Wonderfully textured... ER has hit potential. [18 Sep 1994]

The season's brightest, darkest new drama. [3 Oct 2004]

Sometimes you just have to know when to stop. Scrubs is still learning. [2 Oct 2001]

Critics keep saying that this doesn't look like a Fox show, and they mean that as a compliment. Sure, the cast is attractive enough to guest star on Beverly Hills, 90210, but with a subject ripe for overwrought treatment, Party of Five holds back just enough. [11 Sept 1994, p.11C]

The Wire is by no means a worthless enterprise, and Episode 2 is an improvement over Sunday's comparatively off-putting premiere. It'll be tough to go the distance with this one, though, and far easier to look away. [1 June 2002, p.1C]

All the president's men and women are deftly drawn and seamlessly woven through a crackerjack opening hour. Whether they'll be able to hold our interest remains to be seen. [22 Sept 1999, p.1C]

Beneath the humor, Joan is a dark, daring drama with the guts to explore what God might be thinking. [26 Sept 2003, p.1E]

The first episode is as complex, wise, questioning, darkly funny and, yes, entertaining, as television gets. It broaches life's paradoxes with hard-edged melodrama, gallows humor and bravura acting. [10 Oct 2000, p.1C]

Chicago Hope is an affecting, involving series solidly anchored by Mr. Patinkin. [18 Sep 1994]

The intermittent blare of pop songs, telegraphing how the audience should feel, also breaks the fourth wall, undermining the power of the action sequences and the few poignant scenes between Sydney and her in-the-dark boyfriend (Edward Atterton). [30 Sept 2001, p.9C]

Sean Hayes, as Jack, is the overriding reason to watch. [21 Sep 1998]

Without a Trace ends up delivering enough twists and turns to hold up its end of the basic TV show-viewer contract. It also visits the cliche corral on occasion. [26 Sep 2002]

In place of the by-now clichés, House substitutes wit, taut writing and a performance by British actor Hugh Laurie that should put him immediately in the running for a best-actor Emmy. [16 Nov 2004, p.14E]

Splendidly cast and appealingly off-center, it's a genuine summertime gem. [7 July 2002, p.3]

But by the third episode, Maximum Bob turns into minimal entertainment. The plot contrivances become strained beyond repair, and the farcical edge is blunted. [4 Aug 1998, p.1C]

Whether darkly funny, deeply moving or spookily surreal, Six Feet Under is seldom less than bracingly original. It's another landmark series for HBO. [3 June 2001, p.3]

Like his other work ... Mr. Kelley's new show dares to strain reality in search of simple truths. But before you go running in the other direction, let me hasten to add that he prods and preaches with such panache, passion and emotional punch that you may not even notice that The Practice is good for you. [1 Mar 1997]

A first cabin production with superb special effects, an intelligent script and an intricate plot. [5 Jan 1993]

Farscape is thoroughly first-rate in the special-effects department. As for the writing, it at least shows flashes of promise. [19 Mar 1999]

Your patience will only be rewarded to a point. Although capably acted and edited, Traffic doesn't hit enough green lights. Instead it stops and stalls too often, particularly during a concluding Part 3 in which you'll see a latter day bad guy a mile away, even in Seattle's fog. [26 Jan 2004]

Had enough? Or want more? Nip/Tuck still can be gripping, gratifying drama when it's not trying so hard to be either salacious or capital Q quirky. But it's not off to the great start of last summer despite the presence of esteemed thespian Vanessa Redgrave in the second season's initial three episodes. [20 June 2004, p.3]

Without Mr. Benzali and archvillain Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci), and without last season's meticulously unfolding story, year two of Murder One is not groundbreaking. It's just another solid TV drama. But because the action moves more quickly, it might draw more viewers. [10 Oct 1996, p.1C]

It will take an uncommon effort for most viewers to get entirely through even the first episode. Those who return for more will be rewarded in due time. [19 March 2000]

Mr. Kelley otherwise fills too much time with extraneous law cases and Ally's narrative meanderings and fantasies. ... There are sparks, though. Ms. Flockhart is an actress of considerable promise, and some of the dialogue zings home while Mr. Kelley walks his latest high wire. [7 Sep 1997]

The show's global scope, scenery and overall sense of adventure make it a veritable Doctor Zhivago of the [reality] genre compared with most of the swill lately in play. [2 Sep 2001]

The new 24 is off to a more interesting start than its sophomore edition. [27 Oct 2003]

Amusing in spots. ... Future episodes will have to pick up speed if the series expects to really take off. [28 Mar 1999]

Fun without being campy, poignant without being syrupy and probably too heavy on interpersonal situations to suit most of today's young male comic readers. [12 Sept 1993, p.10C]