The Sympathizer

:

Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 14, 2024
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
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Critic Reviews

  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Inkoo Kang
    Apr 15, 2024
    60
    The show, though frequently poignant and entertaining, is pulled in too many directions to establish any real sense of his [the Captain's] interior life.
  2. CNN
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    Apr 15, 2024
    60
    Downey stands in for multiple ugly Americans, but the series descends into a narrative quagmire and, despite powerful moments, can’t consistently pull itself out.
  3. IGN
    Reviewed by: Laura Sirikul
    Apr 12, 2024
    60
    While Hoa Xuande and Fred Nguyen Khan stand out in their roles, The Sympathizer does a disservice to its source material by leaving out specific themes and key plots that leave the characters feeling empty.
  5. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Daniel Fienberg
    Apr 10, 2024
    60
    This version of The Sympathizer is still substantive and audacious, a slab of satire and deeply felt human tragedy that’s worthy of conversation and consideration, even if the consideration leads to the conclusion that a kitchen-sink approach that worked on the page struggles to coalesce on the screen.
  6. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Nick Schager
    Apr 10, 2024
    60
    No matter an invigorated early going, however, it’s a venture that ultimately falls victim to its own bifurcations, torn apart by its desire to serve myriad masters at the same time.