Admirers of the novel probably will be pleased. Average viewers who never read the novel (or any historic fiction) will be either confused or bored--possibly both.

It's "Reno 911!" with bloody bite.

Excellent portrait of a legendary band that gets to the heart of why it's endured--that tragedy notwithstanding.

Is there anything great here? No. Is it goofy fun? Yes.

It's an odd concept, but it works pretty well.

Just as people either drink or don't, you'll get it or you won't.

A competently made soap with some good actors and nicely staged musical numbers.

Grimm has real promise if NBC has real patience.

Sometimes, you're not looking for great TV. Sometimes, you're looking for par-tay! And dudes paid "to mess with the zombie culture," while also acing the case, surely fits the bill.

Funny idea that doesn’t quite attain the level of “funny show,” but a good cast along with a few good lines indicate this superhero sendup will eventually get there.

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.

Tough to watch, but an effective — and often powerful — indictment.

Another "Friends" (or "Girls"?) knockoff with a likable cast and some sharp writing.

It's almost a shrug of an opener, a bit diffident, a bit unfocused (not unlike Brett, in his less lucid moments). But Togetherness does gets better, and funnier.

A colorful "Friday" with the Disney touch, while Zuehlsdorff and Blickenstaff shine.

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.

Atlanta is still good and still roughshod, but there’s a tougher texture to this season. That’s mainly the robbin’ part.

Rule-breaking law enforcers! Wherever have we seen this before? But it sure works Friday, seasoned with devil-may-care brio from a cool cast.

Taken exercises its thriller muscles effectively, dashing between locations and speed-introducing people as props to help/harm Mills while he races the clock to save the day.

The elements don't quite congeal, but it's intriguing and well-crafted.

Above-average special effects and the presence of two old and beloved friends--you know who!--more than make up for an eye-rolling new premise.

Feels like a rebuilding year here. Veterans trying to hold their spots, rookies working to make the team. Whether a winning lineup coalesces remains to be seen.

While "No Direction Home" can't turn the American Mastery trick of telling us what makes a cultural titan tick, it probably gets deeper inside the Dylan mystery than any such portrait is likely to. [26 Sep 2005, p.B17]

Richly documented, but tends to become long-winded--or just plain winded--by the end.

The story has been told many times before, and is told competently--if not always with dazzling or unexpected insight--again Wednesday.

The huge cast is excellent. ... There’s no driving narrative until at least the fifth episode. That’s an awfully long time to wait for something big to happen in an eight-episode season. At least The Deuce makes a case that it’s worth the wait.

Being Mary Jane has been formulated for being fascinating. Now comes the follow-through.

A very good-looking pilot. That leaves Gustin, which is where nagging doubts crop up.... Gustin's Allen is blue of eye and clear of conscience. Sweet and gentle, he's immensely likable but not particularly intriguing, unlike Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen or even Tom Welling's Clark Kent.