Kevin Kline’s latest television project is already drawing significant praise. The Oscar-winning performer leads the new comedy American Classic, which has opened to an impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes. Created by Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin, Season 1 premiered on March 1, 2026.
What the critics are saying about American Classic in reviews
American Classic centers on a once-celebrated Broadway star whose career spirals after a public meltdown. Forced to retreat to his hometown, he attempts to salvage his reputation and his family’s struggling theater by directing and headlining a production of a classic American play.
The critical response has been largely favorable, with reviewers pointing to the show’s tone and performances as its strongest points. Writing for Decider, Joel Keller noted that American Classic “has a warm, lived-in feel that not many shows achieve right off the bat.” He pointed to the small-town backdrop and strong cast as key strengths, while noting that “the writing is more witty than funny.”
Keller concluded, “American Classic isn’t going to make you laugh out loud, but its excellent cast and warm small-town-and-family feeling will be more than enough to keep you watching.” At RogerEbert.com, Richard Roeper particularly praised Kevin Kline, who leads the series. He described the series as “curl-up-on-the-sofa comfort viewing at its finest.”
Jean Henegan of Pop Culture Maniacs similarly commended the show’s core elements. She noted that creating a new sitcom is no small task but argued that “American Classic is a good one.”
Henegan added, “The central characters are fully realized. The leads are sharp as tacks and know precisely what to do. And the writing does what it needs to when it needs to – even if some of the supporting characters and subplots don’t quite work as well as they could.”
American Classic gets a strong score on Rotten Tomatoes
At the time of writing, American Classic holds an 88 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on eight critic reviews. A Popcornmeter score has not yet been posted.
However, as Season 1 only recently debuted, those numbers may change as additional reviews are published and more audience reactions are recorded.
