"Brotherhood" is sharply written... Nevertheless, a heavy air of predictability hangs over "Brotherhood," which has a tendency to confirm viewer expectations instead of challenging them.

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

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.

Complaining about the show's pre-fab structure is like shootin' fish in a barrel--no point to ask what's-the-point, no fair to ponder whether it's fair, because you end up with dinner anyhow, and folks gonna gobble it. Duck Dynasty is tasty enough.

This is a handsome, lavish romance that will appeal to a large audience, but it's also painstakingly insubstantial.

Yes, it can be mean, and yes, superficial, and yes, a little draggy (almost a whole episode about a kids’ party, really?). But the cast is fabulous, and the script by Kelley sparkles. A winner.

Not consistently funny, perhaps, but when Best and/or Falco are on screen, the angels sing. Both are remarkable.

Move past the word, and images (fortunately fleeting in the pilot), and Supergirl obviously has a major plus: Benoist.

At least in the first three episodes provided for review, what the Kesslers and Zelman don't seem to quite realize is how much of a narcotic this setting actually turns out to be. The story is also often languid to the point of stationary.

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

The oldest version — that rag-and-bone-shop-of-the-heart Ptolemy — could turn out to be Jackson's masterpiece, or one of them anyway. ... First-rate Jackson, entertaining series.

Slow at first, with gratuitous violence, but Dunk and Egg should win hearts.

Yup, the story can be downbeat, the pace at times languid. But this is a show with a brain and a heart.

The problem I have with the show, aside from the death business, is that the Fishers are not a likable family. It doesn't have a James Gandolfini character. [3 June 2001, p.D39]

"The Great" is an engaging historical satire that resonates thanks to its vision of courtly debauchery and the tremendous acting by Fanning, Hoult and the rest of the cast.

Good newcomer that can drag, but Hemingway's direction keeps this one on track.

There is an engaging sleaziness about "The Practice" that makes it special. [7 Apr 1997]

A rare HBO misfire--but I do hope Amy finds peace.

This is pure kiddie fare; no big deal--Chuck's back; TV's a better place.

A densely packed, well-paced gothic horror soap with surprisingly funny twists placed at the worst.

Liv is more goth than zomb, more punk than spunk. She's also as appealing as anyone who eats human brains for a living could possibly be. Her supporting cast is good, too.

It's not as good as "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The premiere strikes me as a "Star Trek: The De-generation." It doesn't seem to go beyond where no "Star Trek" has gone before, or even where the other one had been creatively. [7 Jan 1993]

As with "The Avengers," Whedon's ear and sensibilities match the material perfectly.

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

Homeland's fourth season feels as fresh, important and relevant as yesterday's news--or tomorrow's news. A bracing, intelligent start.

As usual, one’s tolerance for Transparent depends on one’s tolerance for the overbearing, over-sharing, boundary-blasting Pfeffermans. But here’s a guarantee: One won’t be bored and one will end this ride with an affirmation, once again, that love may come in all shapes and sizes, but love is still love.

Carell gives his best performance yet in "The Patient," a compelling drama that's worth sticking with through all 10 episodes.

A wild ride (as expected), better still a promising one.