While the miniseries is more faithful to the 1941 James M. Cain novel of the same name, Todd Haynes' adaptation (he co-wrote the teleplay, directed and acted as one of the executive producers on this five-part bloated whale) is so draining, it might make you anemic.

Not even a return to Sin City - the site of the most notorious, debauched entry in the franchise - can jump-start any excitement into this, the 25th season of the unscripted series.

Serenity arrives in surprising ways. Whether Mike makes it in this arena or not, Taking on Tyson suggests he's already won his toughest battle.

For a show that starts out with so much energy, Breakout Kings quickly settles into a procedural rut.

It's an extended "Law & Order" that never settles on a verdict.

The mix of humor and horror is unparalleled, and the bonds of friendship between these supernatural denizens feel authentic.

The ladies are so desperate to be noticed, they recycle bits from other shows.

The story reflects how badly these procedurals have degraded over the years, forced to come up with increasingly more over-the-top motives for murder. If cookie-cutter cruelty is your nightcap, this show will send you well off to sleep.

Mad doesn't stray far from "Mother's" formula

As a man struggling to find where he misplaced his heart, Perry makes angst seem easy. His sense of timing isn't rusty. The sitcom has a few clouds: Alonzo needs an edge and the show should make Jorge Garcia's ("Lost") facilities manager a permanent regular. But Mr. Sunshine could be midseason's brightest ray of mirth.

Traffic Light is the kind of sitcom that revs from zero to zero with laughter.

Every character has a voice-over, info dumps for back story that are either irksome or unnecessary.

Face Off hews so much to the Runway formula, it practically falls over and busts a lip, but at least the pacing is fast.

At 60 minutes, these episodes will test even loyal fans, although some viewers will discover a new respect for Melissa, who displays patience not unlike Job in her trials. Still, Joan is her mother. Everyone else can skip the guilt trip.

Starz's Spartacus - Gods of the Arena is endlessly creative when it comes to all things stabby. It seems to have a bottomless bucket of fake blood in its production budget.

One problem with the show is intrinsic to its premise. Though mediation is valuable in the real world, it doesn't lead itself to interesting stories in a medium that chugs on conflict, victims and victors.

The more [Vance (David Walton) is] allowed to cut loose, the closer Perfect edges to real humor.

TV Land tries to build on its surprise sitcom hit "Hot in Cleveland" with Retired at 35, a spectacularly unfunny show that reflects a parent's worst nightmare: A grown child moves home for no good reason and shows no sign of budging.

Skins feels raw and gritty. The characters' pain is often palpable. Only the show's target audience will know how true its portrayal of adolescence is, but it should make many parents pay closer attention to what's going on in their teenagers' lives.

Comparisons to the BBC show are unavoidable since the first two episodes are practically a scene-by-scene reshoot of the original's opening. The stars even look like doppelgangers of the English cast.

Bates, who remains a recurring guest on the network's "The Office," brings heart and intelligence to a role that is not nearly so well-defined on the page, proof that casting can elevate any vehicle.

Oh, you'll laugh. But you probably won't remember much of it the next day.

Arnold's Beyond Scared Straight hews to the premise of the original and proves to be just as gripping.

In true "Grey's" fashion, each newbie is challenged with a case that dredges up the personal issues that brought them to this isolated spot, where, according to Ben, it's like practicing medicine in 1952 in a Third World country

You've been three rounds with this story before. Lights Out sets you up for a sucker punch.

Shameless lives up to its title. What's left for the rest of the season? Cannibalism? Macy is a good sport about being dragged around the kitchen like dead weight.

Bob's Burgers arrives cold, with a touch of E. coli. Beware.

NBC's The Cape aspires to be "The Dark Knight" but unfurls more like the campy 1960s "Batman" TV series.