Turgid dialogue obscures intriguing ideas, amid uneven echoes of civil rights and supremacist crusades.

In the world of reality shows, this well-produced series is better than most. Betwixt and between all the emotional upheavals and drama, Coffey, only slightly witchy, dishes out sound advice.

The oldest trope in the TV kingdom dies hard, and in fact dies not at all on Chicago PD, the latest from "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf, who sleepwalks through this show, or at least doesn't bother to wake up long enough to rewrite any of the rules he's established over the past 30 years.

From "The Mod Squad" to "Being Human," TV's young misfits find it [family] where they can, and Tomorrow is that next step, too. Scripter Phil Klemmer wrote for "Chuck" and "Veronica Mars," good arguments for promise here (and "Undercovers," a bad one).

The good news is that The Second One often is worse (in a good way) and does boast at least one viral YouTube clip, starring the head of the Statue of Liberty. (Poor Lady Liberty.) But The Second One is also more predictable, silly and self-conscious of the legacy.... For "Sharknado" fans: B- For viewers with highly refined tastes--or any taste--and sharks: F+

The comedy here can be broad, and is usually far from subtle, but there’s a buried message that promises better episodes ahead.

Uneven start, then improves and coasts. Appealing cast, zero calories.

The starter hour picks up steam whenever loose-cannon Amick bops around--although Ormond does a nice job of grounding its shenanigans in a semblance of reality.

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

The material’s the problem. "The Mick" lumbers along instead of flies. Scenes grope for punchlines that — when or if they come — lack punch or just belly-flop. "The Mick" wants to be outrageous, but instead settles for excessive.

With material this thin, the actors can only do a competent job of mimicry. Mimicry is about all you'll get.

It's hard to believe that anybody could make such a ludicrous police drama after "Hill Street Blues." [30 Sep 1991]

The Millers shows what a thing of glory hear-the-laughs sitcomedy can be in the hands of masters.

Accidentally feels like a show that's nearly been focus-grouped into oblivion--with lines, beats and a cultural resonance that's so familiar you can almost see the baseball bat of predictability descending upon your head. So be it. Elfman's fine, as usual. This could be worse.

BFF is not bad--classify this as another Young Urban New York-based sitcom--but it's not great, either, or certainly not smart enough, or different enough, or flat-out funny enough to deserve anything other than the bleak future that now appears preordained.

A sober, intelligent, placidly paced drama as only the Canadians can make.

Amusing, dumb, silly--exactly what you'd expect.

Tonight's "Skating" debut glides onto the air in a weird sort of middle zone, not quite cheesy enough to skewer, yet too much a cheese-product to take seriously.

Lucky 7 might offer more to like than authentic texture of place, race, personality and workplace emotions.

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.

[Rhimes] may still be up to her old tricks, but here they seem fresh and energetic. Best of all, she has a solid young cast that pulls them off well.

Great cast, and Hawkins is a worthy Jack Bauer successor. But Legacy can be lethargic and loquacious. More action, less talk, will hopefully close out this day.

It's an attempt to do a 1970s comedy like "Barney Miller" - but without the laughs. [22 March 2000]

It's a monumental bore. ... Meanwhile, in absence of plot, the cast (sad to say, a fine one) is left to chew the scenery. And chew away they do.

Chicago Fire definitely has familiarity going for it and familiarity going against it as well.

Sarah Palin's Alaska is part-travelogue, part-"Todd and Sarah Plus Eight," part-slick political infomercial, and part Mark Burnett hokum - and oddly fascinating for all those reasons.

The worst new show of 2014 can take solace that there are still 358 days left for another one to exceed it.

Families can watch this together nightly. The pace isn't exactly taxing. And it's summer.