Angel Cohn of TV Guide talks to The Best Years star:

• The N’s The Best Years Tackles the Hottest Topics
  “Of course there are love triangles and quadrangles and more, and most revolve around Devon, the basketball star played by She’s the Man hottie Brandon Jay McLaren.”

These are reviews about the American premiere, about the show currently airing on Global:

David Bianculli of the NY Daily News:

• Class struggle in ‘Best Years’
  “”Degrassi” head writer Aaron Martin is the creator of “The Best Years,” and establishes his new, college-age series with a scattershot approach that would earn different grades. For starters, he gets an A for casting Charity Shea as Samantha. She’s a fresh-faced young actress who, like Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada,” exudes vulnerability, confidence and casual beauty.”

Robert Philpot of the Star-Telegram:

• ‘The Best Years’ has the smarts for college
  “With Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls no longer doing first-run episodes, there’s a dearth of series about college. The Best Years, the first series on The N to move into higher education, tries to change that. It doesn’t have Veronica’s smarts or Gilmore’s wit, but it’s a watchable genre entry nonetheless.”

Ginia Bellafante of the New York Times reviews The Best Years (talking about its premiere on The N network, but it’s been airing on Global in Canada):

• Majoring in Snob Studies at Rich Kid U
  “The Best Years,” a new series on the N network, immerses itself so deeply in the pits of class warfare that its characters might as well be carrying cans of mace.

From Global:

The Best Years
Tuesdays – 10pm ET/PT
July 3: “Shadow of a Doubt” – Samantha’s birthday is ruined by the unexpected return of her Uncle Patrick – a.k.a. the man who abandoned her to the foster system after her parents died. Meanwhile, Dawn prepares for her big opening night of ‘Macbeth’ but Trent is wrapped up with concern for Sam and is painfully oblivious to her need for attention.

July 10: “All that Heaven Allows” – Devon surprises Sam when he reveals his true feeling for her; Sam is blindsided by her visit from Uncle Patrick and his real agenda for reconciliation; Noah turns up the heat with Prof. Grant and can hardly believe his luck; Kathryn is crazed when she hears Beau has misplaced her ‘special tape’.

July 17: “Reality Bites” – Sam is confused about her feelings for Trent and still hasn’t told Devon about their kiss; Uncle Patrick attempts to reconcile with Sam after he discovers her past; Dawn is shocked to find she is cut from the play and is livid with Sam over the kiss; Trent tries to push Sam into admitting her feelings for him.

July 24: “Cruising” – Sam is enraged when Professor Fisher makes a case study out of Crazed College Girls that offers an all-expenses paid trip to Cabo; Kathryn and Shannon are all over the competition – letting loose, leading men on, and dressing sexy; Sam learns the truth about her family history.

July 31: “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” – Sam and Trent continue to dance around their relationship status; Trent scores some major points with Sam when he enlists the help of his lawyer father in Sam’s search for information about her family background; Professor Fisher puts two and two together, and realizes the “other man” who has ruined his marriage is his star student, Noah Jensen.

The show is debuting in the US this week but airs on Global Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Jacqueline Cutler of the New Jersey Star-Ledger relates to it:

• Mom’s TV log: A week’s worth of family viewing
  “All too often, teen dramas are too sexy or just laughable. But this one, from “Degrassi” writer Aaron Martin, captivates because it is different and honest. As someone who almost lost my chance because of the dreaded mandatory meal ticket, I related to it. More shocking, my daughter, who won’t have to finagle her way out of said meal ticket, also loved it.”

Rich Heldenfels of the Ohio Beacon Journal isn’t as impressed:

• These aren’t `Best Years’
  “If The Best Years was a little better acted, a little more dramatic, a little more carefully thought out — a little more something, then I might have forgiven the many clunks and creaks in the premiere.”