The Maya Rudolph Show

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Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: May 19, 2014
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5

Critic Reviews

  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Marc Snetiker
    May 20, 2014
    75
    The hour moved swiftly and had its share of belly laughs. At its core, The Maya Rudolph Show played like an extended SNL episode (with appropriately saccharine Muppet Show undertones) that did its best to highlight Rudolph’s range.
  2. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Kevin Fallon
    May 20, 2014
    70
    The result was a TV special that felt every bit as dated, but also every bit as joyous, as those variety series, when the likes of Dinah Shore and Julie Andrews and Judy Garland and the Jacksons would serve up entertainment comfort food in the ’60s and ’70s. Rudolph, though, peppers the format with the necessary spice and quirky flavoring that, throwback as it is, keeps that comfort food from feeling stale.
  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: Willa Paskin
    May 20, 2014
    50
    The show was pleasant without being particularly funny or memorable, odd without being urgent or edgy, scattershot without taking any big swings.
  5. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Margaret Lyons
    May 20, 2014
    40
    The Maya Rudolph Show has all the makings of a perfectly cromulent variety series, but it's not fully hatched yet, nor is it clear that variety is a format that makes sense on American TV in 2014.
  6. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: David Wiegand
    May 20, 2014
    30
    There was one funny sketch and it killed: Rudolph and the inevitable Fred Armisen play parents of Kristen Bell who is coming home to to announce her engagement to her boyfriend, Andy Samberg. Mom and dad make a their living recording their voices to GPS systems and speak like 21st century Coneheads. It killed, but the rest of the show was, if not dead on arrival, kinda painful.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 4 out of 13
  1. aliciamarie999
    May 21, 2014
    9
    Overall, a promising start. For any parent who's children are obsessed with Frozen, the musical number with Kristen Bell was LOL funny. TheOverall, a promising start. For any parent who's children are obsessed with Frozen, the musical number with Kristen Bell was LOL funny. The GPS parent skit was also very good. The opening number went on a little too long, but hopefully this was just for the first episode. She's no Carol Burnett, but Maya Rudolph has promise.… Full Review »
  2. lukechristiansc
    May 22, 2014
    9
    " The Maya Rudolph Show is hilarious and gives great entertainment and even better then elllen's show" The Maya Rudolph Show is hilarious and gives great entertainment and even better then elllen's show "........................................................................… Full Review »
  3. filmtvguy
    May 21, 2014
    7
    I wanted to like this show, I really did. I adore Maya Rudolph, and the idea of reviving the variety show seemed brilliant. But theI wanted to like this show, I really did. I adore Maya Rudolph, and the idea of reviving the variety show seemed brilliant. But the premiere show probably could have been.... funnier. Cold open with Blake Shelton... cute but not truly funny. The long opening number was cleverly written, but required so much work from the viewer to dissect all the lyrics... sung fast and sometimes hard to understand. By Frozen bit... also dependent on complex lyrics... we are deep into the show and sinking fast. GPS family started to revive things... but not in time to keep my eyelids from drooping. Suggestion... move sketches up... song and dance stuff deeper into the show. Keep segments short. Reveal guest stars one at a time... and in a bigger way. Do something surprising each week. Watch The Carol Burnet Show.… Full Review »
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