--- title: "Somebody Somewhere: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/somebody-somewhere/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/somebody-somewhere" critics_score: 85 critics_reviews: 8 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." --- # Somebody Somewhere (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 85 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous in their approval. Most critics describe a gentle, small-scale comedy about grief and small-town life that never tips into sentimentality, and nearly all of them put Bridget Everett’s performance as Sam at the centre of the praise, admiring how much she does with restraint before her singing lets something bigger out. Jeff Hiller is named almost as often, and the friendship between Sam and Joel is repeatedly picked out as the reason the show works: honest, warm and funny without straining for it. There is little to report on the other side. The spread is narrow, running from an enthusiastic A to a solid B, and no review is mixed or negative. The coolest notice, from The AV Club on the third and final series, still calls it big-hearted; its reservation is one of degree rather than kind. Reviews of the later series suggest the show holds its quality, with Paste finding the second series answers larger questions through small moments. ## IndieWire — Kristen Lopez Rating A. 13 January 2022. The critic calls the HBO series a heartfelt delight led by Bridget Everett and Jeff Hiller's performances. It skillfully depicts Sam's organic emotional growth and captures the quiet connections of everyday life and new friendships. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/2022/01/somebody-somewhere-review-hbo-series-brilliant-cast-1234688762/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 January 2022. The series challenges the protagonist Sam's cynical outlook by suggesting that believing improvement is impossible is itself an easy way out. It highlights Bridget Everett's restrained performance and the power of her singing as she builds community among outsiders in small-town Kansas. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/bridget-everett-hbo-somebody-somewhere-1235141514/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 January 2022. The critic finds it a confident story about an unconfident woman, full of pleasure and tentative uncertainty in new adult friendships. Everett gives a fantastic, tender performance that makes the show live and die by her subtle portrayal of the lead. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/bridget-everett-somebody-somewhere-review.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 March 2022. The critic finds the series a stealthy, beautiful comedy about grief, small-town life and found family that avoids easy sentimentality. The central friendship between Sam and Joel is singled out as honest and warm, with the show praised for its truthful, affectionate take on ordinary lives. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/mar/01/somebody-somewhere-review-a-warm-honest-and-surprisingly-beautiful-tv-comedy) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 January 2022. The gentle dramedy is a low-key delight with an eye for detail, laid-back humor, and compassion that occasionally bursts into exuberance. It praises the vivid characterizations, especially the chemistry between leads and supporting players, and the rare focus on a fat middle-aged woman carving out space in her hometown. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/somebody-somewhere-tv-review-1235070794/) ## The AV Club — Tim Lowery Rating B. 23 October 2024. The big-hearted dramedy’s third and final season gives a heady dose of the feels. The show is refreshing for its soft spot for humanity that feels neither cloying nor reductive, packaged with a confident indie-film aesthetic. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/somebody-somewhere-season-3-review) ## Collider — Taylor Gates Rating 9/10. 20 October 2024. The critic calls the final season a stunning swan song for the series, praising its grounded, authentic storytelling that feels refreshing amid flashy production trends. Bridget Everett delivers a tour de force performance as Sam, with the season digging deeper into characters and balancing humor and poignancy. [Read the review](https://collider.com/somebody-somewhere-season-3-review/) ## Paste — Michael Savio Rating 8.9/10. 21 April 2023. The review highlights how the second season uses small moments to ask big questions while solidifying the show's status as one of modern TV’s best-kept secrets. It singles out the unmatched, good-humored chemistry between Sam and Joel as central to the series' appeal. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/hbo/somebody-somewhere-season-2-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/somebody-somewhere.md