Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 15
  2. Negative: 0 out of 15

Critic Reviews

  1. Reviewed by: Kristen Baldwin
    Jul 10, 2023
    83
    One season of Dolores' tale makes for a satisfying meal, and I fear a second helping might turn out to be empty calories. But maybe a little overindulgence is warranted when the recipe is so tasty.
  2. Reviewed by: Saloni Gajjar
    Jul 7, 2023
    83
    THODR isn’t flawless, but it is a perfectly entertaining endeavor that allows Machado to run wild. And that alone makes it worthwhile.
  3. Reviewed by: Cristina Escobar
    Jul 7, 2023
    80
    The series clearly has fun playing with that line, putting normality and extremity in conversation and asking the audience to root both for and against its leads. A playful show about a serial killer, "The Horror of Dolores Roach" gets its frights by not taking itself too seriously.
  4. Reviewed by: Angie Han
    Jul 6, 2023
    80
    It’s simply entertaining to watch Dolores scramble to stay one step ahead of ruin, or slowly embrace the rage threatening to eat her alive from the inside — and for the most part, that’s enough. Think of her story not as a lavish five-course meal to be savored, but a sizzling fast-food snack: a treat best inhaled by the fistful, over the course of some lazy afternoon.
  5. Reviewed by: Matthew Jacobs
    Jul 5, 2023
    78
    Even if the show can feel rushed, it's a winsome treat in a summer that isn't brimming with breakout hits.
  6. Reviewed by: Coleman Spilde
    Jul 7, 2023
    75
    The show makes perfectly bite-sized digs at bureaucratic establishments that are far more filling than empty wisdom. There’s no one better than Machado to make those points.
  7. Reviewed by: Scott Campbell
    Jul 6, 2023
    70
    The initial framing device doesn’t always land the way it’s intended to, either, but if you can ignore a little in the way of repetition then there’s still more than enough to sink your teeth into.
  8. Reviewed by: Chase Hutchinson
    Jul 5, 2023
    67
    That The Horror of Dolores Roach manages to be just cheeky enough to overcome its many flaws is a testament to Machado’s presence — she helps to turn a television meal that doesn’t always go down as easy as one would hope into one that has a bit more meat on its bones.
  9. Reviewed by: Rory Doherty
    Jul 5, 2023
    63
    The series is a worthy, likeable effort from cast and crew to make a smaller show break into a crowded, saturated streaming market, but it’s hard not to feel frustrated when everything good about it is a couple hairs away from being great. Dolores Roach makes for a quick bite when it should have been a full meal.