There are moments of dizzy, semisweet fun to be had on the premiere. But the honeymoon could be short.

So MacLachlan's enjoyable. The supporting cast is OK. And the unconventional premise is rather promising. Now it's up to the producers to give "In Justice" a more distinctive dramatic zing.

A haphazard farce that fails to find a consistently funny groove.

A cast of eager unknowns and prime-time newcomers gleefully skewers pop-culture celebrities from Britney Spears to Regis Philbin with acid, fast-paced irreverence. And sometimes -- but only sometimes -- Hype is laugh-out-loud hilarious. [6 Oct 2000, p.12D]

A blast of blahs from the past. [27 Sept 2002]

During its opening two episodes, Popular is basically content to be just another jaunty, semi-"Clueless" spoke on WB's glossy teen entertainment wheel. Great to look at, yes, but short on emotional depth. [29 Sept 1999, p.5E]

Far, far away from the cutting edge, Life in the Wild offers a family-drama walk on the mild side.

Like Zuiker's first two installments of the series, "CSI: NY" is well made and well cast. But there's also something coldly understated and ordinary about it as well. [22 Sep 2004]

In between the sardonic wisecracks and tangled storytelling, it's easy to lose interest.

Maybe they all graduated from the Melrose Place College of Law.

[A] bland, formulaic family comedy.

A breezy summertime soap opera.

Lame storytelling and dialogue.

There's nothing remotely fresh or original about "3 Lbs." But it is well made, reasonably diverting and lucky to be on CBS.

Plays like a motley medley of the grand exalted ghost buster's greatest hits. It's a fright night festival of tepid chills and only moderate thrills, a haunted house miniseries that drags on for three nights. [27 Jan 2002, p.1F]

With too many hints of recycled stock characters and formula thriller cliches, "Drive" sputters off the starting line.

Though the glossily well-made "Vanished" may prove intermittently diverting, it lacks any of the original serial thriller zing of far better shows like "24," "Lost" or "Prison Break."

"Run's House" seems to be the reality sitcom flip side of "Being Bobby Brown."

Despite her extreme makeover, this new Bionic Woman is mostly slick, dull and portentously sullen.

Yes, the show's glossily generic. But the attractive cast clicks.

Imperfect but promising. [14 Apr 2003]

Two and a Half Men manages to generate some smiles. Series creator Chuck Lorre ("Dharma & Greg") has scrounged up a few funny moments for the series premiere. But not enough of them. [22 Sept 2003, p.6E]

In translating Oates' ambitious and stylized retelling of Monroe's life to television, screenwriter Joyce Eliason and director Joyce Chopra have unfortunately created a fairly dumb "Blonde." [14 May 2001, p.1G]

Slick, predictably convoluted and pumped up on conspiratorial dread, "Day Break" may be a trifle late to the serial thriller party.

Even with Blackthorne's occasionally engaging portrayal of Harry Dresden, this whodunit lacks the wit and imagination that might transform it into something special.

The sex scenes -- yes, there's plenty of bare skin and rising erotic temperatures -- alternate between sensitive and slightly cheesy, a la "Red Shoe Diaries." [16 Jan 2004, p.6H]

Despite the dependably daft charms of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, all the tinkering that's been done to "Watching Ellie" may leave you feeling like something funny has been lost. [15 Apr 2003]

This so-so show uses the sight gag style of "Scrubs" -- visualizing a character's thoughts and fantasies -- minus the funny medical comedy's superior wit and comic smarts. [24 Sept 2002]