If you hate this genre, don't bother with Popular. But if you actually like spending time with teens or remember your own adolescence, Popular isn't the worst depiction of the not-so-wonderful years. [29 Sept 1999, p.E-1]

For fans of "Smash" who miss that behind-the-scenes-of-Broadway show, Mozart is an OK, if less exciting replacement. Symphony performances lack the visual flair of musical theater numbers but the sense that you're peering into another cloistered universe is similar.

Coming on the heels of Netflix’s superior British period drama “The Crown,” Victoria is a bit of a comedown, but it’s not bad, merely familiar and expected.

By episode two, Mulder and Scully are, jarringly, back on the job and once again investigating an X-Files case that may or may not involve alien-human hybrids.... [The third episode is] the best of the first three episodes but also the weirdest.

BrainDead is an entertaining enough summer distraction through its first three episodes, but it’s no “Good Wife.”

Tonight's episode feels like a reset, a fresh start for the characters but if they just lapse back into their old ways, I'm not sure what the point of another season of this show will be. And yet, if they do not return to selling drugs, some viewers may be disappointed.

Although Collection Intervention is really no different than "Hoarders," putting a sci-fi/fantasy spin on it does make the show more relatable

It shows the most potential as a buddy comedy focused on Mr. Williams and Mr. Wolk. By comparison, Ms. Gellar’s character is a wet blanket.

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

Mr. Elba remains a magnetic presence, but as with all damaged heroes, Luther presents a problem for drama writers: Heal him and he's less interesting; perpetuate his damage and the show gets repetitive. Luther seems stuck in the latter cycle.

The whole thing is pretty cheesy, but I could see "The Apprentice" becoming addictive a few episodes in. [4 Jan 2004]

This comedy has its moments, particularly in scenes featuring Ms. Brandt and Mr. Fox, but too often the stories, as in Thursday’s 9:30 episode feel like they’re straight out of Sitcom 101.

Given time, Stargate Universe may become worth watching if it develops its characters and continues to mine its premise for stories. Just hope they avoid more desert planets.

As with any pilot, there are questions about whether the show's initially strong production values and special effects will remain high quality in subsequent episodes. And it remains to be seen how the characters and their relationships will develop. But at least Teen Wolf puts its best foot, er, paw forward.

It’s an entertaining pilot, full of surprises that should hook viewers and get them engaged for the subsequent 12 episodes. But there’s also the question of whether the show sets about spinning too many mysteries at once.

It's TV for a generation of attention deficit disordered kids.

As teen shows go, the pilot is entertaining enough; future episodes will reveal if the show truly has much bite.

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.

Although this comedy-drama's premise sounds like the godawful Fox show "Costello" from a few seasons back, it's mercifully better. [1 Oct 2000, p.TV-5]

Though I'm happy to recommend 'JAG' as simple, lightweight fun, there are some moments that may try your patience. [23 Sep 1995]

It's disappointing that Kenny felt the need to make this series so far over the top, because at its core, there's a great family show worth watching.

HBO's most obtuse, impenetrable series.

It remains to be seen whether the series will be capable of using the unquestionable talent of Ms. Sevigny and the rest of the cast to build a show that's compelling enough to convince viewers its worth tuning in on a weekly basis.

It's more an intellectual, in your head, "hey, that's clever," than a laugh-out-loud funny.

It doesn't reinvent the genre by any stretch but this lighter tone is noteworthy.

For viewers willing to give themselves over to whimsy and let go of any expectation that they're watching characters who resemble real-life human beings, this comedy has its minor charms.

It’s an interesting construction; “La Ronde”-style storytelling is not something seen regularly in prime-time so for the uniqueness of the form viewers can be grateful. But the same setting and two-character focus in every episode makes for a somewhat stifling viewing experience compared to the typical prime-time drama.

For fans of darker, soapier TV fare, the light-as-a-feather “Take Two” will be a hard pass, but for a light drama it’s entertaining enough, thanks to producers poking fun at TV procedural cliches (while also embracing them) and Ms. Bilson’s likable performance.