Clearly, this is not a cookie-cutter network offering; it's bold, at times difficult, and aiming for greatness. [20 March 2000]

The resulting Scorsese film is just like its subject: often frustrating but always compelling. [25 Sep 2005, p.F1]

The level of comedy is again superlative, with Appleby and Zimmer carrying the cynicism and viciousness to new levels.

The story is as relevant as ever, cinematically more stunning and historically more accurate than the original. The casting is again superlative--Forest Whitaker as “Fiddler,” Jonathan Rhys Meyers as villain Tom Lea, James Purefoy, Anika Noni Rose and Laurence Fishburne are just the start.

Scripture and subtle wit are sprinkled through the outrageous violence and a particularly lovely vocal accompanies a grotesquely violent massacre aboard an airplane. This one will delight a certain narrow audience.

The film brings the crude, demanding LBJ into focus along with the insecure, desperately needy man in one indelible performance. It's a beautifully rounded portrait of a complicated man at a crucial point in history, pushing for an important victory while tiptoeing toward the future that was Vietnam.

It's more than slick. The spy tale is a great character study built on concerns about how superpowers, intelligence communities and organized crime operate and what the quest for revenge can do to decent people.

Confirmation is not nearly as nuanced as the recent O.J. Simpson trial docudrama on FX. It’s also much shorter and more reliant on news footage. But it similarly revives memories of a wild media/cultural/political flashpoint.

The key characters remain compelling although the multiplying coincidences and overlapping relationships are becoming trying.

Luckily the addition of a few big-name guest stars helps the series regain "the big mo," as they say in politics. Judging by the six episodes I've screened, HoC remains an addictive if not credible political potboiler, elevated by new actors.

It's a beautiful interview piece with archival photographs and clips that will inform any viewer's appreciation of the performing arts.

The thrill of rock 'n' roll as it took a turn toward modern punk, discovered disco and made way for hip-hop in 1970s Manhattan is captured in a fresh way in Vinyl, a tough-minded series.

Dreyfuss is sensational as Madoff, a twinkle in his eye as he explains his "magic."

The casting is terrific.... There are numerous surprises, including how riveting the tale is in this telling.

This experimental extended series takes its time before making any sense. Dive in, and marvel at the fact that at least it’s different.

London Spy, premiering Jan. 21 on BBC America, is a complex, sometimes cryptic import that is worth puzzling over.

[John] Ridley, the creator-writer-producer, has delivered a 10-episode series that is provocative not just in terms of clever scriptwriting but in what it asks of the viewer.

Great casting, terrific costumes, even a worthy new original song made it a spirited night.

The hour, directed by Chris Rock, further cements her status as an all-medium power player. By turns coy, insecure, dramatic and challenging, Schumer has the flexibility to make her conversation both intimate and grandstanding.

Season 2 of Manhattan gets off to a slow start and may require catch-up work. But the high-minded story about the creators of the atom bomb soon picks up the pace.

Despite its endlessly flat landscape, FX's Fargo is elevated by the most spellbinding direction of any drama currently on TV. Season 2 achieves new heights, thanks to writer-director Noah Hawley. The music is exaggeratedly dramatic, and the split-screen device is a throwback to early TV and film's bold experimentation.

The CIA office politics are getting old, but the topical references remain gripping.

[Empire is] still addicting and with a number of hot guest stars.

If you like the idea of a murder victim texting endlessly, even ridiculously, for help mid-attack... if you enjoy the fright of horror only when undercut by laughs, Scream Queens may be for you. For many, sampling the pilot will be enough.

For those of us who thrilled to “The Jewel in the Crown,” the latest PBS “Masterpiece” saga, Indian Summers, will scratch the same itch. As the Brits enjoy high tea on the subcontinent, the colors are so vivid, the characters so rich, the period piece so faithfully depicted, you can practically smell the Punjabi spices.

Promising aspects of opening night were the interactions with Jon Batiste and the Stay Human band, the Oreo cookie binge as a metaphor for indulging in Donald Trump jokes, the nods to both Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, and the peek at what Colbert will be without his Comedy Central blowhard conservative mask. The George Clooney “interview,” not so much.

Even if zombies aren’t your cup of TV, there is plenty to appreciate about the construction of Fear the Walking Dead.

Simon offers a challenging six-hour miniseries that contains social and political echoes of "The Wire" but that feels amazingly topical, too, given recent events in Ferguson, Mo.; Baltimore; and Charleston, S.C.

Duchovny is eminently watchable.... At times the music is more involving than the acting, and appears a useful cover for some lame dialogue. But creator John McNamara ("In Plain Sight") successfully layers sociology, crime story and period music in an involving semi-historical drama.

A beautifully affecting biopic about the tragic and glorious life of blues pioneer Bessie Smith, showcasing a gutsy, soul-and flesh-baring performance by Queen Latifah in the title role.

Wayward Pines is eerie, atmospheric and compelling. The new series on Fox is addictive--until it takes a turn toward the metaphysical.

Gorgeous, high-minded, beautifully acted and sluggish, it may be a stretch for those more accustomed to the Olivia Pope-Doug Stamper-Ray Donovan versions of fixers.

The 13 episodes are fun, not groundbreaking, but slickly produced and accented with musical comedy. Like the two stars, the series is endearing, loud and desperate for attention, but ultimately a love letter to comedy and comedy history.

An engaging work of strong storytelling.

[A] well-researched film.

Netflix has previously scored with "Orange is the New Black" and "House of Cards," but this is the first true comedy it has picked up and it looks to be a winner. Unbreakable? Unassailable.

The characters interact, the camera observes. And we marvel--not only at the technique and the acting, but at the fullness of each individual point of view, detailing who these people are and how they got there.

Judging by the first handful of episodes, Battle Creek is a tad more eccentric than the usual CBS drama, a refreshing step beyond the procedural format. Not a challenging series, but a watchable one.

Sure it’s sudsy drama. But great characters make for great fun in season 3.

Graphic cruelty, not to mention violence, makes for difficult viewing in this lavishly produced miniseries. But it’s worthwhile, especially as director Clement Virgo has opened a new window on the experience of blacks in Canada.

Although it's less than exciting and not at all a comic respite, Saul has me along for the ride.

While the hour is entertaining and moves briskly, it lacks the subtlety (not to mention violence, great opening credits and bad wigs) of The Americans.

It won’t be the hit of the year, but Fresh Off the Boat is worth a look.

Togetherness is very L.A., and very of the moment. For some it may feel too true.

The series successfully blends super-heroics with women’s post-war fight against sexism in a fun, winking way.

The prettiest soap opera on TV continues to offer a refuge from the present while mirroring contemporary attitudes and evolutions.

The series has great potential. The question is whether Empire should stick to being a good family drama in a vibrant contemporary setting with a topical issue woven into the story, or whether it can measure up to the pretensions to great literature.

The 10-episode dramatic comedy, dropping Tuesday on Amazon Prime, is romantic, funny and fresh--ripe for binge-viewing.

[Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas is] clever enough for adults, sweet enough for young kids and musically inventive enough to please the worst Scrooge.

If the tone of this miniseries lays it on thick, the subject is universal, the information is solid, the photography brilliant and the whole effort a sumptuous departure for NatGeo.

The thrill of the chase comes through in the film.

The best comedy you're not watching.... Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne"), Alex Borstein ("Family Guy") and Niecy Nash ("Reno 911") simply kill it as an ensemble, doing justice to the sharp writing of Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer.

These four transporting hours tell a touching, funny, heartbreaking story that underscores how complex life is, how fragile human interactions are.

As the mystery unspools, Darcy withdraws from Elizabeth, and their relationship falters. Suspicions are raised, and Elizabeth must sort out the truth. Expect a dramatic trial and a surprising new suspect before it's all over. Of course, the joy isn't in reaching an answer. It's in the journey.

The film glosses over the turbulent aspects of Brown's personal life (domestic-abuse charges and an arrest record are mentioned in passing), and it isn't comprehensive (there's nothing about his four wives, six children, drug addiction or his death in 2006). But the tuneful feature-length film is packed with great vintage clips.

The series sometimes meanders, but only because Grohl's goals are lofty.

As was the case with the controversial "In Treatment," those with no patience for self-analysis or a psychologically minded view of relationships may find The Affair slow going. But the mystery element should keep even impatient viewers guessing.

What follows is a rich, funny, touching exploration not just of transgender life, but of family, identity and sexuality in general. Tambor's genius in the role is in creating a very particular female character well beyond makeup and wardrobe, seemingly on the cellular level.

What could be a trite pitch for togetherness is probed for deeper meaning in an hour that has a big heart behind its hip stance.

The entire 14-hour, seven-night experience of Burns' latest opus is an engaging and at times surprising marathon.

It's tough work that may help the viewer appreciate the miracle that occurs any time an indie movie actually makes sense, let alone transports audiences.

[A] cleverly plotted, visually absorbing tale.

It's all a fairly standard spy-thriller template, but the cast and crew give Legends an edge. Trust Howard Gordon ("Homeland," "24") and company to devise a well-plotted mystery.

After a very slow start, Outlander, from the book series by Diana Gabaldon, is a bodice-ripper with a sprinkling of science fiction, a fantasy drama with a bit of action-adventure.

Overall, The Knick is a sublimely addictive ride for which viewers will want to scrub up.

Maximum Bob evokes a little of that quirky show ("Northern Exposure"), with a talented ensemble cast, rich characters, and a script that doesn't write down to viewers. [4 Aug 1998, p.E-01]

You may have read the transcripts over the years, but to hear the dialog, now on the eve of the 40th anniversary of his Aug. 9, 1974 resignation, is newly eye-opening.

G&O feels less serious of intent, less urban or urbane than “Broad City.” But fun.

A beautifully executed 1940s period drama about the men and women involved in the top-secret Manhattan Project is at once transporting and provocative.

The series returns for season 2 on July 13 on Showtime, still excelling thanks to a confluence of terrific casting, great performances and smart storytelling about America in the repressed 1950s.

Well told, well acted, The Strain might be just the thing for fans of “The Walking Dead” feeling a little too calm this summer.

Dramatically gripping and well cast, the film offers a glimpse inside the compound that has made headlines.

Matthew Lillard, Emily Rios, Thomas M. Wright, Ted Levine and Annabeth Gish are well cast and their characters are fully sketched. Having seen two hours of season 2, I’m not ready to give up yet, but I’m starting to prioritize TV’s darkest hours and wonder if The Bridge will make the cut.

It's telegenic, adrenaline-pumping drama, edited to manipulate as well as inform. (Not for nothing is a fresh-faced young female urologist the first character introduced, talking about a penile surgery.) But it's also real and, for that reason, far better than the "Grey's Anatomy" soap opera.

The cinematography is stunning, the music and atmospherics are immersive. With occasional hiccups the acting is mostly subtle. Suspension of disbelief will be required (how else can Bassam/Barry slip out of his father's palace in the middle of the night to rendez-vous with an old journalist buddy?) But Tyrant is worth the effort.

Sharp, funny and demanding of its lead actor, 'Watching Ellie' is NBC's best sitcom attempt in years. [26 Feb 2002]

Think of it as a def Dallas, an African-American Dynasty for 2003, a blend of MTV and BET that finds itself on UPN. ... Sex, violence, music and some eye-catching casting make this effort worth a look. [13 Apr 2003]

While the plot rests a tad heavily on a couple of wild coincidences, writer David Wolstencroft ("MI-5") has constructed an interesting tangle of smart dialogue and credible characters to put across a rather cynical view of lawyers and law.

If it's action you seek, Rectify is a poor choice. But for fine cinematography, great acting and probing character development, you'll want to tune in.

The debut is cinematically beautiful, the cast is top-notch, the story is compelling, the characters distinct, the music stirring. The question is, why now? [30 Dec 1997]

Judging by the first six episodes, this round is just as addicting as the first, the ensemble rising to the occasion of topping their first outting.

Oliver is terrific at mining humor from the most popular topics of the day, that is, the idiocy of the media and politicians. He's funny when he's knocking our intelligence. But he's best when he sticks to a barrage of short bits, enhanced with clips or photographs, as in his first week's efforts.

It may be preposterous. It may lack the political finesse of "The Americans" or "Homeland." But with tight shots of nervous eyes and cinematic displays of Jack's heroics, 24 still excels at high anxiety.

The humor is often obscure. The flavor ranges from silly to heartbreaking, crazy to profound. The Emmy-winning show's unpredictability is part of the charm.

This reprise won’t eclipse memories of the film, but it shouldn’t be automatically discounted. It’s a longer, slower study, suited to a different medium and hitting the same gruesome and all-too-human notes.

Assuming you aren't a programmer and don't plan to invent the next killer app, you may at first find HBO's Silicon Valley more pathetic than amusing.... By the end of the second episode, however, the personalities take off, the humor sharpens and there's no need to reboot.

A worthy new configuration - the side-splittingly sad sitcom. [2 June 2005, p.F-01]

Grand special effects, impressive acting by the young Sequoyah and an enduring interest in all things supernatural may help Believe to catch on.

Think of Doll & Em as a collection of short stories rather than half-hour comedies and it’s quite absorbing.

The direction and writing are subtle but intriguing, like Highmore's innocent grin.

As the new season begins, this series continues to be among the best of the extraordinary number of great TV dramas vying for attention.

Two sweet, funny, even poignant dramedies ["About a Boy" and "Growing up Fisher"] launch on NBC this weekend, both helping midseason feel richer than the meager offerings of the network's fall slate.

Two sweet, funny, even poignant dramedies ["About a Boy" and "Growing up Fisher"] launch on NBC this weekend, both helping midseason feel richer than the meager offerings of the network's fall slate.

This is not just a fun escape, it’s a clever puzzle.

While the first hour is daunting, the series offers a terrific villainess who also has a knack for humor. [28 Aug 2005, p.F-03]

The overly gruesome operating room moments are best glimpsed through shielded eyes. The rest of the drama draws viewers in with rich characters, a breathless pace, a refusal to pigeonhole good guys versus bad guys, thoughtful observations about family life and midlife relationships, and intriguing casting. [22 July 2003, p.F-01]

Tremendous footage of mountain treks and river running make the spectacle compelling while the sometimes clunky dialogue gets the message across.

While it's not fun entertainment (lacking the tragicomic notes of, say, "The Sopranos"), it is an amazing dramatic entry. It's only January, and only four episodes were available for review, but True Detective sets the bar for 2014's TV newcomers.