Critical response All three seasons of
Reservation Dogs received critical acclaim. On the
review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes, the overall series holds a 99% approval rating. Meanwhile, on
Metacritic, which uses a
weighted average, the overall series received a score of 89 out of 100. Each season of the series was also listed among the ten best television programs of
2021,
2022, and
2023, respectively, by the
American Film Institute. On Metacritic, it received a score of 84 out of 100, based on 22 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Writing for
The Guardian, Ellen E Jones gave the show a rating of five out of five, and said "
Reservation Dogs is able to lay waste stylishly to centuries of myth and misrepresentation due to one simple, crucial, innovation: almost everyone involved in the production is a
Native American, offering a perspective which never panders to the often-fetishising gaze of outsiders. Instead, this show tells of the push-pull of home: that simultaneous yearning to both belong and be free". Candice Frederick of
TV Guide rated the series four out of five, based on the first four episodes and said, "Though it wrestles with some heavy, but not overtly political, themes,
Reservation Dogs seems to mostly have fun with young life on a reservation." In another four out five rating,
Alan Sepinwall, writing for
Rolling Stone, said, "a show like
Reservation Dogs feels long overdue. And this exact show? It's awfully good."
Paste magazine's Allison Keene gave a rating of 9.2 out of 10 and called the series "a perfect summer series, one that takes places on languid afternoons and moves at an unhurried pace." Reviewing the first two episodes, Danette Chavez of
The A.V. Club gave it a "B+" and said, "
Reservation Dogs is already on track to be one of the best comedies (and shows) of the year." Kristen Lopez of
IndieWire also gave it a grade of "B+", saying, "[
Reservation Dogs] is a surprising series that illustrates why everyone's story is worth telling" and also praised the four main actors, stating that "the teens assembled here are all fantastic, conveying so much about their characters' true selves even if they don't know it yet".
Voxs Emily St. James also praised the main actors, calling them "one of the best ensembles of teen characters in recent memory" and regarded the first season as "one of the best first seasons of a comedy in some time." Daniel Fienberg of
The Hollywood Reporter also praised the cast as well as the "triumph" representation of the
Native Americans.
The New Yorkers Doreen St. Félix wrote, "
Reservation Dogs is a mood piece, and a sweet one, a collection of intertwined and poetic portraiture that focuses not solely on the central cast". Daniel D'Addario of
Variety said, "
Reservation Dogs is a lovely, eminently watchable triumph. It's an overdue tribute to a sort of community it doesn't mythologize. Instead, the show treats the reservation and its residents on their own terms, as worthy of being explored for just what it is, and just who they are."
Polygons Joshua Rivera praised the series, saying, "like a lot of great art,
Reservation Dogs challenges its audience with wit and style to look in spaces that have long been ignored, and identify with experiences that are outside their own." Writing for
IGN, Matt Fowler said, "
Reservation Dogs features characters we like, a community we're drawn to (and may be curious about)." Esther Zuckerman of
Thrillist praised the series' tone, stating that "
Reservation Dogs is at times melancholy, and at times deeply irreverent. But whatever mood it's going for at any given moment, it's some of the most unique, enjoyable, and artistically satisfying television available to watch."
Season 2 On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds an approval rating of 100%, with an average score of 9.1 out of 10, based on 35 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "
Reservation Dogs has bittersweet bite in its sophomore season as it mines more difficult dilemmas than before with its spiky sense of humor, making for a piquant portrait of a community and a place." On Metacritic, it holds a score of 93 out of 100, based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Critics were given the first four episodes prior to its premiere to review. It received an "A" from Manuel Betancourt of
The A.V. Club and Chase Hutchinson of
Collider, an "A-" from Darren Franich of
Entertainment Weekly and Brian Tallerico of
The Playlist, and a "B+" from Kristen Lopez of
IndieWire. Betancourt highlighted the way it treats dark materials, such as generational trauma, wounding grief, and systemic inequities, with "winsome humor", without going too far. Kristen Reid of
Paste gave it a 9.3 out of 10 and said, "Just a season and a half in, Harjo and co-creator Taika Waititi have already found their groove with
Reservation Dogs. Inviting us onto the reservation to experience it with this group of quickly beloved kids, [It] feels like a celebration of Native life and a way to inspire change for the better."
Varietys
Caroline Framke wrote in her favorable review: "for the hundreds of shows premiering every year, there's still simply nothing else on TV quite like 'Reservation Dogs'. [It] gives voice, time, and flawed dirtbag humanity to Indigenous Americans, who have long been little more onscreen than one-note punchlines. But it also does so with an approach that could only have come from these writers, actors, directors and production crew members. This is a show so self-assured in its own voice and perspective that it's not just gratifying to watch, but a welcome relief." Joe Keller of
Decider summarized his review by saying, "
Reservation Dogs improves on its excellent first season by deepening the community on the rez, making it less about the Dogs and more about traditions, people who think they know the traditions but don't, and just how funny and rich life there can be, even if people have to be creative to get by." For the season finale,
TVLine named Woon-A-Tai, Jacobs, Factor and Alexis the "Performers of the Week" for the week of October 1, 2022. The site wrote: "No single actor outshined the others; rather, it was their combined chemistry and the characters' reliance on each other that made us laugh at their antics and reel in their heartbreak. [...] Jacobs exhibited a wealth of vulnerability in her body language and diction as Elora admitted her fear of letting Daniel go. Woon-A-Tai was brought to tears, as Bear was consumed by love for his friends. Alexis displayed a wealth of fortitude as Willie Jack proved to be both the Dogs' safety net and comedic relief. And after they joined together for a prayer, Factor quivered and choked on his emotions as Cheese revealed his lingering anger."
Season 3 On Rotten Tomatoes, the third and final season holds an approval rating of 100%, with an average score of 9.5 out of 10, based on 40 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Bowing out while still having plenty of creativity to spare,
Reservation Dogs final season sidesteps feeling premature by satisfying on every level." On Metacritic, it holds a score of 94 out of 100, based on 15 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
Critics' top ten list Accolades ==References==