Mr. Wilson does his best to make the character unapologetically snarly, and Backstrom does benefit from a lighter tone thanks to the unpredictable nature of the lead character. But in form and style, Backstrom is exactly what viewers have come to expect from "House" wannabes.

Through the first two episodes it’s just not enough to differentiate this series from so many conspiracy thrillers that have come before.

For the most part, the movie is a candy-colored whirl through the shoulder-padded late 1980s.

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.

Revealing more of what makes these characters tick could remove some of the mystery about them, but Portlandia makes a compelling comedic case for offering this backstory.... The humor is broader and funnier in this half-hour [second episode] that also delivers some surprising plot twists whie acknowledging thier "logic problems."

A cute if unnecessary time-traveling fantasy-drama.

Whether Empire can sustain these running plots remains to be seen.... But the pilot suggests Empire could become [an] addictive, juicy prime-time soap.

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.

Yes, a few plots feel repetitive... but overall the feeling for the season is one of new exploration among the characters.

The series does try to develop its characters, but Galavant never quite finds a way to ideally pull together its gonzo comedic spirit and musical aspirations.

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.

Elf offers some slight, warmed over charms.

There are several intriguing concepts built into Syfy’s Ascension, but the execution is not quite up to snuff in the first episode and infuriating by the conclusion.

The first hour is a deadly dull slog. Viewers get plopped into the action without much effort to provide context and then there are flashbacks to confuse matters further.

The Librarians lacks the fun of the first film--seeing Flynn learn to be an adventurer --and feels predictable and rote.

It's a clever, funny hour that's written in rhyme with imaginative songs threaded throughout.

It’s a serviceable drama that’s well-calibrated to the interests of the Bravo audience but it seems unlikely to appeal beyond that particular subset of viewers.

One can’t help but wish all this meta commentary had been grafted onto a better story and a better movie that didn’t feel like such a cheap rush job.

Three years may seem like a long wait for the next “Toy Story” film but if the Disney-Pixar bosses want to fill the gap by turning loose the imaginations of their team on entertaining, wildly creative shorts like Toy Story that Time Forgot, fans will surely approve.

Gortimer is the rare series that's creative, occasionally funny and engaging in its own subdued manner.

Everything about it feels TV-fake and contrived and throwing Heigl into the mix just heightens the sense that viewers are watching a high-glam actress pretending to be a top U.S. intelligence analyst.

The show was never entirely believable and the conceit of having episodes set during actual events--where the characters and/or viewer perceptions benefit from hindsight--felt like a cheat even though it could sometimes also be thought-provoking. The third-season premiere doesn’t shy away from this.

Valerie is still thin-skinned, self-absorbed and occasionally pathetic. Fans wouldn't want her to be any other way, of course, but there's a limit on the variety of ways one can wring comedy from this character premise.

It takes some time to sink into the story--Olive (Frances McDormand, “Fargo”) herself is cold and aloof--but by Monday’s second part of the miniseries as viewers see the characters age through a 25-year period, there’s a relatability that starts to sink in as viewers come to recognize the damage one generation can inflict on the next.

Mom remains funny, thanks in large part to the great work of Allison Janney as Christy's potty-mouthed mom, Bonnie. And the show continues to make excellent use of actress Mimi Kennedy (now a series regular and pictured above at left) as a foil for Bonnie and friend to Christy.

When the show is focused on Mr. Ritter and Ms. Metcalf, The McCarthys rises above the usual sitcom slop that it feels like whenever the other characters get screen time.

Te pilot episode was written by Michaela Watkins ("Trophy Wife") and Damon Jones ("Peep Show"), who write to Ms. Coupe's comedic strengths while also peppering the background with amusing comic gags (viewers who pay closer attention will reap the most laughs from "Benched"). A second episode sent for review was less funny than the pilot and the plot was also a head-scratcher.

Constantine seems like a good fit tonally for Friday night companion series “Grimm,” but Constantine will need to more clearly establish its world--and the rules of its world--and better define its characters if it hopes to become a fanboy favorite.