'Mad Men's restoration on HBO Max marred by glaring errors
What's the story
The recent 4K restoration of the award-winning drama series Mad Men on HBO Max has been a double-edged sword. While it has attracted new viewers, it has also led to several technical glitches that have left fans scratching their heads. From episodes being out of order to crew members appearing in scenes, these blunders have sparked widespread online discussions among fans of the show.
Production blunders
Fans spot crew members in 'Mad Men' post-production errors
One major goof fans noticed appears in the Season 1 episode Red in the Face, where a crew member can be seen operating a fake vomit machine as Roger Sterling gets sick after downing oysters and martinis. "How is a mistake like that even possible, lmao," one person wrote on Reddit. "Had to look up the original scene to make sure I wasn't tripping, and yep he is not supposed to be there," another wrote.
Episode confusion
'Mad Men' episodes mislabeled, playing out of order
Another issue that has confused fans is the mislabeling of episodes in the first season. The Guardian found three episodes that play out of order on HBO Max. Viewers who watch the series straight through would see the fourth episode, then the seventh, followed by the fifth and sixth. This mix-up adds to the technical headaches faced by new viewers of Mad Men on HBO Max.
History of errors
HBO Max's previous post-production blunders
These recent mistakes are not the first time HBO has faced post-production issues. In 2019, fans spotted a coffee cup from a local Belfast chain in front of Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen during a Winterfell feast in Game of Thrones's final season. The company later removed the cup from the episode but joined in on the joke on social media.
Series history
'Mad Men' series and its journey to HBO Max
Mad Men, which aired from 2007 to 2015 on AMC, starred Jon Hamm as advertising executive Don Draper and Elisabeth Moss as his protege Peggy. The show earned 16 Emmys over its eight-year run, including four back-to-back wins for Outstanding Drama. Creator Matthew Weiner originally pitched the show to HBO but it was eventually picked up by AMC. All seven seasons of the acclaimed series are still streaming on AMC+ but not in 4K resolution.