--- title: "Dope Thief: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/dope-thief/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/dope-thief" critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dope Thief (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 74 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Dope Thief, with praise clustering around Brian Tyree Henry’s lead performance and his chemistry with Wagner Moura. The central friendship gives the crime story tenderness and emotional weight, while the Philadelphia setting earns approval for its specificity and grit. The stronger reviews also value the dark humour, tense set pieces and sharp writing, finding enough character beneath the violence to make the series engaging. The disagreement concerns how well it sustains that promise: even favourable reviews acknowledge convoluted plotting or a decline after the opening. Variety finds the accumulating stress wears away investment, while The Hollywood Reporter sees a strong start give way to diminished momentum and focus. Paste is more firmly dissatisfied, describing directionless plotting and jarring tonal shifts; the spread runs from enthusiastic recommendations to frustration with a series whose performances earn more consistent praise than its storytelling. ## The Guardian — Lucy Mangan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2025. The critic finds the Apple TV+ series a fast, funny and increasingly violent caper about small-time criminals posing as DEA agents. Brian Tyree Henry’s lead performance is singled out as extraordinary, giving the show heart and making it wonderful despite some plot holes. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/mar/14/dope-thief-review-apple-tv-this-capers-hilarious-moments-are-like-brooklyn-nine-nine-meets-breaking-bad) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2025. The critic praises the sharply written and chummily acted series as a welcome return to gritty FX-style crime dramas, highlighting its strong sense of place in North Philly and emotional depth. The standout elements are the performances of Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura, which explore male loneliness and a tender, vulnerable friendship amid the bleak action. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/dope-thief-apple-series-review.html) ## The Telegraph — Anita Singh Rating 4/5. 14 March 2025. The series is called an irresistible hit and a cuddlier version of The Wire, launched strongly by Ridley Scott’s pilot direction. The critic praises the central performances, especially Brian Tyree Henry, while noting it does not quite sustain the pilot’s quality throughout. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/dope-thief-apple-tv-review-ridley-scott/) ## Variety — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2025. The review praises the nail-biting tension in key sequences and Brian Tyree Henry's commanding lead performance as the spiraling Ray, along with strong supporting turns. It criticizes the series for becoming overly stressful and losing viewer investment by the end. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/dope-thief-review-brian-tyree-henry-apple-1236336970) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2025. The critic commends the strong start, the volatile chemistry between Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura, and the post-pandemic Philly setting. It faults the series for losing momentum and focus after splitting the leads, becoming diffuse and less engaging. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/dope-thief-review-brian-tyree-henry-wagner-moura-apple-tv-1236162422) ## Empire — James Dyer 13 March 2025. The critic highlights the engaging central friendship and character work in this limited series about two petty thieves who bite off more than they can chew. Strong direction, performances, and darkly humorous set pieces make it a compelling ride despite some convoluted plotting. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/dope-thief/) ## Den of Geek — Alec Bojalad Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2025. The piece highlights how the series continues Philadelphia's strong tradition of crime dramas, emphasizing the city's gritty authenticity and the strong central performances from Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura. It notes the story's focus on place and the leads' chemistry as key strengths. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/apple-tv-dope-thief-philadelphia-crime-drama/) ## Collider — Megan Vick Rating 7/10. 7 March 2025. The critic praises the great performances and the central friendship between the leads but complains that the plot is too convoluted and meandering with uneven pacing. [Read the review](https://collider.com/dope-thief-review/) ## Paste — Elijah Gonzalez Rating 5.4. 7 March 2025. The critic finds it a meandering bust undermined by directionless plotting and tonal whiplash, despite a strong premise and some effective performances. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/apple-tv-plus/dope-thief-review-apple-tv) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/dope-thief.md