotal scene in the Season One episode, "Red in the Face." In this particular moment, the debonair but often troubled Roger Sterling finds himself in a most embarrassing situation: vomiting in front of a group of esteemed Sterling Cooper clients. In the original broadcast, and still visible on platforms like AMC+, this scene featured seven impeccably dressed men, all in period-appropriate suits and ties. The visual was contained, focused, and utterly believable within its 1960s setting.
The HBO Max 4K version, however, offered a starkly different perspective. The same scene now revealed two figures lurking in the background, out of sync with the mid-century milieu. These were clearly crew members, their modern attire and presence jarringly out of place. Their purpose? To feed a hose, an unseen prop used to create the illusion of Roger Sterling’s unfortunate bout of sickness. This revelation, for many, felt like a glitch in the matrix, a moment where the curtain was pulled back too far, revealing the unvarnished mechanics of filmmaking.
This wasn’t just an isolated incident; it highlighted a broader trend that has emerged as classic television makes its way to newer, higher-resolution formats. The transition from 20th-century filmmaking, often shot in standard definition with a 4:3 aspect ratio, to widescreen, high-definition displays, has presented a series of challenges. To fit these older shows into the wider frame of modern televisions, filmmakers and editors often have to digitally expand the image, adding material to the sides of the original picture. This process, while aiming to enhance the viewing experience, can inadvertently expose elements that were never meant to be seen.
Similar issues have plagued other beloved series. When "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was converted to widescreen, observant viewers noticed crew members appearing in the background of certain shots. The iconic "X-Files" episode "Gender Bender," which dealt with a killer’s ability to transform between male and female, saw a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the male actor waiting in the wings to swap roles, a detail that remained hidden in the original broadcast.
Beyond adding elements to the sides, cropping the top and bottom of the image to achieve the widescreen effect can also lead to unintended consequences, particularly for visual gags. In the case of "Seinfeld," when the show was reframed for widescreen, a crucial visual element in the episode "The Pothole" was lost. The iconic pothole that George Costanza was lamenting disappeared from the frame, diminishing the impact of his complaint. Similarly, "The Simpsons" episode featuring Homer’s visit to the Duff brewery had one of its best sight gags obscured when the image was cropped for widescreen on Disney+.
But the problems extend beyond aspect ratio adjustments. Remastering older shows that were produced with less sophisticated technology can sometimes result in even more peculiar outcomes. A clip from "I Love Lucy" that went viral last year showcased background actors who, in the original broadcast, were a blurry, unobtrusive part of the scene. In the remastered version, they were brought into such sharp focus that they appeared almost surreal, like figures from a Cubist painting, detracting from the intended atmosphere.
I recall visiting the set of "Frasier" in the late nineties, a time when the television industry was on the cusp of a significant technological shift towards high-definition. Even then, producers expressed concerns. They lamented that the meticulously crafted sets, designed with the forgiving nature of standard definition in mind, might appear less polished and even shabby in HD. The prospect of having to undertake expensive renovations to their standing sets loomed large. It became clear that many shows, from "Frasier" to "I Love Lucy" and beyond, were created with a future of ultra-high definition in mind, a future that simply didn’t exist at the time of their production.
While numerous classic films have undergone successful remasters for HD and 4K, these are often standalone projects where dedicated teams can meticulously attend to every frame. Television, however, presents a different scale of challenge. Consider "Seinfeld," which boasts 180 episodes, or "The Simpsons," with an astonishing 429 episodes produced in standard definition. The sheer volume of content makes rigorous quality control an immense undertaking, making it inevitable that mistakes will slip through the cracks. It’s worth noting that in response to such issues, platforms like Disney+ eventually provided options to view earlier seasons of "The Simpsons" in their original aspect ratio, acknowledging the value of historical fidelity.
There are exceptions, of course. David Simon, the creator of the gritty urban drama "The Wire," insisted on being actively involved in the remastering process. His engagement ensured that changes to image quality and aspect ratio were made with careful consideration for the show’s inherent aesthetic. Simon himself acknowledged that while some scenes might improve in HD and widescreen, others might not, and even with the best efforts at resizing and touch-ups, some elements might simply be diminished. His involvement serves as a rare but valuable example of prioritizing artistic intent.
The "Mad Men" error, specifically, is a peculiar one. The show was consistently presented in HD widescreen during its original run. However, the first four seasons were shot on film. The prevailing theory, supported by sources close to the production, is that during the remastering process, Lionsgate provided HBO Max with "incorrect files." It’s possible that an alternate take of the vomit scene, one where the crew members had not yet been digitally erased, was inadvertently used. The good news for "Mad Men" fans is that the proper versions are expected to be uploaded soon.
This brings us to a fundamental question: why was this extensive remastering even necessary? "Mad Men" is, by all accounts, one of the most visually stunning television series ever produced. The Blu-ray editions are already breathtaking. While the HBO Max 4K version might offer a marginal increase in crispness and detail on a 4K TV, it’s debatable whether this improvement justifies the potential for error or the fanfare surrounding it.
There’s a palpable drive in the modern entertainment industry to make everything look as polished and pristine as possible. This often comes at the expense of preserving the original spirit and stylistic choices of the creators. Some shows, like "Mad Men," possess an inherent aesthetic that doesn’t require additional embellishment. Others, like "The Wire," were intentionally designed to be raw and gritty. When the intention is to capture a specific mood or texture, over-polishing can fundamentally alter the viewer’s experience.
Don Draper, the enigmatic protagonist of "Mad Men," famously posited in one of his iconic ad pitches: "Technology is a glittering lure, but there’s the rare occasion when the public can be engaged on a level beyond flash, if they have a sentimental bond with the product." This sentiment resonates deeply when considering our connection to classic television. We develop a sentimental bond with these shows, with their characters, their stories, and indeed, with their original presentation. Perhaps it’s time to embrace the idea that it’s perfectly acceptable to leave these treasured pieces of media as they were, even if that means accepting the presence of black bars on the sides of the screen or not being able to discern every single follicle of Don Draper’s impeccably groomed stubble. The magic often lies not just in the story, but in the original tapestry of its creation, imperfections and all.