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

Frankly, the acting merits more accolades than the storylines so far.

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.

Scott Bakula as Capt. Jonathan Archer is not as commanding a figure as some past captains. But his inexperience suits the prequel's tone. [26 Sep 2001]

Some are going to embrace this new freedom; others are going to be overwhelmed. The very personal reactions make for grand voyeurism.

We'll see if audiences can tolerate the notion of profound interrelatedness as weekly entertainment.

This series won’t change the world, or even the world of TV comedy, but it is an intriguing diversion.

A funny but not particularly inventive political comedy about four Republican Senators sharing a house in Washington, D.C.

Vegas is likely to be successful simply because, at heart, it's a CBS crime procedural with cowboy threads.

Bunheads hasn't quite found its footing, but shows great promise thanks more to the cast and crew than to the initial hour.

Think the Clintons meet "Dallas" in D.C. And that, for six episodes, may be enough.

Funny - barely - in an uncomfortable, theatrical way, some moments feel like performance art or improv exercises, albeit with nice title sequences. [14 Aug 2005]

While the characters are slight and the dialog is silly, there's a story there somewhere.

It is formulaic but built to last. Think of this expensive remake as 'Touched by a Kimble.'... The workmanlike hour continues to mine old themes of alienation, injustice and the search for truth. [5 Oct 2000, p.E-03]

If you can get past the showy physicality, there's real meat here...Unfortunately, the series is frequently its own worst enemy...Every so often, (it feels like every few scenes), the visuals overwhelm the content, and it's clear the producers are intent on using every bit of license that cable networks allow. Story is overwhelmed by effects. It all becomes "deeply superficial," without the ironic twist. [1 Sept 2006, p.F-01]

Conflicts and tortured characters abound. Unfortunately, the drama goes somewhat soggy when the camera leaves the tight confines of the submarine and the complex plotlines twist into knots.

As the lead character, actor Kevin James has a certain something. We just hope it's not contagious. [21 Sept 1998, p.G-05]

Nobody will accuse it of being ponderous or academic. It's expensive-looking and shallow but long.

While the atmospherics are great and the cast is impressive, the weight of the film is too much for the slender premise.

The extremes of smart and wacky writing styles have never been so much at odds.

The talented cast and upbeat pilot work in the series’ favor, but if the half-hour is to be more than a platform for Williams’ improv, the story will have to go deeper. And make us care.

The likability of a lying, cheating, essentially egomaniacal criminal defense lawyer is a stretch in the first place. It takes a lot of grinning and tousling from Kinnear to make it work.

Unlike "X-Files" and "VR.5," however, Sliders wants to be humorous while offering an exciting weekly quest. It tries to be cute while the heroes struggle to find a way "home." The cuteness quickly becomes a liability. At times, the comic element turns weak and the characters risk seeming cartoon-like. In the end, "Sliders" may appeal to a younger audience, an audience less concerned with science and fantasy than with comedic adventure. And that will be just fine with Fox. [21 March 1995]

Seeso’s first original scripted comedy, written and directed by BAFTA-nominated Will Sharpe, is a head-scratcher. It does have Olivia Colman going for it.

It would be naughty to call it dry. But the lack of personalities leaves the viewer groping for an angle. The overwhelming nature of the event begins to feel overwhelming on the couch, too.

Much of the insanity that drove viewers to “hate-watch” the show in its first season has been scrubbed. Competence reigns. The results are mixed.

Not a brilliant effort, but worth a look.

The old-school sketch comedy veterans pulled it off. They could help pass the time on a hot summer night. No rush. You could wait and catch a moment or two online.