The Break with Michelle Wolf

Did You Know?

• The series was produced by Wolf's production company Cats in Pants.
• The first trailer was released on April 28, 2018, following Wolf's hosting stint at the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner.
• Netflix declined to renew the series reportedly due to low viewership.

Reception

The series received a positive response from critics upon its premiere. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 77% approval rating with an average rating of 8 out of 10 based on 13 reviews, and the critical consensus described it as having room for improvement but being a welcome break from the norm. Early reviews of the premiere were largely positive. John Doyle of The Globe and Mail called the show laid-back, low-key, absurdist feminist humor that is wickedly entertaining.

Charles Bramesco of The Guardian predicted brief growing pains but grand dividends once the show found its identity. Caroline Framke of Variety praised Wolf for grinning with delight while tearing down politicians or scoffing at sexist institutions on her own weird terms. Ken Tucker of Yahoo! TV offered a more negative critique, stating the debut was not very auspicious and that Wolf's standup was okay but not hilarious, with taped segments repeating the same joke.

Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a B+ grade before the season finale, calling it an earnest plea to keep laughing and a break from bleak times.