Phoebe Robinson has such a warm and winning presence as host of Doing The Most With Phoebe Robinson that it makes the series a very easy watch.

Young Love is funny and heartwarming, and it doesn’t try to do more than show a young family trying their best to build their lives together, despite setbacks.

Baghdad Central is well-written, -directed and -acted, and the debut episode sets the table for some potentially vigorous drama.

The Woman In The Wall succeeds because of the lead performance by Ruth Wilson as well as the grey areas that the tragedy of the Magdalene Laundries caused.

Young Sheldon has been evolving into an ensemble family comedy for its entire run, but in its final season that goal is fully realized. And, with Armitage way past his “cute kid” stage, it’s come just in time.

With so many characters harboring so many secrets, or in some cases, secret feelings toward each other, the tension is already building in episode one. It’ll be a fun ride watching where this season of Ginny & Georgia goes.

Animal held our interest because of its amazing photography, but the energetic narration and family-centric narratives help move things along.

If all you knew about Gadsby was hearing comedians debating whether Gadsby was even a comedian, then this might help settle that debate once and for all.

The Big Conn is one of those docuseries that moves along at a good pace while not leaving out much pertinent information. It’s as intriguing as a good scripted drama, and that should be the goal of any true crime docuseries.

Jaguar has great action sequences and doesn’t try to overthink its premise. For once, we’re almost happy that we don’t get backstory for every single main character, because it made room for a more exciting first episode.

Russell Hornby is a powerful presence as Charles Flenory; we’re interested to see how he continues to influence his sons as their empire grows.

Whether you’re a true crime junkie or a casual viewer there’s plenty in Heaven’s Gate to interest you. Robert Balch and David Taylor’s accounts of going undercover into the organization are especially compelling.

Despite the fact that Sex Education has gone through some big changes this season, it’s still very well worth a binge for the genuine laughs and heartfelt emotion that each episode brings.

Like the original series, Mystery Road: Origin layers lots of stories into a slow-burn story involving Jay Swan’s very complicated life.

A howling satire of our real world and the superhero fictions we create, The Boys also features a ripping mean streak all its own. It’s brash. It’s bloody. And if the boys wanna fight, you better let ‘em.

Dead To Me has a pace that never lets up, with plot and dialogue that are consistently, furiously both dramatic and hilarious. The first episode of season three seamlessly picks up where season two’s dramatic end left off, but it also introduces several new twists, including a precarious health situation for Judy, that you’re going to want ti see through to the very end.

This show is just as fun and irreverent as its title, but there’s actually more going on beneath that surface of snark.

Earth At Night In Color gives a fascinating look at nature in a way the human eye has never seen before, and that alone is reason to watch.

The early going of Invasion season two definitely has fun with the idea that a tech mogul disruptor-in-chief could one day enter a mind meld with encroaching aliens. Nikhil will be one to watch as his motives become more clear.

With much of its principal cast back in the saddle, Borgen: Power & Glory is a welcome return for a terrific Danish political thriller that hasn’t let up the tension since its 2010 premiere.

Already adding more layers of emotion into the show’s usual rapid-fire dialogue. Keeso is great at the loudmouthery in Shoresy, and the heady hockey-centric stuff. But between the lines of season 4, it really feels like the sensitivity that’s steadily grown within Keeso’s performance will become the biggest factor.

The Other One takes a unique look at death and mourning, couched in a story about two families thrown together under extreme circumstances. The show’s warmth is established almost right away and will only get better.

Only Murders In The Building continues to be funny while presenting solid mysteries for Mabel, Charles and Oliver to solve.

This is a fun show to watch, and all of the roughness Safdie throws at Sandler only just helps to show that what makes a comedy special special isn’t the big stage or production value, but the intimacy between the performer and their audience. And Sandler has that in spades.

Celebrity WoF needs the celebrities to be competitive and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, and the first set of celebrities do just that. The puzzles are slightly easier than the ones you may see on the regular version, but that’s just to encourage bigger winnings because of the charity angle. But, if you weren’t looking too hard, you wouldn’t really be able to distinguish the celebrity version from the civilian version, which is a good thing.

There is also the reasons why the seemingly put-together Candy managed to snap to begin with. Going back to reconstruct all of that will be interesting to watch, especially given the performances of Biel and Lynskey. ... Candy makes a good case that more true-crime dramas should be about the lead up and the aftermath of an event, not the event itself.

The Sixth Commandment lays out the true story of the Ben Field case in a deliberate but effective manner, punctuated by some fine lead performances.

By scaling down the scope of the Season 5 story, at least to start Noah Hawley has brought Fargo back to the show that we enjoyed so much during its first two seasons.

Kevin Can F**k Himself quickly moves past its high concept to show the picture of a woman in crisis, and we’re excited to see how she tries to improve things through the first season.

The fact that this group has such good chemistry with each other despite not being in the same room, and the fact that Gero and Gall are able to craft story arcs as we go through the pandemic is almost miraculous. We genuinely laughed many times through the three episodes NBC sent for review.

Cunk On Life is often laugh-out-loud funny, mainly because Diane Morgan plays Philomena Cunk with just the right tone; Cunk is dumb, ignorant about her own stupidity, and confident in that stupidity without being cocky. Combined with Brooker’s dry sense of humor, it’s a formula that Netflix can count on for the next number of years.

Created by Ranganathan and Benjamin Green, Avoidance is a touching, funny picture of a man trying to make himself better for the sake of his son. We don’t know how much of Jonathan’s crippling fear of confrontation is part of Ranganathan’s personal history, but he and Green have created a character that we can all relate to on some level.

The performances of Ashford and Quaid, and the wry tone of Happy Face are what makes us want to keep watching.

Secrets We Keep is a thriller that doesn’t try to distract viewers by sending them down too many dead ends, and tells a story about class, race and wealth in the process.

Controlling Britney Spears is equal parts shocking and infuriating, a necessary examination of the reality of the pop icon’s conservatorship and why so many have been calling for her freedom for so long.

Allan Scott and Scott Frank have done a fine job of adapting the long sought-after 1983 novel and exploring the phases of Beth Harmon’s life.

Even though we now know what happened to Maddie’s body, there is still plenty of mysteries to unravel in the second season of School Spirits, and the season is off to a fast start with an action-filled first episode.

Season three proves that the show is still as reliably funny and original as ever thanks the array of funny supporting characters and an intriguing plot refresh.

More than past installments, Rick and Morty Season 6 intertwines classic adventures with more plot-heavy elements for a season that feels more confident in itself than ever before.

Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laughter + Love is a pretty straightforward tribute special, but the parade of A-listers, along with the entertaining clips of Burnett’s amazing career, makes the special a fun way to spend two hours.

Irma Vep is very loose and naturalistic, combining footage from the original Les Vampires with scenes shot for the show-within-a-show. But we’re just happy to see that Vikander’s story as Mira will be accompanied by a well-thought-out story about the production itself.

The show remains hilarious, ambitious, and binge-worthy as it carries itself to the finish line.

Because The Recruit is at its heart a silly action series, its success really leans on Centineo’s charm and the comedic vibe of the show’s writing, and that continues in the second season.

The series is not only entertaining and admirable but also an important look at what so many women, even those at the very top of their game in the entertainment industry, have to go through and pretend it’s all good when it very clearly is not.

Taskmaster is so funny, we wonder why it hasn’t come to the US sooner. And yes, we don’t count that Reggie Watts version.

Us manages to be funny and heartfelt despite documenting what looks to be the end of a long marriage. Even if the story isn’t for you, though, you may just watch so you can start planning your next big vacation.

Any chance to try to understand Pete Davidson a bit better is an opportunity worth taking, especially if you’re the type to absorb all of the tabloid fodder about him.

Fridge Wars has just enough of a twist to make the cooking competition format fun, and it seems like everyone is having fun trying to figure out how to make a dish from what’s in random people’s refirigerators.

The dialogue is as snappy as ever, and the spying scenes are just as tense as you’ve come to expect. If anything, these elements have only been sharpened in Season 2.

Immigration Nation packs a powerful punch, showing the people affected by the Trump administration’s immigration policy up close. But how you feel about the docuseries will depend on where you fall in the debate.

Whether you’re a fan of The Boys or not, you’ll enjoy the animated shorts in The Boys Presents: Diabolical, mainly because they tell good stories with funny character-driven gags.

The Chestnut Man has an intriguing mystery and strong lead characters. It’s a prime example of why Scandi noir is such a popular genre.

Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump is funny as heck, but it also shows just how tough it is to run a news-driven local station, no matter how small the area it covers is.

Welcome to Derry excels in juggling its numerous storylines (so far) and offers great showcases for actors Chris Chalk and Jovan Adepo, as well as its countless scene-stealing child stars. It’s unclear if the HBO show will be able stick its scary landing, but the first batch of episodes prove to be spine-chilling fun this spooky season.

A story that’s full of drama and emotion, punctuated with moments of comedy that are truly dark.

Ultimately, the show wants us to be as hopeful as Edelman, while also reminding us that sometimes we need safe spaces to simply exist. And we sure need a lot of hope right now.

Life On Our Planet is a fascinating look at how life evolved on Earth, with stunning visual effects that show how long-extinct species might have lived.

Minhaj has always been more of an engaging storyteller than a joke craftsman. In this special, he remains in full control of the audience, masterfully pulling “awwwws” and applause breaks out of them with the greatest of ease.

We want to see more of Marcus, whom we think got the short end of the narrative stick in Season 2. But for the most part, if the rest of Season 3 of Hacks is as satisfying as the first episode was, we’ll be pretty happy.

While Young Sherlock is certainly stylish, it doesn’t forsake substance for that style, setting up Sherlock Holmes’ first big case in a way that digs into the characters of Sherlock, Moriarty and others that are familiar to Holmes fans.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a charming new addition to the Game of Thrones franchise that will woo you back to Westeros.

Black Knight may take a couple of episodes to fully build out its world, but it’s not a slow-paced introduction to this post-apocalyptic version of Seoul, with stunning visuals and well-done fight sequences.

The first episode does an excellent job of hooking you in, but it’s the gorgeous animation, fantastic dubbing, and excellent music that’ll keep you coming back for more. If you’ve been looking for a reason to return to the feudal era of Japan, consider this your sign.

It’s a show that embraces melodrama, yes, but it’s also full of heart; it perfectly balances soul with soapiness, turning these students into characters but also keeping their cores intact.

Its breakneck pace and flashy mix of genre-bending elements combine to craft a series that’s difficult to look away from and impossible to ignore. HBO’s latest Sunday night offering isn’t so much of a layup as it is a slam dunk, delivering a fun, glitzy origin story of an iconic NBA dynasty.

The Ghost Bride is a fun show that lightens up on the history and leans in on the mystery, with a sprinkle of romance mixed in.

The creepiness of the unknown enemy in The Eternaut is what drives this show, even as Salvo and other survivors get together to try to fight whoever it is they’re fighting, and we’re here for it.

Big Mouth is still as raunchy, funny, and surprisingly sweet as ever.

The world of Fallout expands in Season 2, but all of it still feels focused on the overall story of a post-apocalyptic world created by greed and avarice trying to survive.

Hijack makes sure the tension stays high while not taking leaps in logic. Combine the tight writing with the compelling lead performance from Idris Elba and you have a show that gets us leaning forward in our chairs, and that says a lot.

After the first two episode, we want to see these kids get that money and leave, even though we know that’s not likely to happen. Even if they steal everything in sight, Harjo and Waititi have seen to it that we quickly want to root for them to steal even more, even though we know we shouldn’t. That’s a pretty damn good sign.

If you have any curiosity at all about Charlie Sheen, you’ll consume AKA Charlie Sheen in one three-hour gulp like we did. Sheen’s forthrightness and brutal honesty as he reflects back on his eventful life so far is just that fascinating to watch.

Despite his reluctance, Eugene Levy makes a charming and easygoing host and narrator in The Reluctant Traveler. Even if the reluctance is relatively mild, it does connect with people who are less inclined to be adventurous than the average travel show host.

Even though it feels like we have more than enough shows that fall into the “high school girls stranded and trying to survive” category, Class of ’07 is a standout for lightening the tone and providing some solid jokes and excellent performances amid the cataclysm.

Wolf Like Me is more drama than comedy, but it works either way, despite its strange premise. Much of that is thanks to Gad and Fisher, but it’s also because Forsythe has ground the show’s more supernatural elements in reality.

Even without Rob and John Owen Lowe’s father-son dynamic, Unstable would be an above average workplace sitcom. But they are the main attraction, and their scenes together really make the show fun to watch.

By taking the focus off Sam for a bit in Season 2, Single Drunk Female does wander a bit from what made it such an appealing show in its first season. But since we liked the support system that formed around Sam so much, it feels less like scope creep to us and more like a show evolving and settling in for a long run.

It’s definitely a much better use of Hahn as Agatha than just continuing the WandaVision format. .... We’re excited to see Hahn, Plaza and the rest of the cast of Agatha All Along take Agatha’s story in whatever direction it goes.

As her late father might’ve written: “Tell ’em Schleppy sent you.”

Firefly Lane can be soapy and sappy, but it’s a fun ride full of humor and high stakes relationship drama. Heigl and Chalke are invested in their characters and they sell the friendship at the heart of the story.

With The Lowdown, Sterlin Harjo has created an interesting world around Hawke’s ethically-murky main character, and that will serve the show well as the season goes forward.

Lucky Hank is a funny show with a fine cast. We hope it keeps its light tone as Hank’s life falls to pieces, at least the way he’s perceiving that it is.

Not So Pretty presents some pretty harrowing information in a tone that’s less hectoring and more sympathetic. By playing the, “hey, we didn’t know, either, buddy” card, its message is even more effective.

Wednesday continues to be a funny, scary delight because of Ortega’s performance and because Burton has gone all in with the nightmarish imagery written by Gough, Millar and the show’s writers.

As a whole, The Staircase is a worthwhile watch, mainly for the performances by Firth, Posey and Collette. But you might get more satisfying information about the Peterson case by watching the documentary or docuseries.

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night takes a refreshing approach to Saturday Night Live’s history, and we hope that we see more episodes going forward, even if they have to change the title to SNL51, SNL52, etc.

Black Twitter: A People’s History is a fun and informative document of a phenomenon that is endemic to this particular era of social media discourse, but also helped change the discourse that was happening in general culture.

Billions pushes into its seventh and final season with as much quippy verve as ever, a fleet of existing grudges, new and interesting allyships, and the welcome return of Damian Lewis as Bobby “Axe” Axelrod. Let the demons run free.

It shows so much proficiency in creating these deeply-imagined addendums to established worlds, all we want is more.

The Bear is more dark comedy than a laugh riot, but its anarchic style and family vibe make for a kinetic show that might have some surprises in store for its viewers.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is a hilarious look at the people who make Starfleet run and never get credit. And it’s the first Trek product since The Voyage Home to really do a good job skewering the franchise’s self-important streak.

The Acolyte‘s first four episodes are a brilliant addition to the larger Star Wars universe. By looking backwards to the waning days of the Jedi Order, Leslye Headland has pushed the franchise further into the future than ever before.

Between Arnold’s funny lines, the fun supporting cast and the well-thought-out family dynamic, FUBAR delivers a fun first episode that moves quickly and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Michelle Buteau is fantastic in Survival Of The Thickest, and we’re looking forward to seeing how her character Mavis inhabits her world on her own for the first time in years.

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy throws viewers into a strange and exciting cosmic world with oddities at every turn. Though the episodes take on several subplots and medical cases, the overarching storyline with the deadly parasite is very interesting and will encourage viewers to follow Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak on their research.

The show takes a clear-eyed look at how Blacks were represented in front of and behind the camera.

While Hitler And The Nazis: Evil On Trial may not provide a ton of new information for people who have even casually studied the time period before, during and after WWII, Berlinger still does a good job of making a powerful case that the conditions that gave us the horrific atrocities that Hitler and the Nazis committed can very easily happen again.

Dash & Lily is effervescently charming and brimming with real emotion. It is a Christmas rom-com that even the most grumpy of grinches will fall for.