"I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life.

Manga Maniac Cafe also panned the series, calling it "a humdrum read".

The established author Gustav von Aschenbach is matched to a young, callow engineer at the start of a humdrum career.

Grantley and Parker note that "Tattoo" is "full of pathos" and "an excellent example of Townshend finding in the humdrum something of universal resonance and appeal." Atkins, calling the song "masterly" puts forth similar views, and Atkins and Grantley and Parker all find that this element of the song is a characteristic that only The Kinks might be able to match.

Agnes does not accept or believe that she will always remain unattractive, poor and a social outcast; quite the contrary, she can imagine a multitude of scenarios that will allow her to escape her humdrum existence.