Because Inside Job immediately establishes its characters, its brand of humor goes way beyond just seeing lizard people struggle with the Keurig machine in the break room. And that’s what will make the series last a few seasons.

It’s good enough to stay with, that’s for sure. It does feel like, though, that the aliens are going to be beside the point in this show, kind of like the zombies became after the first season of The Walking Dead. And we’re not sure we want to see yet another series where other people are way worse than the unknown enemy that’s invading our world.

This endeavor feels a lot like going with your friends to a sex therapy session (and I mean that in the best way possible). The casting here is really what makes the series such a winner; each couple has a compelling, relatable backstory.

Queens is one of the best new fall network series because it’s smarter than it needs to be and leans hard into its frothy premise.

Succession somehow only gets better in its third season, giving us more relentless nastiness, ridiculous humor, and remarkable performances. This is the stuff great TV is made of.

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.

Romero’s zombie movies were as much about societal ills as they were about the undead. This new version of Day Of The Dead tries to mimic that formula, but doesn’t follow through with good enough storylines or characters that we care about.

While we like Beckinsale’s performance in Guilty Party, the show doesn’t seem to have enough story elements to really make us latch onto Beth or her quest to get her career back.

What Happened, Brittany Murphy? is an incoherent, half-baked excuse for a documentary that chooses to disrespect and exploit its late subject rather than paying any tribute whatsoever to her memory.

Dopesick will certainly be a slow burn in spots. But it deals with a subject whose depth most people aren’t aware of, and the performances are so good that it should keep viewers interested.

Chucky adds some fun story elements to the “murdering doll” dynamic, bringing the franchise back to it’s earliest days, when we found out how Charles Lee Ray became a belligerent, knife-wielding, redheaded doll.

If you were a fan of the original Legends Of The Hidden Temple, this reboot will bring back fond memories. But even if you weren’t (we were adults when the show came out), it’s still a light, fun watch that leans completely into its goofiness.

The first episode of Buried draws viewers in by getting them on Eileen Franklin’s side, which will have even more impact once the other three episodes, detailing the trial’s aftermath, start to chip away at their initial confidence.

The acting is stronger than ever, now that Badgley’s Joe has a worthy opponent, and you won’t be able to see the season’s big twists coming. No matter why you initially enjoyed YOU, you’re going to fall in love with this new season, and Love Quinn.

Acapulco is definitely not a high-key comedy by any means. But the character-driven story will lure yo

Muppets Haunted Mansion is trifling silliness. It inspires some smiles, if not out-loud laughter. Call it a slight amusement then. Please don’t take that as a deterrent — Disney’s recent Muppets fare has kind of lowered our expectations, and this is perfectly acceptable fodder for an evening of family togetherness.

Only because of Osment’s lead performance and the hope that the characters in Pretty Smart will have their extreme quirks edged off a bit as the group and Chelsea start to bond.

During the final third, things settle down and Ghosts shows some funny potential of where it can go.

It’s Dave Chappelle. This special really is geared toward people who have been paying attention to his previous performances. ... Chappelle clearly wants to go out with a bang. If he meant his YouTube special (8:46) as his own rallying cry that Black Lives Matter, and his IG videos as a way to show other entertainers how to fight for their own rights, then he intends for The Closer to blaze a path for other stand-up comedians to survive and thrive in this moment when anyone and everyone feels they can try to “cancel” you over your words.

The presence of the old guard will keep fans interested in CSI: Vegas. But the new crew hasn’t distinguished themselves for the most part just yet, and they’ll need to do that soon before the presence of Petersen, Fox and company overwhelms the show.

The unexpected guest spots, like Duchovny as the depressed ice cream truck driver, are also hilarious. But what Dildarian has done a good job of is building the community around Tom, where characters voiced by people like John Malkovich fit in well.

We felt a whole lot better about The Problem With Jon Stewart after watching the second episode. What we saw was a show feeling its way, but with the steady hand of Stewart at the helm, even the bumpier, less funny episodes will be informative about issues that are pretty damned serious.

There’s enough to like about La Brea that will keep viewers watching, despite the show’s more silly and cheesy elements, especially the mystery of where the “lost” Angelenos are and why they’re there.

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.

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.

Nuclear Family promises to be an engaging 3-hour look at a strong family that withstood a challenge that would tear other families apart.

The docuseries is entertaining despite its structural machinations, because it takes the phenomenon of Chippendales as seriously as it should be taken.

Thanks to Thornton’s consistent performance and the addition of heavy hitters like J.K. Simmons and Bruce Dern, it’s more than worth your while.