--- title: "Halo: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/halo/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/halo" critics_score: 49 critics_reviews: 15 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." --- # Halo (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 49 from 15 reviews: 2 positive, 7 mixed, 6 negative. The consensus on Halo is mixed to negative, with praise clustering around the cast rather than the storytelling. Critics repeatedly credit Pablo Schreiber with giving Master Chief humanity, while Yerin Ha’s performance and her chemistry with Schreiber provide another point of interest. Several reviews also welcome the attempt to explore the people beneath the armour, even when the surrounding science-fiction plotting feels familiar. The reservations centre on slow pacing, heavy exposition and a shortage of distinctive ideas, though the spread runs from qualified enthusiasm to firm dismissal. Visual scale and design divide critics: Paste praises the lived-in contrasts between worlds and faithful game details, while other reviews find the action weak and the effects unconvincing. The reviews also cover different stretches of the programme, from opening episodes to the second season, which Radio Times finds disjointed and lacking what made the first season special. ## Empire — James Dyer Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2022. Dyer finds the series an uneven but worthwhile adaptation, with a grim, involving take on the Halo universe. He praises Pablo Schreiber’s performance for giving the Master Chief humanity and intensity, while noting that slow pacing and detours often drag. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/halo-season-1/) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Rating C+. 14 March 2022. Festival review. Travers finds the series a predictable but promising mix of familiar sci-fi and fantasy formulas. He praises Pablo Schreiber’s voice work and the production’s visual scale, while criticizing the action as toy-like. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/halo-review-series-paramount-plus-1234707833/) ## The AV Club — William Hughes Rating C+. 14 March 2022. Hughes finds the adaptation tepid and cheap, with writing that rarely improves on its first draft. He praises Pablo Schreiber and Yerin Ha’s chemistry and the show’s sci-fi weirdness. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/halo-review-paramount-plus-pablo-schreiber-1848646842) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2022. Framke finds the series an ambitious but overly familiar adaptation that has not yet developed a distinct point of view. She praises Yerin Ha’s compelling performance as Kwan, while noting that the aliens are among the show’s least convincing effects. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/halo-review-paramount-plus-1235204379/) ## Vulture — Roxana Hadadi Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 2022. Hadadi finds the first two episodes weighed down by exposition and lacking a distinctive identity, though she sees potential in the series. She praises Yerin Ha’s expressive performance and the developing dynamic between Quan and Master Chief. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/halo-series-review-paramount-plus.html) ## Radio Times — Louise Griffin Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2024. The review says the second season misses the mark and loses what made the first season special. It singles out the run’s disjointedness as its main complaint. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/halo-season-2-review/) ## The Guardian — Jack Seale Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2022. The critic finds the series sterile, slow and confusing for viewers unfamiliar with the games. The show’s brief turn toward questions of humanity offers promise, but the battle scenes and world-building disappoint. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/22/halo-review-fails-to-be-tvs-first-great-video-game-adaptation) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2022. Festival review. Fienberg finds the series generic, forgettable and less entertaining than its obvious genre comparisons. He singles out Bokeem Woodbine’s appealing performance as the main bright spot. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/halo-review-1235111130/) ## Paste — Kevin Fox Jr. Rating 7.2/10. 24 March 2022. The critic finds the series ambitious and entertaining, while remaining wary of its changes to the games and whether its story will land. They praise the cast and design, especially the lived-in contrast between its worlds and the faithful touches to the games. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/halo/halo-tv-series-review) ## Collider — Chase Hutchinson Rating B-. 14 March 2022. Hutchinson finds the series a solid but scattered adaptation that succeeds despite slow, exposition-heavy stretches. He singles out the relationship between Quan and John as its saving grace. [Read the review](https://collider.com/halo-review-pablo-schreiber-master-chief-paramount-plus/) ## Den of Geek — Megan Crouse Rating 3/5. 31 March 2022. Crouse finds the episode wobbly but says it begins to find its feet by balancing lore and human interest. She especially praises the explicit, complicated family relationships and Halsey’s chilling dynamic with Chief. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/halo-episode-2-review-unbound/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 22 March 2022. The critic finds the series uneven but sees promise in its serious science-fiction approach. They praise Pablo Schreiber’s appealing performance, while criticizing the unconvincing CGI and jargon-heavy script. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/halo-review-fan-focused-sci-fi-stuffed-with-video-game-action-3189555) ## /Film — Jeremy Mathai Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2022. Festival review. Mathai finds the opening episodes uneven, with promising ideas undermined by a muddled identity and weak action. He praises the series’ willingness to explore Master Chief’s humanity and challenge the UNSC’s authority. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/798332/halo-review-the-video-game-adaptation-tries-to-find-the-humanity-beneath-the-helmet/) ## The Ringer — Ben Lindbergh Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 23 March 2022. Lindbergh finds the series an undistinguished, nondisastrous start that is not yet compelling enough to recommend over other sci-fi shows. He praises the cast’s presence and chemistry, along with the convincing look and sound of the Spartans and their combat. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/03/23/tv/halo-paramount-plus-premiere-review) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2022. Festival review. Worthington finds the series derivative and arriving years past its sell-by date. He faults its choice to graft Halo’s lore and aesthetic onto familiar streaming sci-fi and fantasy conventions. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2022/03/halo-tv-show-paramount-plus-review/) --- © 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/halo.md