Critic Reviews

In the pilot episode at least, The Cool Kids panders to stereotypes, cliches and tropes and boy, it's a good time.

Created by Charlie Day, one of the producers and stars of the hilariously vulgar and half-witted sitcom It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia , Cool Kids shares its proud tastelessness.

The cast is exceptionally good, and even when the show is dumb they are often funny, and when it is not dumb, they are funny too. I found The Cool Kids alternately annoying and entertaining; it’s not particularly ambitious, in form or content, but it hits the marks it assigns itself.

They won't make you double over laughing (or maybe they will--your mileage may vary when it comes to comedy). But what does work here is the effortless ease with which Mull, Grier, Lawrence and Jordan never miss a beat.

It’s crass and formulaic, and a lot of the jokes boil down to “Hey, that old guy sure doesn’t act old!” But these seasoned sitcom veterans know how to sell a punchline to a live studio audience.

There’s ample cringe-worthy bawdiness. ... The diminutive Jordan, speaking in a deep drawl, is something of a scene-stealer, even if it’s only petty theft. And Lawrence seems to have a fairly firm handle on her boss lady character.

It's all very broadly played -- to go with its lead-in, "Last Man Standing" -- but raises the question how long lines like "Everybody relax. Act like we have Alzheimer's" are going to prevent the show from facing the TV version of retirement.

An ensemble comedy set at a retirement community, is of startlingly poor quality, and it’s a show whose stars deserve better.

An abominable, grating, crass, predictable, and lazy new Fox sitcom.