Necessary Roughness

:

Season 1
  • Network: USA
  • Series Premiere Date: Jun 29, 2011
Season #: 3, 2, 1
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
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Critic Reviews

  1. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    Jul 5, 2011
    80
    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.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Robert Lloyd
    Jun 23, 2011
    80
    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.
  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Mike Thomas
    Jun 29, 2011
    75
    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.
  5. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Linda Stasi
    Jun 28, 2011
    75
    USA's newest series, Necessary Roughness is a charming and clever dramedy.
  6. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Rob Brunner
    Jun 24, 2011
    75
    Thankfully, Thorne's feisty charm mostly overcomes the show's familiar-feeling concept. [1 Jul 2011, p.68]
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  7. Slate
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    Jun 30, 2011
    70
    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.
  8. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Jun 29, 2011
    70
    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.
  9. Philadelphia Daily News
    Reviewed by: Ellen Gray
    Jun 29, 2011
    70
    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.
  10. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Jun 28, 2011
    70
    The show is just an undemanding, entertaining, and sometimes whimsical ride. Yup, it's likable.
  11. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Alessandra Stanley
    Jun 28, 2011
    70
    Over all, Necessary Roughness is enjoyable, a lighthearted look at football that takes a therapist in suburban Long Island seriously.
  12. Variety
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    Jun 27, 2011
    70
    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.
  13. RedEye
    Reviewed by: Curt Wagner
    Aug 1, 2011
    63
    Necessary Roughness hasn't scored a touchdown yet, but it's early in the game.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Best TV Season of 2011
79
#79 Most Discussed TV Season of 2011
54
#54 Most Shared TV Season of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 27
  3. Negative: 5 out of 27
  1. MarcDoyle
    Jul 9, 2011
    3
    We have to be honest with ourselves here. Yes, we all love Callie Thorne (from Homcide, The Wire, Rescue Me), but the writing on this show isWe have to be honest with ourselves here. Yes, we all love Callie Thorne (from Homcide, The Wire, Rescue Me), but the writing on this show is atrocious. And yes, I watch just about every other USA summer show, so I gave it 2 episodes before pulling the plug on this. It's really too bad. If you really need your therapist fix, go for HBO's In Treatment - start with Season 1. And if you want more light USA fare, try Covert Affairs, Suits, or Royals Pains. I know you're already watching Burn Notice, so there's no need to make that argument.… Full Review »
  2. mercurie80
    Sep 8, 2011
    1
    I have watched almost every show on USA the past several years, but I could not watch Necessary Roughness. Quite simply the show is horriblyI have watched almost every show on USA the past several years, but I could not watch Necessary Roughness. Quite simply the show is horribly written. The characters are shallow and contrived. The dialogue is atrocious. And, while Callie Thorne has been good in most everything else she is in, she is hardly convincing as a therapist. Of course, most of this can be blamed on the writers, whom I am not sure even understand what a therapist does!… Full Review »
  3. marc5477
    Jan 14, 2016
    0
    I was hoping for something similar to the old movie... comedy, football, and just plain fun... instead there is an emo football sissy, aI was hoping for something similar to the old movie... comedy, football, and just plain fun... instead there is an emo football sissy, a doctor with the IQ of yogurt, and a script that plays like a pseudo-reality show. If you are into reality type dramas, then this might be ok for you, but it has nothing to do with sports and has absolutely no comedy.… Full Review »
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