The best thing about "Free Ride" is the lack of pressure to be about something. Trusting its talented cast to embody their own truths, it ambles and weaves, leaving space for the characters, even folks briefly bumped into, to nail a specific attitude or situation.

"Mrs. Harris" unfolds with a basic playfulness that keeps the mood light even as the story becomes dark indeed.

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.

It all flows from the heart in a way few shows do, unfolding with the ease of being surrounded by people you've known forever already.

"Crumbs" is surprisingly good.

The show seems to have no point, rendering it agony how hard the proceedings work at making one.

It's bland, tired, listless, and if the show isn't having much fun, how can it expect viewers to?

Quinn radiates enough sincerity to make us keep reading this uneven book, just to see how it shapes up.

Dreadful.

This version is a triumph.

A rich character drama and riveting suspenser that makes Fox's "24" seem lackluster.

All this feels dutiful and rote - the CliffsNotes version.

The storms in this production have more personality than the characters who chase, study and prepare for them.

Any doubts the tube can get graphic enough for today's gore-heads disappear almost instantly with tonight's premiere installment.

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.

This is pretty tedious viewing.

Cynical, randy, derivative and as wearily familiar as a cup of cheap joe, "Freddie" is also expertly cast, acted, written and directed.

ABC's little-girl gang of four represents nothing more than cliches.

This isn't "Friends," after all. At its hour length, "Related" asks us to take the Sorelli saga somewhat more seriously. Yet it provides sitcom incidents that can't stand the significance test.

This canned stew is further flavored with too-snappy comebacks, too-slick repartee and too-clever contrivances. Making it bearable are cast members who do somehow manage to seem like people next door.

What is missing here is heart, drama, and - most inexcusably - horror.

Finally, the best new comedy of the 2005-06 TV season is here... What's that, you say? This is a drama and not a comedy? Oh, dear.

We haven't had a good dishy time-waster in awhile. Maybe this is it.

A mini-triumph of style over substance (of which there is almost none).

There is at least one troubling aspect to "Wishes" - an abundance of product placements within the show itself, which begs the question: Does salvation come with a price tag?

Utterly vacuous and incompetent.

The whole project feels salaciously sleazy, unless you're enjoying the proceedings, in which case it's juicily depraved.

The characters are vibrantly well-defined... And the writing is smart, with a light touch.