Backstrom has been met with mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds a rating of 37%, based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 4.78/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Backstroms humor is a cop-out, availed little by the talented cast's attempt to make good of sloppy schtick." On Metacritic, the show has a score of 51 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "Mixed or average reviews".
