Bold take: Ryan Murphy says critics are 'wrong' about All's Fair with terrible reviews
Ryan Murphy hits back at the drubbing of his popular TV show, insisting critics have it wrong — and Hulu’s already renewed it for a second season.
If you've not yet dipped a toe into All's Fair, Ryan Murphy's latest for Hulu, here's the quick-and-dirty: critics have absolutely battered it, and Murphy is frankly not having any of it. Naturally, the show's been renewed anyway — because of course it has — and season two already has a date in the diary.
All's Fair season 2 lands its three-episode premiere in November 2026.
Critics Take the Gloves Off
Let's not sugar-coat it: All's Fair is sitting at a truly woeful 6% score on Rotten Tomatoes as of now, with the assembled critics pulling zero punches. According to BBC's Scott Bryan, calling the acting 'bad' would actually be an insult to GCSE drama students, which is... well, not the kind of review you frame for the bathroom. Empire Magazine was equally savage, with their writer marvelling at how something starring such a solid cast could end up, in his words, 'fascinatingly dull.' TheWrap found it simply loud and joyless, accusing Murphy of having lost his old magic.
Murphy's Rebuttal
Murphy hasn't gone quiet in the face of all this. Chatting with Vanity Fair, he argued that he's used to the lukewarm critical reaction, and doesn't plan to tweak his style anytime soon. He explained that while the critics have seized on calling the show 'camp', that's not accurate because 'camp' implies a lack of self-awareness — and as Murphy points out, he absolutely knows what he's doing. The only time he ever felt properly embraced by critics, he says, was with The People vs. O.J.
Here's Murphy's take, straight from his interview:
First of all, I think the critics are wrong. If you look at my career since I started, which was Popular, almost everything that I have made was never embraced critically.
He added that he's long since stopped letting reviews dictate his mood or move. Back when he was starting out, he admits it all stung a bit more, but credits a mentor for giving some sage advice about dealing with criticism, basically saying you don't have to sip from every poisonous chalice just because it's offered.
What About the Audience?
Despite the pummelling from the press, the audience score — what Rotten Tomatoes calls the Popcornmeter — gives All's Fair a much healthier 65%. Not outstanding, but not a riot either, and certainly enough for Hulu to greenlight round two.
- All's Fair renewed for season 2 with a three-episode premiere in November 2026
- Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 6%
- Popcornmeter (audience) score: 65%