The Casual Vacancy

:

Season 1
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 5 out of 16

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

view
per page
  1. Knighthawk81
    Apr 30, 2015
    5
    When you hear a story is based on a novel by J.K. Rowling, you can't help but think of "Harry Potter." What set that apart wasn't just the magic, it was the building of worlds and characters. By comparison, "The Casual Vacancy" is hollow. It's about the untimely death of a man in a small town, and the squabble about who will replace him on the town council. The first two parts aired lastWhen you hear a story is based on a novel by J.K. Rowling, you can't help but think of "Harry Potter." What set that apart wasn't just the magic, it was the building of worlds and characters. By comparison, "The Casual Vacancy" is hollow. It's about the untimely death of a man in a small town, and the squabble about who will replace him on the town council. The first two parts aired last night, and by the end of the first hour it was still unclear who these people are and why we should really care, and that's a problem.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Brian Tallerico
    Apr 30, 2015
    63
    Every element that doesn’t quite work in The Casual Vacancy is offset by a legitimate reason to check it out, at least until the muddled ending.
    Read full review
  2. Slate
    Reviewed by: Katy Waldman
    Apr 30, 2015
    70
    I appreciated the miniseries’ willingness to reach beyond moral satire. There are glimmers of big cosmic tragedy in this Vacancy, when the camera swings away from two characters arguing (or hooking up) in order to highlight some mythic element in the landscape.
    Read full review
  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Margaret Lyons
    Apr 29, 2015
    50
    The performances are fine, the story lines appropriately interwoven. Everything is totally competent.... [But] the details are the story, and simplifying them and sanding them down leaves Vacancy with a real dull streak.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »