South Side
Comedy Central | HBO Max | Release Date: July 24, 2019
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
79
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
The A.V. ClubQuinci LeGardyeDec 7, 2022
Season 3 Review: South Side has expanded its reach while still staying true to its roots. R-T-O is still the epicenter (as is the show's main foursome), but with this latest batch, the series is clearly more comfortable straying out beyond those lines to create something special. Read full review
91
The A.V. ClubJill HopkinsNov 11, 2021
Season 2 Review: South Side builds upon the rich personalities of the residents of Englewood we were introduced to in the first season, and finds even more to dig into in the second. While the jokes are truly so Chicago, they are also so relatable in their context. Read full review
90
New York Magazine (Vulture)Kathryn VanArendonkDec 9, 2022
Season 3 Review: Fantastically funny third season. ... South Side’s balance of fast-moving narrative and inane one-off jokes works on all levels here, especially when the series leans into absurdism. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperJul 24, 2019
Season 1 Review: A fearless, unapologetic, equal opportunity offender — sometimes going to near absurdist lengths in shining a spotlight on racial and cultural and societal issues, but never in mean-spirited fashion, and always in the interest of keeping us laughing. And thinking. Read full review
87
Paste MagazineJacob OllerJul 24, 2019
Season 1 Review: Even if their A and B-plots don’t always match up as thematically as hoped (and some jokes feel like placeholders for better-written alternatives that never materialized), there’s always something in each episode to keep you hooked and keep you surprised. Read full review
83
IndieWireSteve GreeneNov 11, 2021
Season 2 Review: “South Side” has fun coming up with ways for all these people’s circles to intersect, at dance competitions or citywide elections or at their kids’ swimming lessons. A late-season episode focuses on work breaks, but this show mainly uses its time inside RTO as a reminder of all the reasons why these employees value their time outside their jobs. Read full review
83
IndieWireTambay ObensonJul 23, 2019
Season 1 Review: Although much of the show’s humor draws from the disarray and claustrophobia of Rent-T-Own, this delightful mix of at-times painfully awkward moments, sincere emotion, and hilarious workplace antics make all these characters endearing. Read full review
80
DeciderJohnny Loftus Dec 9, 2022
Season 3 Review: South Side is the kind of second-by-second hilarious where seemingly every line is telling its own joke. And at a breezy 30 minutes, you can fill out the hour laughing. Read full review
80
The New YorkerEmily NussbaumAug 12, 2019
Season 1 Review: The mood is dark-humored but not grim, because the show is stuffed with slapstick and sharp quips, slowly building a varied ensemble. ... Even minor characters—like the dead-eyed, constantly texting office manager, Stacy, played with droll lassitude by Salahuddin’s sister Zuri—have their own story arcs and funny quirks. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterRobyn BahrJul 9, 2019
Season 1 Review: Welcome to South Side, where every laugh feels like a private in-joke between the writers and the audience, and every frame an absurdist love song to the inner-city Chicago neighborhoods of Salahuddin’s origins. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneNina Metz and William LeeDec 7, 2022
Season 3 Review: Nina Metz: I’d rather just stay with one story and see it play out. Usually, it’s whichever one Turner is in. ... But it takes real finesse to mine absurdist comedy from something as miserable and destabilizing as having your stuff repo’d, and yet the opening scene in the first episode is just a cascade of jokes. William Lee: While I think the season starts off slowly and left me wanting more, the show still excels at executing understated comedy bits. Read full review
70
The New York TimesMike HaleJul 23, 2019
Season 1 Review: [“South Side's”] scenes and episodes don’t build (at least not in any intricate or surprising way) but skip along from joke to joke, verbally and visually. Luckily, the jokes come along quickly and are mostly pretty good. Read full review
70
TimeJudy BermanJul 18, 2019
Season 1 Review: South Side is the more conventional of the two [shows - the other, IFC's Sherman’s Showcase], with all the rapid-fire jokes and zany digressions of a Tina Fey joint. ... Though Showcase is more allusive and ambitious than South Side, both shows are funny. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneWilliam Lee & Nina MetzNov 11, 2021
Season 2 Review: This season, while funny, feels like it falls short. To be fair, the first season set a pretty high bar, with its deft touch introducing memorable characters. Read full review
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