Big Bang Theory Star’s New Dark Comedy Debuts With Solid Rotten Tomatoes Score

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A lead actor from The Big Bang Theory is starring in a new dark comedy that’s already getting good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Throughout its 12 seasons, the hit comedy The Big Bang Theory starred Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter, Kaley Cuoco as Penny, Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz, and Kunal Nayyar as Raj Koothrappali. Since the show concluded, the actors have taken on new roles: Kaley Cuoco in The Flight Attendant, Simon Helberg in Poker Face, Kunal Nayyar in several Trolls films, and Jim Parsons as the narrator of Young Sheldon.

Simon Helberg’s new show, The Audacity, launched recently and currently has a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This score is based on 11 reviews, with most (8 out of 11) being positive, while 3 were negative. Since the show premiered on April 12th on AMC and AMC+, the score is likely to change over time.

The Audacity is a comedy series that pokes fun at the world of Silicon Valley and its wealthy, often cynical, inhabitants. It follows a group including disillusioned billionaires, self-help gurus, tech enthusiasts obsessed with biohacking, and teenagers attending exclusive schools who are pushed to achieve perfection. Simon Helberg stars as Martin Phister, a socially awkward but brilliant inventor creating an AI companion. The show also features Billy Magnussen as Duncan Parker, a CEO who steals data, Sarah Goldberg as Dr. JoAnne Felder, a therapist, and Meagan Rath as Anushka Bhattachera-Phister, Martin’s wife and a tech ethicist.

Shawn Van Horn from Collider rated the series 7 out of 10, praising its willingness to introduce unlikeable characters and then explore their complexities with humor and strong acting. He believes that viewers who persevere past the first episode will find the show rewarding.

In a review for TV Guide, Allison Picurro found the pacing of The Audacity‘s first season uneven across its eight episodes. She did, however, enjoy the finale and believes the show has potential for its already-confirmed second season, giving it a score of 6.9/10. Picurro wrote that while the season starts slowly, it ends with promise, and the series could become excellent if it grabs viewers’ attention more quickly in the future.

In a review for RogerEbert.com, Clint Worthington found the series lacking, criticizing its shallow characters and unoriginal approach to familiar themes. He notes that the characters are defined only by their pursuit of wealth, recognition, or fame, and that the story doesn’t offer a new or improved take on these ideas, having been told more effectively elsewhere. As he puts it, the series doesn’t give these concepts the ‘upgrade they need’.

I recently read a review in Slant Magazine that wasn’t super enthusiastic about The Audacity. They gave it two out of four stars, and the reviewer, Ross McIndoe, felt the show’s funny moments couldn’t quite save it from feeling a little confused and slow-paced. He compared watching it to sitting through a TED Talk given by a really engaging tech CEO – you get a few laughs and some interesting ideas, but it goes on too long and ultimately leaves you wondering what the point was. I guess he felt it lacked a clear takeaway.

Jonathan Glatzer created The Audacity and also served as an executive producer and writer for several episodes. He’s previously written for popular shows like Succession, Better Call Saul, and Netflix’s Bloodline. While some critics have pointed out similarities between The Audacity and Succession, they generally feel the new AMC series doesn’t quite reach the same level of quality as the award-winning HBO hit. However, AMC’s decision to renew the show a month before its premiere and just days before its debut at SXSW 2026 suggests they have strong faith in its potential.

Simon Helberg, known for his roles in The Big Bang Theory and Poker Face, is starring in a new multi-season series called The Audacity. The show also features a talented cast including Rob Corddry, Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch, Paul Adelstein, Randall Park, Everett Blunck, Thailey Roberge, and Ava Marie Telek, alongside Helberg, Magnussen, Goldberg, and Rath. Each pair of episodes will be directed by a different filmmaker, starting with Lucy Forbes, followed by Dan Sackheim, Dan Longino, and Alex Buono.

The Audacity premieres April 12 on AMC and AMC+.

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2026-04-11 19:18