Comedy Central | Release Date: July 23, 2003
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
4
Negative:
1
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83
Dallas Morning NewsTom MaurstadJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: As the episodes have continued, something unexpected happens - the action begins to take a backseat to characters. It's not so much that you begin to care about this collection of cartoonish misfits, but the depth and breadth of their weirdness becomes the show's primary source of entertainment. Reno 911! ends up being more a surreal soap opera than a Cops parody. [25 Aug 2003]
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: It is laugh-out-loud hilarious -- if your drink doesn't spew out your nose at least once an episode, you're not paying enough attention. [19 Aug 2003]
80
Denver PostJoanne OstrowJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: Outrageous. ... Thanks to inspired editing, it all hangs together. [14 Jul 2003]
80
USA TodayRobert BiancoJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: An exceedingly funny spoof of Cops that also manages to dismantle the entire crime-show genre. [23 Jul 2003]
75
Houston ChronicleMike McDanielJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: Often hilarious. [23 Jul 2003]
70
Kansas City StarAaron BarnhartJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: An entertainingly raunchy spoof of reality TV. [23 Jul 2003]
70
Season 1 Review: "Reno 911!" isn't quite as rich and subtle as the best improvised comedy - the basic format becomes repetitive, and the performers sometimes drive the material into absurd directions when it might have been funnier to keep things smaller - but all in all, it's still a very funny show. [23 Jul 2003]
70
NewsdayNoel HolstonJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: The opening episode sometimes feels like a "Mad TV" sketch that's going on too long, and that doesn't bode well for the long haul. But that's not to say there's not plenty to laugh at - and even admire - in Wednesday's deadpan debut. [20 Jul 2003]
70
Washington PostJohn MaynardJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: The result: extreme silliness but more than enough laughs to make the half-hour investment worthwhile. [23 Jul 2003]
63
Chicago Sun-TimesPhil RosenthalJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: Has some funny moments and shows promise it might improve, but early episodes are dragged down by lulls, redundancies and the fact that this isn't exactly fresh fodder.
60
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob OwenJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: This brand of humor can be an acquired taste, but fans with a tolerance for out-there buffoonery will want to make the trip to "Reno." [20 Jul 2003]
50
Chicago TribuneSteve JohnsonJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: For all the great flashes of improvisation from this fine comic team, there's an overall feeling of weariness to the effort, of perspiration rather than inspiration. [23 Jul 2003]
50
New York Daily NewsDavid BianculliJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: The action moves quickly, from one incident to the next, and the whole ends up a little more than the sum of its parts. "Reno 911!" may not be truly arresting television, but it sure looks like it, and is fun to watch. [23 Jul 2003]
12
Boston HeraldJohn RuchJul 8, 2013
Season 1 Review: Possibly the least funny thing on TV. [23 Jul 2003]