Surviving Jack

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX
  • Series Premiere Date: Mar 27, 2014
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 61 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 61
  3. Negative: 6 out of 61

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User Reviews

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  1. Vik26
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Super funny series, love the characters and the fact it happens in the 90's. Once again, good humor lined with good life lessons. Love it,absolutely love it!!!
  2. Ucwhatudid
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Guess you had to be there (the 90's) to get it. GN is under the impression that Frankie was trying to view a porn website, and he is correct that there was nothing to " click on" in '91. However, Frankie was trying to watch a scrambled premium cable channel, which has offered soft core since the 70's/80's, so it was accurate.

    That said, my wife and I love Surviving Jack. Well written,    Guess you had to be there (the 90's) to get it. GN is under the impression that Frankie was trying to view a porn website, and he is correct that there was nothing to " click on" in '91. However, Frankie was trying to watch a scrambled premium cable channel, which has offered soft core since the 70's/80's, so it was accurate.

    That said, my wife and I love Surviving Jack. Well written, well acted, we know a Jack and it's as if we are seeing the 90's version of him. Meloni is ideal in the role. We have the dvr set to record the series. This show is a keeper!!    … Expand
  3. Skydog
    Apr 18, 2014
    9
    Pretty good show!
    It keeps me coming back which most comedies these days DO NOT.
    YES some of this is pretty cheesy jokes but Meloni surprises me every week. Was not expecting this out of him I guess.
    Pretty good stuff overall.

    People who reviewed after only watching a minute crack me up by the way..
  4. Dasilva
    Apr 27, 2014
    10
    absolutely amazing comedy this is how comedy should be, not the vulgar crap they usually show on tv nowadays, watched every episode and made my teens watch it with me it was great they didn't want to laugh but ended up roaring hysterically this show is a must see
  5. morrisseysp
    Apr 24, 2014
    10
    Surviving Jack is a fantastically funny show for people who like to laugh at the absurd. The cast is 100% committed and it shows. The music is an added bonus and I cannot get enough!
  6. itscarlos
    Apr 29, 2014
    10
    love the fact it happens in the 90's. I grow up in the 80 's and 90's and this series is a modern creation about that time and its awesome!! I also think Its a super funny series with good humor lined with good life lessons.
  7. TG1234
    May 5, 2014
    10
    I LOVE THIS SHOW!! It is LAUGH-OUT-LOUD-HILARIOUS!! It’s witty and smart! Jack (Christopher Meloni) is NAILING his role! In fact, all the characters are! From the loving wife and mother trying to move ahead in her life after raising her kids at home, to the ditsy, hot, older sister, to Frankie who is just trying to make his way through puberty alive and his “pop-up” goofball friends whoI LOVE THIS SHOW!! It is LAUGH-OUT-LOUD-HILARIOUS!! It’s witty and smart! Jack (Christopher Meloni) is NAILING his role! In fact, all the characters are! From the loving wife and mother trying to move ahead in her life after raising her kids at home, to the ditsy, hot, older sister, to Frankie who is just trying to make his way through puberty alive and his “pop-up” goofball friends who have no means of boundaries and show up at the house uninvited most of the time, all the characters are perfectly executed! And for the first time in a LONG while, a comedy series is showing the reality of how parents are really supposed to be parents and not “friends” with their kids. Jack is a straight shooter and realistic father who instills a sense of authority and slight fear over his kids, while at times showing a sympathetic, warm demeanor when warranted. He punishes them when they need to be and shows them tough love. As he (and all parents) should! Overall GREAT show! Well done! Added bonuses: The soundtrack is awesome with all the 90’s songs; The clothes are hilariously nostalgic but not ridiculous like the 80’s; and it’s refreshing to see a show that is not plagued by the technological distractions of today! (no cell phones, internet, minimal video games, etc) HUGE 10 from me!… Expand
  8. ListenToUsJerks
    May 7, 2014
    10
    I love the show and is one of the few shows I look forward to each week. I just read that Fox has cancelled Surviving Jack. What? You have got to be kidding me! Do these executives watch their own shows? Do they read what their viewers say? Do they care?
  9. lukechristiansc
    Apr 2, 2014
    10
    One of the best comedies i see ally ear . its fun what jack kick ass also be a hard father but is that the point of this show , bring more of the JACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .
  10. EFYevan
    Mar 31, 2014
    0
    My wife and I stopped watching after the very first minute - the first "joke" was about a young boy clicking on p o r n and we realized that this show is not for our family.
  11. TheQuietGamer
    Apr 12, 2014
    6
    While I do not find it to be a bad show, I do find it to be a disappointing one. Christopher Meloni is fantastic with his straight-faced, yet completely sarcastic and crazy character. His dry way of giving his hilariously sarcastic lines and delivering his character's more insane moments is a blast. It's just a shame that everything around him falls short. The only other good thing aboutWhile I do not find it to be a bad show, I do find it to be a disappointing one. Christopher Meloni is fantastic with his straight-faced, yet completely sarcastic and crazy character. His dry way of giving his hilariously sarcastic lines and delivering his character's more insane moments is a blast. It's just a shame that everything around him falls short. The only other good thing about the show is Tyler Foden. Whenever he and Meloni are not on screen the show just sort of losses the majority of it's humor and settles on just being passable. It's a real shame.

    Like I said the show hasn't been bad so far, but it fails to live up to it's tremendous potential. Also it's 1990's setting does absolutely nothing for it. There have so far been no clever references to anything that went on or was popular at that time like you would find in "The Goldbergs." Currently there are better sitcoms out there, but there are also a lot worse. As of right now "Surviving Jack" just manages to be a decent time waster. Maybe as this season progresses it will get better. If opinion changes as the show progresses I'll update my review. As of right now I give it a 6.5/10-Okay.    … Expand
  12. high90
    Mar 28, 2014
    8
    Yes its not very original but I got a few laughs out of it and as the vast majority of comedies are horrible with a laugh track superimposed to let me know where the jokes are il give this another chance
  13. GNOLOGY
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    Someone needs to inform EFYevan, below, that you are not entitled to write a critique about a show you turned off after 1 minute. But having read his useless review that just adds another problem I have with this show. I missed that episode but I have to say, for a show that takes place in 1991 clicking on porn would be sort of impossible. First porn site wasn't until 1994 or 95. SureSomeone needs to inform EFYevan, below, that you are not entitled to write a critique about a show you turned off after 1 minute. But having read his useless review that just adds another problem I have with this show. I missed that episode but I have to say, for a show that takes place in 1991 clicking on porn would be sort of impossible. First porn site wasn't until 1994 or 95. Sure you could see digital porn but you weren't clicking on porn sites in 1991.

    OK so 30 minutes of awesome parents who know just the right thing to say as life unfolds in upscale neighborhoods might be must see TV for some. But it's the 21st century and I guess I just expect a bit more than rehashed Wonder Years.

    Compared to the Goldbergs, Jack and the Millers, the one TV family I might actually want to spend time with is the Millers.

    I'm not sure how many "coming of age" tv shows the world can handle. I hated the Goldbergs at first. This show is nothing but the WASP version of the Goldbergs.

    I suppose there's a certain charm to pretending your childhood was so fascinating, as undoubtedly you also believe about yourself, that we all want to sacrifice 30 minutes of our precious time to watch you grow up. But I'd be lying.    … Expand
  14. Jmarisie
    May 27, 2014
    10
    I love this show! My husband and I laugh out loud. My 21year old daughter is now hooked. I told my friend who watched 5 shows back to back. Great writers. Love all the characters. Keep this on tv. No more realty shows. Please
  15. valeriasofia
    May 28, 2014
    10
    Absolutely amazing show, I adore it. It shows people the best kind of humor.
    Personally I was born at the end of the 90's and if what this show shows is true I sure did miss a lot
  16. texasmom
    Oct 12, 2014
    10
    I cant believe this show was cancelled!!!! Huge mistake!! my husband and i laughed so hard. love the characters and real life relationships. please bring it back :(

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Best TV Season of 2014
94
#94 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 2 out of 24
  1. The Lincoln Journal Star
    Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Mar 27, 2014
    83
    The humor results from its realism and the blossoming relationship between father and son. Here's hoping this one sticks around.
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  2. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Dorothy Rabinowitz
    Mar 27, 2014
    70
    There's a strange sense of distance in the picture here of a decade not exactly in the remote past, but there's also something sweetly enticing about its portrayal of relative innocence.
    Read full review
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    Mar 27, 2014
    80
    The pilot is funny, Meloni holds the whole thing together and even the voice over works--despite there needing to be, at the very least, a five season moratorium on that little conceit.
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