Tracey Ullman's State of the Union
SHOWTIME | Release Date: March 30, 2008
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
4
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Christian Science MonitorGloria Goodale
Season 1 Review: Vulgar and brazenly racy, it's unlike anything else on TV. Read full review
80
The New York TimesAlessandra Stanley
Season 1 Review: Her comic style is familiar, but much of Ms. Ullman’s material is fresh and up-to-date. Read full review
80
VarietyBrian Lowry
Season 1 Review: At least within Ullman's cutting overview of America, in fact, it can be reported without reservation that the "State of the Union" is strong. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalNancy DeWolf Smith
Season 1 Review: The fantastic Ms. Ullman is as funny as ever, depicting a new slew of characters in sketches that mock the way we are. Read full review
80
Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert
Season 1 Review: The beautifully filmed half-hour comedy, lets Ullman clown around with her face and her voices and her wigs without confining her to too much story line. Read full review
80
Philadelphia InquirerJonathan Storm
Season 1 Review: The episodes, each supposedly one day in the life of America, should leave viewers squirming, not just with laughter at the failings they portray, but with anticipation that Ullman and Showtime will hurry up and make some more. Read full review
75
USA TodayRobert Bianco
Season 1 Review: Though fun, the opener's skits are too short, and the characters too numerous, for any one joke to register. But give the show a week to settle, and the strengths of Ullman's concept come to the fore. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterBarry Garron
Season 1 Review: It's a showcase for Ullman's remarkable skill, but it is done too fast for the comedy to percolate. We barely have time to figure out who the character is before there's another one. And another. Things are better in succeeding episodes. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyRobert Abele
Season 1 Review: As with any sketch show, it’s all ultimately a hit-and-miss affair, but Ullman’s circus-freak virtuosity as a shape shifter-- and director Troy Miller’s rapid-fire pacing--are enough to carry you past the rough spots. Read full review
70
TimeJames Poniewozik
Season 1 Review: A sharp if uneven Whitmanian sampler. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyClark Collins
Season 1 Review: Many of the sketches are not funny per se--but some are not meant to be. [28 Mar 2008, p.63]
63
New York PostLinda Stasi
Season 1 Review: I don't know why Tracey Ullman's State of the Union isn't funny. Maybe it's just that the whole thing comes across as too jaded, or maybe impersonating and skewering people also requires that the comic walk the fine line between funny and cruel. And honestly, cruel stops well short of knee-slapper. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesMary McNamara
Season 1 Review: Not surprisingly, given the scope of the show, some topics are nailed brilliantly--Chanel, the airport security agent, is perhaps among the greatest TV characters in recent history, and the adoption of an American child by an African actress is equally hilarious--while others, like local newscaster Alvarez or the pregnant senior citizen, are flat and trite or flat and weird. Read full review
60
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen
Season 1 Review: For all the show's missteps, there's always Ullman's undeniable talent to entertain. Her parodies of women (e.g. Renee Zellweger, playing a movie character who suffers from "chronic narcissistic squint") generally succeed better than her men. Read full review
60
New York Magazine (Vulture)John Leonard
Season 1 Review: Which isn’t to say that State of the Union is merely wicked fun, mean games, and goofy looks. Ullman’s America needs work. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineMatt Roush
Season 1 Review: We know Ullman has range. What this Union needs is focus. Read full review
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