Avenue 5

HBO | Release Date: January 19, 2020

5.7	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 48 Ratings

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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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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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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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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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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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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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