The show rings so true, in a hyper-reality sort of way. [28 Sept 1999, p.C09]

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

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.

Ritter and Segal are better than their material, but this is the sort of show (like "Home Improvement" or "Full House") that ABC used to do so well. [13 Sep 2002]

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

It's not bad. It's actually sort of promising.

"Family Guy" is occasionally quite funny -- but only occasionally. And it's often rather crude -- quite often. ... "Family Guy" does have possibilities. But the writing needs to improve -- it's nowhere near as clever as its producers think it is. [29 Jan 1999]

A violent, confusing and ultimately unsatisfying journey to the dark side. [8 Oct 1999, p.C08]

'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]

Not only are the stories engrossing in and of themselves, but they seem certain to spark interest in genealogy among viewers.

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.

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]

After watching the first three episodes, I'm not sure if "Happy Town" will deliver on its promise. Let's just say that I'm cautiously optimistic.

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.

It's all nicely done, if you like this sort of thing. And there are a lot of people who like this sort of thing, judging by the ratings of both "JAG" and "CSI." [23 Sept 2003, p.C08]

It's tough for anything to succeed on Saturday night, and this show may be too uneven to hold up for long. But it has possibilities, so let's hope ABC sticks with it for a while.

The Tommyknockers' biggest problem is that it's just too long. This would have been a much better movie if it had been cut by at least a quarter - and perhaps as much as a half.

Quite frankly, it's just about the most unpleasant half hour as NBC has cooked up in quite some time. It's not just that it's not funny -- which it's not -- but Perkins' character in particular and the show in general are just plain unpleasant.

The premiere is heavy on set-up and light on action. It's more about mood than plot. Whether that will hold up over 13 hours is questionable.

Terrible...Tremors isn't funny, scary or suspenseful. It isn't even one of those shows that's so bad it's fun. It's just bad. [27 Mar 2003, p.C04]

There are some fabulous pyrotechnics in the Sci Fi Channel's miniseries Firestarter: Rekindled, but they could have been put to better use. Like incinerating the dreadful script, for which writer Philip Eisner should be burned at the stake. Or, failing that, simply tossing the film footage into the flames and destroying this abomination before it got out and embarrassed everyone involved. With the possible exception of acting and direction so bad they're unintentionally funny, there's absolutely nothing of redeeming value in "Rekindled" whatsoever. [8 March 2002]

But he has created a creepy tale that anyone who enjoys being scared — without being totally grossed out — will enjoy.

The Magnificent Seven is sort of an odd mixture of 1990s political correctness and every cliche that's ever been played out in Western movies and TV shows. But, odder still, it all comes together in a rather enjoyable way. [2 Jan 1998]

If you sit through it, you're not going to be counting the hours until next week's episode.

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

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]

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

George Lopez is a show you can't help but root for because its star is so likeable. And, yes, it would be great to see more ethnic diversity on TV...But while the pilot isn't bad, it isn't all that good. But being likeable and mildly amusing is a start. [22 Mar 2002, p.C08]