It's actually rather confusing and only marginally interesting. [5 Oct 2000, p.C06]

To be perfectly honest, it's a little easier to be forgiving of a series that's airing original episodes in the summer. Maybe it will settle down a bit and turn into something a little better. I'll give it a couple more episodes.

The show could turn out to be one of those guilty pleasures like the early years of Dynasty or Melrose Place — a show that's fun because it is so melodramatic and dumb.

Except for the setting, there really isn't much to distinguish Memphis Beat from hundreds of cop shows past and present. As a matter of fact, it's far more like them than it is different.

None of this will bother viewers who haven't seen "The Witches of Eastwick." And given that the movie was released in 1987 -- and that the WB's programming is aimed directly at teenagers -- chances are that the lack of originality in Charmed won't hurt the show's chances. [7 Oct 1998]

"The Chronicle" is more a goof than a scare. [12 Jul 2001]

Frankly, the first episode of "Six" is not impressive. Discomfiting, certainly, and with sparks of promise, but not exactly compelling. But, somewhat surprisingly, after watching two and three and four more episodes, the show grows on you...Six Feet Under is going to be an acquired taste that some will never acquire.[1 June 2001, p.C08]

It's standard, low-grade, blue-collar sitcom. [7 Oct 2000, p.E08]

The game part of "The Apprentice" isn't bad, as reality shows go. But as for Trump, well, it's sad to see someone who's that desperate to be a TV star no matter how much money he has. [6 Jan 2004]

For the most part, Covert Affairs is harmless fluff, with some nice action scenes. But it seems somehow more fitted for 1970--maybe 1950--than 2010.

Oz is well-written, well-acted, well-directed and full of superior production values...I don't like it. It's billed as a realistic look at prison life, and I'm in no position to dispute that ; I've never served time. Oz is certainly graphic, gritty and bleak. It is also unpleasant to watch. Where is the entertainment value in something this unremittingly dark and unpleasant? [12 July 1997, p.C01]

Rookie Blue hauls out pretty much every cop-show cliche in the book. As a matter of fact, it looks like it was stitched together from pieces of old TV shows.

The new, two-part movie is definitely worse than the original. It's just not particularly scary. Which is a problem for what's supposed to be a horror film.

Frankly, I just don't get it. ... "Carnivale" feels too much like mystical, mythical nonsense masquerading behind outstanding production values and good acting. [13 Sep 2003]

From the looks of the pilot, it doesn't look like anything to get excited about. [15 Sept 1998]

It's all extraordinarily dark and forboding, not to mention violent and convoluted. The art direction and special effects are pretty cool, but it's simply not enough to make for interesting television. [6 Mar 1999, p.E06]

When it doesn't bore you, it provokes you to think, "Boy, is this dumb."

If anything, the second season of this series is worse than the first.

Sort of "Back to the Future" by way of "thirtysomething" -- a derivative, annoying drama with a time-travel conceit. [27 Sept 2002, p.C08]

Carell doesn't capture the weird charm, the subtlety and the vulnerability -- and the show doesn't have any of those...Frankly, it's sometimes so painful to watch you can just imagine remotes clicking all across the country. [24 Mar 2005]

"Dinotopia" is all style and little substance. The effects are good -- especially for TV -- but far too little attention was paid to developing scripts and characters. [27 Nov 2002]

It's all rather dull. Which might be remedied. Maybe. [4 Oct 2003, p.E08]

"Watching Ellie" isn't a total disaster. Louis-Dreyfus sings really well. [15 Apr 2003]

There are occasional flashes of clever wit, but they're largely lost amidst crude language and crude jokes. [13 Aug 1997]

'Rock' is little more than one big sophomoric sex joke. ... All of this is doubly disappointing because it's such a waste of talent. [9 Jan 1996]

This is lame-brained - if relatively harmless - junk. [20 Sept 1996]

A dark, outrageously cynical, cold take on the lives of thoroughly unpleasant people living in present-day Manhattan...What's supposed to be entertainment is wearisome, whiny and annoying. [6 June 1998, p.E07]

A "comedy" that's not funny, original or in the least bit interesting.[3 June 2005]