Breaking In
FOX | Release Date: April 6, 2011
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
53
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
8
Negative:
4
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyKen TuckerApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: With its debonair, jump-cut editing, Breaking In is a vigorously original, joke-packed bit of fun that could develop into something special. I'm serious, my Wookiee. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleDavid WiegandMar 6, 2012
Season 2 Review: Mullally is certainly another reason to watch the show, but her presence also works to solve another problem: cast dynamics. Read full review
75
Boston HeraldAmy AmatangeloApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: The show runs rampant with rapid-fire dialogue and sly pop-culture references. The cast is strong. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesPaige WiserApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: The pace is so fast that, like a good party, you might forget everything that's happened even before it's over. That's the sign of top-notch disposable entertainment. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleDavid WiegandApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: While there are somewhat foreseeable plot developments (Cameron's falling for Melanie, but she's hooked on Dutch), the series does have an agreeable cast and clever writing, and perhaps enough of both qualities to go the distance. Read full review
70
Boston GlobeMatthew GilbertApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: It's a happy mix, a breezy, playful half-hour that has the potential to open up into something special. Only time will tell if Breaking In can break out. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesRobert LloydApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: The pilot works a little hard--not one but two characters get catchphrases, which happily evaporate by the second episode--but plenty of good things come out in the effort, and better things seem likely to come. Read full review
70
The New York TimesMike HaleApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: Breaking In isn't memorable in any way, but it's fast-paced and easy to watch, with some amusing secondary characters. Read full review
67
NewsdayDiane WertsApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: Sad thing is, I'm a geek girl myself, who'd be happy to love this mad mix of technology, action and "humor" if it were, you know, actually funny more often than just cheaply offensive. Less pander, more wit, please. Read full review
63
People WeeklyTom GliattoApr 25, 2011
Season 1 Review: This sitcom has the high-tech antics of Chuck and the misfit camaraderie of Community-not bad, but no breakthrough. [2 May 2011, p.38]
63
USA TodayRobert BiancoApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: The show's attempt to turn Oz's "I'll allow it" into a catchphrase is a bit tiresome, but otherwise, the characters and the plot twists combine to make the time pass painlessly. Read full review
60
The Huffington PostMaureen RyanApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: More work needs to be done on all the characters; so far they're just types, and the first episode, perhaps because of its manic tone, didn't make me laugh much. But I can see Breaking In growing into a pleasant, mildly goofy comedy that offers the light-adventure qualities of a USA or TNT show and the silly diversions of a half-decent 'Chuck' episode. Read full review
50
Uncle BarkyEd BarkMar 6, 2012
Season 2 Review: There are signs of improvement, though, even if Mullally tends to over-do it in the "brash and bold" department while holdover Christian Slater remains in place as the downgraded former head dude known only as Oz. Read full review
50
VarietyBrian LowryApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: Although Harrison's baffled newcomer, Slater's mysterious honcho and the elaborate CalTech-style pranks have potential, there's cause to fear the gizmo-driven plots will become repetitive quickly. And while the pilot is fast-paced--with rapid-fire flashes to visual gags, almost like one of Seth MacFarlane's animated Fox comedies--it's not like the nerd-spy-girl template has enabled "Chuck" to hack its way into the hearts of Nielsen viewers (or at least, their peoplemeters). Read full review
40
The Huffington PostMaureen RyanMar 6, 2012
Season 2 Review: It doesn't seem to know who it wants to focus on or what it wants to do (the security missions, such as they are, are unexceptional afterthoughts). Read full review
40
HitfixAlan SepinwallApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: It's not painful--there are likable actors and the office setting is loose and fun--but none of the jokes land, at all. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineMatt RoushApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: This isn't a terrible show, because that might make it memorable. Instead, it falls into that category of being fairly clever without really being funny or all that amusing. Read full review
40
PopMattersChris ConatonApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: It's like the producers have set up Breaking In to be an action-comedy but nobody involved really cares about the action portion. But if the show is starting as a mild disappointment, it's far from terrible. Read full review
40
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob OwenApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: It's a strange little show: A light-hearted half-hour caper that purports to be a comedy but isn't really that funny. Read full review
30
SalonMatt Zoller SeitzApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: [A] mediocre, plastic, utterly false new comedy premiering on Fox tonight--a series that just happens to be built around an all-powerful alpha male jerkwad-type of character. Read full review
25
People WeeklyTom GliattoMar 12, 2012
Season 2 Review: Saddled with stars who neither clash nor click, breaking In appears to be broken. [19 Mar 2012, p.46]
20
New York Daily NewsDavid HinckleyApr 6, 2011
Season 1 Review: Well, the plot doesn't offer a lot of possibilities. The jokes are predictable even when the delivery is hip, and none of the characters is especially likable, nor do we care that much which of them mix-and-match with which others. Read full review
0
Uncle BarkyEd BarkApr 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: This series is a complete mis-fire. There are no relatable characters, every joke's a dud and Slater seems to have no earthly idea what's befallen him. Read full review
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