Cynical shows can be fun; Deep State is undercut by some atrocious acting. One character seems to be the love child of Larry Hagman’s J.R. Ewing and about 180 pounds of ham. The faux Texas accent might cause your eyes to sting.

Unfortunately, it’s the law of diminishing returns.

Chase reminds me of "Trauma," NBC's attempt at a Monday drama last year, although the shows couldn't be more dissimilar (the latter was about first responders). They both seem to be placeholders in the prime-time schedule until the network can scrounge up something better.

ABC deserves credit for its diverse casting, but Selfie looks to have the longevity of the average Snapchat pic.

Killer feels lurid, thanks to creepy music and editing. That betrays and trivializes some serious issues. The narration could be more lifelike. Then again, it’s from a robot.

[The] clunky scenes work thanks to the exceptional cast. These actors can sell anything. Almost.

Manhattan Love Story suggests some thoughts are better left unsaid.

This is dumb, not-so-much fun shoot'em-ups.

For a fleeting moment, the show hints it might venture into some saucy territory. Then it gets all “Family Ties” saccharine and goes in for the squishy hug.

For The Odd Couple to work, you have to believe there are moments when these roommates want to throttle each other. This version presents a mild bromance. Nice for them, not so much for us.

The climax is predictable, but the epilogue is not anything you’d find on a CBS procedural and suggests how good this show and Wilson could be.

This little dramedy, an adaptation of a Spanish series, has that USA “Monk” comedy-lite vibe going for it.

The editing is kind to most of the contestants, who come off as earnest, intelligent folks looking to engage their inner heroes.... Alas, The Quest’s elimination challenge is unimaginative and the vote deliberations almost as petty as anything on “Big Brother.”

Linney, who also serves as executive producer, is luminous as always. But the first three episodes fall into a predictable pattern of Cathy confronting someone and dropping cryptic comments about her diagnosis.

Wedding Band is frequently vulgar, and few punch lines can be quoted here, but it has such affection for all its characters that you might be troubled that you can't return the love.

Judging from the first two episodes of the new season, Rescue Me is taking a gentler, if dopier tone. [13 June 2007, p.39]

To the credit of creator Christopher Keyser (“Party of Five”), the series plays with expectations. Relationships bloom and wither in surprising combinations. Unfortunately, the show lacks a pulse.

Fox's "Raising Hope" manages to be both more outrageous and realistic than this flimsy, forgettable time-waster.

As our wanderer through the rabbit hole, Lowe lacks conviction, but Socha is a true charmer as the Knave, and fans will be making wishes for Alice to dump the dreary genie for the rogue. With the mothership’s leads on a similar quest for a missing boy, Wonderland seems like an exercise in magical redundancy.

There are a few scares here, but while the “Scream” films kept audiences jumping, Scream the TV series risks putting viewers to sleep.

Hope you like looking at a golf ball, well, doing nothing. You'll see a lot of it during the hour. It sets the mood of The Glades. Sweltering stupidity.

The bromance is over before it starts.

Unfortunately, Iron's not in every scene, and the 100-minute premiere, after a promising opening, becomes bogged down in political intrigue as his rivals scheme to remove the new pope.

Those familiar with the source material will recognize the pilot is essentially the first two-thirds of the film. Some convincing performances from Smith and List get Frequency humming. But that’s just not enough buzz.

Succession makes it clear that the Roys are not especially nice people. They are also, alas, not especially fascinating. Pink slips for everyone.

Pants hits the tube already out of style.

There might be a good drama in Rake, but right now the jury is still out.

The acting ranges from adequate to awful. Milano and George have zero chemistry, and George’s sexy stud act, which has bankrolled his career, reaches its expiration point here.... It’s not nearly enough sizzle for summer.