Michael is a clinically interesting personality type who is profoundly unempathetic, until such times as he is very empathetic. The wonderful creative trick of The Office is knowing exactly the right moment to humanize Michael.

Sad thing is, I'm a geek girl myself, who'd be happy to love this mad mix of technology, action and "humor" if it were, you know, actually funny more often than just cheaply offensive. Less pander, more wit, please.

Placid and often incomprehensibly bland, Combat Hospital still has flashes of intelligence. Definitely worth a second look.

Two nights implies this will be “epic,” but this is the anti-epic miniseries, where the subject gets smaller and smaller while his crimes get larger and larger. It’s instructional--just not emotionally engaging.

The hokum factor is pretty high, but Hennessy is a nice combination of pert and sour, her primary co-stars are solid and the premise is functional. [24 Sep 2001]

Should Lopez go big and broad with cultural comedy, trafficking so hard in stereotypes they seem all the more absurd? Or stay subtle and let its less-enlightened characters hang themselves? “Lopez” can’t decide, overloading its pilot with maid/valet/parole jokes (those crazy Mexicans!) vs. “white-man problems.”

Ambitious and intermittently entertaining, Zero Hour--and its celebrated lead--don't quite hit all their marks. But at least the mystery's a hoot.

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

Intriguing cop show in Civil War New York--though neither the cop part nor Civil War part are entirely convincing.

What's surprising is that there's nothing remotely cheesy about 4th and Loud, a good docuseries that trains the camera most of the time on the guys on the field.

Middling start, but we've stuck with Rescue Me this long, and no point in bailing now.

Kevin Can Wait is neither as bad as you may have feared nor as good as you may have hoped. It’s squarely and innocuously in the middle.

As a character with a sartorial preference for canary yellow, Kemper's Schmidt comes into focus intensely and immediately. She pops off the screen, and pleasingly so. Her series, less so.

We know how this ends (he becomes commish) but there's little evidence suggesting how or why that happens, and even less reason why we should care. Meanwhile, the best stuff in Golden Boy is the little stuff--sharp, brittle dialogue, nice performances and a street cred that's a cut above average.

As a quirky cross between Reynolds' Gator McKlusky and John Cazale's Fredo Corleone, Whitford pretty much hijacks the show. He's fun to watch, even if the show will knock your IQ down a few points.

Despite the slightest everything's-up-to-date vibe, Cristela is really just another old-fashioned sitcom with roots that reach all the way back to the dawn of television, where shows neither offended nor scandalized.

Overall, "The Irrational" is decently acted, competently written, and adequately directed.

Sweet, sad, nice, and a tad dull.

Capable enough time-killer, but nothing compelling.

Props for a diverse cast and first-rate performances, but "4" does sprawl, occasionally sag.

It’s great have an old friend back, even better to see he’s still the best part of his own joke. It’s also reasonable to wonder whether that joke has grown just a little bit stale.

A nutty sprawl that's often amusing, occasionally interesting, sporadically informative and almost completely off the rails. A hoot.

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

It's fun, but totally insubstantial.

This necessary reset looks great, but if the 2nd taught us anything, just watch, don't think.

This reboot of a cartoon classic does well by the original. But what's missing is its cultural cachet and wit.

Superior zombie series that takes a little too long to get around to what it's really about — us.

Strictly fan service, but fans will love it.