▁New ▁York , ▁pra ised ▁the ▁initial ▁episode , ▁stating : ▁" In sp ired ▁by ▁c yn ical ▁Eisen h ower - era ▁com ed ies ▁of ▁man ners ▁( S weet ▁Sm ell ▁of ▁Success , ▁The ▁A partment ) ▁and ▁the ▁stories ▁of ▁John ▁Che ever , ▁frequent ▁S op ran os ▁writer ▁Matthew ▁We iner ' s ▁Mad ▁Men ▁is ▁a ▁sc ath ing ▁chron icle ▁of ▁the ▁ad ▁industry ’ s ▁bo o zy ▁mid century ▁he yd ay , ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fresh est ▁series ▁to ▁hit ▁basic ▁cable ▁in ▁years ." ▁ ▁Vari et ys ▁reaction ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁was ▁more ▁mixed , ▁comment ing ▁that ▁" as ▁a ▁serial ized ▁drama , ▁the ▁program ' s ▁situations ▁aren ' t ▁especially ▁stir ring , ▁even ▁with ▁its ▁solid , ▁perfectly ▁out f itted ▁cast . ▁The ▁she er ▁atmosphere , ▁however , ▁proves ▁into xic ating ." ▁Tom ▁Sh ales ▁of ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁wrote ▁a ▁negative ▁review , ▁stating ▁that ▁" the ▁stories ▁unfold ▁in ▁a ▁dry , ▁d rab ▁way ▁and ▁the ▁p acing ▁is ▁des ult ory . ▁Series ▁direct ors ▁are ▁fond ▁of ▁long ▁p aus es ▁that ▁serve ▁no ▁purpose ▁other ▁than ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁impression ▁that ▁an ▁actor ▁forgot ▁his ▁next ▁line ." ▁ ▁Acc ol ades ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁Mad ▁Men ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁and ▁won ▁numerous ▁industry ▁awards , ▁including ▁fifteen ▁Em my ▁nomin ations ▁and ▁six ▁Em my ▁wins . ▁At ▁the