Dharma & Greg (1997–2002) User Reviews

Stereotyped characters, good acting, some inane dialog

[aemmering · 5/10 · 26 August 2006]

This is a potentially clever idea completely wasted: young, wild hippie chick marries nice, staid, young Republican lawyer. Their styles clash, their parents clash. Dharma's kooky parents, as written, are a ridiculous insult to freethinkers everywhere-why are hippies always shown as goofy vegans who build their own furniture and recite mantras every hour of the day? Why is Dharma, the hippie kook, so incredibly impractical and air-headed? Oh-I forgot, she's the hippieeeeeee! Why is her stuffy hubby so very stuffy (and so good looking--an odd combination-only in Hollywood, friends!) And, last but not least, why are Greg's stuffy (and very rich) parents so selfish, and in her mother's case, so evil. I know, it's because rich people are evil and stuffy-that's how they got to be rich, of course (plus, having a creepy fake British accent does't hurt either-only in some grade Z hack writer's dreams.) It's all a terrible shame, for all its faults, its still a watchable show-the acting (especially by the older players) is more than good, the ideas are interesting, if not terribly original. If it weren't for that ghastly writing........

My scores (10 is best) Acting 8 Idea 6 Writing 1 (I'm still thinking about this one).

Jenna Elfman revelation

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 27 April 2017]

Dharma Freedom Finkelstein (Jenna Elfman) comes from hippie parents, Larry Finkelstein (Alan Rachins) and Abby O'Neil (Mimi Kennedy). Greg Clifford Montgomery (Thomas Gibson) comes from rich conservative parents, Kitty (Susan Sullivan) and Edward Montgomery (Mitchell Ryan). Dharma and Greg met as children riding on the NY subway. They meet again on the San Francisco subway. They go out on a date and get married in Vegas before the date ends. Greg works with his sleazy friend Pete Cavanaugh (Joel Murray) in the DA office. Dharma often goes out with her wild neighbor Jane (Shae D'lyn) with fake accents. Greg moves in with Dharma and her dog Stinky and Stinky's dog Nuncio. Celia is the Montgomery maid. Marci, Claire, and Susan are some of the teachers at the alternative learning co-op. Marlene is the grumpy legal secretary. Donald is the nerdy neighbor and George is the dead Indian.

The first season is simply hilarious. Jenna Elfman was a revelation at the time. She's a wacky flighty giraffe. Thomas Gibson is a great foil. The parents are great. Jane and Pete are terrific sidekicks. The show is set up to run on that formula for many years. The first three episodes of the second season takes a huge swing with Dharma and Greg adopting the cashier girl's baby. It may be commendable but it's too big of a swing. It's too serious and throws the show off balance. It's a move that should be done only when a show gets stale or builds up a reserve of audience patience. The third season has Greg quitting his job. It changes the couple subtly and changes the dynamics of the show. Even the elevator stops at the right place and Greg loses his workplace. It takes the rest of the season to reconstitute his workplace with Pete and Marlene. The forth season starts with another dark story of a miscarriage scare. The series works brilliantly as a wacky comedy but Chuck Lorre seems intent on peppering it with some darker material. Dharma's fleeting kiss with college professor Charlie is the last straw. That damages the heart of the show which is the love between Dharma and Greg. Even Lorre's vanity card mentions the declining ratings. The fourth season ends with an ill-fitting cliffhanger. The ratings continued to plummet for the fifth and last season and the end was inevitable.

Great start!

[kanjeep · 6/10 · 6 July 2021]

The first 3 seasons were great. Funny, good stories, and things kept moving. Then it seems the writers ran out of ideas and started revisiting the same stories over and over. Love Jenna and Tom! Their chemistry made the show fun and enjoyable. Just sad it never really got the ending it deserved.

Hilarious!! Original!!

[bisz · 18 September 2003]

Dharma & Greg has changed how I view sitcoms. Having seen all of D&G I don't find anything else to be as funny as it used to be. Frasier, Home Improvement, Drew Carey, According to Jim, Sports Night, all used to be my favorites but now none of them make me bellow out in laughter as hard and as often as Dharma & Greg does.

This show has everything! Intelligent humour which requires the viewer to pay attention and of course the plethora of silly humour for which Dharma is famous. It's hilarious, but also very touching at times, both sides of the coin are written superbly and acted with great skill. Unrealistic things such as dead Indian ghosts and the general craziness of Dharma go side by side with the common realisms of life, characters munching on something as they talk, brushing their teeth, paying their bills. The show covers all types of humour, all types of emotion, all types of situations, it has everything.

The writing and acting in this show are superb. The perfect timing and tremendous skill of Jennal Elfman and Thomas Gibson translate into one of the most memorable relationships on television, Dharma and Greg are as real a TV couple as you can get. The other cast members are also all very talented and play their roles perfectly. With such a high quality of actors, the writers and producers were able to pull off some amazing shows.

Where Dharma & Greg stands apart from all other shows is in how you laugh at it. you don't! You laugh WITH it. In Raymond you laugh at the characters when they get in one of their many arguments. In Frasier you laugh when he and Niles do something snobbish. There is a general trend in sitcom humour, akin to the newspaper saying of 'it bleeds, it leads', that trend is making us laugh by making the characters miserable, making them argue, in general, we laugh at their misfortune. On the other hand Dharma is at its best when we are laughing with the characters, at their happiness, because unlike most other shows, the characters in D&G do laugh. They laugh at themselves, at each other, at the situations they encounter, and when they are laughing and having a good time I find it much more funny, much more real, then when I'm asked to laugh at Ray's pathetic brother or Jim's flimsy excuses to his angry wife. Life is funny, why do none of the characters in other sitcoms realize it?

In short, I find Dharma & Greg to be a very funny, uplifting show, the best I've ever seen. It's sappy to say, but watching D&G makes me feel good, and that's amazing seeing as its only a television show, but I guess that's what makes it such a good one.

Elfman's 15 minutes of fame

[caspian1978 · 6/10 · 8 August 2004]

Dharma & Greg hit the American television audience like an atomic bomb. It soon became a favorite to many viewers and hit hard at award shows and top ten lists. Then, the show had its moments and quickly disappeared. In 1997, Jenna Elfman entered the spotlight and took everyone's attention. Being as clever and funny as her name, Jenna Elfman seemed to be climbing the comedic charts as the next "Lucy." Then....it all ended. Much like the popularity of the show, Elfman's high profile career slowly went away. The show had a great premise and the cast was very like-able as the series went on. However, it came and went so quickly, the show never had its chance, like Elfman to be block buster material. A great romantic comedy series.

Makes you laugh out loud and that's good

[mayankjain-08287 · 7/10 · 25 June 2021]

To start with the underwhelming things, the characters are certainly stereotypes in a lot of ways and the lovey dovey sentimentality. I watched it many years after the airing date and being from India at that time it was difficult to grasp all the underlying political commentary, which I could get a few years later rewatching this.

After all this despite being not a fan of TV tropes and romance genre in general, Dharma and Greg's presence on screen makes me feel happy. The writing might not be the cleverest of all time but I often find myself laughing out loud. The relationships portrayed are so real that I find myself invested despite often exaggerated storylines. It's not the era of sitcoms anymore, but if I discount the fact that this was made 25 years ago, I find it to be a fairly good show.

Normally I would rate this a 6 out of 10 but I got into this show when I got to know that it served as an inspiration for some of the main characters in iconic Indian sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. And while I think SvS surpassed this at so many levels (I know this came out first) and is right up there with Seinfeld and Arrested Development for the best sitcoms ever, this show still made me feel like I was getting to see more stories about the characters of SvS living in 90s US instead of 90s India. So a 7/10 for me.

Quirky 90s comedy

[safenoe · 7/10 · 12 February 2022]

I enjoyed the first two seasons of Dharma & Greg as it was fresh, quirky and the show for the 90s as we approached the millenium. I guess in a way the series was a show for millenials for sure and it was quirky, fresh and the show for the 90s.

The Sickly Sweet Sentimentality Of This Show Turned Me Off

[wchngliu · 4/10 · 3 July 2007]

I am not a fan of Dharma and Greg myself and neither was I keen on the jokes and the humour in the show. The plot sounded promising at first but the sickly sweet sentimentality of the romance theme, eventually grated on me. I didn't warm to the humour, having said that the show wasn't entirely funny itself. I don't mind the romantic element in sitcoms but I much prefer it as a sub-plot where the show also focuses on the coming together of the male and female couple. Likewise, they start out as friends, or as workmates, who then become friends and then as eventual lovers. Much better that way I suppose as opposed to it functioning as the main plot. Dharma and Greg was an almost cutesy-like sitcom, but the fact that with those two already together as a couple, it felt like that it was because of this that there wasn't much else to offer to the story. I do think that unlike other sitcom couples, there will never be a real-life couple like Dharma and Greg; well, I very much doubt that a relationship of their type would work as it did in real life, just like in the series. As a dramedy- type of show, Dharma and Greg may fare better in this sense but as a sitcom and with the premise of this show, the result is disappointing and thus, it just doesn't pay off effectively. The whole hippies /yuppies concept in the context of the relationships in D&G, was one I found nauseating and cumbersome.

Especially as the syrupy and somewhat predictable nature of Dharma and Greg's relationship deterred me from watching the entire series.

Overall, Dharma and Greg was not for me- it was and is very silly and yet not that humorous, so much so that it just didn't work as a sitcom.

I love this show!!

[monsterb-72498 · 10/10 · 20 May 2015]

I absolutely adore this show! I can't find anything else that quite compares. It's romantic, it's funny, it's witty, it's silly and it's fun. It's brilliantly written and acted perfectly with characters that actually make me laugh, unlike other sitcoms. It's the perfect example of how opposites attract and the comedy that ensues as the characters react to lifestyles or situations they wouldn't otherwise encounter. Above all, it's a show about love, respect and open communication. Dharma and Greg epitomize the perfectly imperfect fun loving relationship. I love watching re-runs (I bought the whole series) in my kitchen while I make dinner. It's light hearted, makes me feel good and entertains me while I cook. I only wish there were more episodes!

Some annoying scientologist pretends to act..

[athene925 · 1/10 · 18 November 2006]

This show is what gives sitcoms their stigma. It's not funny, not clever...if you beg to disagree, look at the "Memorable Quotes" section of IMDb for this monstrosity. They're not very memorable, but they're somewhat painful.

When this show comes on, I literally wince. A friend of mine loved it, so I've tried watching it a couple times. I didn't laugh, but I did cringe. Jenna Elfman just isn't funny. Her on-screen husband is bland. Jokes fall flat, although the poor writing never gave them any boost off the ground to begin with.

If you spent your childhood eating lead paint chips, this show will crack you up. Otherwise, you'll search for the humor and fail - just as this show has failed to create any sort of unique style or hilarity.

If you want clever and funny, check out Arrested Development. Don't let this train wreck of a show, Dharma and Greg, sit on your screen for more than a minute.

How everyone would like their lives to be.

[Bronco46 · 9/10 · 21 March 2013]

I guess real men aren't supposed to like a show like this. It's a rom-com to the max; but it's so well written and casted it draws you in. Besides I'm a real man and I like it. There's not just one or two really good characters; there's at least six of the regulars that so much fun, you can't imagine the show cast with anyone else. You really come to like these people, care for them, worry about them. I found the show in re-runs and thank goodness they're running all the episodes one after the other; I'm more then two thirds of the way thru, and I'm sorry to see it coming to and end. It's hard to rate these episodes they're all quite good; the lowest I've down rated one to a 7. Most are 8's and 9's with several 10's. Excellent show.

Good grief....

[pmike-11312 · 1/10 · 9 April 2022]

Childish, non-sensical, moronic, insipid. Low-level comedy (if one can even call it that), Read through the Quotes section - it really tells the story. You don't see it in reruns...that says it all.

This show inspired me in real life

[melissa-264 · 17 November 2005]

Dharma & Greg is my all-time favorite TV show, and I was in hog heaven with the re-runs. I wish they were still on regularly. I always considered the character of "Dharma" as "my idol" and really loved the idealistic marriage portrayed on the show, peppered with real issues that happen with real relationships. I yearned to have such a loving, happy marriage. Then, last year, on the first date with my now-husband, we discussed the show and it turned out he loved it and felt the same way about it. We are now in a wonderful, Dharma&Greg-esquire marriage filled with surprises, kookiness, hot, adventurous sex and lots of communication and love. Thanks for the inspiration!

Another overrated sitcom

[Defected74 · 1/10 · 31 December 2017]

I never watched this show when it originally aired, but I had the discomfort of watching a couple episodes on rerun. This show is not funny, it's not even mildly amusing.

Loved it back then, love it now

[nancylmarine · 10/10 · 28 August 2019]

I remember watching this show when it was first run on television, and loved it, so when I saw it on Hulu, I couldn't wait to watch it again!

After watching all five seasons in about a week (I couldn't watch it in bed, trying to fall asleep, because it would keep me awake!) I remembered how it disappeared so abruptly.

Elfman and Gibson have an amazing chemistry on the show and make their situation believable.

I love how well they play off each other, with Greg maturing into the role and learning to roll with Dharma's free spiritedness (?).

I also refuse to believe the rumors about why Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds. I wasn't sure whether to believe it or not, but after watching Dharma & Greg again, I started noticing him when he was kind of in the background and the camera wasn't "on" him. He would be smiling, laughing, and generally having a good time. And he didn't seem to be acting because the smile reached his eyes.

Gibson's Greg is the perfect foil for Elfman's Dharma and he plays her straight man so well, but with a dry wit. ( I always laughed out loud when Dharma would say to Greg, "Remember when I told you...?" and his response would be a dry, "Sure." Always made me laugh. Always! His comedic delivery is exceptional!

And Jenna Elfman! So funny, in a goofy sort of way. I wouldn't say she reached the level of Lucille Ball, because they offer two different kinds of comedy. Elfman, though, was on her way to becoming a great comedic presence.

This is truly a great, funny show and I wish it had gone on to a conclusion, rather than an abrupt ending, leaving everyone hanging.

One of the best

[rpzowie · 10/10 · 7 April 2008]

To my regret, I didn't discover Dharma and Greg until it was in syndication after it had ended as a series. I have since become a big fan and hope someday they do a reunion of sorts. From listening to Chuck Lorre, Jenna Elfman, Mimi Kennedy, Alan Rachins, Susan Sullivan and Mitchell Ryan comment about it on the DVDs, the show was perfectly cast.

Yes, I know there are conservatives out there who might not have liked the show because of Dharma's family's liberal ways. Well, I'm a Reagan-loving conservative and absolutely enjoyed the show. To me, the show was very balanced in its humor: Dharma and her family were made fun of just as Greg and his family were.

I think one of the funniest episodes was when Teller guest starred as Jane's cat Mr. Boots. I envision Jane paid Teller's character to act like a cat--just to mess with Greg.

I wish this show had gone on longer...it would've been great to explore D&G having children and trying to raise them despite their differences. In the meantime, I hope Jenna Elfman is able to get back into doing sitcoms again. She's far too talented as a comedic actress not to.

A year or so ago, I received an e-mail from an actor who had a brief guest starring role on D&G. He told me that Jenna, Thomas and Susan couldn't have been nicer.

Sadly Missed

[sminkydink · 25 April 2003]

"Dharma & Greg" is one of my favourite shows of recent years. It's cute and smart and I'm missing it already! I absolutely adore Jenna Elfman and I thought that the chemistry between herself and Thomas Gibson was absolutely infalliable. For the most part, the supporting cast were strong too, particularly the continuous bickering between Kitty and Edward (Susan Sullivan and Mitch Ryan) In the last series I missed my other favourite character, Jane (Shae D'Lyn), very much.

I love it, i love it, OH, I LOVE IT!!!

[ypuskinsan · 9/10 · 8 April 2014]

If you are a fan of romance genre then you are in for a big treat.

I recently started watching this series when i found out it was one of Chuck lorre production. Considering his success in TV comedies i decided to try it out and i immediately fell in love with Dharma & Greg.

Just finished the first season and started the second season i couldn't stop myself and i just had to write a well deserved review though i am poor writer.

The series has a well adjusted script and scenarios to complement the two completely opposite characters Dharma & Greg. Dharma with her carefree and quirky behavior charms you instantly from the get go and can't help but fall in love with her as the series progresses. And Greg, a totally uptight lawyer with his deep baritone voice just seduces you and suck you into a dreamlike state. I could totally watch this show just to hear his voice. And together as a couple, Dharma & Greg makes a great chemistry that seems to go on and on and makes you wish you were in a great relationship yourself. And there are the in-laws who are totally a world apart which only makes for a greater mix.

I can't believe i have been existing without ever watching this great show for a long time. I would recommend this to all the romance freaks out there.

A Great show and definitely makes it in my favorite list.

Between your zen & funny bone

[estathena2 · 8/10 · 8 July 2019]

I adored the series when it was 1st broadcast & thanks to hulu binge watching gifts the viewer with a more seamless flow from one episode to the next - at least for the first 2 seasons. The 3rd season is where the writing dips a bit & from then on struggles to recapture its initial brilliance. Also, Dharma's ever-changing hair length, shade, & style becomes a little distracting.

Jenna and Thomas are the couple of the century!!

[canto-3 · 20 November 1999]

I really love Dharma & Greg. It shows the life of a young couple, in a very funny way. The episodes were hilarious and the actors were great! All the characters are great! There isn't that "I Hate Him" character. Dharma is hilarious and Greg is very cool, too. I think Jenna and Thomas are the couple of the century!!

I wish I could tape the episodes and watch them again. I laugh a lot watching it. The jokes are great. And I always wanted to freeze-frame the episodes in the final credits to read that LONG texts. I love this show.

Unique!

[mallorb · 10/10 · 8 September 2019]

This show is sooooo good. I used to check out DVDs of it out in the library and have been binge watching it on Hulu a ton. Dharma is a comedic genius and I love everything about her, the actress that plays her is perfect in this role. Greg is so awesome too, and their parents are AMAZING.

The acting and the humor is suburb. This is an original show that should not be overlooked for how wonderful it is!

Hilarious!

[SonicStuart · 8/10 · 30 January 2004]

This is one of my favorite TV Comedy sitcoms! Jenna Elfman is very funny as Dharma. This show also reminds me of another comedy TV sitcom called Will and Grace! Dhrama and Greg kind of remind me of the way both my parents grew up, one grew up as a hippie and the other grew up as a civilized individual. Dhrama is a free-spirited yoga instructor with an incredible knack for looking on the bright side. Raised by hippie parents, she was taught to shun convention, trust her wildest instincts, and find the joy in everyday life. Her husband, Greg is a conservative, Harvard-educated attorney and the yin to Dharma's yang. Married on their first date, they have remained committed to each other from day one, despite the obstacles presented by the world around them. But this show is really funny! I hope they put this show out on DVD. Great sitcom overall.

It. Is. Funny.

[Nicola-J-B · 30 December 2001]

Sometimes there is no need to deeply analyse television. Whatever Dharma and Greg is saying about free spirited living isn't really the issue. This programme is a comedy. It makes people laugh. And, in my opinion, it does this well. The relationship between Dharma and Greg is admirable, an example of a strong, love-filled and happy marital life, which is what we need more of. So no matter what some people say about it, my advice is to watch it and laugh.

ROM-COM SIT-COM WITH MANY HAPPY ENDINGS

[curtisthomas-03634 · 9/10 · 8 December 2022]

Dharma & Greg plays like an extended rom-com with many happy endings. A straight Will & Grace with all the kooky characters and fast paced laughs. This is what Mad About You was aiming for but didn't quite reach.

So hard to believe that Thomas Gibson would play such a wooden character later on in Criminal Minds, hard to believe it's the same guy.

Dharma and Greg are one of the most endearing couples ever on tv, they show the kind of relationship many wish they could have but few ever attain.

The actress playing Greg's mother is very attractive and gets the snootiness and exasperated responses down pat, she was born for roles like this.

A great series for a binge watch.

This show always makes us laugh

[debalan · 10/10 · 31 August 2006]

This show is on our list for the best TV comedy show and rates a BIG FAT 10.

We know the premise is unrealistic and the characters are a lot off-center but the show ALWAYS makes us laugh out loud. There are a lot of shows that make us chuckle, but it rare to find a show that can consistently produce real laughter. Even when we see the same show again and again, we still laugh. What a treasure and a treat.

As goofy as this story is the actors make it work. Now if we can only get seasons 2-5 on DVD we will be happy campers and we will never have to have a day without a laugh again.