Even for sitcoms, "Sunny" is often a vile, twisted beast that crosses the line of acceptable taste. But it can also be highly amusing, and the addition of DeVito and Archer does nothing to diminish that. [29 Jun 2006]

Heretofore, I have never thought of Candice Bergen as a major comedienne like Andrea Martin or Catherine O'Hara. But I like her as Murphy Brown. She has the addictive personality of the character she plays, and can grow on you. [14 Nov 1988]

As derivative as it is in many respects, "The Apprentice" could turn out to be one of the more interesting variations on the format. [4 Jan 2004]

A pretty nifty, if completely insane, suspense/conspiracy/ chase/road adventure.

Successfully cross-breeding "Three's Company" and "Full House" may be achievement enough to earn the show's creators a Nobel Prize in genetics, but the audience for a family sex farce may be limited. ... Misgivings about the sexual content aside, "8 Simple Rules" is, indeed, one of the better sitcom prospects of the 2002-03 season. The writing is uneven, but Ritter is a rarity, an actor who doesn't need funny things to say because he can say things funny. [17 Sep 2002]

Could... become a very pleasant surprise.

Underwood, in the role of Maria, didn't entirely succeed--acting is part of the bargain, after all. But NBC's live version of Richard Rodgers' and Oscar Hammerstein's beloved musical, staged at Grumman Studios in Bethpage, largely did.

It's all a bit much in Monday's opener, and yet I suspect that, like the $400 shirts and luxury ride of Dennis Farina's "Law & Order" character, which initially came across as contrast run amok, Deputy Chief Johnson's contrived personality excesses will fade with time. And what will be left is a compelling character in a solid show - not a tradition-buster like FX's "The Shield" but probably a broader-based hit. [12 Jun 2005]

Opens promisingly with a storyline that sets up a compelling premise for a serial adventure ... [but] is so visually arresting that the humanoid characters are upstaged. [14 Mar 1999]

It's not as remarkable as [the previous versions], but it beats most of the weekly crime dramas running opposite it this week. [25 Jan 2004]

Don't believe the critics who tell you "Hidden Palms" stinks after they watched only the first episode.... This is a seriously involving serious show. A show about something.

Like many Lifetime productions, this one is designed to make you stand up and take action on a hot-button issue. Unlike many, it's got the dramatic chops to keep you on your feet applauding.

We expect sharp writing from Caron. "Medium" is almost too glib at times. What makes the suspension of disbelief easy is the casting. [3 Jan 2005]

Some of the sketches... have a surprising depth and richness. [5 Oct 1992]

Lewis is such a commanding presence that Sarah Shahi is rendered little more than an accessory as Dani. There's nothing going on between the partners at the outset, but this is subject to change.

Anyone who wants to take a walk on the wild side and lose an appetite in the process, your show has arrived.

There's enough human drama here to keep us occupied without having the walls fall down, too.

The important thing about "South Park" is not what it looks like or the way the characters talk, but what they say. It's a writer-driven vehicle, like most of the better twisted adult cartoons. [13 Aug 1997]

The intimate moments have a gutsy realness, and the central characterizations are bedrock enough to sell us through the stereotypes.

It's one tasty piece of lunacy.

"Raines" is both thoroughly conventional and thoroughly unconventional; in fact, it often revels in its conventionality.

Not exactly the freshest premise for a comedy. But what Coach lacks in flash or originality, it makes up in steady execution. A winning cast and decent writing will do that. [28 Feb 1989, p.II-13]

"Crumbs" is surprisingly good.

"Without a Trace" is about the work, about the puzzle. If you want the untidy cop stuff, stick with "NYPD Blue." [26 Sep 2002]

Smart. [23 Aug 1998, p.D10]

Yes, there have been some valid questions about TV's recent embrace of the serial. (Too many? Will people stay tuned?) "Kidnapped" feels so fresh that viewers won't even care.

Ultimately, viewers just have to work a lot harder to fathom John from Cincinnati than Tony from Jersey.

This handsome, moodily shot movie liberates the play from the confines of the tiny apartment with almost too many scenes on the bus, in a bar and, most chilling, in the back room of a beauty shop where the neighborhood abortionist boils forceps.