Chuck Lorre’s newest Netflix sitcom, Leanne, has debuted to his lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in four years, since United States of Al in 2021. The prolific sitcom king has written, produced and created some of the most popular and successful TV shows in recent times, including The Big Bang Theory, and Two and A Half Men.
Created by Lorre and comedian Leanne Morgan, in her first starring role, Leanne debuted on Netflix on July 31, and follows Leanne (Morgan), a 50-something woman who is forced to start her life over again when her husband of 33 years, Bill (Ryan Stiles) leaves her for another woman, and the show has posted a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Per Rotten Tomatoes, Leanne has been certified ‘fresh’ on the review aggregation site, with a critics’ score of 82%, as well as an audience score of 100%. Despite the impressive critical review, it is actually Lorre’s lowest score since United States of Al‘s ‘rotten’ score of 31% back in 2021.
The show has rated below Lorre’s most recent sitcoms, 2023’s Bookie, which clocked 90%, and The Big Bang Theory spinoff show George & Mandy’s First Marriage, which was rated at 89%.
What This Means For Leanne On Netflix
The Show Marks The Culmination Of A Gradual Pivot From Lorre
Leanne is a charming and sweet sitcom, with plenty of heart and spunk, and a premise that will be familiar to a lot of people. With Morgan heading up the cast of Leanne, the show also marks a gradual shift towards telling stories surrounding a female protagonist, something Lorre experimented with in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
However, unlike the former, Leanne has no male co-lead, and is focused primarily on a woman in her 50s, trying to navigate life all over again. It’s mostly new territory for Lorre, but the series, though created by him, is also headed up by Morgan and her co-creator Susan McMartin. With a 16-episode first season, there’s also plenty for viewers to binge, which will give audiences more time to sit with the characters and grow fond of them.
Our Take On Leanne’s Rotten Tomatoes Rating
The Show Could Kickstart A Trend Of Sitcoms For A More Mature Viewership
As more reviews come in for Leanne, the score will almost certainly change, and people’s views on the sitcom will likely be influenced by their life experiences. There are many reasons The Big Bang Theory became popular, but Penny’s fish-out-of-water situation made it relatable to a lot of people, even those who didn’t understand the science elements.
Leanne is less broad in that respect, which is both a help and a hindrance to its popularity. However, it is a sitcom carried by a great performance from its lead, laugh-out-loud jokes, and some genuinely poignant moments. There’s no reason Leanne cannot become a long-running success, and continue to usher in an era of comedies aimed at a wider audience.
