Most critics find High Fidelity an enjoyable, imperfect reinvention, with praise clustering around the cast and the record-store friendships. Zoë Kravitz earns approval for a funny, vulnerable take on Rob, while Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s comic energy as Cherise wins over even several sceptical reviewers. The music and the fuller lives given to Rob’s friends also help persuade supporters that the series has something of its own to offer.
The spread is wide, however, and the central story is the main dividing point. Supporters find a thoughtful update; less convinced critics see a derivative series whose protagonist and relationships remain underdeveloped, with complaints ranging from meandering middle episodes to a rushed ending. The Hollywood Reporter offers the sharpest dissent, finding the adaptation glum and largely soulless despite its eclectic music and more poignant Simon-focused episode. The disagreement is less about the supporting cast than whether Rob’s story sustains the season.