Life & Beth

"Beth" is complex and layered, and a departure for Schumer in the best way. ... There is so much more to "Beth," and to Beth. There is something refreshing about the series, and how it resists neat categorization.

Life & Beth, though, struck enough of a chord that it’s back this week for another 10-episode season — and one that’s even better than the first.

The ambitious “Life & Beth” has flaws, not just with its early tonal zig-zags but also with length. Like too many shows these days, it could easily have been two episodes shorter, and thus tighter. But it’s nonetheless an impressive and enjoyable series that’s about the perils of letting fear guide us, the need to heal, and the choice to enjoy life in the face of death.

Life & Beth is a lot more than a smartly scripted rom-com. ... Watching it unfold, you wish Schumer either decided to focus more on the budding romance with the weird and weirdly likable John—it’s a charmingly offbeat relationship—or cut the series down to, say, seven episodes, like HBO’s recent coming-back-home comedy Somebody Somewhere.

While the middle episodes slump, "Life & Beth" starts strong, ends strong, and features a lead with genuine dramatic chops.

It’s neither as hilarious nor as moving as it seems like it could be, and the tonal shifts between “dram” and “edy” can be jarring. Nevertheless, it’s intriguing for the rawness that Schumer — who not only stars but created the series and wrote and directed most of its episodes inspired by her own experiences — brings to the table.

Personal but ponderous, it's a flawed trip down memory lane where children bear the lingering burden of their ill-equipped parents.

Life & Beth is not pretty. I watched a crash happening in someone's life and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It's real in the face of the surreal. One of the very few shows where I am convinced that everyone involved worked hard to keep it honest. The series keeps you interested with realistic emotions and believable responses. Beth (Amy Schumer) has layers of issues that make it possible for any viewer to feel a connection. But for me, my favorite character is Ann (Susannah Flood), who I wanted to see more of. The relationship between Beth and Ann was interesting and fun to watch. Life & Beth is perfect for anyone wondering if they are living their best life. A reminder that there is laughter even in moments of sadness. Damian at TalkTeaV

Tiered of stealing joke, Amy Schumer steals the concept of ‘Everybody Hates Chris’. Funny, witty, well scripted, well directed, well acted are not words I’d used to described this show. This isn’t even Batwoman bad, where you can sit around with a bunch of friends and make fun of it.