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United States of Al

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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52

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United States of Al

Series Details & Credits

CBS | Release Date: April 1, 2021

Summary: Marine veteran Riley (Parker Young) befriends Awalmir aka Al (Adhir Kalyan), an interpreter who served with him in Afghanistan and who has just moved to start a new life in America in this Chuck Lorre comedy created by David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari.

Genre(s): Comedy

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Recent Episodes

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S2:E11. Punch / Musht
Air Date: January 10, 2022
tbd
S2:E10. Professor; Ustad
Air Date: January 6, 2022
tbd
S2:E9. Christmas; Krismis
Air Date: December 9, 2021

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

52

Positive:

2

Mixed:

8

Negative:

1

Critic Reviews

80

Reason.com

Glenn Garvin

Apr 6, 2021

Season 1 Review: With a talented cast and writing staff and a truly original premise, it might really turn into something exceptional—if the American Taliban doesn't put it to death first. Read full review

68

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Rob Owen

Mar 25, 2021

Season 1 Review: There’s a refreshing sweetness to both the guys and their friendship that’s more pronounced than in some other Lorre sitcoms on CBS. Whether there’s enough story to draw from culture clashes and Al’s wide-eyed innocence (a little too wide-eyed at times) remains to be seen but the likability of the characters is never in question. Read full review

60

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

Mar 25, 2021

Season 1 Review: The cross-cultural confusions like in Chuck Lore's most recent hit Bob {Hearts) Abishola, are mostly endearing, even when some of the jokes land too hard. [29 Mar - 11 Apr 2021, p.9]

50

The A.V. Club

Saloni Gajjar

Mar 31, 2021

Season 1 Review: United States Of Al keeps its titular figure in a mold. It does take a couple more steps forward than TBBT in this case, by showing slightly more empathy to Al’s freakout over the shorts than just dreary innuendos. ... But for touting itself for its representation, the show offers this tenderness mostly to its white characters, though even jokes that don’t involve Al simply fall flat. Read full review

50

CNN

Brian Lowry

Apr 1, 2021

Season 1 Review: "Al" has the feel of an idea that sounded better during the pitch than in the execution, with the laughs ending up lost in translation. Read full review

50

USA Today

Kelly Lawler

Apr 1, 2021

Season 1 Review: "Al" certainly has good intentions. But good intentions aren't enough to make the show a worthy representation of a culture or even a good sitcom. There has to be something more substantial to back them up, and "Al" just doesn't have it. Read full review

20

RogerEbert.com Roxana Hadadi

Mar 30, 2021

Season 1 Review: Nothing about these first four episodes, though, suggests a willingness to move past the predictable pork/alcohol/sex jokes and into grappling with how a Middle Eastern and Muslim immigrant who spent years surrounded by war would adjust to American life. ... All this show can generate for Al is to call him an “optimistic little dude,” and that patronizing pat on the head is pretty much the whole vibe of the arduous “United States of Al.” Read full review

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Mixed:

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User Reviews

7

NotchFilter

May 24, 2021

If you're looking for belly laughs from a TV show, this is not the comedy for you.

If you're looking for a deeper examination of what people face in their day-to-day lives, with a touch of comedy, then this show may work for you. Mr Lorre was doing basic comedy in, e.g., the Cybill shows.If you're looking for belly laughs from a TV show, this is not the comedy for you.

If you're looking for a deeper examination of what people face in their day-to-day lives, with a touch of comedy, then this show may work for you.

Mr Lorre was doing basic comedy in, e.g., the Cybill shows. Since then, recently he's progressed, tackling more difficult issues.

Skipping ahead to Mom, that show was a tough one to watch because of its premise. But watching it was rewarding because of the understanding one gains.

Bob Hearts Abishola is another where one gains insight while enjoying the episodes.

The United States of Al carries on along those lines. Mr Lorre is clearly progressing (and making up for the decreasing quality of Big Bang's 7th through 12th seasons. But I digress...).

Mr Young plays his role superbly. I enjoyed his acting on Enlisted, but this series allows him to really show his subtly. The way he walks around the house, you can see by the expression on his face that he is carrying a burden.

The interaction between Mr Young and Mr Kalyan characters shows a deep friendship that spans many difficulties.

As is usual with a Mr Lorre series, the character development is excellent.

So if you're looking for a TV comedy where you put your brain on hold, watch the show, then pick up your brain afterwards, this show may not be for you.

But if you want to watch an observation of the bond between an American soldier and the Afghan interpreter he worked with, with a comedic touch, then I'd say give this show a viewing.

If you watch no other episode, watch the one about the fundraiser....… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

3

3ebfan511

Oct 14, 2021

The good: the show is a positive step for muslim american represientation, and is apparently written or created by Afghan people I believe. The Bad: the show is billed and shot like a comedy, but...is not very funny. From the Season 2 episode 1 I watched, there was 1 kindof funny joke inThe good: the show is a positive step for muslim american represientation, and is apparently written or created by Afghan people I believe. The Bad: the show is billed and shot like a comedy, but...is not very funny. From the Season 2 episode 1 I watched, there was 1 kindof funny joke in the firt 5 seconds of the show, and actually a throw-away comment by the dad, and then...nothing funny for a good 10 minutes as it was actually quite dark and depressing. The show would have worked better if shot in a different way, and could have explored things in a much different way. What you have here is a bit of confusion, and it doens't quite work well for what it is apparently trying to be. (a 30 minute sitcom.)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

0

the-airbud

Apr 29, 2021

The quality of Chuck Lorre's shows have been on a steady decline. This is probably the worst one yet. CBS sitcoms generally fail to provide any comedy, but this one has literally nothing of value. Critics gave this garbage show softball reviews just because it's on a major network and has aThe quality of Chuck Lorre's shows have been on a steady decline. This is probably the worst one yet. CBS sitcoms generally fail to provide any comedy, but this one has literally nothing of value. Critics gave this garbage show softball reviews just because it's on a major network and has a major creator. This is not an okay or mediocre show, it is so much worse than just about anything else on television. Only worth watching if you hate Chuck Lorre and want to watch the hopefully swift demise of this embarrassment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Seasons & Episodes

52

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 7, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E11. Punch / Musht
  Air Date: January 10, 2022
- tbd
  S2:E10. Professor; Ustad
  Air Date: January 6, 2022
- tbd
  S2:E9. Christmas; Krismis
  Air Date: December 9, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E8. Wisdom; Hikmat
  Air Date: December 2, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E7. College; Pohantoon
  Air Date: November 18, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E6. Veterans Day; Roz-e Sarbaz
  Air Date: November 11, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E5. Date; Didar
  Air Date: November 4, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E4. Panic; Tars
  Air Date: October 28, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E3. Mo; Masoud
  Air Date: October 21, 2021
- tbd
  S2:E2. Repo; Wapas Geri
  Air Date: October 14, 2021
Season 1

52
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 1, 2021