Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022)

Addison finds the series painful and brilliant, and praises its pacy, acerbic storytelling. She singles out its sharp dialogue and its willingness to turn Toby’s flawed perspective into a mirror for the audience.

Berke calls the series a sharp, fierce, funny adaptation, though its final episodes become too expository and earnest. She especially praises Lizzy Caplan’s performance as Libby, which brings wit and vulnerability to the role.

Chaney finds “Me-Time” more emotionally affecting than the novel and praises how the episode’s visual choices and writing make Rachel’s breakdown vivid. Claire Danes’s vulnerable performance is singled out as especially powerful.

The critic calls the series a compelling, confronting examination of aging and life’s big choices. She praises its strong performances and faithful adaptation, while noting that its nonlinear structure can be disorienting.

Levy finds the series illuminating, destabilising, funny, and an easy watch that raises difficult questions. She especially praises its narrative turns and Clare Danes’s astonishing performance as Rachel.

Fienberg finds the series funny, sad, relatable, and more satisfying than the novel in some ways. He especially praises the superb ensemble, singling out Lizzy Caplan’s comic timing and emotional range.

Travers finds the series perceptive but ultimately weighed down by its lopsided focus on Toby. He praises the later episode centered on Elizabeth as enthralling, while arguing that the series gets to its other characters too late.

Horton finds the series smart and worthwhile, though hit-and-miss and ultimately less moving than it is intellectually engaging. She singles out Claire Danes’s performance for praise, while finding the finale too corny for the complications that precede it.

The review finds the series insightful about middle age but ultimately unable to overcome its unsettled storytelling. It praises Claire Danes’s performance while faulting the narration for keeping Rachel from emerging on her own terms.

Bonaime finds the series fascinating and contemplative, with hard truths about starting over in middle age. He especially praises the cast, singling out Lizzy Caplan’s nuanced performance.

Friedlander finds the adaptation resonant but somewhat unresolved, with its shifting perspectives complicating who is actually in trouble. She especially praises the four leads’ chemistry and the natural, overlapping dialogue between Claire Danes and Jesse Eisenberg.

Krueger finds the series empathetic, intensely literary, and deeply moving. He particularly praises how its narration and recurring motifs preserve the novel’s richness and emotional breadth.

The critic finds the series thoughtful and worthwhile despite structural unevenness and overextended narration. They single out Lizzy Caplan’s warm, nuanced performance and the cast’s strong character work for praise.

Herman finds the adaptation too faithful to the novel, leaving its central perspective shift less effective on television. She praises the lead performances but faults the frequent voice-over for intruding and telling viewers what to feel.