Friends From College

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 14, 2017
Season #: 2, 1
Metascore
44

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 31
  3. Negative: 12 out of 31
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Where To Watch

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Critic Reviews

  1. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Kelly Lawler
    Jul 13, 2017
    37
    While it’s the type of series that seems like it will click instantly, the result is shallow and grating. Episodes rely on cheap jokes that feel outdated (an obsession with poking at Twilight) or too cringeworthy and crude to be funny (a hedge-fund bro using his genitals to control a speakerphone).
  2. TVLine
    Reviewed by: Dave Nemetz
    Jun 26, 2017
    33
    [The actors are] saddled with unlikable characters, a distasteful infidelity plot and an erratic tone that never quite finds itself.
  3. Salon
    Reviewed by: Melanie McFarland
    Jul 17, 2017
    30
    Stoller shapes each episode to indulge the performers’ idiosyncrasies as opposed to servicing the story or character development, and the result is a flimsy story somewhat flogged into shape by hammy eccentricity.
  5. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Jul 13, 2017
    30
    Friends From College is not very good, not very good at all. It wastes the great cast, and even makes them irritating with lame slapstick, lazily written gags, and awkward attempts at drama. After a few episodes, I began to find all of them unbearable.
  6. Las Vegas Weekly
    Reviewed by: Josh Bell
    Jul 13, 2017
    30
    The writing and direction fail the talented actors (including high-profile guest stars like Kate McKinnon and Seth Rogen), trapping them in annoyingly contrived storylines and unfunny set pieces.
  7. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    Jul 13, 2017
    30
    The result is a comedy-drama whose comedy is grating and whose drama doesn’t really engage with its essential sadness.
  8. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Brian Tallerico
    Jul 11, 2017
    30
    There is perhaps no better example of how much a show is not the sum of its talented parts than this one as it looks like a home run on paper but strikes out in reality.
  9. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    Jul 11, 2017
    30
    Along with the show’s inability to find a consistent comic tone or a memorable story line (it leans heavily on the usual choices: marital infidelity, light class envy, fertility issues), Friends From College makes embarrassingly poor use of a cast that deserves to be in a better show.
  10. UPROXX
    Reviewed by: Alan Sepinwall
    Jul 11, 2017
    30
    Friends From College is a shrill and unpleasant dramedy about the dangers of maintaining youthful friendships deep into adulthood.
  11. Variety
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Jul 10, 2017
    30
    The show’s main issue is that it demonstrates little ability to create or deepen characters who are worth watching, despite their personal deficiencies.
  12. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: David Wiegand
    Jul 11, 2017
    25
    Inevitably, this series evokes “thirtysomething” and “The Big Chill,” except in this case, everyone is turning 40 and there’s no dead guy to bring them all together. Just a deadly concept and script.
  13. The Salt Lake Tribune
    Reviewed by: Scott D. Pierce
    Jul 14, 2017
    20
    The only explosion in Friends from College is that the entire eight-episode series is a stink bomb. It's crude, predictable and stupid.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 63
  3. Negative: 13 out of 63
  1. eagleeyeviking
    Jul 15, 2017
    4
    Friends From College is a dramedy that doesn’t work. Considering the characters are Harvard alumni, all of their actions and dialogue areFriends From College is a dramedy that doesn’t work. Considering the characters are Harvard alumni, all of their actions and dialogue are completely uncharacteristic. The drama, which strangely only focuses on the two most unlikeable characters, has some high points early on that deal with infertility, but otherwise the whole ‘cheating’ arc is stupid. The comedy is 90% awkward, 10% funny situations. In the end, you are left with only 1 question: How are these people even friends, let alone couples?… Full Review »
  2. zettacritic
    Jul 27, 2017
    10
    This show is absurdly funny. The first episode had a scene between Fred Savage and Keenan Michael-Key that was so funny and perfectly scriptedThis show is absurdly funny. The first episode had a scene between Fred Savage and Keenan Michael-Key that was so funny and perfectly scripted and executed, I watched it several times. The group dynamics took a while to mesh, but by the second episode, I was rolling in laughter and love for this group of misguided, hilarious, flawed friends. Fred Savage is a subtle beast, his comedic timing perfected. Keegan Michael-Key is so acutely funny that I woke my sleeping baby from laughing. Watch this and you will be joyful that you did.… Full Review »
  3. ALLCAPS
    Jul 18, 2017
    6
    This is the kind of show you put on in the background and don't think too much about. It's a theme of the show that the characters are stuckThis is the kind of show you put on in the background and don't think too much about. It's a theme of the show that the characters are stuck acting like college kids rather than the adults they are, but in reality they act more like high-schoolers. Yeah, a lot of their actions don't really make sense and they are all pretty shallowly written characters, but if you're looking for some mindless drama there will be some of that.

    Some of the skits are laugh out loud funny. The problem is though, this is a tv show, not snl meaning a lot of these scenes won't flow well or create weird character traits giving the show some continuity trouble.

    Is this show good? No, but when I watched it I was in the mood for some mindless tv and that's exactly what I got. It's a fine binge watch show but not much else.    … Full Review »
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