Mad Men

Mad Men (2007)

2 factual errors in Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

(4 votes)

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - S1-E1

Factual error: When the new secretary is being shown around the office, the cover is slipped off an IBM Selectric typewriter. She is told not to be afraid of the new technology, it was made easy enough for a woman to use. The episode takes place in March 1960 (a calendar is shown) and the IBM Selectric wasn't introduced until 1961.

Rlvlk

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - S1-E1

Factual error: The ad team is trying to come up with a new campaign for Lucky Strike cigarettes, since all health claims must be removed. With a stroke of genius, the slogan "It's toasted" is created and approved. "It's toasted" was the ad campaign that debuted in 1917. In the early 60s, it was "Lucky Strike separates the men from the boys, but not from the girls".

Rlvlk

The Suitcase - S4-E7

Factual error: At the beginning of the episode, the male employees are all discussing James Bond. It is mentioned that 'James Bond goes underwater, he met a girl underwater'. This refers to the plot of the movie 'Thunderball' (it does not occur in the Thunderball novel, nor any novel or film prior to this). The main plot of this episode centres around the Sonny Liston VS Cassius Clay fight in May 1965, and 'Thunderball' was not released until December of that year.

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To Have and to Hold - S6-E4

Trivia: The character Ted Chaough is briefly heard ordering an "Old Spanish" at a bar during the episode. This is a very quick and subtle reference to the popular cult-comedy series "30 Rock." In "30 Rock", the "Old Spanish" is a fake drink that character Cooter Burger is jokingly convinced is real as a prank by co-workers at the White House. The drink was rather nauseatingly comprised of red wine, tonic water and olives. "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm had previously co-starred on "30 Rock" and is friendly with its creator Tina Fey, thus the reference.

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The Good News - S4-E3

Question: Did no one get surprised at the price of the Call Girl at the end of the episode? For spending a whole evening and night at Draper's house, the call girl charges $25, about $190 in modern money. Isn't that weirdly low?

AnthonyA

Chosen answer: At that time, call girls did not command the same amount of money as they do today. By that standard, the $25 would be considered a high rate. Today's upper-level prostitutes can demand far more for their services.

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