Red Oaks

The whole story comes nicely full-circle by the end, and all the hijinks and heartbreak are accompanied by a fine soundtrack of '80s tunes that haven't been overplayed in other period movies. It's fun (if only occasionally of the laugh out loud variety).

At its worst, it's hard to tell if Red Oaks is a clever satire of dumb, fun sex comedies or just a dumb, fun sex comedy itself. But Alexandra Socha ... gives me hope that the show is something smarter. [9 Oct 2015]

What makes Red Oaks work extremely well is that it not only has a sense of humor, it has heart.

Iit might sound a bit seen-it-all-before, but it’s what Red Oaks does with this material that makes the series worth watching.

The characterization and crisp writing have a biting comic edge, keeping the story from sinking into sentimental mush.

The show is a little motley, owing to a willingness to play with style and to give its directors room to move, and the plotting can feel a little methodical when contrasted with a greater urge to let character emerge and deepen gradually. You're never completely unaware of the artifice, but the series feels very alive nevertheless, as it moves in and out of the tropes, embracing some, avoiding others.

The events and characters of David’s summer are familiar from a half-century of stories of the Jewish suburban experience, but for the most part, they feel fresh, or at least lovingly recreated.

The truth lies somewhere in between, in the ineffable elements that Red Oaks absolutely nails. The show takes place in a world where lives are as planned out as a country club’s summer itinerary, but it’s smart enough to see through that illusion.

Red Oaks is never much more than pleasant, but it's also seldom much less. The episodes may not make you laugh out loud, but with a few clanging exceptions (led by an inexplicable Freaky Friday detour) they generally feel both warm and true.

A nicely layered new 10-episode dramedy.

There’s déjà vu to more than just the period of Amazon’s slice of life tennis comedy, but Red Oaks is a consistent player with surprising potential.

Derivative as it is from a distance, Red Oaks often redeems itself in close-ups.

It's occasionally a bit disappointing that with five hours to tell their coming-of-age tale, creators Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs still have trouble servicing all of their characters and justifying their very conventional arc. But the affection for the genre and for the period still carry the day.

In premium TV terms, the series is probably too derivative to be scored as a clear winner. But in terms of possessing qualities that should inspire the audience that does tune in to stick around until match point, Red Oaks serves up a pretty good game.

It's not the worst way to spend a half-hour, but Red Oaks also doesn't feel like essential viewing.

Red Oaks too often gets almost satirical in its broad characterization of ‘80s New Jersey with hair and clothing out of “That ‘80s Show.” But when it focuses on its cast and allows them to breathe within the set-up, it can be surprisingly effective.

[Red Oaks] is executed with a lot of flair and sophistication--a nearly deceptive amount of sophistication, really.... But mostly, the story is scattered and unfulfilling.

Red Oaks doesn't have a whole lot in the way of plot, and I don't get the feeling it's pretending that it does. But season one (which I've seen most of) still feels repetitive.... There's a gently mocking sensibility in some of the comedy bits, and it's quite pleasing. And the performances settle into a nice, relaxed groove, particularly Reiser’s.

Red Oaks is no better or worse than its peers in this genre; certainly it will trigger fond and awkward memories for those who lived it or something like it, but the pilot episode released earlier this year doesn’t make a case that these feelings have much thematic potential beyond the usual cliches.