Critical reception A Little Kiss

little kiss received approving reviews television critic community. usa today writer robert bianco gave 4 out of 4 stars, praising high level of achievement in writing , directing cast led shockingly under-emmyed jon hamm, playing man own flawed invention , letting see effort , pain behind charade. there s not weak performer on view sunday, preternaturally assured kiernan shipka sally old pro robert morse bert. tv guide critic matt roush opined civil rights movement provides ironic bookends episode, reflecting how insular universe these smug flawed purveyors of american dream, none more memorable , maddening don draper (jon hamm), alpha hunk appears have all. things never change in world of mad men: high quality of acting, writing, production design , detail. newsday reviewer verne gay gave grade, citing mad men , in right ways -- humor, writing, period details, , best of all, flawless attention these characters , cluttered interior worlds. alan sepinwall of hitfix said premiere suggests other show belongs in discussion best drama on television same 1 talking last season. @ top level, there breaking bad, , there — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — mad men, , there else.

tv fanatic s dan forcella gave two-hour season premiere 4.5 out of 5 stars saying, honestly, first 45 minutes or setting scene new season, smart move make premiere 2 hours long. after that, though, began pick up. todd vanderwerff of a.v. club rated episode a- , commented on series take on 1960s, saying: 60s both incredibly important show , incidental makes work well. it’s show, on 1 hand, how people deal sweeping social change, when s happening way, way off radar (as see in final scene of tonight s episode), it’s show means live through decade. lori rackl of chicago sun-times gave season 5 premiere 4 stars: after dark , depressing season four, s refreshing start things off on more jovial, lighter note. s not premiere devoid of angst, disappointment , drama. s buoyed unusually high amount of humor. los angeles times robert lloyd spoke series continued success: works because s less then—it s fantasy of then, really—than now.

alessandra stanley of new york times, however, 1 of few reviewers give season premiere low score: show became hit because seemed original has been co-opted looks cliché. personalities on mad men don t change, times do. @ point, context may more interesting characters. on twitter, hollywood reporter critic tim goodman characterized stanley s critique bullshit ramble-review , saying stanley wants know s above material s covering. in review, goodman laudatory, saying party, more else, central defining moment of re going. different. newer. re not in 1960 anymore. , if think it, show know , love change well. s going different, above , beyond characters changing. time writer james poniewozik wrote cooler review saying that, i’m glad have mad men back, “a little kiss” not great episode. mad men return episodes aren’t: take time , lot of table setting. poniewozik simultaneously intrigued , unsettled megan s addition new female lead , reasoned weiner used megan s unfamiliarity advantage , storytelling device. fact unknown quantity among these well-known quantities may give chance see think know differently — through eyes of relative stranger. chuck barney of contra costa times said premiere off methodical start reintroduced enigmatic characters eventually, gains traction, weaving threads of heartfelt poignancy doses of dark humor. hasn t changed quality of endeavor. mad men remains show feels more literature tv. top-notch acting still intact, attention aesthetic detail. so, after excruciating delay, still in love show? truly, -- madly. david weigard of san francisco chronicle called premiere stunner , compared character of don draper legendary american characters jake barnes, charles foster kane, tony soprano, huck finn, natty bumppo, elmer gantry , of all, f. scott fitzgerald s creation of jimmy gatz, assumed entirely new identity jay gatsby in 1925.