Necessary Roughness
USA | Release Date: June 29, 2011
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
9
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Miami HeraldGlenn GarvinJul 5, 2011
Season 1 Review: Sins of fathers and mothers not only visit each of the characters, but infest them; the show shimmers with an inner core of volcanic anger that makes it far more interesting than your average family soap. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesRobert LloydJun 23, 2011
Season 1 Review: Only Julianna Margulies on "The Good Wife" is carrying a comparable load, and though Roughness is a more fanciful construction than that CBS show, with more obvious emotional victories, it feels just as honest. It worked on me as intended. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesMike ThomasJun 29, 2011
Season 1 Review: Despite some cliched dialogue and scenes (she tosses her lecherous husband's designer duds and pricey suitcase out their bedroom window--fresh!), her presence is reason enough to watch--and reason enough to hope this series turns out to be something worth watching week after week. Read full review
75
New York PostLinda StasiJun 28, 2011
Season 1 Review: USA's newest series, Necessary Roughness is a charming and clever dramedy. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyRob BrunnerJun 24, 2011
Season 1 Review: Thankfully, Thorne's feisty charm mostly overcomes the show's familiar-feeling concept. [1 Jul 2011, p.68]
70
SlateTroy PattersonJun 30, 2011
Season 1 Review: A fine summer show is launched, slick but with feeling, and all the orange-and-red football-season foliage on-screen contributes to a diverting brisk breeziness. Read full review
70
The Huffington PostMaureen RyanJun 29, 2011
Season 1 Review: The Necessary Roughness pilot was enjoyable enough, but half the fun may have come from seeing Dani's adjustment to the big money, high-stakes world of professional sports. Can this show go the distance? It isn't clear yet, but at this admittedly early stage, the latest addition to the USA roster appears to be a promising rookie. Read full review
70
Philadelphia Daily NewsEllen GrayJun 29, 2011
Season 1 Review: As USA dramas go, Necessary Roughness is about halfway between "In Plain Sight" and "White Collar" on the believability scale, but it's summer and I like Thorne, whose character is feisty and funny and shrill only when shrillness is absolutely justified. Read full review
70
Boston GlobeMatthew GilbertJun 28, 2011
Season 1 Review: The show is just an undemanding, entertaining, and sometimes whimsical ride. Yup, it's likable. Read full review
70
The New York TimesAlessandra StanleyJun 28, 2011
Season 1 Review: Over all, Necessary Roughness is enjoyable, a lighthearted look at football that takes a therapist in suburban Long Island seriously. Read full review
70
VarietyBrian LowryJun 27, 2011
Season 1 Review: Written by Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro and directed by Kevin Dowling, Roughness smoothly exploits the winning combination of Thorne--who practically oozes sex appeal, while still conveying an approachable vulnerability--with the macho NFL setting. Read full review
63
RedEyeCurt WagnerAug 1, 2011
Season 1 Review: Necessary Roughness hasn't scored a touchdown yet, but it's early in the game. Read full review
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