It can be rather daunting to sit down and watch a show that has garnered endless critical acclaim.  The more people rave about a particular series, the higher expectations build and the more likely it is a new viewer will be disappointed by what's actually on screen.  This is what worried me when I popped the first disc of AMC's Mad Men into my DVD player a couple weeks ago.  I had seen the pilot when it originally aired and wasn't blown away, but since then the show had landed on numerous top 10 lists and garnered tons of Emmy buzz.  I pressed play, kept an open mind, and allowed myself to be transported back to the 1960s, where a group of men and women at an advertising agency dealt with problems both personal and professional.  I'm happy to report that season 1 of Mad Men more than lived up to the hype, and now rivals Lost and Friday Night Lights as my favorite show currently on the air.

If you want to see for yourself what all the fuss is about, AMC will be airing a marathon of the series beginning this Sunday at noon.

If my glowing endorsement isn't enough to get you to check out Mad Men, just take a look at the Emmy nominations that came out yesterday.  The series racked up a total of 16 nominations, which makes it the third most nominated program of the year, behind HBO's John Adams miniseries and NBC's 30 Rock.  Along with Damages, it's also the first basic cable program ever to be nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.  In addition to that prestigious nod, stars Jon Hamm and John Slattery will also be up for acting awards.

AMC will be showing all 13 episodes of the first season beginning Sunday at noon, which will prepare viewers for the launch of season 2, which begins Sunday, July 27 at 10pm.  Thirteen hours may be a long time to camp out on the couch, but Mad Men offers such a fascinating look at both office and sexual politics that it's impossible not to get hooked.  Whether you were alive in 1960 or were born 30 years later, the show provides a mesmerizing glimpse into a bygone era.  It was a time when people could smoke in the office, women were expected to be seen and not heard, and advertising was the most glamorous profession in the country.  It's not a world I'd want to live in, but it's definitely an exciting one to visit.

Either buy some snacks and prepare for 13 straight hours of the best television has to offer, or set your DVR and watch Mad Men's first season throughout the week.  This is one case where a critically lauded show actually lives up to its hype.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of AMC)