Portlandia

:

Season 5
Season #: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 4 out of 23
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User Reviews

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  1. profrap
    Jan 9, 2015
    2
    I've been a fan of Portlandia from the start -- and let me just say, Season 4 was genius from start to finish. But I turned off the first episode of Season 5 before it was over. Why? Well, for one, having a single, monolithic story is a huge shift; we love to hate many of these characters, but if we're subjected to the same ones for the whole episode, loving to hate turns to hate. TheI've been a fan of Portlandia from the start -- and let me just say, Season 4 was genius from start to finish. But I turned off the first episode of Season 5 before it was over. Why? Well, for one, having a single, monolithic story is a huge shift; we love to hate many of these characters, but if we're subjected to the same ones for the whole episode, loving to hate turns to hate. The backstory isn't even believable in a comic universe -- high-powered bookstore execs? You''ve got to be kidding. And beyond the spot-on retro moments (when's the last time you heard the phrase "what's the 411?" or the song "I've Got the Power" by SNAP?), I think the biggest issue was that it was not funny. Not at all. I didn't laugh even once. And I have quite literally fallen out of my chair watching this show in the past.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Salon
    Reviewed by: Sonia Saraiya
    Jan 8, 2015
    80
    Rather than break down each episode into sketches, each episode is its own, contained sketch, focusing on one particular set of characters and their stories. It makes Portlandia a lot easier to watch--and a bit more profound, too.
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  2. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    Jan 7, 2015
    80
    Revealing more of what makes these characters tick could remove some of the mystery about them, but Portlandia makes a compelling comedic case for offering this backstory.... The humor is broader and funnier in this half-hour [second episode] that also delivers some surprising plot twists whie acknowledging thier "logic problems."
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  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Jeff Jensen
    Jan 5, 2015
    100
    Going deep allows Armisen and Brownstein to really dig in--the duo deserve Emmy attention, IMHO--and enhances, not diminishes, Portlandia's winningly weird shine. [9 Jan 2015, p.74]
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