Fine import with not just one, but three emotional payoffs.

Mosaic is so entertaining (it is) and engrossing (that, too) that it flies by. These six hours pleasurably melt away, and before you know it, you’re at the closing credits.

The violence and horror of this season are extreme, absent any glimmer of light down that long, Stygian tunnel. .... But that shouldn't detract from the genuine pleasures here either — the acting, the superlative craftsmanship, even the spectacular Canadian Rockies. You could do worse. You will rarely do better.

The test for the picture, then, comes in whether it's possible to emerge from it with any new insight into the man himself and into why his work resonates as much as it does. And the filmmakers find plenty of material on both fronts.

Maisel doubles down on what it did best in the first season, and feels richer (and funnier) for the effort.

A grabber from the start, quickly moving beyond the sci-fi label to uncharted drama territory. Its tale - executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola - takes place on Earth and in the present day, which should help attract sci-fi-resistant viewers. Even better, its situations are viscerally relatable, hardly as removed from our daily lives as so many other out-there allegories. [11 July 2004, p.11]

First-rate film that succeeds in re-working the story we thought we knew into the story we should have known all along.

Equal to season 1, and in some ways (the fashions, humor) superior.

Wild, fun ride.

One of the genuine pleasures of the small screen returns, better than ever.

[A] stylish Gothic thriller that almost gives away a little too much Sunday. Otherwise, thumbs up.

The same strut and swagger is here, except Ballers feels smarter and more clear-eyed about the dangers of this culture, in ways "Entourage" never did.

Pretty much all a fan (or critic) could ask of a cult series remake is this: Does the newbie measure up? Based on all available evidence--the 42-minute premiere--the answer is yes.

You've probably already heard Executioner is slow to get into. That's true. But (I think) the setup works, and (also think) it promises a satisfying series.

In Vogue doesn't get quite as far "in" as one might hope, but the mag and its polished crew never fail to intrigue.

Spader seems to be the only one who actually gets the gameplay here.... And the script seems to incite his appetite.

Smart, intriguing thriller, but the opener is slightly overheated.

Quiet, intelligent, worth checking out.

Film lovers will--possibly against their better judgment--love Jones' Hitch.

They almost seem to jump off the screen; they have depth and dimension, and vivid colors proliferate. This new series retains its trademark humor, and trademark violence, too

This unique series is about life's inscrutable mysteries and the search for answers. The town of Jarden--and the Murphys--appear to be rich with possibilities in that search.

The pilot is ingenious but at moments maybe a little too smart for its own good.

The show has sneaky depth. The leads are pretty without being "pretty," refreshingly down-to-earth likable, and able to flesh out their youthful stereotypes with this weird thing called personality.

Mostly fascinating tales from all the presidents' men that occasionally need (sometimes badly) journalistic balance and perspective.

A few new faces from last season are back, but the formula remains ironclad, right down to the soaring courtroom rhetoric and McCoy's somewhat suspect ethical calculus. This comfort food remains comfortable, indeed.

Authenticity ranges wide enough here to engage the whole family.

Wild start, but a good-looking one.

It was a dark and stormy night--and a weird, fun, trippy one, too.

Thought I was going to hate "Total Blackout." Then couldn't help laughing out loud.

24, in other words, is still thankfully 24.

Silly, gross, soapy, mysterious, intriguing, exotic, erotic True Blood is fun. Even more fun this season.

Still very high quality, and still a tiny bit dull.

The Gotham opener probably makes the most compelling case of any newcomer this fall that at least one promise will be kept.

A fun show, but where, oh where is all this heading?

Nightingale is really about David Oyelowo, a magnificent actor with astonishing range who draws viewers deep down into the darkness with his character. His skill in accomplishing this, of course, makes Nightingale something to be admired rather than loved, and, depending on your mood, maybe even something to be avoided.

This campfire story may not be getting any smarter, but it should get even better.

Efron and Grylls--who manages to be personable in all his series, even when he's rappelling down an ice cliff in the Antarctic while being pursued by a mob of angry emperor penguins--do, in fact, make a good team, and a fun one to hang out with for an hour, too.

Solid cast, intriguing premise, and--best of all--the Old West. Should easily be another winner for AMC.

Takes time to get into, but once in, you're in.

The Son is mostly about a son with two fathers, one white, the other Comanche. He absorbs the soul, spirit and perspective of the latter. It’s a particularly interesting idea and character based on a celebrated book. Here’s hoping the miniseries lives up to the promise. Saturday’s opener suggests that it should.

More of a continuation than a "remake," this one looks to be a winner.

Saul is lighter and brighter than "Bad," and--particularly with Sunday's launch--often very funny.

Besides the scenery, what's best here are the characters, and their lives--or unlives--of quiet desperation.

While critics like me count quibbles, kids of all ages should share my husband's assessment: "It's a superhero show. Superman flies. Give The Cape a little space."

This hour isn't perfectly paced, but its segues usually wind their way somewhere smart. O'Donnell remains a master of comic timing and tenor, holding the stage through the perils of fame, helicopter mothering, circumcision, women who don't "look gay," doctors lacking bedside manners, the persistence of childhood faith training and more.

Good newcomer that gets even better in the weeks ahead.

A beauty that requires time and patience, but at least strongly hints at a payoff that will reward both.

Get beyond that preposterous premise outlined above, and you've got a solid piece of prime-time entertainment. This show knows what it is, and knows exactly what the core audience expects.

Disney should be sent to detention for passing off such aural plasticity [laugh track], unfairly fouling the repute of the live-audience sitcom. But the rest of Girl Meets World does its job of bringing tween-based family viewing into the 2010s.

A surprisingly revisionist take on one of the most controversial trials of the decade.

Good start to the third season, and from what I sampled, it builds from there.

The dynamics of the show seem different enough that "Housewives" fans will want to give Miami a try. But we'll have to see if the plot lines will sustain interest.

Maybe this episode really is about repression, erotica and split personalities. Or maybe it's just a good excuse for the show to shake the dust out, ditch the inferno of summertime New York and wander amid the glories of Paris while exploring the discreet bourgeois charms of Blair and Serena. Either way, it's a lot of fun.

[A] richly deserved and well-produced documentary.

Multiple-personality thriller starts a bit slowly Wednesday night, but early signs still indicate a summer keeper for TNT.

The acting is first-rate, and so is the writing, but the violence is appalling, and not just appalling, but creatively appalling.

By the end of the first season, the show had improved significantly, if not quite dramatically, and based on a viewing of the first two episodes, that trend continues.

For Mel Brooks lovers everywhere (you know who you are), but it's on the light side.

Leverage's pilot is particularly entertaining. The cast is fine, direction is expert, writing above average, and Hutton's Ford is almost convincing. But the payoff feels laden with cheese of another sort.

The result is often funny, ridiculous, bathetic and silly. Plus, watchable. Against all odds, this might actually be a good closing season.

The judging process seems arbitrary - a couple of artists are penalized for being too abstract; someone who is even more abstract (let's just say this one likes cats) goes to the next round. Otherwise, a winner.

While the story is briskly and engagingly told, with some key players debriefed, there's not a lot new here. It's a very good beginner's history.

Brush aside the hyperactivity and hard sell, and you're left with a winner.

Beals and company (including Joe Morton as her remarkably flesh-and-blood boss) breathe life into this tale the way their characters restore life to patients, with skill and guts and, crucially, souls that radiate precisely what this show is about.

ThunderCats fanboys and girls will approve, although the story does feel a lot darker and more violent.

Terrifically hard to love, but some superb performances indicate that at least it's worth the effort to try.

All charisma and command, [Idris Elb] blasts through the screen in every shot while his performance is a constant reminder that the craft, at its best, is a gossamer of countless little details that add up to something magical.

The Young Pope is a fascinating mess with a puckish sense of humor and an outsized goal--to know the mind of God.

One little gripe---Pioneers needed to give a tip of the space helmet to some '50s pioneers, such as "Captain Video" and "Flash Gordon." Otherwise, it's all pleasure.

[The stories] mostly do stand on their own. Some are better than others.... a winning cast.

Yes, Outlander can occasionally be a bit much for those not already enamored of its romance-novel leanings. (I plead guilty.) But for those open to textured historical sweep and/or time travel what-ifs (guilty on both counts), it's easy to lose yourself in this gritty production's pungent sense of place, character and dilemma.

Fans will be pleased, though they shouldn't be too surprised by the major plot development Sunday--it's obvious by half.

It's silly, ridiculous, fun, outrageous and absurd. Plus, there's Brad.

This is one crazy-paced show, and one smartly crafted comedy.

Entertaining newcomer full of energy, passion and baloney--the ideal summer diversion.

Easily one of fall's better new comedies, but don't expect to be blown away yet. The pilot offers just a taste of what's to come, which is plenty good enough.

Modern Family is good. Better than good. Really good. O'Neil--dry and wonderful as ever--and Vergara (considerably less dry) are a winning combination.

You have plain old smashmouth elemental TV story devices--good guys, bad guys, evil corporations, a family unit, and a headlong rush toward the Truth, whatever that may be. Plus this special bonus: Intimations of Jack Bauer.

Silly, gross, soapy, mysterious, intriguing, exotic, erotic True Blood is fun. Even more fun this season.

Yet, for all its jam-packed insanity, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend can be one of the tube’s most perceptive and moving shows.

The cast is good, even excellent. But Perry's the one who sells Go On.

Linc’s still tough and impulsive. Michael still has that lonely middle-distance stare. Tuesday’s opener suggests there’s plenty of action ahead, some real-world parallels, and a shaggy dog that could lead us to an interesting place. Hopefully that place will finally be closure.

McKinley and its denizens feel just a little too cliched, the emerging romantic entanglements a little too forced, the female characters--notably Terri and Sue Sylvester--just a little too mean-spirited. Still, it's a great cast.

White Collar is not original. But White Collar is enjoyable.

The real pleasure of this series is watching them peel away the layers to this particular onion, often on long car drives across a vast, wet, undifferentiated Louisiana landscape.... The real problem with True Detective are those flash-forwards to the present day: Younger Cohle, at least, is interesting. The older version is gaseous and his maunderings often stop the show cold.

Fun, colorful, lively--but is there a real show here, or just a good joke?

The actors hit that soap sweet-spot between honest reality and lurid theatricality under direction from pros like Michael Apted and Catherine Hardwicke.

The parsing of detail is effective because by the end of Monday's pilot, I was surprised by an unexpected reaction: I actually wanted to know what happens next week.

Trade press has labeled this "'Easy Rider' Meets 'The Sopranos,'" which seems apt. Show comes from Kurt Sutter, longtime co-executive producer of "The Shield" (and married to Sagal) so that should give you a sense of tone and texture - violent, taut, well written.

While neither dialogue nor sitcom tropes could be called fresh, the pilot plays solid, relying on able actors to score under tight direction (James Widdoes).

Marred by the usual hospital prime-time melodramatics, Pure Genius is still a compelling idea matched to a superior cast.

The well-written pilot has a couple of brazenly vulgar sight gags, but nothing that will shock "Two and a Half Men" fans.

Some wild twists, but you've seen a variation before on one of them. Nevertheless, the Patty Hewes story is almost over, and in Close's hands, it's still compulsively watchable.

Will this be a good season? Undoubtedly, yes, and blood will be spilled. But if this opener is any indication, there's not enough fake blood in Hollywood to sate the fifth.

At times, Luke Cage feels like a series in search of a story, or a series intent on drawing one out, scene by chatty scene, over 13 episodes. (Six were available for review; I watched the first two, sampled the rest.) A cast this good, especially a Luke Cage this good, should compensate.

OK, caution dispensed, tonight's episode is a good start. But wait till the baby comes.

Nesbitt forcibly conveys the sense of a man who can't stop moving, even to sleep, until he finds his son. At least in the first hour--sorry, the only one I sampled--this feels like the kind of performance that just bought Starz a winner.

A good--OK, often very good--comedy that’s a little too much like “Silicon Valley.”