The path The Big C takes is fairly predictable and unsurprising, but that doesn't mean these last four hours aren't occasionally heartfelt.

The predicaments Henry gets himself into, while sometimes predictable, are nonetheless realistic and entirely believable within the universe of this show (and sometimes real life, too).

Banana is the more conventional of the two shows with its focus on young characters.... Of the two series, Banana is more fun but "Cucumber" offers higher stakes.

A welcome, interesting entry... But to work over the long haul, Agent Carter will need to beef up its stock sexist characters and make them more human.

It’s always hard to tell how any series will go, especially one as reliably twisty and turny as American Horror Story, but in its first hour at least, Coven offers a clear, entertaining set-up for a potentially strong season.

Like any sketch comedy show, IFC's Portlandia has hit-and-miss sketches, but when they hit, they do so with a laughter-inducing amount of comedic force.

The plot of tonight's premiere is silly and campy, but because The Middleman is based on a comic book, that's not altogether out of place. Whether this tone wears well over time remains to be seen, but in its first outing The Middleman rises above the middle-of-the-pack of scripted cable shows.

The Guardian is a show with promise, and it may well develop into a high-quality program in the coming weeks. But it's not a warm, fuzzy, easy-to-love show like, say, "Judging Amy." It's rough and tumble, a challenge to watch. [25 Sept 2001, p.C-1]

Seven features an entertaining ensemble, a tongue-in-check approach and an attractive visual style that alternates between sweeping vistas and ultra-tight closeups. The sap and the male-bonding is sometimes a bit thick, but overall Seven is a clever update of an old TV genre - and a welcome break from TV's current glut of cops and docs. [2 Jan 1998]

The two-hour “Yellowstone” pilot is both talky and somewhat predictable as it establishes the characters, their relationships and conflicts. But future episodes offer more surprises and deepen the characters--flashbacks help establish why Beth is the way she is--making “Yellowstone” an enticing summer diversion.

Whether Scream can overcome Noah's legitimate concerns about adapting a slasher movie for TV remains to be seen. But tonight's premiere gets the show off to a strong creative start.

What Mindhunter lacks in energy it makes up for in better attention to character details. Mindhunter grows significantly more interesting in its second hour once Holden gets paired with veteran FBI agent Bill Tench (Holt McCallany, “Lights Out”) and starts interviewing co-ed killer Ed Kemper (Cameron Britton, who nails a so-serene-it’s-creepy vibe).

Not flashy, not spectacular, "8 Simple Rules" is a cute show that will appeal to its intended audience.

The show is at its best when it deals with the ways in which she is torn between two cultures--the mortal world of her high school and the witchy world of her birthright--and when it depicts how Sabrina’s avowed feminism conflicts with aspects of her religion.

Like "30 Rock," "Barker" is more absurd and goofy than it is broadly funny, but it's definitely not as mainstream.

House of Saddam offers a fascinating but limited portrait of the Iraqi tyrant.

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.

True, it may be a little too high-concept, but it held my attention much better than plenty of other, much worse TV comedies.

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.

Of the two new cop shows this week, Southland is the more serious and realistic. It also demonstrates the potential for greater depth in its exploration of characters and their stories.

While scenes with a crime crew drag, in part because it's not always clear what's going on with them, anytime the focus shifts to crooked cops Frank Agnew (Mark Strong) and Joe Geddes (Lennie James), Low Winter Sun proves to be a gripping drama with a vibe most reminiscent of "The Wire."

An action-packed adrenaline rush.

Cute but not overly cuddly, there's an authenticity to the relationships in "Mother" that makes it a comedy worth meeting.

Warm, welcoming and occasionally tear-jerking, this three-hour production goes down like a warm glass of milk at bedtime.

Its slightly warped sense of humor won't appeal to some viewers, but "Malcolm in the Middle" qualifies as unique.

It's soapy and action-packed while still paying attention to developing its characters, the typical ABC Family Freeform mix of elements that's proved successful with its audience so far.

Actress Colbie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”) elevates this well-made procedural private eye drama.

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