A smart, realistic drama with believable characters brought to life by dynamic performances, particularly from Ms. Arquette and co-stars Paul Dano and Bonnie Hunt.

Archer may be crude but it's far more clever than last fall's disappointing "Testees," and "Archer" wins points with its observational humor about modern life and in its mocking of mundane workplace minutiae, such as computer passwords and the lack of security at a spy agency.

TV viewers who watch Boss probably won't be disappointed and even those who are wary of latching onto a new series have reason to give the show a chance.

It's a typically funny Office episode that makes good use of most of the cast.

But when Braugher's Dr. Ben Gideon disappears, Gideon's Crossing becomes a long, languidly-paced trip through a Boston teaching hospital. [10 Oct 2000, p.D-8]

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.

Saul isn’t a failure at all. Instead, Saul feels like a series with many of the hallmarks of classic “Breaking Bad” episodes that’s set in the familiar “Bad” universe, emphasizing a similar vibe that mixes personal drama with dark comedy.

The first hour is a little slow, somewhat pacey at times--it clocks in at 56 minutes, not the usual 42 minutes, and will run one hour and 10 minutes with commercials--but it does a fine job of setting up the story and introducing the characters.

The series remains an intense, engrossing crime procedural with strong moments of character development, but Mr. Cross gets a bit sloppy in his plotting.

Push Girls is at its best when the women tell their stories and depict the challenges they face in everyday life. But when the show's stars convene for gabfests, it feels as inauthentic as other docu-series.

It's still a hugely entertaining show thanks to its charismatic lead actor and the tension that builds in its twisty-turny plots. But when a lead character is a murderous anti-hero, there's a fine line to walk between cheering a righteous vigilante and offering sympathy for the devil.

The season premiere makes a gentle effort to re-establish the show’s shrinking original cast.

The show’s contestant characters are the expected mix of types found in a reality show, although Unreal tries to ground them in specificity that defies TV stereotypes, which works better with some of the women than with others.

The first two Sharp Objects episodes take a slow-burn approach--too slow--but the pace picks up in episode three as Sharp Objects delves deeper into Camille’s back story and as Camille begins to connect with suspects in the case. That’s probably OK for fans of the novel, but for the rest of us, it’s a tough early slog in an era of myriad TV series choices.

Credit for building drama goes to screenwriter Kirk Ellis ("Into the West") and actor Paul Giamatti ("Sideways"). His intellectual, vain Adams is a reluctant rebel, tentative in his support of an American revolution, wary of insurgency and mob rule and defender of the tenets of American democracy.

As has always been the case, Damages remains a mystery-thriller whose characters and their psychological quirks are more intriguing than the plot.

They're all skilled enough to play both the drama and comedy of the situations their characters confront, and, what's more, viewers are prepared to know and like them.

Much is written today about the products that come out of Hollywood, but rarely do we glimpse the drudgery that's involved in bringing movies to life. Project Greenlight offers a rare and unvarnished glimpse at the friction-filled cogs and gears that drive the Hollywood machine. [2 Dec 2001, p.TV-5]

As "Thrones"-aping series go, The Last Kingdom is a better bet than plenty of others. It's easier to follow than "Bastard Executioner" and less battle-crazy than "Vikings," occupying a gentler middle ground.

Entertaining and warm in appropriate 1980s fashion, “Stranger Things 2,” now streaming, fills its nine episodes better than season one filled its eight episodes.

A charming comedy-drama about finding new love late in life and all the complications that come with any coupling.

The episode is a fast-moving two hours that answers enough questions to satisfy fans and raises still more questions in an effort to further the intrigue.

The Good Place offers a clever high-concept premise that’s complemented with intelligent, sometimes absurdist humor.

One of the fall's brightest new dramas.

Glee does the teen years with some edge, but we've seen that before on Glee executive producer Ryan Murphy's previous series, The WB's "Popular." Still, Glee is delightful enough to qualify as a fall favorite.

If there's a downside to the Americans pilot, it's that it has some pace problems. The premiere runs long--an hour and six minutes--and spends time on flashbacks to Elizabeth in training 20 years earlier and the pair's first meeting.

It’s a smart, funny series, and it’s a relief to know Netflix saved it from what was sure to be terminal neglect had it aired on NBC.

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.