Avenue 5

HBO | Release Date: January 19, 2020

5.7	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 48 Ratings

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metabadMay 31, 2020

It's baffling that this show was created by Armando Iannucci who also created 'Veep'.
Maybe he wanted to do something silly and hoped to get away with it due to the success of 'Veep'. Well, it worked, kind of.
Not the show itself. ThatIt's baffling that this show was created by Armando Iannucci who also created 'Veep'.
Maybe he wanted to do something silly and hoped to get away with it due to the success of 'Veep'. Well, it worked, kind of.

Not the show itself. That didn't really work. The first episode is not good and the show only gets slowly better after that, but not really good enough.

Too many of the characters are not well written, especially Josh Gad's character.
Yes, he's very successful and rich, yet kind of dumb at the same time. We get it. How much jokes can you get out of such a one note character? I fear, we're gonna find out.
The rest of of the characters are based on good ideas but aren't well developed. So they lack wit and poignancy.
The humor actually provided is a little too dry for my taste. Or simply not funny enough?

I'm very generous with my rating only because of episode 8, the "We're not really in space" episode. I hope there's more where that came from.
Episode 9 was ok and I waited for the next episode until I realized that this episode was the season's anticlimactic finale. Very underwhelming.

Well, the show got renewed for a second season, waddaya know.
Let's hope for the best or maybe they'll at least correct the biggest problems...… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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ShaManaMar 16, 2020

This show makes no sense, it's barely funny and the characters are heavily misdeveloped. I so much wanted to be interesting. The season finale was a massive wtf. It felt like it ended in the middle of an episode. The stakes were never builtThis show makes no sense, it's barely funny and the characters are heavily misdeveloped. I so much wanted to be interesting. The season finale was a massive wtf. It felt like it ended in the middle of an episode. The stakes were never built properly so you don't really care for any of the events. The plot makes no sense. It's presented as moderately realistic but it's not even remotely by any common sense factor. I don't believe this will get a second season.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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masterninjadogFeb 23, 2020

I was super excited about this show. However, the first episode kind of let me down. I was like,, this isnt that funny, or good. But... Then I watched week 2, was better, week 3 grew on it, and week 4.. Basically, yes, the first week wasI was super excited about this show. However, the first episode kind of let me down. I was like,, this isnt that funny, or good. But... Then I watched week 2, was better, week 3 grew on it, and week 4.. Basically, yes, the first week was kind of cheesy, but now. I really like it. It keeps getting better, and the lines are hilarious. This show is good. just get through week one and honestly, i laugh my ass off.. the whole time. **** is hilarious! srsly.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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RomanfiendFeb 3, 2020

Avenue 5 is so bad I found it personally offensive. It is unfunny, has no respect for the sci-fi genre and fails to have any kind of coherent comedic plot or characters that are relatable.

People have called it 'Veep' in space, but the coreAvenue 5 is so bad I found it personally offensive. It is unfunny, has no respect for the sci-fi genre and fails to have any kind of coherent comedic plot or characters that are relatable.

People have called it 'Veep' in space, but the core difference between these two is that Politics is a form of meaningless entertainment in America where our approach and view of space is deadly serious. People can fail into politics because it doesn't really matter - America is not its government - but we only send our best into space even if just passengers.

Furthermore where VEEP had compelling characters that were socially relevant to our modern political apparatus, this mess has no real world analog. I think somebody played the game "The Outer Worlds" and thought it would be good to cannabalize the ideas behind it and take it a step further. Additionally this show fully insults the intelligence of its audience. A adult male passenger not knowing what the word "propellent" means is beyond ludicrous. The premise alone is enough to induce incredulous disbelief in even the most basic sci-fi nerd. (lets just say if you have the ability to control gravity then you can send a ship in any direction you need to and at considerable speed).

Finally this show is just BOORISH - the jokes are weak, the writing is banal, there is no central character or characters - it fails to understand that good comedic writing requires an element of authenticity and tragedy...the dialog is annoying. I am usually a huge fan of HBO and the work they do but this is a huge miss, what's more its a mess and I don't see a way to fix it. I honestly hope that the people responsible never work in the industry after this flops and is cancelled -which will hopefully be soon.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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DrBlahBlahJan 29, 2020

Not as brilliant as Veep but fun enough to make it worthwhile. Each episode has a half dozen lines and moments that really pop.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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kirkenderMay 10, 2020

I try to give these prestige comedies from HBO some time to find their footing, because they all start badly, but Avenue 5 is one of the worst. Veep was at least grounded in political theater which builds comedy over time. Avenue 5 isI try to give these prestige comedies from HBO some time to find their footing, because they all start badly, but Avenue 5 is one of the worst. Veep was at least grounded in political theater which builds comedy over time. Avenue 5 is grounded in Elon Musk's fever dreams and its disgusting. It's shiny-peak-space-capitalism with a bunch of bumbling monsters masquerading as people. I know this is the point, but it is not fun to watch at all. It is a chore and it makes me want to burn down the 1% even more. Also the sci-fi science is bad. It's like if you took Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and took everything good out of it and injected hate and stupidity.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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PromotionsOct 5, 2020

On paper this looked very exciting but unfortunately it failed to deliver. I've been a big fan of Armando Iannucci's writing for a long time but I feel he failed to live up to his high standards here. Most episodes might raise a smirk or twoOn paper this looked very exciting but unfortunately it failed to deliver. I've been a big fan of Armando Iannucci's writing for a long time but I feel he failed to live up to his high standards here. Most episodes might raise a smirk or two but nothing that extended to a laugh.
Some of the casting was poor I thought. Josh Gad as a Jack Black wannabe just didn't work. The normally excellent Rebecca Front seemed out of place playing an American "Karen" as was her on screen husband David Wallace, sorry I mean Andy Buckley. Also some others seemed uncomfortable in comedic roles and personally I wouldn't trust them to deliver an Amazon package never mind a funny line. On the plus side, Nikki Amuka-Bird as Rav was very good and was one of the few here to come out of it with any credit.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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RincemacAug 26, 2021

What a great concept when you just look at the trailer! An inept "Space Crew" on a Cruise Ship that seemingly is just a "Sailship" that got launched on a space cruise by way of "Slingshotting" (read it up, kids, it's all on dschoodschle!) - IWhat a great concept when you just look at the trailer! An inept "Space Crew" on a Cruise Ship that seemingly is just a "Sailship" that got launched on a space cruise by way of "Slingshotting" (read it up, kids, it's all on dschoodschle!) - I was actually excited for it, and not for the sole reason of Hugh Laurie being in it.

And created by Armando Iannucci, of "Veep" fame, probably one of the best Ensemble Comedies out there together with Parks and Rec.

And then... it aired. And my immediate thought after suffering through Episode 1 was: Did someone use Men in Black's "Neuralyzer" device to wipe Iannucci's Brain of all its comic genius visible in "Veep"?

Not sure that due to the insane success of that latter show he got a "free shot" from HBO to "do anything he wanted"?

If so, they clearly shouldn't have given him that blank cheque.

Avenue 5 is tedious, below mediocre especially in its presentation of its forcedly weird and dumb Characters, spouting inane dialog. The writing and "character arch" to me is so unfunny and on a true cringe level that it must have made the actors regret to ever have put the ink on the contract to participate. Huge waste of acting talent in case of Hugh Laurie and a "good riddance" to most of the other faces of the cast since the script is so bad it could've come from South Park's "FunnyBot 2000" himself.

No really, you have to listen to the dialog yourself and think: "is this what I pay subscription for? Have adults come up with this level of mediocrity or was it the scriptwriters children successfully sneaking in their version of what they thought would be funny jokes and exposition?"

Since I hear Avenue 5 even got renewed for a Season 2, HBO's execs indebtedness to Iannucci does not seem over just yet. What's over is my infatuation of the idea that something like Avenue 5 could ever see the light of day out of what is usually a consistent and very strong-quality content channel like HBO.

This reminds me of Netflix's "Space Force" quality level desaster. It goes right in the same shelf as "the show which couldn't" (excite me).

Hard pass for me. But if you dare, judge for yourself.

Maybe I'm just a spoiled brat that wants to have "Veep" quality from HBO exclusively... I know, the entitlement!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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goettelMar 9, 2020

I can only guess the low scores here are SJW sores. This is an excellently written show, with great lines and delivery. A worthy gap-filler until the next season of The Orville drops.

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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js1010Mar 3, 2020

I could only stand to watch about 10 minutes, it was so awful. All characters, but especially Josh Gad’s, are unappealing and unfunny. I loved Josh Gad in Book of Mormon and has high hopes for the future work from him, but this show justI could only stand to watch about 10 minutes, it was so awful. All characters, but especially Josh Gad’s, are unappealing and unfunny. I loved Josh Gad in Book of Mormon and has high hopes for the future work from him, but this show just plain sucks.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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scott_324Dec 13, 2020

Give this show a chance. I didn't think I'd like it but I found myself laughing out loud several times an episode. No, not everything is funny but there is one joke after another in the dialogue. Some of the science is weak but it's a comedyGive this show a chance. I didn't think I'd like it but I found myself laughing out loud several times an episode. No, not everything is funny but there is one joke after another in the dialogue. Some of the science is weak but it's a comedy not hard science-fiction.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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Ea_o_oNov 2, 2020

Veep in space? Count me in. Same vein of authority failure and some spectacularly cringrey moments, definitely a fun watch.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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SuperKevApr 13, 2020

I don't get the humor in this show. It's just not funny. They repeatedly think the same poop joke is funny... Who writes this stuff?? I love sci-fi so kept watching hoping for improvement. Thing is even their attempts at science realism withI don't get the humor in this show. It's just not funny. They repeatedly think the same poop joke is funny... Who writes this stuff?? I love sci-fi so kept watching hoping for improvement. Thing is even their attempts at science realism with transmission delays are just plain tedious, they make jokes about the same transmit delay at least 25 times. It wasn't funny the first time. I don't get it, the show is just plain bad.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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PvtTuckerSep 22, 2020

This show is amazingly funny. Must be old prudes that have no idea what comedy really is giving this bad reviews.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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SahilSantiApr 13, 2022

This show is what we need. It is exasperated, clinically depressed and overwhelmed, frustrating and exposes the worst part of the service industry ... the idiotic entitled customers. It's a brilliant show if you have the intelligence toThis show is what we need. It is exasperated, clinically depressed and overwhelmed, frustrating and exposes the worst part of the service industry ... the idiotic entitled customers. It's a brilliant show if you have the intelligence to appreciate the timing and wit. I hope we get 10seasons...not to mention we get one of the greatest quotes of our generation as only Hugh Laurie can deliver....'Can everything just Fk off'… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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Jstinson07Jun 5, 2022

Great way to kill some time. Show has a great sense of humor and should’ve gotten another season.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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CoertOct 17, 2022

This is a really funny show, with classic Iannucci dialogs and situations. It's not perfect, but the low average score suggests to me unrealistic expectations. Glad there's a season 2, bring it on!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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MrMordenDec 17, 2022

As a fan of space shows, I was excited when found. That excitement was short lived. Is this supposed to be comedy? Sci-Fi? It's garbage. More lefty drivel from HBO.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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