Homecoming (2018–2020) User Reviews (483)

Stylish, enthralling, and paranoia-inducing; a true noir thriller.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 8/10 · 8 September 2018]

I've just got back from a screening of the first four episodes of Homecoming at TIFF, and I must say that I am impressed. I was initially a little off-put by the show's strange pacing (it is a drama series with half-hour long episodes), but by the third episode I was really digging it. Although the story moves at a slow pace, it is thoroughly engrossing and packed full of spine-tingling moments.

I have not listened to the podcast this is based on, as I wanted to go in blind, but I'm a massive fan of Mr. Robot and was very excited to see what Sam Esmail would do with a pure noir. I was not disappointed. The directing of the series is ridiculously strong, including some familiar Esmail-isms (top-down shots, unusual framing, etc) and a lot of steady-cam and long shots. The third episode in particular had a number of images that took my breath away.

Outside of the directing, the acting is probably the strongest element of the show. Julia Roberts and Stephan James bring impressive depth and emotion to the two lead roles, while the other characters are more defined by their quirks and are often used comedically. Shea Wigham in particular stands out because of all the subtle little mannerisms he employs to define his character. Bobby Cannavale is also very good, although his character is quite mysterious at this stage.

Overall, I am really loving Homecoming so far, and would recommend it to anybody who likes a good mystery, although it might be a good idea to wait until the whole season is out so it can be watched in hour-long chunks.

Seasons 1 and 2

[Hallelujah289 · 7/10 · 4 June 2020]

Season 1 of Homecoming is interesting. It unravels in a way that intrigues and holds you in suspense until the end. I was thoroughly invested and binge watched and was satisfied with the storyline. 8/10.

Season 2 of Homecoming is super boring. Why was it even made? Janelle Monae is fine. But her character just isn't interesting, and nor is the story. 5/10. I don't know the person who really wants to sit through this slog.

My average is 7/10, but season 1 is definitely of a different caliber than season 2, and I wish I could rate them separately.

Great Acting, Plot Sputtered a bit at the End

[dahuntman · 7/10 · 31 December 2018]

Enjoyed the show and would give it a solid recommendation. My interested peaked around the midpoint of the season then gradually dissipated. The acting was superb.

Rather straightforward story that could have been told in 90 to 120 minutes.

[TxMike · 15 November 2018]

We have Amazon Prime so I was able to stream this through my Roku.

It stars Julia Roberts, who was also a producer, as Heidi Bergman. She is a therapist assigned to help returning military men adjust to being home again and to develop the temperament and skills necessary to get into the workforce.

At least that is what we are told in episode #1. But not everything is as it seems and there is something very experimental going on.

I like Julia Roberts, and she is fine here, but as producer I suspect her main goal was to make a good chunk of money from Amazon. There really isn't anything much new here, it could have been a pretty good 90 minute movie, but the story is stretched out over 10 episodes, as has become the new mode of operation for sources like Amazon and Netflix. Which is fine for those who want to spend time leisurely watching everything unfold slowly

Count me among those disappointed with this series, it is much ado about very little.

Glad I Hung in There

[doctorlauraa · 9/10 · 3 November 2018]

I really wanted to like this because it looked interesting and because I spent my career working with veterans. It was pretty boring until about halfway through despite clues of some sinister subplot. The last several episodes raise serious ethical, political and philosophical questions that may arise from more successful treatment of PTSD in the future. Julia Roberts does a good job portraying a therapist, though her problem solving skills were not so great (she could have spoken to the IG before anything went wrong rather than after). Very entertaining nonetheless.

Will watch anything Esmail does

[ablack90 · 9/10 · 4 November 2018]

Julia Roberts and Stephan James act beautifully together in this Twilight Zone feel series. Half hour segments which flip between small screen in the present and large screen in the past.Typical Esmail filming where the shots and scenes are often stylistic. This show also has substance, exploring the manipulation of soldiers, a theme I detest. But the story focuses on characters over the horror. And my favorite part was the beautiful relationship between Heidi Bergman and Walter Cruz. Very believable. As with Mr. Robot, Esmail's Homecoming has an excellent musical score. He nails emotion and makes the viewer 'feel'. Loved every bit of Homecoming.

Painfully Slow and Unrewarding (Season 1)

[comquest · 7/10 · 14 November 2018]

NOTE: This review applies only to Season 1.

The premise is intriguing and the acting is quite good, but the pacing is so slow that it often becomes boring. The story would have been more effective as a 2-hour movie than it is as a 10-episode series. You can tell that every episode was padded with yawns to fill the 30-minute time slot. The plot is so simple, it could be written in no more than five paragraphs.

Julia Roberts, Stephan James and Bobby Cannavale all turn in good performances, but there just isn't much to work with here.

Julia Roberts is laid back most of the time and seems to be on sedatives. I've seen the film described as a "thriller" so I watched all 10 episodes waiting for some thrills. They never happened. It just isn't worth the time.

Provocative!

[benchpressca · 9/10 · 27 December 2018]

I read a few of the reviews prior to watching this. The initial perception - it is slow to start. However, the first few episodes provide those key tie-in's that end up making this a very entertaining show! Having been in Iraq for 5 years, this show sure hit home. Very good! Thought provoking! Haha, yes I binged watched it. Is definitely worth it! Enjoy it folks!

Review of 10-Part Series

[lavatch · 6/10 · 14 November 2018]

There was a creepy environment evoked in "Homecoming" that depicted a rogue business corporation's experimental program in reintroducing military vets to civilian life after facing the horrors of war. There was the potential for a strong social message about both corporate greed and an unending string of foreign wars that have left too many young American men irreparably damaged from PTSD.

Unfortunately, the series elected to focus on style over content. For the first eight episodes, the flashback sequences were denoted with a full-screen, while the present appeared in half-screen. But, in episodes 9 and 10, the filmmakers scrapped their aesthetic choice to offer both the past and present scenes in full screen. This choice resulted in inconsistency in a major artistic choice.

While Julia Roberts was effective in the central role of Heidi Bergman, the counselor who crosses the line with one of her patients and is complicit in exploiting the vets, her character was often locked into long and repetitive therapy sessions with Walter Cruz. In what should have been lively, thirty-minute episodes, the pacing was laboriously slow during the counseling sessions.

The two most intriguing secondary roles were those of Walter Cruz's deeply concerned mother and the persistent DOD compliance officer, Thomas Carrasco. Their scenes invariably brought greater intrigue to the drama. Perhaps the best moment in the entire series was the scene in which Carrasco met with the resistant mother at her school. But when Carrasco tripped over a bike rack and fell to the ground, there was a nice human touch when the mother began to recognize that he actually cared about his work and her son.

The final episode failed to tie up loose ends and resolve all of the plot strands. Carrasco did not even appear in the final program. It was all-too-apparent that the filmmakers were gearing up for Season 2, in order completely tell their story. But Season 1 did not provide this reviewer with enough intrigue to return for the next round.

Amazing, artistic & experimental

[ilvlftuup · 9/10 · 24 May 2020]

Just finished season 2, it was definitely a shift from season 1, however it is a continuation of the original story line. The first episode is a change in tone from the first season, but stick with it - it is an aggressive approach to establishing the setting. So many nods to film techniques used in the 1970's & early 1980's. Excellent acting, and great appearances from familiar faces. Don't buy the negative hype!

No man's land after episode 8

[dhinkar · 6/10 · 20 November 2018]

Found it very interesting till episode 8. Completely off track in the last 2 episode and the ending is so very flawed.

What a beautiful series!

[caduemersonj · 8/10 · 17 November 2018]

Podcast adaptation is a very binge-worthy and satisfying piece, succeeding through its effectively twisty narrative and very refined filmmaking. Directed by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, Homecoming possesses that series elite sense of cinematic craft, but it's done in a far more subdued way.

Pitch perfect

[allisonrosenberg-10235 · 7/10 · 27 May 2020]

What a delightful surprise. An ensemble cast headed by the great Janelle Monae. Editing, music, cinematography, writing, acting, timing, delivery. This short series has it all. I can't think of a thing to critique. Except perhaps that it was all over too soon!

Keeps going then Nothing..

[mrf1977 · 4/10 · 13 November 2018]

I find this so slow and background music irritating....sound like horror flick....by the time u get to episode 5 and 6 u know exactly whats happening..but they still drag to another 4 episodes... It should've been a 2 hour movie instead...

Season 2 is even better

[sforrester-3 · 8/10 · 25 May 2020]

I enjoyed the first season of this show, it was a slow burn that kept me hooked although a bit confusing at times. Having just binged the second season, I have to say it is even better. The acting is great, the camera work and directing excellent and the story moves along at a good pace. Even with what we already knew from the first season there was a good mystery element that played out from the opening scene as we went backwards to find out what happened. Would definitely recommend!

A great mystery

[TheFarscapeProject747 · 9/10 · 28 November 2018]

As others have said this is not for everyone, it's not a spoon fed action series, it requires your attention. I've seen people say it's slow and boring but I couldn't disagree more I was interested in what was going on the whole way through. The episodes are only half hours and I think interesting enough that I couldn't believe episodes were over that fast, just going to add how much I love shows in streaming services release all their episodes at once. The acting from the two leads in Roberts and James worked really well together and everyone else were amazing, of course Roberts always does a great job but I think she should get an Emmy for this role. I think it's cool that she decided to be a part of this show since she usually only does movies. It was also great to see two former Boardwalk Empire actors Shea Whigham and Bobby Cannavale in this. Of course I must mention the incredible cinematography done by director Sam Esmail and the writers created. It really gives you a sense of uneasiness, like there was just something not right going on, Kubrick and Lynch were for Inspirations for Esmail I think. I've never seen Mr Robot but I'm sure going to check it out now and from what I heard about it it's filmed the same way. Oddly enough if the series had just ended with the one season I would have been satisfied. I almost feel like there shouldn't even be a second season cuz I felt the first was really well done and answered pretty much all the mysteries with a solid enough ending, well almost feel like it. But than again like I said there are still some unanswered questions, like the finale post credit scene, and I won't say what else just that there is room for more. So really watch this series, it's one the most well made shows I've ever seen.

Season 2 is as great as season 1

[menny-73865 · 24 May 2020]

It's actually a direct continuation of the first season, and wrapping it up, in a way. I wasn't sure i would like it, trailer made me think that this is going to be more jumpy than the first season. But i was wrong. The story is coherent, and leads to a very good final. They also tried to make it as realistic as they can, and not create a shocking idiotic storyline. And i respect that. Janelle Monae's lead role was pretty decent, but the greatest surprise was Chris Cooper as Leonard, the grumpy pessimistic owner of the Geist company. Overall, a very good continuation. even without Julia Roberts as leading role (she and raimi are still executive producers), new writers and director didn't disappoint.

Awesome Performance by Janelle Monáe

[comquest · 7/10 · 25 May 2020]

I liked Season 2 much more than Season 1, which I found painfully slow and often boring. The pace here was much better, Janelle Monáe nailed her role and the mystery kept you hooked until the very end. It was great to see Walter (Stephan James) again -- my favorite character from the first season. We binge-watched the entire season in two days.

Esmail does it again!

[dhr606 · 9/10 · 2 November 2018]

I'm a fan of Esmail's tv show Mr.Robot and was surprised with this follow up! I really like the slow,but revealing twists and turns in this show and the cinematography is always great in a Esmail show. I wouldn't get in to much detail but this won't be your average action packed blockbuster thriller. It's more psychological and it shows by the end of the series. However, if you're not satisfied with this show I recommend listening to the Podcast first and watch this as a illustrated guide.

well-made and intriguing

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 19 August 2020]

Season 1: 6/10 (1 viewing, 8/18/2020) i enjoyed the season throughout, if only could have stuck the landing. the directing was distinct and impactful, and the tone was intriguing and a bit unsettling. i just wish it concluded with more of an oomph.

Season 2: 7/10 (1 viewing, 8/28/2020) a slight step down with how i described the first season's directing as impactful. a slight step up in excitement and intrigue with a slightly faster pace, possibly due to the fewer number of episodes. and a much stronger finish than season 1. well-made overall

Great

[treebennington · 10/10 · 2 November 2018]

Just finished the season and the show is great. Sam Esmail is easily one of the best directors working right now. I wasn't familiar with the podcast it was based on and enjoyed it.

Decent storyline but annoying

[catinfocloud · 6/10 · 15 November 2018]

Not a bad series! The story line moves slowly at first but kept my interest. I would have rated higher except for several annoying filming quirks like constant pen-clicking that drove me nuts and also poor audio on prolonged phone conversations etc.

I liked it.

[kyleecoyote79 · 9/10 · 24 May 2020]

I enjoyed both season 1 and seasons 2. I found season 2 to be more interesting, which I guess is not how most people leaving reviews feel. I have a rule of thumb; if I'm interested then I'm watching no matter the rating. I finished season 2 in a weekend. Season 1 took me several months because it couldn't keep my attention.

Ok... but that's all

[akiva-69248 · 6/10 · 18 November 2018]

Vacillated between being interesting and tedious. Could have been done in 7 or 8 episodes.

just plain boring

[mageh · 5/10 · 2 November 2018]

Sorry, but with all the respect to Julia Roberts and Sam Esmail it is not that good as critics want us to believe. It is boring and pretentious. Yes, it looks stylish but in the end very little thrill, substance or action. Just, meh