TV Review: Bored To Death

HBO’s new comedy series Bored To Death stars Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson and debuts Sept. 20. The following are reviews from TV critics around the web, compiled by B&C.

“It is funny, once you have adjusted yourself to the existential rhythms and embraced the offbeat. If the prospect of a Jim Jarmusch cameo excites you, this show is for you.”
-Paige Wiser, The Chicago Sun-Times

“Bored to Death is as idiosyncratic and delightful in its own way as Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
-Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times

“HBO sent out three advance episodes of Bored to Death, and by the third one (also the best one) I felt confident that Schwartzman was exactly where he belongs - in Brooklyn, in a cafe, watching, and worrying.”
-Matthew Gilbert, The Boston Globe

“Jonathan Ames’ literary voice infuses HBO’s new comedy Bored to Death, and that’s mostly a bad thing…the series proves too precious and quirky for its own good.”
-Brian Lowry, Variety

“It’s a comedy that’s so dry, you may need to have a canteen by your side to watch it. It’s also very uneven (I liked half the episodes I’ve seen, and found the title too apt for the other half).”
-Alan Sepinwall, Newark Star-Ledger

“It’s tempting to say HBO’s Bored to Death lives up to its title, but that’s not entirely true. Sunday’s premiere is a little dull, but future episodes have more entertainment value. Still, you have to be a fan of neuroses humor for Bored to have much comedic impact.”
-Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“It feels new, because it is so completely itself, consistently itself, a mix of romance, adventure and stoner comedy (there is a lot of pot about) that never abandons the world the rest of us can recognize.”
-Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times

“It may be Schwartzman’s best role yet, and the half-hour Bored to Death episodes roll by all too quickly.”
-Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle

“Sure, you could make the easy pun on Bored to Death’s name, but that would be as indolent, indulgent and humor-free as the show itself.”
-Robert Bianco, USA Today