Why "Mad Men" Is Worse on AMC

I've caught up. Now I get to watch "Mad Men" with everyone else. But I'm slightly disturbed and underwhelmed by the new experience. And I'm not talking content. Somehow, though, I can't help but wonder how much the proverbial medium affects the message.

Here are five reasons why "Mad Men" was better when I watched it through Netflix or Amazon.

1. The AMC Logo
There's something cheap about having to watch a show with a network's logo prominently displayed in the corner the whole time. HBO doesn't do it. Neither should AMC.


2. Awkward Commercial Breaks
I'm not just talking about the fact that it HAS commercials, which obviously detracts, but it seems like the show is not produced with commercials in mind. The breaks seem sudden and unevenly spaced. Not something DVR really helps with.


3. The Titles Before and After Commercials
To make matters worse, AMC has decided to place an awkardly edited title slide of the shadowy Mad Men figure set to a beat or two of the theme music. Chintzy.


4. The Fidelity
Maybe I have Time Warner to blame for this, but there is no comparison between watching the show on Blu-Ray or even Amazon on Demand to the HD version on cable. The darks are splotchier and the colors duller. Not nearly as crisp.


5. Coming Attractions
Yes, I know it's my choice to watch these, but sometimes they just spring up without notice. I decided not too long ago that I do NOT want to know what's happening "next week on..." ANYTHING. 


It's interesting how TV's move to HBO and Netflix has kept the viewer hidden from the more commercial aspects of what television viewing is necessarily about. I don't think I mind with most shows, even ones I consider to be "very good" (like "24" in its heyday or any sitcom), but when I consider a show to be transcendent I expect it to well, be transcendent---above all of the above.