Royal Pains
USA | Release Date: June 4, 2009
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
64
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
9
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
New York Daily NewsDavid HinckleyJun 29, 2011
Season 3 Review: It's no mystery why this has become one of the most popular shows on cable. It knows what it is, a summer show for summer fun, and it doesn't complicate matters by trying to be more. Read full review
60
VarietyBrian Lowry
Season 1 Review: Simply being quirky, however, only goes so far, so my preliminary diagnosis is that these Pains don't amount to much more than a second-degree "Burn." Read full review
60
PopMatters
Season 1 Review: Royal Pains is a pleasant excursion, with some great one-liners and a chance to tweak its well-worn formula. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoJun 9, 2014
Season 6 Review: It’s a show that’s spinning its wheels a bit, like returning to the exact same location every Memorial Day; it still looks nice but you might want to visit somewhere new. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan
Season 1 Review: Though the show apes “Burn Notice’s” beachside vibe, the new program is too predictable to make much of an impression. Read full review
50
The New York TimesGinia Bellafante
Season 1 Review: The series may want to say something about the inequities of the medical care system or it may just want an excuse to produce panning shots of the velvet lawns and iron gates of Gin Lane. It seems safer to bet on the second and to remain grateful for the “House” reruns that are shown more or less continually on USA. Read full review
50
SalonHeather Havrilesky
Season 1 Review: Like some of the CW's less captivating offerings, this show is a cheese pizza with cheese-stuffed crust. But if that sounds tasty, by all means, enjoy! Read full review
40
New York Magazine (Vulture)
Season 1 Review: Royal Pains is a crappy but watchable series about a “concierge doctor” in the Hamptons, radically unambitious but better at balancing the guilt with the pleasure. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley
Season 1 Review: If it all sounds a little contrived, it is. But that's not the show's real problem. The real problem is that instead of having goofy fun with all its eye candy, Royal Pains mostly wants to sit around drinking in the excesses of the uber-wealthy, with an occasional joke as an afterthought. Read full review
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