Connecting...

This is a fresh, funny, fast-paced and emotionally impactful show with relevant and relatable humor, some wise commentary on our times—and a love story in the making.

The fact that this group has such good chemistry with each other despite not being in the same room, and the fact that Gero and Gall are able to craft story arcs as we go through the pandemic is almost miraculous. We genuinely laughed many times through the three episodes NBC sent for review.

It’s a surprisingly sharp comedy that uses familiar sitcom beats to tackle a completely unfamiliar situation.

Smartly written, funny and occasionally touching, capturing the need for connection amid the struggles unique to this period.

The effort and ingenuity is very commendable. But everything about Connecting — starting with the groaner of a title — is painfully on the nose.

It’s earnest, reasonably ambitious and lightly funny. But “Connecting …” lacks connection, its characters and dynamics too standard-issue to attach to. Too many of the quick-banter jokes feel as if they need a laugh track.

Connecting… does decently with the frivolous part of the equation, but I find something genuinely unpleasant about using abrupt, unearned emotional nods to George Floyd's murder as a one-off TV comedy kicker. ... Connecting… feels like another, maybe slightly better than some, version of something networks decided they needed without any corresponding audience demand.