The Big C: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 69 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	Your Score
6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 69 Ratings

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The Big C: Season 1

Now Playing: The Big C: Season 1

Season Details & Credits

SHOWTIME | Season Premiere Date: August 16, 2010

Starring: Laura Linney, Phyllis Somerville, Oliver Platt

Summary: After being diagnosed with cancer, Cathy Jamison (Laura Linney) begins to make major changes to her life as she juggles being a teacher, mother, wife, and sister.

Creator: Darlene Hunt

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E13. Taking the Plunge
Air Date: November 15, 2010
tbd
S1:E12. Everything That Rises Must Converge
Air Date: November 8, 2010
tbd
S1:E11. New Beginnings
Air Date: November 1, 2010

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Tom Gliatto

The show is cluttered with cutesy sidekicks, including Gabourey Sidibe as a student and John Benjamin Hickey as Cathy's homeless brother. But Linney's a big deal. [30 Aug 2010, p.37]

Nancy DeWolf Smith

Making, and enjoying, a commitment to watch Showtime's new dramedy The Big C requires a deliberate decision to ignore nagging questions. Such as: Why are so many of the TV and cinematic cancer stories of the past few decades about women? And in an era when more and more of us know someone with cancer, or have experienced it directly, does that mean that we are now ready to embrace the subject as entertainment? Dwell too long on those questions, and what is good about The Big C may pass you by. Read full review

Glenn Garvin

Cathy's modest conception of throwing caution to the winds mirrors the strengths of The Big C, which is affecting precisely because of its refusal to assume epic proportions. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

The Big C is tonally all over the place, to the point where a terminal illness almost seems a relief. Linney has her best moments as she tries to reform an overweight student (Gabourey Sidibe, way sparklier than in Precious) and befriends a cranky neighbor widow (scene-stealer Phyllis Somerville). Read full review

Aaron Barnhart

In the tradition of "The Day After" and "My So-Called Life" comes The Big C, an important show premiering Monday that's not necessarily a great show. Read full review

Emily Nussbaum

It's possible The Big C will get better, even if (maybe especially if) Cathy never does. And if it takes two seasons to become a great sitcom about dying? That might be worth the wait. Read full review

Peter Swanson

In The Big C, cancer is simply an excuse to sell the vicarious thrill of on-screen narcissism. Read full review

SEE ALL 27 REVIEWS

User Score

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6.8

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User Reviews

PunishingLight

Dec 29, 2011

Witty, thoughtful, sad, charming, heartwrenching, dramatic, enticing. This show has everything. Even the couple of subpar episodes are elevated by Linney's performance. YES, this show makes me laugh - A LOT. To people who say it's not funny are obviously letting the dramatic momentsWitty, thoughtful, sad, charming, heartwrenching, dramatic, enticing. This show has everything. Even the couple of subpar episodes are elevated by Linney's performance. YES, this show makes me laugh - A LOT. To people who say it's not funny are obviously letting the dramatic moments overshadow everything else - it's a dark comedy, in the same vein as Weeds. Weeds is another show I love but it has been less funny in the past seasons - doesn't mean its still not a dark comedy.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mrcritic

Sep 26, 2010

Definitely one of the better shows I've seen in a long long time. Laura Linney really shows her acting skills in this great comedy. Showtime has had some misses lately, they're just lucky that they found The Big C.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

FionaWalliceFan

Dec 23, 2013

The first season of The Big C is a strong start. Oliver Platt and Laura Linney both shine and get the best lines each episode. This season did make me cry, several times, in fact. Overall, the acting is top notch. The writing is funny and realistic. Overall, I would definitely recommend thisThe first season of The Big C is a strong start. Oliver Platt and Laura Linney both shine and get the best lines each episode. This season did make me cry, several times, in fact. Overall, the acting is top notch. The writing is funny and realistic. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcDoyle

Aug 31, 2010

Laura Linney is great, as usual. She does great work the the half hour Showtime format. I'll definitely watch the season. Weeds is a solid lead-in. I just with Oliver Platt didn't seem so neutered.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

podaddy

Apr 6, 2012

Full disclosure: If Pauley Shore and Carrot Top starred in Showtime sitcom, I'd cancel my subscription; but add Laura Linney to the mix and I'd sign on for life. Without her, The Big C would probably get a 6 from without Linney, but she is THAT good. The show isn't as well written as perhapsFull disclosure: If Pauley Shore and Carrot Top starred in Showtime sitcom, I'd cancel my subscription; but add Laura Linney to the mix and I'd sign on for life. Without her, The Big C would probably get a 6 from without Linney, but she is THAT good. The show isn't as well written as perhaps iot should be, but it certainly rises above the sitcom drek one finds on mainstream TV. Linney is simply fabulous, everyone is else is merely adequate and the writing is up and down, but the Big C is still worth the effort.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Nimrod13

Apr 29, 2012

Excellent acting from all actors except for Cynthia Nixon, who is just re-enacting the exact character she played in Sex in the City, (in fact I believe her lines are even borrowed from SIC). Admittedly there are some amazing lines delivered in very genuine way. But the acting and aboveExcellent acting from all actors except for Cynthia Nixon, who is just re-enacting the exact character she played in Sex in the City, (in fact I believe her lines are even borrowed from SIC). Admittedly there are some amazing lines delivered in very genuine way. But the acting and above average lines are where the show has decided to restrict itself to. The … Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

GeorgePLucas

Jan 9, 2012

Not a good show by any stretch of the imagination. People need to get over Laura Linney. She's not making this show better. It's a failure on a gargantuan scale.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 16 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

68

Series Overview
Season 4

74
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: April 29, 2013
Season 3

65
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: April 8, 2012
Season 2

64
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 27, 2011
Season 1

67
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 16, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E13. Taking the Plunge
  Air Date: November 15, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E12. Everything That Rises Must Converge
  Air Date: November 8, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E11. New Beginnings
  Air Date: November 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E10. Divine Intervention
  Air Date: October 25, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E9. The Ecstasy and the Agony
  Air Date: October 18, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E8. Happy Birthday, Cancer
  Air Date: October 11, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E7. Two for the Road
  Air Date: October 4, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E6. Taking Lumps
  Air Date: September 27, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E5. Blue-Eyed Iris
  Air Date: September 20, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E4. Playing the Cancer Car
  Air Date: September 13, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E3. There's No C In Team
  Air Date: August 30, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E2. Summer Time
  Air Date: August 23, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: August 16, 2010