Smoke

Critical reception for Smoke is mixed to generally positive, with reviewers praising its psychological complexity, striking cinematography, and lead performances by Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett. Outlets like The Guardian and Frame Rated hailed the series as a smart and mesmerizing crime drama, while Common Sense Media commended its visceral practical fire effects and poetic framing of arson.

Several critics highlighted how the series subverts expectations, shifting from a standard cop drama into an intriguing portrait of thwarted longing and character obsession. Slate and Rolling Stone both noted that the show evolves beyond a basic whodunit procedural into something much wilder and more unexpected.

However, the show's back half and resolution divided reviewers significantly. Critics from RogerEbert.com, Omnivorous, and Loud and Clear Reviews faulted the series for introducing far-fetched plot twists and unfulfilled narrative threads, leaving the final stretch feeling incoherent and frustrating.