Bold claim: Remastering classic TV to 4K doesn’t automatically improve it—and sometimes it ruins what made it special. And this is exactly what happened with HBO Max’s recent handling of Mad Men.
Last month, HBO Max announced a major library addition: Mad Men, a series HBO famously passed on during its early development. The plan was to present the period drama in a new 4K remaster, promising audiences and longtime fans “crisp detail and enhanced visual clarity.” Yet the result proved there can be too much clarity.
Shortly after the show went live, a social media screenshot from Season 1’s “Red in the Face” circulated, showing Roger Sterling’s infamous vomiting scene. In the original AMC+ version, seven men in period-accurate suits filled the frame. The HBO Max streaming version, however, exposed background crew members and used a hose to simulate the vomit, making the illusion obvious and jarringly modern-looking.
Compounding the issue, several episodes were mislabeled, requiring viewers to click the episode titled “Babylon” to see Roger’s stomach-turning moment. It’s the kind of misstep that even Mad Men’s own meme library would find ironic.
This isn’t an isolated problem when classics migrate between platforms or formats. Much of 20th-century television was shot in standard definition with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Raising the resolution and reframing for widescreen can introduce artifacts: you may catch background extras in ways they were never meant to be seen, or you might crop away crucial visual jokes and gags that depend on the original framing.
For example, some episodes of Seinfeld lost a pothole gag after cropping to widescreen, and certain Simpsons moments were altered when Disney+ cropped content to fit new dimensions. It’s not just about adding content to the sides; cropping tops and bottoms can strip away punchlines and timing that rely on the original composition.
The risk isn’t limited to minor misplacements. Remastering with older technology can push the image into sharpness that reveals flaws previously hidden, turning background performers into oddly sharp, Picasso-like figures. Personal anecdotes from industry insiders echo the same concern: even sets designed for standard viewing can look shabby in high definition unless faithfully rebuilt, which is often impractical for long-running shows.
Some classics do benefit from careful HD upgrades, but they require deliberate, case-by-case work. The Wire’s creator, David Simon, participated in the HD restoration process and recognized that while some improvements are real, others aren’t worth the trade-offs. It’s a sentiment that echoes Don Draper’s famous line about technology: the glittering lure can grab attention, but true engagement comes from a product that preserves its original soul and style.
Mad Men was always known for its cinematic presence in widescreen, and the early seasons were shot on film. In theory, a remaster should enhance its visual fidelity without erasing the show’s distinctive period mood. In practice, though, the result has felt more like an over-polished re-envisioning than a faithful preservation.
Ultimately, the best approach may be to preserve the integrity of the original presentation, even if that means accepting black bars at the sides or minor imperfections that keep the work’s authentic texture intact. When a beloved series carries a sentimental bond with audiences, sometimes the most respectful move is to let it be, rather than forcing a modern polish that risks erasing its essence.
