Caprica feels torn between soulfully mature ruminations and adolescent "accessibility" for gamers wondering where the space action went. Let's hope the pilot's spellbinding second hour points the way toward greatness.

Filmed in New Orleans, Coven wants to soak up some atmosphere, bowdlerize some local history and otherwise creep out viewers. At least on these three points, this season should easily score.

The Comeback" is strictly for Comeback connoisseurs--those who deeply missed this sad/funny mockumentary on the idiocy of show business.

Raunchy and at times genuinely funny, Apartment 23 is jam-packed with promise--and inconsistencies.

In the beginning, I thought it was well done, marvelously quirky and creepy, beautifully photographed, extraordinarily moody and well acted. But I can't imagine a reason to watch another episode. [27 Oct 1996]

Quirky, uneven oddball that will appeal to a few. Best to wait for all episodes to stream and go ahead and binge.

Vinyl is a compelling idea in search of a compelling story. There simply isn’t much of one, in fact, and--abhorring the ever-present vacuum--a lot of other elements rush in to fill the void. Scenes are padded, lots of flashbacks are even more flaccid, while actors devour the helpless scenery.

"Suburgatory" falls flat--a flatness that will be accentuated by the smart suburban comedies that bookend it.

Rarely does a TV series premiere as pitch-perfect as "Nightmares & Dreamscapes." But often does a second installment deflate as disappointingly as the subsequent second hour of this summer anthology of mystical imagination adapted from the stories of Stephen King...While the bubble doesn't burst completely, the bravura filmmaking of tonight's first hour sets a standard that's difficult to match on a regular basis, much less in the hour that airs immediately after. It's a "wow!" that's likely to stand as one of TV's most mesmerizing hours of the year. [12 July 2006, p.B21]

Smart and compelling, with great performances, "Apple Cider Vinegar" also has a lot to say about human nature.

Finding Carter isn't some teen show. It's a stellar drama.

"Big Love" does more this year than you might expect, and more richly, more provocatively, more dramatically and amusingly, too.

Of the two live episodes, "The Jeffersons" was easily the better, and also made the unexpected case that it was possibly the better series all along. Foxx nailed Sherman Hemsley's George, Wanda Sykes nailed Louise (originally played by Isabel Sanford), Jackée Harry nailed Diane Stockwell (Paulene Myers), Will Ferrell nailed Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) and Kerry Washington nailed Helen Willis (Roxie Roker).

Extremely raunchy, and often quite funny.

A standout Skarsgård, with excellent support, in an entertaining send-up of cyborgs— but strictly for sci-fi fans only.

Vikings quickly settles into a fairly routine sword-and-sandal epic narrative that revolves around a sociopath overlord and the subjects who dare to challenge his authority. But it gets better.

Sit back, don't think, and expect some good performances--especially by Jennifer Carpenter.

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.

Huge looks and feels like a show that knows what it's talking about.

Giving us hope are Kapinos' brisk writing and Duchovny's agile performance, conveying smarts, savvy, self-indulgence and sad stupidity in equal amounts.

Is this funny? Often, and at times, very. Is the writing sharp? Razor sharp, and in fact, there's a line later on that's draws blood it's so good, but context is important to see why. Rudd is excellent, both of them.

Still beautiful, still fun and still excellent.

For such a vast and important story, Torchwood: Miracle Day feels strangely confined and artificial. Here's hoping for more by Episode 4.

Good (and good-looking) production, but without contemporary relevance, urgency or edge.

Ritter’s Jessica Jones remains the most compelling, evocative and dynamic character in Netflix’s Marvel canon. A pity poor Jessica doesn’t think so.

Entourage--at least in original episodes--has been off the air for one solid year, but when that title song from Jane's Addiction kicks in, it's like an old friend calling--only this time, the friend seems worthier, and his stories more interesting.

This John Logan creation promises an intriguing summer pastime, for an eight-week run anyway.

Solid opener and Carey's theme song is a winner, too.