I think the big thing that may disappoint some viewers has to do with their expectations going into it. More specifically, the show is listed as a mystery and while there is a mystery to be solved in every episode, the mysteries thus far have been very mundane in nature. If you go in expecting a murder mystery type series, you should leave your expectations at the door or else you will be disappointed.
If I had to describe the shows genre i would be more inclined to describe it as slice of life as it follows the adventures of the classic literature club (which often feels more like a mystery club). There is no real apparent overarching plot and the character development is fairly slow as each character's personality is revealed little by little as we watch their day to day lives.
Characters 9 - The characters are nicely portrayed. While in many cases they are archetypes we are very familiar with, there is enough a personal quirk from them to not seem boring, rehashed or two dimensional. While no character is especially standout, I feel the entire cast is well done and very likable and they all interact well with one another. Specifically Chitanda and Houtarou are being fleshed out nicely, and play off each other very well. It would be nice if Satoshi and Ibara got more attention, but it is still relatively early in the series and they are side characters, so it quite possibly coming in the future.
Art 9 - The art style is simple and clean, using a lot of soft colors. The character designs are nicely done and the show does not have excessive fanservice. The backgrounds are simplistic, but nicely rendered. Overall I am definitely a fan of the art style; it differs enough from standard shows these days to have its own feel, but the style is not especially notable.
Story 9 - the show is a slice of life show, there is little significant overarching plot. Ones satisfaction with the story really comes down to how compatible they are with slice of life shows.
Sound 7 - The soundtrack is simple and plays well with the scenes. It always enhances the scenes, but is not exactly standout.
Enjoyment 10 - I'm a big fan of slice of life shows and I'm finding Hyouka to be very enjoyable. It is a simple, easy going show that is easy to watch. It's not going to give you any deeper insights to life, but if you like the slice of genre it should be able to entertain you.
Overall - Hyouka is not a masterpiece as it lacks anything that truly makes it stand out as being above and beyond other shows. That being said, it is still very well done, and quite a entertaining show to watch casually.
