Avenue 5

:

Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Jan 19, 2020
User Score
4.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 44 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 44
  3. Negative: 15 out of 44

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User Reviews

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  1. Furrygopher
    Jan 22, 2020
    3
    I gave it a shot solely because of Hugh Laurie, he didn’t carry me to the end, i just don’t get what the creators are trying here, its got some of the hallmarks of great British comedies but they have been bastardised as if they are aiming for an American audience, there is a Douglas Adams vibe in the setting, a big fake cruise so confident in its automation that all the crew areI gave it a shot solely because of Hugh Laurie, he didn’t carry me to the end, i just don’t get what the creators are trying here, its got some of the hallmarks of great British comedies but they have been bastardised as if they are aiming for an American audience, there is a Douglas Adams vibe in the setting, a big fake cruise so confident in its automation that all the crew are essentially just actors incapable of facing catastrophe, but the scope is too big, British comedy doesn't work with large ensembles, there is no identifiable straight man to tether the crazy too and the characters are too pigeon holed into roles, someone desperately needed to be on set to tell all the actors “never go full retard”

    Compare these characters to say Dave Lister, yes he is a slob and yes he is stupid and yes he’s thrown into wacky catastrophe in episode 1 but his reactions to this are believable and relatable and thats where the humour came from, Dave was never full retard slob, he was that roommate you had at Uni slob.

    Or to Hugh’s own prince/lieutenant George the mans a caricature of British upper class which made his isolated madness and general ignorance of reality a cross that the normal man personified as blackadder must bear. Even george wasn't full retard ignorant snob

    The engineer seems like shes set up to be the straight man, but making her responsible for a death in the first half robs her of that and she cant be everywhere at once to balance out the infuriating interactions between stock unfaithful couple with stock nihilist PR guy or stock busybody with stock rich moron.    … Expand
  2. OlivierPiel
    Jan 21, 2020
    0
    Stopped 25 min in. Not a funny moment. Rather, the definition of "cringe": Bad jokes, clichéd characters.
    A good lesson for would-be writers:
    Satire cuts both ways: You better be sharp or the joke is on you.
  3. KeenWatcher
    Feb 9, 2020
    0
    I tried so hard to like this but the humour is not there. It had all the makings of a funny sci fi and Hugh Laurie - but it’s just silly and has rough edges. Cannot recommend.
  4. Wibblezork
    Jan 24, 2020
    0
    Fails as a comedy and also fails to be compelling, dislikeable characters, bad plot. The only positive thing I can say is it looks like they've spent (or more like wasted) money on this as the sets and cg are pretty good.

    As others have said if you want light hearted or comedy sci-fi go watch the Orville or Red Dwarf both are fair better.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed TV Season of 2020
85
#85 Most Shared TV Season of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 28
  3. Negative: 2 out of 28
  1. The Detroit News
    Reviewed by: Tom Long
    Aug 14, 2020
    50
    “Avenue 5” seems more likely to just drift off into the void. There are, of course, good people at work here. Hugh Laurie stars as the spaceship’s clueless commander, Josh Gad is the clueless zillionaire funding the spaceship, Suzy Nakamura plays the tycoon’s clueless assistant. You get the drift.
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  2. The Times
    Reviewed by: Carol Midgley
    Feb 7, 2020
    40
    Avenue 5 has a great premise, an excellent cast and, in its creator, Armando Iannucci, a satirical comedy genius at its helm. So how come it wasn't very funny? ... This still feels like something Iannucci might have done at the beginning of his career, not at its peak.
    Read full review
  3. The Independent
    Reviewed by: Sean O'Grady
    Jan 23, 2020
    100
    Avenue 5 is not just good – it’s galactically good.
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