The Crazy Ex-Girlfriend premiere also was full of surprises, taking oddball twists and turns with, not only Rebecca, but the supporting characters as well. All in all, an impressive prime-time debut for Bloom as star, co-creator and executive producer of the slyly crafted show. That's the good news. The great news is that, from what the CW has revealed of future episodes, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend appears to be staying on the wild and unpredictable track.

At the black heart of this uneven but often-mesmerizing crime drama is Donald Sutherland's sly and spellbinding portrayal of the richest man in the world, J. Paul Getty Sr.

It's moving so fast that the missteps never turn into a full-fledged fall. More than compensating, Anderson and Mulroney deliver big time, while Gross and Erenberg make a surprisingly winning odd-couple team. If there is a weak link in this cast, it's probably Taylor, who has yet to convince us she's a savvy and experienced FBI agent.

The potential definitely is there for a bloody good finale. The setup is intriguing enough.

The cast, led by Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge, is exceptional. The intricate web of story lines is intriguing. And there are several moments when “City On a Hill” jumps to startling life, providing us a glimpse of the series it could become.

The era-by-era approach can lead to a bit of a by-the-numbers feel, as Burns and Duncan make a mighty effort to touch every base in every decade. This also robs the film of the grand overall cohesion that holds together such epic efforts as “The Civil War” and “The Roosevelts.” Because of this, “Country Music” often feels like eight two-hour films rather than one intricately interwoven effort. But each of the segments is intriguing in its own way.

If not a triumphant return to form, Big Little Lies is the best new Kelley series in quite a while. It contains all of his considerable strengths (sharp and clever dialogue) and some his weaknesses (precious and labored moments). It is nothing less than fun, if never much more than that. But that's more than enough to keep you engaged and keep you watching.

[These] episodes find the celebrated series running true to form. That means an occasional misstep, to be sure – too much time inexplicably spent with one of the blander characters or a less-than-intriguing subplot. But, for the most part, it means elegant storytelling that richly blends social commentary, comedy, soap opera, romance, intrigue, tragedy, melodrama and razor-sharp satire.

If not top-tier TV terror fare, Under the Dome certainly is solid second-level stuff. And given the state of horror on television these days, that's a bloody good compliment. Even while acknowledging the occasional misstep, give Under the Dome credit for getting a lot of things right.

If it's time for a new military comedy, this is a good one. It marches to the beat of its own dumb drum.

As brilliant as many of the storytelling flourishes are, the narrative frequently suffers from awkward construction, clumsily bouncing among three time periods.... It's a brainy drama, to be sure, and it's a challenging one. The riveting lead performances are what keep you engaged when the going gets static--something more than engaged, actually.

America doesn’t exactly need another urban crime drama, but this one demands and deserves attention. [22 Sep 2004]

This is a solid case of so far, so pretty good.

This first hour is all about reinvention. It's a rather clunky attempt to remake the 1993-2002 vehicle in a manner that will please loyal fans and new viewers. The second episode, with guest star Doug Savant ("Desperate Housewives"), pushes this redesigned vehicle into a higher gear.... Now this is the X-Files we fondly remember. Can they push this to yet a higher gear? Why, yes, they can, and they do with the third episode.

A sturdy family drama. [2 Apr 1994]

It hits a few sour notes, to be sure, and there are some off-key moments, but, for the most part, Empire artfully draws you into its high-stakes game of throne envy.

The troubling questions and terrific performances are enough to keep you following this murky trail, if you're not seriously burned out on serial killers. There seems to be one waiting around every corner in television, and this dark corner can be found near the intersection of trite and tremendous. Absentia is both.

It's a bit of throwback, which makes it sort of a time trip in itself. A fun ride. [21 March 1995, p.7F]

A riveting, suspenseful, briskly paced drama packed with intriguing performances.

Much of this takes a by-the-numbers approach, but the cast is strong, and you get the feeling that the second episode is more indicative of where the show is heading.

What Mars lacks in consistency, it makes up with scope and scale.

If not as sharply realized and profoundly resonant as the "Battlestar" reboot, this "Lost in Space" is a visual stunner packed with exhilarating action sequences. It's not a great drama, but it is great fun.

Falling into an erratic pattern, the annoyingly choppy "Wonderland" follows an incredibly powerful moment with one that's incredibly forced. Intriguing confrontations lead to unrealistic plot twists or hackneyed resolutions. Artfully constructed dilemmas are undermined by cliches...For every step in a brilliant direction, Wonderland takes a stumble. A dark drama filled with dreary and haunting images, the ABC newcomer has ambition to spare. What it lacks is consistency. [30 March 2000, p.1E]

There's plenty of room in the graveyard for Salem, although it's way too early to tell if it can effectively build on the scary and sensual elements introduced in Sunday's premiere.

It may not be the Second Coming, which is how hard-core fans have awaited it, but it's a lavish and inventive spectacle that lives up to "Star Trek" tradition and shows why the franchise has flourished. [7 Jan 1993]

The acting styles range from sullen underplaying to over-the-top melodrama, and that mix can be quite effective. But both can be carried too far, with the underplayed stuff tending toward somnambulism and the over-the-top extremes inducing a cringe or two.

The dialogue is intentinonally bad. The CGI work is intentionally cheap. The plot is intentionally ludicrous. The shock tactics are intentionally schlocky. And all this bad adds up to one monstrously good time, particularly if experienced with a rowdy and ready group of friends.

Better Call Saul is an offbeat drama with moments of quirky humor. The drama is wonderfully heartfelt. The comedy is a little more hit and miss.