---
title: "Eastbound & Down: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/eastbound-and-down/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/tv/eastbound-and-down"
critics_score: 75
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."
---

# Eastbound & Down (2009): what the critics said

Critics' score 75 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics like Eastbound & Down, and nearly all of them like it for the same reason: Danny McBride. His Kenny Powers, a washed-up pitcher who cannot see how far he has fallen, is praised as clueless, profane and precisely played, and several reviews single out the performance as the thing that makes the series work. The praise extends to the writing, with the show credited for turning a crude premise into something darker, a study of a man clinging to fame that has gone, and for keeping that tone steady across later seasons.

The reservations are few. Variety is the lone dissent, finding the premise tired and the comedy juvenile, leaning on crudity where it should have wit. Some of the admirers concede a related point: the humour is raw and cynical, and viewers who do not take to it early are unlikely to be won over. Beyond that, the spread is narrow, with the positive reviews clustered close together.

## The AV Club — Nathan Rabin

Rating A-. 16 February 2009. 

The critic praises the HBO series as realizing the potential of McBride's earlier work, delivering a profane, gritty comedy about a washed-up, arrogant ex-pitcher reduced to substitute teaching. It highlights the strong start with David Gordon Green's involvement and the show's nasty vitality.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/eastbound-down-pilot-1798205655)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Ray Richmond

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 February 2009. 

The critic finds the series refreshingly politically incorrect and hilarious due to its protagonist's clueless arrogance and foul-mouthed rants, praising Danny McBride's performance as the standout element that could revive HBO's comedy.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/tv-review-eastbound-amp-92902/)

## Empire — William Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 24 February 2010. 

Praises the crude, lewd humor and accurate observation of a delusional redneck anti-hero, highlighting Danny McBride's pitch-perfect performance in this HBO comedy.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/eastbound-review/)

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 February 2009. 

The critic finds the premise tired and the show juvenile, relying on crudity rather than wit, and questions its premium cable quality.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2009/scene/markets-festivals/eastbound-down-1200473697/)

## Collider — Andre Dellamorte

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2011. 

The critic calls the series a masterpiece, praising Danny McBride's portrayal of Kenny Powers as a delusional anti-hero and the hilarious, dark comedy that explores hubris mixed with pain across both seasons.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/eastbound-and-down-season-one-season-two-blu-ray-review/)

## Den of Geek — Chris Longo

Rating 4.5/5. 30 September 2013. 

The critic praises the episode as a strong return for Kenny Powers, noting his shift toward family life and a poignant acceptance of the end of his baseball career. It highlights the show's consistency and the character's enduring appeal despite changes.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/eastbound-and-down-chapter-22-review/)

## /Film — Adam Quigley

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2009. 

The critic notes that Jody Hill's raw, cynical comedy style rewards viewers who embrace it, elevating the show beyond dark comedy into an unsettling character study of a man's struggle with faded fame and reality.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/504342/this-week-in-dvd-street-fighter-12-rounds-entourage-eastbound-down-and-more/)

---
© 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/eastbound-and-down.md