 The episode received overwhelmingly laudatory reviews from television critics , particularly for its unusual departure from the standard Mad Men episode structure and is considered to be one of the best in the series . Alan Sepinwall of HitFix exalted the episode and the " more formally experimental " season , admitting , " I 'm still not sure I understood 100 % of it . But I know I liked it . A lot . " Sepinwall characterized " Far Away Places " as " an episode that gave the feel of dropping acid even when everyone on camera was stone <unk> . Matt Weiner , co @-@ writer <unk> <unk> , director Scott <unk> , and the actors combined to give us some of the most memorable moments the show has ever done . " Todd <unk> of The A.V. Club gave it an A grade , compared it to previous " structurally daring " episodes like " Seven Twenty Three " and " The Jet Set " , and praised the director for the " beautifully shot " episode and the " gorgeous image of [ Roger ] and Jane lying , heads touching , on the floor , admitting their marriage just isn ’ t working " , while noting that the enemy of the season is " the passage of time itself " . 
