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.

The series is packed with intriguing characters and great performances in a mostly untapped period. If only we could tolerate watching through covered eyes, cringing and fast-forwarding through the goriest scenes, we'd probably be in for a rich and rough drama.

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.

If the script by Liz Feldman (“Two Broke Girls”) were less tedious, if the acting by Cuthbert were bearable, if the whole enterprise were based on more than one joke... it might’ve worked.

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.

The show will rise or fall on the chemistry of Lennon and Perry. Watching the two of them trade fastidious/sloppy, healthnut/unhealthy barbs is fun for a while. But that's the highlight. The scenes tend to stall when the boys aren't sparring, with the exception of Yvette Nicole Brown who pops as Oscar's put-upon assistant.

The cast is inviting.... But the too-prominent, overly obvious voice-over narrator is a truly awful innovation.

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.

12 Monkeys won't hook those who aren't already fans of the genre. The characters are mostly two-dimensional. The philosophical conundrums are secondary to the action. The dialogue is terribly earnest.

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