The Sex Lives of College Girls
HBO | HBO Max | Release Date: November 18, 2021
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
75
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews
Positive:
22
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
70
Boston GlobeMatthew GilbertNov 23, 2022
Season 2 Review: The show has enough charm and energy to make it easy to watch, if not compelling. The casting is good, so that the friends become both endearing and a bit more than the stereotypes they are written as. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperNov 17, 2021
Season 1 Review: Mostly, though, this is a terrific vehicle for Kaur, Chanelle, Rapp and Chalamet to demonstrate their comedic and dramatic talents. They work beautifully together and have a natural rhythm, even when the dialogue seems almost too perfectly written. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneNina MetzDec 1, 2021
Season 1 Review: Mistakes and blinkered missteps are enthusiastically played out alongside more successful attempts at college life and it captures that sometimes precarious euphoria of finally making your way without parental supervision, hyped up on potential and hormones. Read full review
80
CNNBrian LowryNov 17, 2021
Season 1 Review: HBO has a storied history with female quartets, from "Sex and the City" to "Girls." Yet The Sex Lives of College Girls carves out its own niche with a distinct voice and plenty of very funny material, capturing four young women from diverse backgrounds thrown together as roommates while coming of age as first-year college students. Read full review
80
ColliderTaylor GatesNov 18, 2024
Season 3 Review: The romance parts are fun, with a revolving door of love interests coming and going, but the focus remains on friendship — and it’s all the better for it. Read full review
83
ColliderEmma KielyNov 10, 2022
Season 2 Review: Season 2 can feel a little stagnant at times, with certain subplots feeling overused. Still, it’s always fun, with many jokes in possession of that searing awareness that Kaling especially is so good at. It still manages to offer the four girls some character growth. Read full review
80
DeciderAlex VenaNov 21, 2024
Season 3 Review: The Sex Lives of College Girls remains a cheeky and amusing ode to the modern-day college experience and female friendships, despite fan-favorite Leighton's (Rapp) impending transfer. Read full review
80
DeciderJoel KellerNov 17, 2022
Season 2 Review: The Sex Lives Of College Girls continues the good vibes in Season 2, with a well-oiled comedic ensemble and an easygoing charm that makes the show very bingeable. Read full review
80
DeciderJoel KellerNov 18, 2021
Season 1 Review: Mindy Kaling’s knack for creating three-dimensional characters makes The Sex Lives Of College Girls a funny and addictive show, despite the fact that there’s really no new ground being broken by its premise or characters. Read full review
83
IndieWireAmanda WhitingNov 19, 2021
Season 1 Review: Well-made and propulsive. Read full review
84
Paste MagazineDianna ShenNov 17, 2022
Season 2 Review: The Sex Lives of College Girls continues the magic created in its first installment, providing the perfect balance of horny humor and character growth. The dynamic on-screen chemistry among leads Chalamet, Rapp, Scott, and Kaur shines even brighter in the second season as the girls continue to delve into journeys of self discovery. Read full review
87
Paste MagazineRadhika MenonNov 15, 2021
Season 1 Review: The show isn’t exactly breaking new ground in terms of its romantic and identity-based storylines, but it approaches each girl’s predicaments with a tangible amount of love and understanding. Read full review
70
RogerEbert.comCiara WardlowNov 18, 2021
Season 1 Review: After some initial hurdles, “Sex Lives” does pick up steam to become an engaging show, albeit one that still has significant room for growth. Read full review
70
Rolling StoneAlan SepinwallNov 17, 2021
Season 1 Review: All of this is played sincerely, but with healthy servings of slapstick and character comedy. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubSaloni GajjarNov 16, 2022
Season 2 Review: The series avoids a sophomore slump because co-creators Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble embrace the qualities that made the show successful. Chief among them is the connection between the leads. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubSaloni GajjarNov 16, 2021
Season 1 Review: The way the show tackles how teens cope with sudden freedom is both funny and truthful. ... This coming-of-age story is a joyride. Read full review
80
The Daily Beast Fletcher PetersNov 17, 2022
Season 2 Review: More than anything, watching The Sex Lives of College Girls is heartwarming and easy. Read full review
100
The GuardianLucy ManganJan 18, 2023
Season 2 Review: There is less Willow (Renika Williams), so far, than last time, which is a great sadness. But the rest are all present, correct and adding to the general sense of a show bursting with good things: talent, energy and wit to burn. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterAngie HanNov 18, 2021
Season 1 Review: For the most part, The Sex Lives of College Girls feels like the TV equivalent of dorm-room pizza: nothing novel or fancy, perhaps, but warm and gooey enough to satisfy. Read full review
80
TimeJudy BermanNov 18, 2021
Season 1 Review: Warm, observant and often gleefully raunchy show. Read full review
70
VarietyCaroline FramkeNov 11, 2021
Season 1 Review: The mashup of R-rated jokes, thrilling sexual adventures and feel-good friendship stories that generally defines “The Sex Lives of College Girls” works for Leighton, Bela, and Kimberly. Where it falls short is with Whitney. Read full review
80
Washington PostInkoo KangNov 15, 2021
Season 1 Review: This is also the kind of show where pretty much every cast member feels like a find, and where the natural chemistry among the central foursome adds to the series’s easygoing appeal. Read full review
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