Fahey too often seems cocky and callow. He's so sure of himself, and so superior to everyone else, you could find yourself identifying with the criminal. Luckily, Fahey's performance in the closing moments shows promise for a more restrained future. Let's hope the producers noticed the improvement. [31 Jan 1995]

If you're not tapped out on this kind of show already, Cold Case is a sophisticated procedural drama with an engrossing mystery at its core. [27 Sept 2003, p.C-9]

It’s filled with music and some high-energy dance numbers. But what comes between those highlights is often dull and without stakes. It’s the perfect show to do laundry to; it only beckons viewers to lean forward and pay attention during the occasional musical number.

There’s no question that Man Seeking Woman is not run-of-the-mill entertainment, but whether its weirdness will appeal or repel will depend largely on the openness of viewers to new, strange TV experiences.

the new V begins with an entertaining, well-made pilot that tweaks aspects of the original story but generally retains many of the show's familiar elements.

Schumer is brash, outspoken, bold, raunchy and tomboyish enough to fit right in and her show is often quite funny for viewers (especially men) who are not easily offended.

Every plot turn is predictable, no trope goes unexplored.

Daring and different, but not dark. It’s a rare feel-good contemporary series that’s not dumbed-down.

It's a small character study about a large man who comes off as a terrorizing buffoon.

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.

The Easy Money production values are low all-around but they wouldn't be as noticeable if the characters and tedious story sparked to life. They don't, and it doesn't.

The Borgias is an adequate soap but one that's also rife with missed opportunities.

It's a pretty good introduction but there's no guarantee future episodes will live up to that positive first impression.

Entertaining at times, “Dickinson” surely has some appeal to certain segments of the audience but it’s tonally all over the place to a distracting degree.

It’s difficult to judge The Almighty Johnsons from its pilot episode, but the blend of humor and Norse Gods lore does fit in well with Syfy’s penchant for light, fantasy dramas, but those series also tend to be fairly forgettable.

While no one would put his new show in the 'Frasier' class just yet, it's certainly a cut above the other sitcoms coming your way this week. [4 Mar 1997]

Whether Dietland can sustain the will-Plum-get-caught? story remains to be seen, but early episodes show promise.

Party Down can't decide if it wants to be smart-funny or dumb-funny. Maybe if it does, the party will truly begin.

Filmic in its look and style – the series screams “big budget” – “Jack Ryan” has its exciting moments, and even when there are not explosions on screen, the presence of the always-likeable Mr. Krasinski easily pulls viewers through to the next exciting action set piece.

The first hour of Heroes of Cosplay is fairly interesting as a study of an unusual subculture. But just how many unique stories are there to be mined from the characters introduced?

Cute, light and--most importantly--funny.

The show is intermittently funny but not consistently hilarious, too often going for the low-hanging fruit of old people saying dirty things.

Though I find it boring as can be, my kids enjoy watching YouTube videos of other people playing video games. I suppose “Dead Pixels” might be for those entertainment consumers – and those alone.

HBO's Recount is an entertaining political drama, one in which both Democrats and Republicans get dinged, but the film is clearly sympathetic toward the underdog Democrats.

Depending on your tolerance for edgy humor, 2 Broke Girls ain't broke, but a greater effort by the show's writers to be funny without being overly crude/cruel would help fix it for a broader audience.

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.

If Revenge can curb its more outlandish tendencies, this soap could become a welcome guilty pleasure.

The galling part is how Cohen betrays satire by making it hollow and toothless. "Da Ali G Show" is a sheep in wolf's clothing. [21 Feb 2003]