Strong performances and an interesting story drive Dope Girls. The first episode was well-paced and explained the main characters’ situations well enough to make us want to watch the rest of the story.

Sharp writing, charming performances, and the undeniable appeal of an entertaining underdog story combine to make Disney+’s newest series one of the most enjoyable shows of 2021.

We’re hyped for Stevens to be the audience mirror as Pepper tries to manage inside an institution where the walls themselves seem crazy. Devil in Silver is also having a ball bucking standard convention. .... We felt as disoriented as Pepper does, all hopped up on Haloperidol, as we tried to determine what were mind games and what horrible truths are really lurking in New Hyde.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a visually-stunning animated series that has a fresh take on Peter Parker’s early days as New York’s only webslinging crimefighter.

Our Flag Means Death continues to emphasize story over gags, and manages to be both funny and touching at the same time.

Sparking Joy did just what its title described while we watched it. Kondo’s preternatural calm was fascinating to watch and the way the transformed spaces transformed people’s lives made for emotionally satisfying TV.

Stolen Youth isn’t just an informative look at a shocking case. It’s a well-made docuseries that’s always respectful to these survivors.

The series does a bang-up job of easing you back into the world and organically weaving the info you need to know into the character dialogue and motivations. ... By exploding the plot, the sophomore season does what the best go-for-broke storytelling does: it will leave you craving more.

We run the risk of praising Marty and not how entertaining Mr. Scorsese is, with its murderer’s row of talking heads, reiterations of bits familiar to cinephiles and smart analytical revelations – and inevitably will be in future installments. .... Probably should be 10 hours. At least.

Taylor Swift: The End of an Era is a nice illumination into the singer-songwriter’s hugely-scaled professional operation and her personal, sometimes emotional world.

Despite being part of the MCU, Ironheart stands on its own as the story of a teen genius, tech vs. magic, and how that genius navigates all of it in her hometown of Chicago.

Berry handles this all with the understated, dignified charm longtime viewers of GBBS will find utterly familiar.

Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: The Facts Of Life/Diff’rent Strokes succeeded because it doesn’t even try to come close to the way the original episodes were staged. Everyone had fun with embodying the iconic roles they were given, and it showed.

M.I.A. offers a compelling central character to follow as it descends into the criminal world undergirding the glitz and glamour of Miami.

Part of Emily in Paris’ charm is that the show never takes itself too seriously. That charming tactic is implemented again in Season 3, but the writers make [a] refreshing, effective effort to give characters, storylines, and relationship dynamics some added depth this time around.

He can also host a nature show like nobody’s business, bringing a down-to-earth quality to the genre that we don’t often see from the mostly-detached style we see most of the time. ... Amazing shots and a tension-building score add to Smith’s presence, whether it’s the scenes he’s in or just the ones he’s narrating.

We appreciate the fact that American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez treats its story with respect and not as a tabloidy story ripe for outrageous dramatic scenes. That and the generally good performances make the first season of this new franchise worth watching.

Painting With John does take some getting used to, but once you’re into the show’s rhythms, it feels like a relaxing way to end your day.

While we wish there was a bit more of Ruth Ellis’ backstory at the beginning of A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, it’s still an intriguing story about the last woman executed in Great Britain, with a fine lead performance by Lucy Boynton.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is unashamedly mundane, weird, funny, and feminine — and that’s why it is such a success.

There’s nostalgia and memories of prom to be channeled for anyone of a certain age, of course. But this lead ep of This is Pop and what’s to follow are also offering fresh takes on a pretty wide subject.

It won’t really make sense of you haven’t already seen I Hate Suzie season one. If you’ve already seen that, you’re definitely going to want to STREAM IT. (If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you binge all the available episodes this weekend.) This new Christmas-ish extension of the show dives deeper into Suzie’s turmoil and tragedy and it’s a marvel to watch Piper toggle between her emotions so seamlessly.

Clips along at an entertaining pace and turns an upsetting story into comic tragedy. You likely haven’t seen this saga told with such crisp clarity before.

Devil In The Family: The Fall Of Ruby Franke is interesting because of the participation of Franke’s ex-husband and their two oldest children. Yes, it’s a tale of a family vlogger whose real family life was pretty dark. But the viewpoint of Kevin, Shari and Chad Franke really brings home just how horrible Ruby Franke was.

If you find Hallmark’s holiday movies to be a little too sappy for your taste, With Love will scratch that itch you may have for a warm family-oriented romcom, with just a bit more representation and edge.

It does seem like Naomi is going to take its sweet time to explore its main character’s story. And that’s just fine with us, especially if it gives us more time to get to know what seems like an anomaly on TV these days, which is a teenager with her head on straight and a strong desire to find out more about herself.

Losing Alice is setting up to be an interesting erotic thriller. But, more than most shows, it hinges on its main character. And Ayelet Zurer absolutely hits the right notes as Alice.

The Girl From Plainville is a nuanced look at a sensational case that played out with the usual media-induced broad strokes. It may be too nuanced for people looking for a show that utilizes those broad strokes, but the approach will probably be appreciated by those tired of campy true-crime scripted series.