It has the feel of a quirky cable comedy.

Executive producers Haskins and Emily Halpern are sharp and the lines are funny and maybe, just maybe, there’s a show here.

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.

Heavy dysfunction gets a backup laugh track, and it can turn mean. But Lorre knows how to wring dark humor from tragic circumstances.

Thanks to Sedgwick, the hour is a distinguished contribution to the cop genre, delving further into a character's personal life than the "Law & Order" procedurals, and avoiding the showy visual effects that are high points of the "CSI" brand. [13 Jun 2005]

For better and worse, it feels like an extended version of a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode.

It’s goofy, but fun.

Cultural commentary mixed with the mystery, along with lavish production values, gives Irving’s tale a clever twist. The hour is trying to cover a lot of bases, but it may find its focus.

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

The first four episodes supplied to critics are engaging, but especially in the aftermath of his passing, the shadow of James Gandolfini is, sadly, everywhere.

The obsession with appearances and materialism - from cars to houses to Botox to breast implants - makes "Housewives" a case study for everything that is shallow and pathetic about our society. Of course, that's also what makes it so entertaining. [20 Mar 2006]

A good concept in need of nurturing. [20 Mar 1995]

The casting and direction are solid. We'll stick with it for now to see if there's growth in the character relationships, too.

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.

Of course it's formulaic, but the cast is inviting and the formula works.

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

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

The Scotts have held onto enough of the memorable 1978 movie adaptation of Robin Cook's novel to pay tribute, but added enough to make it feel contemporary.

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

We know the body convulsing on the floor of the grand foyer isn't really being electrocuted. And yet we get sucked into the suspense and the gore as the players express fear, anxiety and tearful protests against being the next to die. ABC's amalgam of drama, murder mystery, parlor game and elimination competition for money is a curious mishmash.

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.

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.

If you like dark action-adventure with a deep mythology, you may enjoy this suspenseful hour, intended to perplex as it entertains. For some viewers, however, the questions will get in the way.

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.

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

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 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.

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]