Writer/series creator Julian Fellowes weaves together an engrossing tapestry of stories, although some of them stretch credulity or peter out.

The Normal Heart sets up a bit of a “this happened, then this happened” rhythm that does not bode well. But just as quickly, the film gets this historical crutch out of its system and begins to explore in greater depth the characters and their relationships.

It’s a series about the complications of life, relationships and especially perspective. It’s also the most innovative new TV series of 2014, especially from its fractured approach to storytelling.

It’s a warm but smart confection in a TV universe overpopulated with series vying to be the darkest, most brooding show possible.

“Watchmen” is not as fun as HBO’s “Succession” — “Watchmen” is more serious — but HBO’s newest offering proves itself a significant and entertaining series that’s resonant and relevant in our fractured America.

A smart, thought-provoking drama. But for some it will be tough to sit through the show's unrelenting gloom....TV viewers who like to be challenged -- I'm thinking of the "Homicide: Life on the Street" fans out there -- will cotton to the murkiness of Wonderland.

Atmospheric and chilling as ever – generally without being gory beyond clinical crime scene still photos – “Mindhunter” remains one of the current era’s best series. ... Season two widens its lens to give each of the three lead characters more equal footing.

It's a thought-provoking drama that doesn't in its first three episodes seek easy black-and-white answers or scapegoats, painting all its characters in varying shades of gray. And while the characters are flawed, they are not insufferable as on NBC's "The Slap."

In fine form, too, a seamless transition between casts with writer Peter Morgan keeping everything on an even and remarkably timely keel as the queen frets her new prime minister may be compromised by the Russians.

Revealing more of what makes these characters tick could remove some of the mystery about them, but Portlandia makes a compelling comedic case for offering this backstory.... The humor is broader and funnier in this half-hour [second episode] that also delivers some surprising plot twists whie acknowledging thier "logic problems."

It's an interesting and damning film but not as engrossing as HBO's recent "The Jinx" series.

Even on the rare occasions when those shows [like CSI or Law & Order] tell stories involving the death of a child, they're almost never as raw, palpable and grim as The Killing, an engrossing, well-made drama series that viewers should embrace despite its tough subject matter.

Taken as a whole, the three episodes mark a decent reintroduction but individually these episodes are basically daring viewers to watch. It's like producers are actively trying to repel viewers, not because the episodes are overly violent but because they often don't make much sense.

There are scenes in the first five episodes of the new season that are as compelling as anything television has to offer. But the viewer has to wade through material that fails more often than not to deliver on its promise.

HBO’s Barry marks viewers’ best bet for a smart, darkly comedic new show.

Smart writing, talented actors playing realistic characters and a pace and cinematography reminiscent of HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show" or "Arli$ $ " make Sports Night one of only a handful of new series that warrant viewer attention. There's just one problem: It's a half-hour series that bears more resemblance to a drama than a sitcom. [22 Sept 1998, p.G-7]

Hilariously and thought-provokingly, “The Good Fight” explores an alternate reality where Hillary Clinton was elected U.S. President in 2016.

There's no question about the quality of this relentlessly suspenseful drama about former high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who turns to drug dealing to raise money for his family after he receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. Whether viewers can stand the nerve jangling they're in for as season two begins will be decided on an individual basis.

Overlong compared to the compact, well-edited six hours of "The Jinx," "Making a Murderer" could use a lot of tightening. ... And yet it's a fascinating story.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns tonight at 10 with an episode that misses the mark, but another upcoming episode offers more hilarity.

Issa’s troubles--and Insecure itself--feel authentic even if the series is only intermittently funny.

30 Rock is more manic than "Seinfeld," but its smart observations on political correctness, corporate culture and life in Manhattan make it an ideal heir. This Rock continues to roll.

The show remains a chilly affair, which will probably limit its acceptance but for viewers who appreciate satire, particularly of a modern workplace, it's difficult to imagine a show on the subject that's funnier than Ted.

Yet another explosively compelling police drama -- not to mention a controversy that seems certain to guarantee a big audience for the program. [21 Sept 1993, p.D1]

It's a well-observed comedy that succeeds because it's so rooted in specificity.

The show pretty much picks up where it left off. Gone are the seasons when Justified would slowly run up to a serialized storyline with a few stand-alone episodes--I kind of miss those because the bad guys were so fleshed out for a TV show--instead jumping back into established storylines and jump-starting new ones..... The season premiere [is] a strong set-up episode.

This first episode back sets a lot of goals for itself: Remind viewers of the backstory, advance the plot from the cliffhanger, and introduce and resolve the murder-of-the-week. Daisies succeeds in accomplishing these tasks and even finds time for a "Sound of Music" shout-out as Olive pulls a Maria von Trapp en route to a nunnery.

The Child in Time takes some bizarre turns that draw it away from the grief/guilt cycle endemic to the film’s premise. There’s Stephen’s publisher friend (Stephen Campbell Moore) who has a Benjamin Button-style awakening that plays into the theme of childhood. And the film also offers an ending of hope, a welcome if somewhat unbelievable salve on the almost unbearable pain of the program’s earliest moments.

Putting Jackie in rehab actually works out well comedically, too, because she's surrounded by a new batch of odd characters to bounce off.

While some plots on Downton Abbey may be more meaningful than others, nothing in season three rings as false a note as the Patrick-has-amnesia story in season two.

It’s a strong start to the season that continues in the second episode that introduces Mary Steenburgen as the mother of Pornstache.

Next week's episode has more taut scenes than tonight's premiere, which has to lay the groundwork for the season. No surprise -- last season, it took several episodes before "24" began to live up to its promise. [29 Oct 2002]

It’s funny and occasionally freaky as the pilot introduces the characters who form a team that concocts horror scenes, whether at a quinceanera celebration or a will reading.

The new Roots offers a strong dose of drama--too strong, perhaps, for some viewers who will shy away from scenes of brutality--and compelling character stories.

It’s a dark, sometimes brooding hour, but that’s pretty typical for Mad Men, which emphasizes its characters and their development (or lack thereof) over plot. With its emphasis on mortality, Sunday’s episode is a fitting start to the Mad Men swan song.

The series offers strong, striking cop stories to accompany the intense thrills of the Luther-Alice cat-and-mouse game. But it is that back-and-forth and the sexual tension that develops between the pair that makes Luther stand apart.

Although some viewers will find it difficult to watch the stories of real people in their last months and moments of life, there's an uplifting quality to the series because of the sheer humanity on display.

The pace is deliberate in “Homecoming,” but the show is rarely boring thanks to the visuals and an investment in the characters. (After episode eight, when a major reveal happens, “Homecoming” gets a little draggy, but by then invested viewers will carry through to the end.)

In these new episodes, The Good Fight is at its best when the characters get honest about race within the majority black law firm in ways that feel startlingly real and, frankly, unique for a TV show.

Catastrophe has its sweet moments but balances them against more outrageous comedy--including a hilariously ugly, profane discussion of childbirth in the series premiere--resulting in a thoroughly entertaining series.

Terrific performances make it a movie worth seeing.

The payoff--Black Mirror promises no happy endings but the conclusions are always thought-provoking--is worth it.

It’s a strange, sometimes confusing and always visually arresting program.

A hilariously absurd sketch comedy that masquerades as a “Soul Train”-esque show.

If you're going to have a great actor play the vampire's human familiar, you could do worse than James Mason. [10 Sept 1917, p.F-7]

The Tick"is a funny, creative show and a risk worth taking. It's disappointing Fox has so little faith in these oddball superheroes. [8 Nov 2001, p.E-4]

The series maintains its sense of creating a believable universe. Yes, a few characters are explained away without making an appearance (BBQ owner we hardly knew ye) but the show tries hard to reward long-time fans.

A smart, deliberately paced, closed-ended miniseries.

Parker, so unlikably strident on "The West Wing," is a revelation in "Weeds," making Nancy sympathetic even when she's making terrible decisions.

Zombies are coming on strong, particularly in the well-made, engrossing (and gross) premiere episode of AMC's The Walking Dead.

The show’s visuals — often achieved through a combination of puppetry and computer-generated effects — can be enchanting, especially in a library location, but the backstory of Thra society requires a lot of unpacking. Telling the puppet characters apart sometimes proves a daunting challenge, and it’s difficult to mount much enthusiasm for the task given the first episode’s plodding pace.

An emotionally moving period drama that feels timely and recognizable in the present.

This second season is worth it just for the opportunity to watch Streep have fun. ... “Big Little Lies” still takes time for the gauzy flashbacks as Celeste grapples with assorted emotional responses during sessions with her therapist (Robin Weigert), but the whole enterprise feels peppier, poppier and more entertaining as viewers spend more time with these pretty people with pretty significant problems.

It's not easy viewing, but this series offers smart, challenging, character-driven drama at its finest.

Sunday's premiere doesn't advance the story much--shades of early season two--but there's enough zombie carnage that fans of mayhem may not care.

Aside from a few head-scratcher terms (GBH = "grievous bodily harm"), lawyers and judges wearing white wigs while in court (the judge in the premiere looks like she's got a poodle on her head) and occasionally impenetrable accents, Law & Order: UK should be remarkably familiar to fans of the original series.

The Norma-Norman plots made up the best parts of the series and then there was everything else. In this final season, the show seems better focused because now all the plots feature Norman at the center.

Easily the best new series of 2017 so far, Feud will prove especially appealing to fans of old Hollywood and smart, layered storytelling.

Wise is one lucky devil. And so are viewers who appreciate lighthearted, supernatural dramas.

It’s more quiet and contemplative (and occasionally a bit dull) than it is propulsive. But viewers drawn to quiet, thoughtful character stories and a largely unknown story from women’s history may find “Alias Grace” engaging enough.

Easily the best of ABC's overly similar, large-cast ensemble dramas.

The two-episode premiere not only re-establishes the world of Mr. Robot but it also introduces new characters, expanding the show's world while still rooting it firmly in the present.

Jessica Jones could still use more levity, but its second episode reveals a streaming series that’s headed in a more balanced, intriguing direction.

Three years may seem like a long wait for the next “Toy Story” film but if the Disney-Pixar bosses want to fill the gap by turning loose the imaginations of their team on entertaining, wildly creative shorts like Toy Story that Time Forgot, fans will surely approve.

Fans of dialogue-heavy, character-driven storytelling will be intrigued, but the redundancy of the setting renders “State of the Union” less bingeable.

[The audience] will see some wonderful acting, especially from the luminous McDonald as Walter Lee's wife, Ruth. And they will see the movie debut of director Leon, who has helped turn these fine stage performances into convincing movie work, with the help of a screenplay by Paris Qualles that opens up the play into small additional scenes that will be a special pleasure for those who already know the play on stage.

An engrossing, humanizing portrait of the British monarch.

GLOW is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it is often funny, from its pitch-perfect opening scene to the potential for back stories on all the women who make the cut for GLOW and the relationships among them that are sure to develop.

Curb is filled with uncomfortable comedy, as always, but its humor stems from the relatable minutiae of everyday life, not unlike what viewers watched on "Seinfeld."

Mom remains funny, thanks in large part to the great work of Allison Janney as Christy's potty-mouthed mom, Bonnie. And the show continues to make excellent use of actress Mimi Kennedy (now a series regular and pictured above at left) as a foil for Bonnie and friend to Christy.

The series retains its trademark flash forwards that signal murders and/or deceits yet to be revealed. It's one of the show's more operatic touches but this time the revelation, a fantastic and personal driver for stories, feels less like an attempt to manipulate the audience and more rooted in the plausible.

This first episode has brief nods to the deaths last season of two series regulars--Owen and Toshiko--and it acknowledges advances in the relationship between bisexual Jack and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd). But more than anything it's a propulsive action-adventure.

It's edgier than "7th Heaven," but not so edgy that parents will be turned off. It also expands the definition of a family and realistically shows the complexity of intergenerational relationships. [5 Oct 2000, p.D-6]

FX's Sons of Anarchy returns to form in its fourth season premiere this week with the action set squarely back in the motorcycle club's hometown of Charming, Calif. Even better, the show's wannabe hero, Jax (Charlie Hunnam), is fighting again, putting forth a plan to get out of his current situation.

The Hour looks fantastic but it moves at a snail's pace that's sure to irk impatient viewers.

The show's trademark time shifts continue, although it's initially unclear if they're connected to the season one story that carries over or to the season two plot.

Although a TV series about the trappings of sudden fame could be cliché, Mr. O’Malley roots the show in specific, believable characters that make Survivor’s Remorse one of the fall’s stand-out new shows.

The show wants to be hip and cool, and it often is, but it makes no pretensions that it doesn't have a heart beating underneath, much like its cool but caring lead character. [22 Sept 2004, p.D-6]

Elfman, the best thing about the short-lived ''Townies,'' is a lovely live-wire who makes eccentricity appear irresistible; Gibson, who was ill-used on ''Chicago Hope,'' is a magnetic leading man who can simultaneously seem vulnerable and stable. As a pair, they fulfill the first essential requirement of a screen romance: they make you want to see them end up together. [24 Sept 1997, p.D-7]

The first episode offers a somewhat overwhelming dose of midwifery, to the point that some viewers may wonder how Call the Midwife won't grow tiresome with repetitive birthing stories. The addition of Chummy to the cast in episode two and a broader role for the midwives--in episode three Jenny simply spends time with an elderly man--allows the series to avoid growing stale.

“David Makes Man” offers haunting themes as serialized drama, some familiar (drug dealing) and other less so, particularly the impact of abuse and trauma, which is shown through David’s dreams, waking reveries and imagination. While the latter is the most challenging aspect of the series, it’s also what makes “David Makes Man” distinct.

At times, it’s still tough to watch. But Mr. Cumberbatch brings wit and flashes of wicked humor to a story of childhood trauma and its impact on one man’s life via substance abuse and mental illness.

Did the new network screw up the show? Not that I could tell from the incomplete first episode sent for review (no judge's remarks or eliminations).

Reminiscent of "Seinfeld" but not as funny.

On screen the show has a soaked-in mood, courtesy of pilot director Michael Dinner, and terrific performances that mark Justified as the best new series premiere so far in 2010.

An engrossing, detailed military character drama, Generation Kill is a modern-day "Band of Brothers," a warts-and-all account that hits closer to home because it depicts such recent events.

It's a true character piece with top-notch acting all around. [21 Mar 2004, p.TV-5]

In a sort of oral history style, a moderator leads them through the show's tumultuous birth, its low ratings, demise and resurrection as the 2005 motion picture "Serenity." But what's most interesting about Browncoats Unite is learning how what was going on behind the camera impacted what viewers saw on TV.

“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” opens some doors and then never fully explores the implications of McNamara walking through them.

It's not the best cop show ever but it's certainly an above-average effort for fans entertained by quality TV drama.

Torchwood gets off to a lighter, more rousing start in its second season premiere.

The Jane pilot whips through story quickly while setting up all kinds of potential entanglements for the characters. Whether subsequent episodes can maintain that breakneck pace, which helps accentuate the comic absurdity of the show’s premise, remains to be seen, but Jane certainly gets off to a strong, entertaining creative start.

Written and executive produced by “Good Wife” creators Michelle King and Robert King, The Good Fight marks a pretty seamless transition from “The Good Wife” that feels similar enough for viewer comfort, but also different enough to avoid being a total rehash.

Circus offers equal treatment to performers, stage crew and management, showing how a circus operates and the conflicts that inevitably erupt when 150 people share such close quarters, living out of trailers for months at a time.

This Project Greenlight lacks the visual flair and polish of "The Chair" but it's people-talking-about-making-a-movie-in-drab-offices vibe is similar.... Project Greenlight is more focused and that streamlined approach continues to make it the superior movie-making docuseries.

A splendid cast, headed by Shelley Long, a college-educated cocktail waitress, and bar owner Ted Danson, make Cheers something to cheer about. [19 Oct 1982, p.34]

The show creates tension--through atmosphere and characters the audience cares about--and offers so many make-you-jump scares that by the end of an episode, you're left breathless.

For this one half-hour, Frasier is high-class entertainment. Grammer does scowling exasperation as well as any actor in America (it's hard to imagine an actor who could get more laughs trading looks with a dog), the fraternal relationship is wonderful, and the work-place material works perfectly (thanks to another fine supporting performance from Peri Gilpin). [16 Sept 1993, p.C7]