The original “Roots” exposed and drew on the power of truth for millions of Americans. This Roots is an echo of that. It stands small in the great shadow of the original.

Preacher is a black comedy, a horror funhouse, a mild meditation on belief and a wicked good time. There’s nothing left to say but: Amen.

Schenkkhan abridges his teleplay to two hours and 15 minutes when this project might have been better served by going in the other direction, by making, say, a two-night, four-hour mini­series. ... There’s no comparing [Cranston's] performance to anything he’s ever done. All the Way is going to lead Cranston along a familiar path--right up to the Emmy podium come fall.

McShane might be the best part of this production, bringing life to the role of a man harboring dark regrets. ... Oh, yes, the period costumes and the locations are top-notch. After a jaunt around Greshambury, even the Crawleys would be feeling house-poor.

Penny Dreadful’s set work is unparalleled, and this season the bright oranges and yellows of the Old West make for a welcome contrast to the washed-out blues and grays of Old London. Oh, there is action here.

Veep manages to curse almost as creatively as HBO’s beloved cult series “Deadwood,” and, with its raging boss and conniving sycophants, is the heir to NBC’s “The Office” we didn’t know we needed.

[The Night Manager] makes the most of some gorgeous spots. Viewers, however, may find themselves anticipating the plot. Hiddleston is the draw and the catch. With a less capable lead, this story would only be mildly interesting. ... He proves here he’s ready to serve her majesty’s secret service and then some.

It’s a series without interesting characters, story or a modicum of tension.

Confirmation, like those hearings, settles nothing. The film’s coda suggests the country has come a long way. That, along with everything else here, will give viewers plenty to talk about.

[Host John Cena is] smart and he’s funny when he goes off-script. He gives American Grit its shot at glory.

Game’s dialogue is inconsequential, pushing the players around from scene to scene, but the plot payoffs come fast and furious.

Much of Hunters seems like torture porn. McMahon overacts as the unhinged Hunter who seems to want to destroy humanity but is taking the long road to armageddon. Phillips is just miscast as humanity’s best hope.

Beau resents his son for abandoning the family homestead. Rooster enjoys egging them on. The war of words can sometimes feel brutal. The work gives Kutcher a chance to truly act, to bring some pathos to the fore, but The Ranch is a slog.

The Catch wants you to hope for the best, but he’s such a sociopath, it’s hard to root for their relationship to end anywhere but in a lifetime sentence behind bars. Still, Enos is terrific and makes this caper a fun ride toward righteous retribution.

Fox managed to turn the final hours of Jesus Christ into an extended “Today Show” concert. Except “Today” has never had so many taped segments. The bewildering sort-of-live production in New Orleans last night starred Tyler Perry as host and violated the cardinal rule of storytelling: SHOW, don’t tell.

I’d ask for a script doctor, but it’s time to call the code and be done with it.

CBS has wisely cast familiar faces in key roles, which gives the show a leg up given that the characters can barely pass for one-­dimensional.... There’s something comforting about the fantasy of a government task force leaping to your aid hours after a vacation takes a detour to hell.

With scenes of brutality inflicted on slaves and the casual use of the “n” word, Underground can be difficult to watch. But there’s nothing gratuitous about this story. The series is enhanced by contemporary music from the likes of Legend, Kanye West and The Weeknd.

It’s bloody, grim, as overtly sexual as a commercial broadcast network can be, occasionally engrossing and only tangentially related to any serious inquiry into Christianity.

The lack of suspense and originality is depressing.

With the Under­woods at war, House of Cards opens the doors on its most diabolical season yet.

A last-minute reveal in tonight’s episode is dropped for shock value and is all but retracted next week. The twisting in the story is a betrayal of viewer trust.... With a story like The Family, everyone needs to be paying attention to the fine details. But at least we get to enjoy Allen in our homes every week, for a time, anyway.

The Real O’Neals is funny, offbeat and sweet in its depiction of a loving family whose members are sometimes their own worst enemies.

Series creator and writer Chris Lunt’s plots are more comfort food than cutting-edge, but not since Helen Mirren’s epic run in “Prime Suspect” has there been such a flawed, compelling female detective.

Netflix’s sequel series Fuller House is a triumph of canny calculation over creativity. The extended 40-minute premiere is the best fan-service of any reboot ever.

Netflix’s new sitcom Love is everything you expect from Judd Apatow --raunchy, rude, crass, bloated with drug jokes and sex gags and maybe more 
f-bombs than any other series­ ever.... Across 10 episodes, Love takes its time bringing its two leads together, which is just fine.

There’s so much [music] here, Vinyl runs the risk of turning into “Treme,” which seemed to be a music show with a touch of plot. Vinyl spins back years with copious flashbacks, and they do Cannavale and the show no favors. No matter the year, no matter how his hair is parted, he looks the same, a middle-aged guy. Some things can’t be finessed.

Watching Those Who Can’t is like being stuck in Saturday detention. It feels like forever.