TV Review: NBC's 'Outsourced'

NBC’s new sitcom Outsourced, about a call center in India, premieres Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:30 p.m. The following are reviews from TV critics around the Web, compiled by B&C:

“The fact that it’s neither embarrassing nor deeply offensive — once it gets rolling, the show is actually quite charming — is a credit to the cast and the writers.” – Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times

“The pilot contains a few clever moments about how all offices are the same, but even these moments are derivative (if not copied word for word) from its lead-in, The Office.” – Samantha Urban, The Dallas Morning News

What’s astounding about Outsourced isn’t its racism — it would be xenophobia, anyway — but its laziness… why would you want to do a pilot which, over 22 minutes, fails to get a punchline from any aspect of Indian culture that isn’t a well-established stereotype? Probably American audiences should be insulted that this is all that Kwapis and showrunner Robert Borden think that you’re capable of laughing at.” – Daniel Fienberg, HitFix

“…Outsourced seems to me the most deftly realized sitcom of the new season… it has a top-flight cast, characters who show you who they are rather than telling you, smart writing, sure rhythms and a cheerful attitude.” – Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times

“You might feel a similarly frustrating disconnect, as I did, while watching as Outsourced (based on a 2006 indie film of the same name) so quickly abandons its relevant and even topically vital premise for a bunch of lame jokes about sacred cows and curry-related bouts of diarrhea.” –Hank Stuever, The Washington Post