Chalk up Lights Out as another creative success for FX, the basic cable network that specializes in series with male-skewing milieus.

This seven-episode series, written by David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, doesn't offer many new ideas about the evils of the TV business--a lot of the ground covered here was previously mined by the underrated 1999-2001 Showtime series "Beggars & Choosers"--but it's still fun to join in the mocking of Hollywood, a big, juicy target that Episodes hits with ease.

It's best not to think of Shameless as a deep, important show. Tune in for the character drama and recognize the characters' anti-social behavior for what it is. There's no shame in that.

For anyone who's seen the "Spider-Man" films (or even the last, worst season of NBC's "Heroes"), there's little to recommend about this new series that has its bloated, two-hour debut.

As a new year begins, viewers will be hard-pressed to find a more sumptuous, engaging drama than the "Masterpiece Classic" miniseries Downton Abbey.

An unexpectedly amusing comedy meal.

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

Great as it is to see Ms. Badler again, her appearance can't save a show that's so poorly acted and written that the characters spout exposition but rarely say anything that sounds like something a real person would say. V looks and sounds like a cheap cable series rather than the big-budget network show it should be.

Her observations throughout Wishful Drinking are incisive and funny. But at times the production, directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, gets a little bogged down in minutiae.

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.

Like too many reality shows, The Fairy Jobmother offers easy, incomplete answers and sometimes doesn't ask the right questions.

A&E's The Hasselhoffs is not as morally objectionable as other shows have been (think: "Hot or Not," "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?"), but it is hands down the cheesiest, least realistic celeb-reality show ever. And mostly that's due to star David Hasselhoff's narration, which sounds like someone with no acting training trying to read dialogue.

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.

It's entertaining enough if real-life make-it-or-break-it tension is what you're looking for in TV. That's also a bit of better-them-than-me satisfaction that comes in watching this and all the Tough Guy TV shows. Gold Rush has the added element of will-they-or-won't-they make it rich.

If not for the polarizing nature of its star--people who love her and hate her will tune in to revel in her Palin-ness or mock her for it--no one would be talking about this dull, derivative TV show.

Conan O'Brien debuted his new talk show, Conan, on TBS last night and it didn't feel all that different from the show O'Brien debuted last year on NBC under "The Tonight Show" banner.

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

They're not making evolutionary leaps but these men do show enough signs of progress that viewers who appreciated their struggles and triumphs in the first season will have renewed reason to cheer them on in season two.

The second season premiere is a stronger hour than the show's pilot that aired in January with more character definition and lighter moments.

It's not funny enough, the characters don't make much of an impression and the "Porky's"-style humor is too tame to have the requisite impact.

The show suffers from fakey scenes of Joe and his team in the office--they feel pretty staged--but when Maddalena is out meeting people who want to sell the Hollywood memorabilia they own, Hollywood Treasure is a lot of fun.

Tonight's premiere has a zippy energy that can be attributed to the writing and Mr. Cumberbatch's riveting, gonzo performance. He plays Sherlock as authoritative and arrogant but also with a hint of excited madness that makes for an engrossing new take on this classic character.

Blue Bloods showcases a surprising amount of character-driven storytelling. The potential police department conspiracy pushes Blue Bloods into more sudsy territory than necessary, but at least this show marks another attempt by CBS, following "The Good Wife" last year, to expand its offerings beyond paint-by-number crime dramas.

As season two begins, creators/executive producers Robert and Michelle King show no signs of standing pat. They're allowing the series and its characters to evolve while reminding viewers of the show's original premise.

Parks has its funny moments but the comedy's first episode also has a distant and chilly feel to it.

Against all odds, this mishmash of stark contrasts emerges as a surprisingly engaging film.

The first episode of Tower Prep ends on an intriguing note and the show offers reason for young viewers to come back for more, which is exactly what a pilot episode should do.

As long as you're OK with comedy-of-the-uncomfortable, then IFC's The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is by far the funnier of the two David Cross-Will Arnett series airing this fall (the other being Fox's "Running Wilde").

It's the students that make Teach a sometimes interesting show. They drive the story's forward momentum as much as Mr. Danza does and quickly emerge as his co-stars in a program that touches on teacher quality, student apathy and the plight of urban public schools.

After watching the first two episodes it's a little difficult to say what the show will be on a weekly basis because each of the first two episodes plays like the pilot for two different TV series.

The show's premise has enormous potential--it's essentially a live-action version of "The Incredibles," about a family that gains superpowers--but Tuesday's premiere disappoints with its slow-moving plot and whiny characters.

The show's writers seem to have less of a firm grasp on how to evolve some of the secondary characters, particularly while Dexter is on leave from the Miami Metro police department.

The plot of the $#*! premiere episode marks an improvement on the first pilot as it scraps an uncomfortable real estate scheme story in favor of better establishing the relationship between Henry and Ed, but the show's humor is still too often as crude as its title.

As for My Generation, the less said about it, the better. It's an insufferable show that could well be the season's first cancellation. And it can't come a moment too soon.

He's dashing, she's beautiful, and the show is fairly entertaining. But Undercovers adds nothing to the spy show genre.

The Defenders is a standard-issue legal drama, but Mr. Belushi and Mr. O'Connell bring a playful exuberance to their roles that allows the series to rise above its trappings.

Better With You is a genuinely funny, well-acted traditional sitcom reminiscent of "Dharma & Greg" and other past successful romantic comedies.

If Mr. Morrow takes his performance down a notch, the character will be much easier to embrace....As in most of her roles, Ms. Tierney elevates the script, playing Kathryn as a hard-charging but sympathetic prosecutor whose personal life takes a backseat to her professional duties.

Detroit 1-8-7 is disappointingly generic. It's not a show that compels viewers to tune in on a weekly basis, but die-hard cop show fans may be satisfied.

Raising Hope is not for the easily offended and humorless but the pilot is consistently entertaining for viewers willing to embrace Garcia's universe of downtrodden characters.

Running Wilde at times recalls the comedic brilliance of "Arrested Development," but unlike that show, there's no relatable central character to ground Running Wilde.

CBS remakes Hawaii Five-0 as just another piece of turn-your-brain-off escapist fare, a loud, action-packed pilot with little heart and less humor.

Mike & Molly has more of the crude humor of "Men" than "Big Bang" had at the start, but it's offset by a sweetness in the lead characters that makes this sitcom a welcome addition to CBS's Monday night laughter lineup.

NBC only made the premiere available for review, so I can't offer any guarantees that subsequent episodes will not disappoint, but as a pilot, "The Event" gets this series off to a rollicking start.

For some viewers, even fans of smart, high-quality TV, there may come a point when too many dark, layered television series become just as tiresome as too many look-alike procedurals. We haven't yet reached that point with Boardwalk Empire, but some episodes are more admirable than enjoyable.

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

If you're able to get past the ridiculous premise--and, admittedly, I was not --Outlaw still suffers from other problems, including two-dimensional supporting characters.

Producers of The CW's new series have taken the bones of the Nikita story and grafted on a new recruits sub-plot, sort of ideal for young CW audience, but it also makes for a convoluted series pilot that bounces around from one hollow story line to another.

The Vampire Diaries is no "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"--it doesn't have that series' depth--but it's plotted well enough to mix supernatural action with the occasional game of Kiss Me or Kill Me and some surprising cliffhangers, too.

The show's tone slips between sitcom cheese and push-the-envelope absurdity.

The Big C does not arrive with as sturdy a foundation as "Nurse Jackie," an unusually well-developed show from the get-go, but Ms. Linney completely inhabits a role that's recognizable as a woman who is strong and unusually selfless--at least until her diagnosis.

It's a little aloof, a spy show without the usual espionage theatrics. That may take some getting accustomed to, but in these early episodes, Rubicon makes a strong case that it's a series that's worth the effort.

Viewers who cringe at pathos may miss the occasionally lighter tone of earlier Mad Men seasons. But these are the circumstances the characters find themselves in. Besides, at this point in a series' run, most viewers are tuning in for the character stories, where some grace and positivity still pop up.

Pretty much every character and character trait will be old-hat to regular TV viewers but director Tim Matheson makes the pilot episode hang together pretty well.

Sunday's pilot episode introduces a love interest (Kiele Sanchez) and also offers a plot that takes a surprising left turn. It's a welcome detour but with such standard-issue characters, it will be difficult for The Glades to stand out.

The mysteries of Haven do offer some intrigue but coupled with fairly unextraordinary situations and plots, the show may have a tough time convincing viewers to become weekly visitors.

Often profane and occasionally offensive, Louie won't be to every viewer's taste, but it's a more interesting show than many with a definitive point of view.

Rescue Me needs rescusing from itself and deliverance will soon come. Until then, fans of the series can enjoy the ride--even if it sometimes feels like a rerun.

It seems like a typical, sometimes plodding teen soap.

This new season seems more forced than usual.

Hung remains less of a comedy than HBO presents it as, but it's certainly more platable in season two.

Rookie Blue is "Grey's Anatomy" in a police station. And that's about as remarkable as this fairly generic Canadian co-production gets.

Memphis Blues has a similar feel to "The Closer" at the same stage. The secondary characters are not yet developed, and the show feels fairly pat. But it has the necessary ingredients for a lightweight, innocuous procedural.

The show is unlikely to win Emmys but it is worth a few chuckles, spurred on by actresses in an age bracket not generally associated with leading roles on network sitcoms.

Many viewers probably come to True Blood for the thrills and the romance but it's the humor that allows the show to rise a step above similar TV fare even as it falls short of HBO's loftier efforts.

Written by I. Marlene King ("Just My Luck"), Tuesday's premiere is a generally predictable introduction that too often plays like a bad "Saturday Night Live" parody of a teen soap.

A series that doesn't give viewers enough reason to care in its premiere episode.

They're a bland bunch of characters who say mildly amusing things--there's a pretty good riff on Mary Poppins--in occasionally funny situations, but in the end, "100 Questions" does not cry out to be added to any DVR lineup.

"The Good Guys" isn't really good but it is OK if all you seek from TV is bland, comfortable entertainment--the same type of program you were watching 30 years ago.

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.

Great TV always flows from the specificity of a show's characters; "Happy Town" traffics in banal generalities.

The combination of music and some humor, particularly from Mr. Goodman's character, make "Treme" easier to digest than a David Simon series might otherwise be.

It's obvious from the start that a familiar hand is at work in the storytelling, and 27-year-old Mr. Smith is as game as his predecessors in committing whole-hog to the crazy and delivering the drama.

The characters can better be distinguished from one another than the ciphers in "Three Rivers" but they still need time to develop and become something approaching realistic.

The show, although plenty entertaining, also feels like it's grasping to keep the drama of Tara's situation at a suitably heightened level while other character story arcs, most notably Marshall's, feel more believable.

Jackie remains the superior effort thanks to its writing and a top-of-their-game cast headed by Edie Falco as the title character.

Bad challenges anxious viewers, but it remains one of TV's best hours, thanks to strong performances from the entire cast and the steady, guiding hand of executive producer Vince Gilligan, who proves in tonight's episode that he values realistic, risk-taking storytelling over the more convenient status quo.

Fans of zombies and the absurd may want to tune in but there's nothing funny or interesting enough in Ugly Americans to keep me coming back.

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.

If you're a fan of nuanced, character-driven story-telling, there's no question The Pacific is the superior effort.

Utterly unpleasant and unfunny, Fox's dispiriting Sons of Tucson may be the worst comedy series of a generally winning 2009-10 TV season.

An awful show about awful people.

Ultimately, the real question is not "Who Do You Think You Are?" but Why Should Viewers Care? This series does not offer a persuasive response.

By no means a great show, The Bridge is at least a little bit different from most police procedurals.

A decent but slightly pedestrian family drama that throws off a "Brothers & Sisters" vibe whenever its sibling characters are in the same room.

There's a cool, no-nonsense attitude about Southland that may make it more challenging for viewers to embrace than some other shows, but this cop drama has so many strong performances and enough nuanced writing that it remains one of the better dramas currently in prime time.

How to Make It in America grows more interesting in episodes after the pilot as Ben's world expands and connections among the characters form. But to get that far viewers may need to be: a) Living Ben's lifestyle, b) Remembering their immature years fondly or, c) Have a high tolerance for slackers whose ambition outpaces their drive and/or intellect.

Past Life begins with a fairly ridiculous premise, and the show's bland leads don't make it anymore watchable.

The show is a manipulative tearjerker that uses this poor guy's real-life death sentence to milk tears out of viewers. And that makes it a little icky to watch. It's great that Childs gets all sorts of adventures but the blatant effort to wring tears out of viewers made me uncomfortable.

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.

Executive producer David Eick said, "We wanted to make it less about escapism and more about moral complexity and great characters." In its early episodes, Caprica certainly succeeds in achieving those goals.

It's no "Rome," but at least it appears headed more in that direction.

The pilot offers a deft introduction to the characters and their situations. It's just unfortunate that more care wasn't taken to create a show that feels fresh--The Deep End is rather moldy.

Robertson is a find. She capably plays both Lux's world-weary, snarky attitude and her vulnerability. She's a large part of what makes Life Unexpected a minor delight, even if its charms are entirely expected.

From these four hours it's clear there are few new stories or twists for the show to employ. It's time has come and gone.

Valley has long displayed a flinty appeal and here he adds a knowing sense of humor. But it will take more than that to get viewers interested enough to take aim at Human Target on a weekly basis.

At its best, Big Love is an intricate soap opera rooted in family, but in this new season the show is spinning off into too many directions. None, taken individually, is terrible, but altogether these myriad plots create a lack of focus.

Plot contrivances aside, the new season of Chuck gets off to a decent start as friendships rekindle (Chuck and best friend Morgan become roommates) and new parties get involved in subterfuge.