The writing and plotting by series creator Mark Gross (“Man with a Plan”) is as pedestrian as one would fear going into this bland multi-cam sitcom.

Typical Netflix series bloat disappointments aside, “Inventing Anna” is a pretty engrossing ride largely due to Chlumsky’s relatability and Garner’s bonkers accent.

Raymond Lee makes a decent first impression as the new Leaper, physicist Ben Song. ... The new “Leap” does have the added element of a connection to Beckett and his hologram companion, Al (the late Dean Stockwell), but that serialized story seems destined to drag on endlessly unless and until Bakula reprises his role.

“Rebel” is an OK broadcast network soap thanks to snappy dialogue and dramatic scenes that should earn the show the nickname “10 Ways to Get Disbarred.”

It’s a high-quality cast of actors but they have little to do beyond dole out exposition that pushes the plot forward while supporting Robyn’s efforts to aid the helpless.

Viewers who can suspend their disbelief about that setup may be able to enjoy this conspiracy thriller that feels, frustratingly, like a wild goose chase.

Through the first five episodes, the new “Frasier” proves adept at the classic sitcom form and it’s certainly funnier than many of the CBS comedies viewers have seen in recent years.

This Netflix limited series manages to stand on its own. At six episodes, compared to eight for “Dopesick,” “Painkiller” tells its story with more expediency.

For a comedy about authoritarian rule to be truly funny, especially in an era with many crazier real-world examples, it needs to be “Borat”-style over the top. The six-episode “Regime” never gets there. Instead, this limited series plays everything subtle and low-key, refusing to indulge in the satire of the situations presented.

Dull crime procedural.

Unlike “1923,” which moseyed at a glacial pace, director John Hillcoat keeps “Lioness” moving apace. It also helped that the first episode is a brisk 41 minutes, avoiding the bloat that mars too many streaming dramas these days.

Added relationship drama helps this series rise slightly above the middle of the pack among CBS procedurals.

It is meat-and-potatoes storytelling served as a tiny portion on an oversized platter. As in real life, the story peters out with an unsatisfying conclusion.

Perhaps this third episode bodes well for continued improvement, but in the early going, “Clarice” is meh-see TV. It’s fine but surely there are better TV dramas to pair with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

“Good Sam” offers both medical-case-of-the-week and soapy storylines along with the who-needs-who more back-and-forth between father and daughter. This one’s more middling OK than good.

Kids can forgive a lot and the sometimes-shaky effects work won’t detract from the story. But adults coming to this “Avatar” might be disappointed. From the performances (occasionally stunted and wooden young actors) to the general gee-whiz tone, “Avatar” is an OK but not amazing adaptation.

Basically, “Happy Face” jumps off from the real story then moves into fiction immediately, a disappointment for anyone expecting this “true crime” story to be, well, true.

Mackie, borrowing some comedic delivery stylings from Eddie Murphy, proves again he’s a welcome lead actor, effortlessly playing the humor while also evincing the anguish of John’s past that’s brought to the fore through flashbacks. .... Sometimes characters from these episodic adventures recur as “Twisted Metal” engages in satisfying world-building.

“Wheel of Time” is very self-serious, which makes it easy to mock, particularly if you’re apt to make comparisons to other fantasy franchises: One screechy villain has Voldemort’s nose; an Army of horned beasts are this show’s version of Orcs. It’s all slathered on thick with an over-reliance on special effects-heavy battle scenes.

It’s as pedestrian a procedural as NBC’s “Found” but with a less heightened twist.

Viewers who can make it past this bumpy beginning, this new chapter starts to settle into its changes in the second episode.

“Kingstown,” written by Sheridan, is another muscular soap that’s long on characters talking in indecipherable lingo and short on clarity.

Overall, the whole endeavor feels overly familiar. McCallany owns the screen anytime he appears, but the story wasn’t original enough to inspire viewing beyond the first two episodes.

While there is a sameness to all three of Kidman’s most recent TV/streaming projects, there’s no denying they’re addictive soaps. “Nine Perfect Strangers” benefits tremendously from Hall playing against type and the presence of McCarthy, who is so good in dramatic roles that she ought to consider passing on more of the blah comedies she’s starred in of late.

The medical case in the premiere is pretty dense and sometimes hard to follow but future episodes are more streamlined. Still, it’s not a show you can multitask through and completely grasp what is going on in the medical cases.

Fox’s latest prime-time soap, “Filthy Rich,” won’t be mistaken for great TV but its pilot episode is a hoot. Future installments prove uneven.

Unlike 2023’s winning Apple TV+ thriller “Hijack,” “Last Frontier” is another streaming series that should have been a movie.

All the gags are telegraphed and obvious. A second episode shows some improvement, but not enough.