Critic Reviews
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A superb and instantly engrossing work, with Everett delivering a knockout performance as Sam.
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Everett and Hiller are the dominant forces within “Somebody Somewhere,” but the supporting cast is compelling. ... If you’ve ever just driven around with your bestie on a Sunday looking for something to do, and what you did was boring but you two connected, “Somebody Somewhere” captures the singularity of that experience.
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“Somebody Somewhere” is a true masterclass in not just crafting authentic, nuanced characters and building a fully engrossing world, but also naturalistic dialogue. ... Across the board, the characters so endearing that their charm does a great deal to obfuscate the show’s flaws, particularly a mid-season plot that teeters on the edge of overly sparse. Plotlines fade in and out or even disappear entirely.
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The draw of a warm and moving drama like this is experiencing the texture of Sam’s environs and the meaningful moments between the characters, and the seven half-hour episodes give the story room to breathe and unfurl at its own leisurely pace.
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A lovely addition to this genre [low-concept character portraits], which, importantly, is not afraid to focus on the challenges and freedoms that come with middle age.
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Lovely and eccentric. ... “Somebody Somewhere” can be generous to a fault, in that Sam’s struggle gets lost at times as other stories in the ensemble are foregrounded. But I see this broad focus mostly as a strength, giving the season a depth (over a quick seven episodes) that feels as if it could sustain the series for a long run.
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Blessed with an eagle eye for detail, a laid-back sense of humor and a disarming sense of compassion, Somebody Somewhere is a mostly low-key delight that occasionally spills over into sheer exuberance.
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Bridget Everett’s subtle and charming performance is just one reason we like Somebody Somewhere. The first episode also does a good job setting up a great ensemble that we look forward to getting to know.
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A spiky and endearing seven-part HBO series.
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It’s a confident story about a woman who lacks confidence, full of the pleasure and tentative uncertainty of new adult friendships, with only brief swerves into sentimentality.
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Sam’s spikiness, and her struggle to cope with the reality of being herself, makes “Somebody Somewhere” feel fresh.
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Very little happens over the course of the seven-episode season, but this is the point. ... The smallness of the stories helps capture the aimlessness Sam feels — noting that she and Joel are already in their forties, she suggests of their dreams, “It’s not going to happen, and it’s definitely not going to happen here” — while making the little victories and minor defeats ring out much more loudly than if Sam’s life were a nonstop thrill ride. [Jan 2022, p.73]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 20 out of 25
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Mixed: 0 out of 25
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Negative: 5 out of 25
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Jan 20, 2022Love this show. Everett is so strong and the writing is really good. Supporting cast are all really good.
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Feb 5, 2022Great first few episdoes laying out the world and making sure Hiller gets plenty of airtime. I look forward to the remainder of the season.
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Apr 24, 2022Heartfelt tv show. My life is nothing like the lives you see on this show, but still I feel strongly connected on a human level.