Mad Men: Long Before HD

I went to TiVO “Mad Men” this morning, so that I could catch its debut on AMC. And as I was programming the box to receive the much ballyhooed show, about a 1960s era ad agency, I realized two things:

1. I’d thought to myself that I needed to “TiVO” it, despite the fact that I was using a Comcast-supplied DVR.

2. I was more than a bit perturbed that AMC is not available in HD. I mean ever since we got the big plasma screen last year I think I’ve watched no more than a few hours of non-HD television. The difference is way too noticeable. And given that most of what I watch is either sports or HBO, this hasn’t been a problem.

Point is, while I don’t like to assume that my personal experiences are universal, I don’t think I’m going out on much of a limb here to guess that I wasn’t alone on either of these thoughts. Within a particular socioeconomic demographic, anyway.

PS: There’s been some debate on Adscam and Adpulp about how tough it really was for Jews and Italians to work at many of the bigger agencies back then. Having not been there, I can’t be sure, but Alessandra Stanley, the New York Times TV critic does mention it in her review as well:

Men wore white shirts, drank Manhattans and harassed compliant secretaries in the elevator. Everybody read Reader’s Digest. Jews worked in Jewish advertising agencies, blacks were waiters and careful not to seem too uppity, and doctors smoked during gynecological exams. Women were called “girls.” Men who loved men kept it to themselves.