It's basically a one-joke show--a guy in drag plays the leader of a clique of mean girls--that pales compared with the smart unpredictable chaos of comedy in "Getting On."

There is some pathos in Getting On with regard to the elderly patients, but that's seamlessly interwoven in the darkly funny personal stories of the hospital staff.

Another of those amusing but not necessarily laugh-out-loud funny sitcoms that are so popular on premium cable channels.

It's a little wild and woolly and more serialized; it's also more addictive [than "Alpha House"].

It plays more like a science thriller than a biopic, with Feynman receiving clues scribbled on pieces of paper by NASA engineers.

It is mostly humorless, grave sci-fi, but in the pilot the best moments are the most human.

Most of the young, relatively untested actors in Ground Floor are not nearly as talented at creating endearing characters; in the first two episodes the characters are mostly just ciphers.

Although some viewers will find it difficult to watch the stories of real people in their last months and moments of life, there's an uplifting quality to the series because of the sheer humanity on display.

It is much more of a psychological thriller that impresses with its use of an unnerving stillness.

Nothing in Dracula is as unique or as wonderfully weird as "Twin Peaks," and Dracula plows through plot more quickly, introducing and then writing off several intriguing plots and characters within its first three episodes. It's too soon to say whether that will turn out to be wise or foolhardy, but Dracula at least gets off to a mildly promising start.

It's all cheesy and silly with minimally adequate performances but, eh, what do you expect from a show in this genre.

The Birthday Boys is a consistently funny show for viewers who are regular consumers of pop culture and recognize the elements from TV and film that are being spoofed.

History purists who loathe artists taking creative license steer clear, but for viewers who enjoy a good soap, gorgeous costumes/locations and a winning soundtrack, The CW’s Reign delivers an entertaining romp in its premiere outing.

It’s a small adventure befitting the 30-minute running time but it’s also clever in the way it ultimately puts the “Toy Story” characters in a recognizable situation, which is similar to the big-screen movies.

Ultimately, the story doesn’t really matter because the characters are paper thin and efforts to make Alice more than a damsel in distress--she’s a skull-crushing, tree climber--don’t really add much depth.

They’re remaking The Tomorrow People and the results are just kind of “meh.”

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.

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.

Magnificently profane and entirely engaging, Deadwood remains one of TV's best character-driven dramas. [4 Mar 2005, p.W-45]

What the pilot lacks in smooth-flow niceties it makes up for in silly fun.

The show is so manic, particularly Mr. Hayes’ performance, that it’s clearly trying too hard--and painfully obvious set-up dialogue.

Not great, not terrible, Welcome to the Family is another occasionally amusing but not really funny family comedy.

The Millers won’t be confused with highbrow entertainment but taken on its own terms and thanks to a talented trio of cast members, it’s a welcome addition to CBS’s Thursday night comedy block.

The Originals deserves credit for a mostly clear set-up for newcomers.

A bigger problem is that Super Fun Night still isn’t all that funny.

The relationship between Ironside and his ex-partner, Gary (Brent Sexton), is somewhat interesting but everything else in Ironside is a well-worn cop show cliché, from Ironside’s tough guy routine to the dialogue.

It's a true character piece with top-notch acting all around. [21 Mar 2004, p.TV-5]

Dreary and dull. ... Betrayal may depict the most boring, sullen, sad-faced affair in TV history and that in itself is a betrayal of what the show promises.