Apple TV+ is gearing up to release its new crime dramaSmoke, and the show starring Taron Egerton is off to a hopeful start based on its debut Rotten Tomatoes score. Egerton leadsSmoke’s cast as Dave Gudsen, an arson investigator who teams up with Jurnee Smollet’s Detective Michell Calderon to take down two serial arsonists wreaking havoc on their community. The show, which also features John Leguizamo, Greg Kinnear, and Rafe Spell in key roles, marks Egerton’s return to TV after three years. He previously starred inApple TV+’s true story seriesBlack Birdin 2022.
Ahead of its official release,Apple TV+‘sSmokehas debuted with a 71% Rotten Tomatoes score based on 17 reviews. While some critics have compared it toBlack Birdand how it doesn’t live up to that show’s impressive 98% score, Egerton’s performance inSmokeis receiving enough praise from reviewers. As more reviews come in, it will also be interesting to see how the audience score differs and whether it changes throughout the season.
What Smoke’s Debut Rotten Tomatoes Score Means
It’s Not At Black Bird’s Level, But Smoke’s RT Score Is Solid
Though a score in the low 70s could be seen as underwhelming,Smokecould still turn out to be a big success for Apple TV+. It’s being billed as a miniseries, but more importantly,Smokeis based on the hit podcast Firebug, which presents a novel manuscript about a series of fires leading to a very real serial arsonist. The podcast itself was inspired by John Leonard Orr, a former firefighter-turned-arson investigator who was eventually convicted of setting close to 2,000 fires in California over three decades.
Since it’s still early,Smoke’s 71% Rotten Tomatoes score can still fluctuate in either direction. However, the show would need to suffer from a batch of negative reviews to be pushed to the “Rotten” range (59% and below). In fact,Smokecould still be considered “Certified Fresh” if the score reaches 75% or higher with positive reviewsfrom a set number of recognized reviewers. IfSmokegets to that range, it would follow up withApple TV+’s latest crime drama,Your Friends & Neighbors, a show that currently holds a 78% score.
Our Take On Smoke’s Rotten Tomatoes Score
Taron Egerton Makes Smoke Worth Watching
At the time of writing, it’s still too early to compare the Rotten Tomatoes score to other review data from sites like Metacritic or IMDb. Granted, it will be interesting to see howSmoke’s star power and podcast inspiration skews audience perception. As highlighted several times in reviews on Rotten Tomatoes,the story at the center ofSmokeis undeniably intriguing. Sure, it’s a crime drama that pits two very reluctant investigators for high-stakes cases, but there’s also a massive character twist that instantly changes the show.
WhenSmokedebuts, the first two episodes will release on Apple TV+ before switching to the weekly episode release schedule. The scores taken from audiences from episode 2 and onward would be something to keep an eye on, as the truth about one of the arsonists comes to light, throwing the investigation upside down. If you’re a fan of Taron Egerton and true crime, in general,Smokemight be one of those shows worth checking out, no matter what the review scores turn out to be.
