Why Mad Men blows ass

[TVC15]

It uses the phrase, "You know what they say: "the medium is the message."

The show takes place in 1960.  Marshall McLuhan didn't coin the phrase until 1964.  Epic fail for a TV show trying to appear smart.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

that's totally just like what happened in Highlander 2 when Sean Connery's dead character from the first movie comes back to life in the future on the stage of a Shakespeare play and he had no concept whatsoever of theater to non-humorous effect.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

yes, that actually happened, fuck that movie.

[close]

[Bloodwake]

Well, obviously they have to fictionalize shit. "Its Toasted" was actually used as a catchphrase originally in the 1940's.

[E-DuB]

The show takes place in 1960.  Marshall McLuhan didn't coin the phrase until 1964. 

S
M
H

[Mr. Gundam]

It uses the phrase, "You know what they say: "the medium is the message."

The show takes place in 1960.  Marshall McLuhan didn't coin the phrase until 1964.  Epic fail for a TV show trying to appear smart.

Wow! You really do hate everything!

[TVC15]

It uses the phrase, "You know what they say: "the medium is the message."

The show takes place in 1960.  Marshall McLuhan didn't coin the phrase until 1964.  Epic fail for a TV show trying to appear smart.

Wow! You really do hate everything!

If Mad Men were MGS3, TIME PARADOX would have appeared on screen.

[Phoenix Dark]

Haven't seen S2 but the first one is amazing imo.

I wouldn't be surprised if that phrase, or something strikingly similar, was uttered before 64 by a marketing/advertising tycoon

[TVC15]

No, it's a coinage by Marshall McLuhan.  He's famous for coining it.   Mad Men historical accuracy bomba.  What makes it even worse is that the character in question makes it sound like it's in common parlance, which it probably wasn't until a while after the book it was coined in was published.

[TVC15]

I don't have any problem with historical anachronism. 

I do when the show purports to be something of a period piece (note:  period pieces by the brilliant Peter Greenaway do not apply).  The show is almost Family Guy-esque in how often it drops references to the era it's taking place in.  You'd think they'd at least take a few minutes to make sure that all their references are correct.

[Phoenix Dark]

But you must admit that an advertising giant (or even the government) would have had understanding of that concept long before McLuhan's work. His work is sort of an expose of an existing phenomena anyway; the regular public didn't know much about the media's influence at the time, but the media did.

So while yea, the coinage didn't exist during Mad Men's period but I can accept its use given the context

[Bloodwake]

They are pretty right most of the time. It's hard for anything to be completely accurate.

Especially since the show's so fucking awesome.

[TVC15]

But you must admit that an advertising giant (or even the government) would have had understanding of that concept long before McLuhan's work. His work is sort of an expose of an existing phenomena anyway; the regular public didn't know much about the media's influence at the time, but the media did.

So while yea, the coinage didn't exist during Mad Men's period but I can accept its use given the context

You can't logically conclude any of that.  Do you think physicists were gabbing casually about relativity before Einstein came up with it?  Marshall McLuhan wasn't even that famous amongst the public in 1960, but it's a fair logical assumption that advertising agencies would know the theories that MADE his career a full 4 years before he stated them and backed them up?  That's ridiculous.  Say, why don't we gab about ideas from 4 years in the future, since it's only logical that we'll know them now, as they've been known in the past?

Also, it was a secretary that said it, too, not an ad exec.

[Mr. Gundam]

They are pretty right most of the time. It's hard for anything to be completely accurate.

Especially since the show's so fucking awesome.

This.

Keep watching the damn show. It's good.

[Bloodwake]

Seems Peggy is way ahead of the curve.  Leave it to a Canadian man to steal theories from an American woman.

Meaning that they gave her the line for a reason, one TVC probably overlooked in his hurried rush to troll Mad Men

 

[TVC15]

Seems Peggy is way ahead of the curve.  Leave it to a Canadian man to steal theories from an American woman.

Unless there's an arc later on where Marshall McLuhan is banging all the secretaries and stealing their ideas for publication, I'm not letting this drop.  Actually, that would be an awesome arc.

It wasn't Peggy, it was the hot ginger vampy bitch.  I forget her name but I kinda like Hot Ginger Vampy Bitch.

[Mr. Gundam]

Seems Peggy is way ahead of the curve.  Leave it to a Canadian man to steal theories from an American woman.

Unless there's an arc later on where Marshall McLuhan is banging all the secretaries and stealing their ideas for publication, I'm not letting this drop.  Actually, that would be an awesome arc.

It wasn't Peggy, it was the hot ginger vampy bitch.  I forget her name but I kinda like Hot Ginger Vampy Bitch.

JOAN.

smh

[TVC15]

Whatever.  When I see a woman on TV, they usually fit into the * Bitch naming scheme, where the first name is some demeaning trait they have and their last name is Bitch.  Like, Peggy is Ugly Bitch and Don's wife is Neuropathy Bitch.

[Mr. Gundam]

How far are you into the show, TVC?

[TVC15]

I finished ep 6 last night.  I drank an entire bottle of wine while watching to make me numb to its gross historical inaccuracies.

[Phoenix Dark]

But you must admit that an advertising giant (or even the government) would have had understanding of that concept long before McLuhan's work. His work is sort of an expose of an existing phenomena anyway; the regular public didn't know much about the media's influence at the time, but the media did.

So while yea, the coinage didn't exist during Mad Men's period but I can accept its use given the context

You can't logically conclude any of that.  Do you think physicists were gabbing casually about relativity before Einstein came up with it?  Marshall McLuhan wasn't even that famous amongst the public in 1960, but it's a fair logical assumption that advertising agencies would know the theories that MADE his career a full 4 years before he stated them and backed them up?  That's ridiculous.  Say, why don't we gab about ideas from 4 years in the future, since it's only logical that we'll know them now, as they've been known in the past?

Also, it was a secretary that said it, too, not an ad exec.

I wouldn't compare knowledge of media influence to knowledge of relativity, but I get your point. Governmental agencies, advertising/marketing agencies, etc have been in the business of influencing behavior and opinion for a very long time. Looking back on advertisements from the 50s especially is odd today; it just seems so manipulative.

[cool breeze]

It's times like this that I'm glad I slacked off in school

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Mad Men is fucking awesome

Don Draper gets so much poonani and he's so dour about it the whole time :'(

I see it more as a historical pastiche than an actual period piece - I mean, some of these campaigns really existed but were not done by Sterling Cooper (of course) etc. etc.... It's supposed to be evocative of the era, not "set in" the era. Shrug.

Joan

[TVC15]

I'll keep that in mind when in the next episode, Don Draper's kids start casually chatting about differance.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

my friend calls him "Don Draper the Booty Raper"

[TVC15]

my friend calls him "Don Draper the Booty Raper"

I'm kind of upset that he didn't bang Jew Bitch, because she's definitely the hottest of the Bitches on the show, although I do have a thing for Hot Ginger Vampy Bitch.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

my friend calls him "Don Draper the Booty Raper"

I'm kind of upset that he didn't bang Jew Bitch, because she's definitely the hottest of the Bitches on the show, although I do have a thing for Hot Ginger Vampy Bitch.

I have a date with a Jewish girl this upcoming weekend, I blame Mad Men for making me hot for Jewish-American Princesses

[Bloodwake]

my friend calls him "Don Draper the Booty Raper"

I'm kind of upset that he didn't bang Jew Bitch, because she's definitely the hottest of the Bitches on the show, although I do have a thing for Hot Ginger Vampy Bitch.

TVC IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ALL OF SEASON ONE STAY AWAY FROM SPOILER

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I thought he did bang Jew Bitch eventually towards the end of the season.

[close]

[TVC15]

Fuck this, I think I can eat solid foods again.  I'm going to the motherfuckin Cinnabon.

I subsisted on liquor and pills all weekend.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Spoiler for Bloodwake and not TVC:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You are correct.

[close]

Also, we should not be talking about S1 stuff in this thread, TVC just finished Episode 6.

[Bloodwake]

Yeah, we shouldn't.

I will say that it just keeps getting better though. One episode toward the end made me tear up a bit.

[Eric P]

I finished ep 6 last night.  I drank an entire bottle of wine while watching to make me numb to its gross historical inaccuracies.

better than Anatomy of Hell, guaranteed

not even hardcore sex could save that film

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I will say that it just keeps getting better though. One episode toward the end made me tear up a bit.

Was it

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Wheel? best pitch ever :'(

[close]

Don Draper, God of men

[Bloodwake]

YES!

Fucking great writing.

Actually, I started watching the Sopranos recently because of Weiner's role in writing for the show. Also pretty damn good.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Don Draper is actually one of the saddest characters on television.  The whole first season left me so melancholy.

Mad Men was hard for me to watch more than 2 episodes at a time - the show can hit you like a bad drunk

[Bloodwake]

Don Draper is actually one of the saddest characters on television.  The whole first season left me so melancholy.

Mad Men was hard for me to watch more than 2 episodes at a time - the show can hit you like a bad drunk

Yeah. It's hard for me to rewatch the blu-rays after my first time through.

[drohne]

i've been wanting to buy it on bd because

1. of that zaftig redhead
2. it's a tv show on bd

if it's actually good so much the better

[Howard Alan Treesong]

it's actually one of the better looking BDs I own - the transfer is awesome and it totally benefits from HD in every glorious smoky shot

[drohne]

zaftig is like the best word ever.

word

[Bloodwake]

it's actually one of the better looking BDs I own - the transfer is awesome and it totally benefits from HD in every glorious smoky shot

It's not the best transfer ever, but it's pretty damn good. Especially the smoke. Holy fuck.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

zaftig is like the best word ever.

I did not know this word, it rules

and yeah, I mean the transfer isn't fucking Speed Racer, but you'll definitely be experiencing it in Glorious HD, as opposed to "why didn't I just buy this on DVD"

[Bloodwake]

zaftig is like the best word ever.

I did not know this word, it rules

and yeah, I mean the transfer isn't fucking Speed Racer, but you'll definitely be experiencing it in Glorious HD, as opposed to "why didn't I just buy this on DVD"

Jesus Christ, don't remind me of Speed Racer. I'm pretty sure the final race gave me an orgasm.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

zaftig is like the best word ever.

I did not know this word, it rules

and yeah, I mean the transfer isn't fucking Speed Racer, but you'll definitely be experiencing it in Glorious HD, as opposed to "why didn't I just buy this on DVD"

Jesus Christ, don't remind me of Speed Racer. I'm pretty sure the final race gave me an orgasm.

Speed Racer on my new 1080p projector

[Mr. Gundam]

I will say that it just keeps getting better though. One episode toward the end made me tear up a bit.

Was it

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Wheel? best pitch ever :'(

[close]

Don Draper, God of men

The wife and I dressed up as Don and Betty for a TV-themed Halloween party. Along with cigarettes and a high ball, I brought along an old wheel slide projector.

[drozmight]

Perhaps Marshall McLuhan was simply the first person to publish the phrase, making him the de facto owner of the phrase when really it was an idea that had been floating around for a while.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

not

[close]