“Succession” proves particularly engrossing when the series finds new themes to explore and forces the characters to confront new situations as it does in season four. ... Allowing the series to conclude sooner rather than later insures it will likely continue to be regarded as one of the best TV dramas of all time.

What’s great about this second season is the way Storer and co-showrunner Joanna Calo find growth in each of the characters while still staying true to who they were when viewers first met them.

A textbook example of how to write a second season that sticks to what made the show great: Complex characters, a real-time format and medical cases depicted with an unwavering dedication to authenticity.

Season two of “Andor” stands proudly alongside season one as the most sophisticated, smartest “Star Wars” storytelling to date, thanks to showrunner Tony Gilroy.

Focus on the characters brings to the fore the show’s dark humor. There are more laughs to be had watching “Succession” than most TV comedies, a testament to the show’s writers who imbue the Roy children with specific foibles and a general lack of self-awareness.

Max’s “Hacks” remains a comedy gem in its fourth season.

“It’s a Sin” offers one of the most honest, moving takes on the AIDS crisis and in its final episode delivers a searing critique of the shame that ensured the disease’s spread.

Perhaps more than past seasons, these new episodes deftly balance comedic moments with insightful dialogue that explores generational differences in grounded scenes that don’t come off as preachy.

The best supernatural, religious-themed comedic drama you’re not watching.

Two things make this series a vast improvement over the miniseries: Show runner Ron Moore and his writing staff now feel free to dig deeper into the characters, and the show's pace and tone, though still sometimes slow and somber by conventional standards, has been opened up and made more accessible. Lighter moments have been added and the show's scope has grown more epic, the way a "Battlestar Galactica" story should be. [9 Jan 2005]

“Hacks” remains in top form. ... “Hacks” finds a way to restore the frenemies dynamic between the two lead characters without ignoring the progress made in their relationship in season one.

This second outing of “Schmigadoon” pales a bit compared to season one — too many ballads, not enough big song-and-dance numbers — but, at just six half-hour episodes, there are enough fun winks at Broadway to make it worthwhile for devoted musical theater fans.

By the end of the second season, a few aspects of the mystery plot come into better focus but it’s one step forward, two steps back. Still, “Severance” remains a rare, unique and completely distinctive series.

“Pluribus” is the most original, unexpectedly thought-provoking and frequently funny series of 2025, thanks in large part to star Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”), who throws herself with gusto into almost every scene of the series.

The series is interested in serving up the fights viewers want to see, but it also peels back layers of the characters to ultimately reveal how similar Danny and Amy are. Whether it’s healthy for easily-triggered viewers to tune in to watch others get triggered, well, each viewer will have to decide on their own.

Just as a viewer might suspect the plot will go one direction, Harjo gives the story an unexpected, shocking turn. It’s a potent mix that makes “The Lowdown” a welcome addition to a short list of TV’s best current series.

In lesser hands, a series spinoff of the theatrical “Alien” franchise might seem like just another IP play — a money grab. But pair Noah Hawley, the writer behind FX’s “Fargo,” with “Alien,” and you get a show that’s significantly better than that.

Season two goes deeper as it explores the characters’ insecurities and strengths. “Ted Lasso” remains funny and focused on kindness. A wealth of compassion for its characters courses through the show’s writing.

With most episodes running around a compact 30 minutes, “I’m a Virgo” entertains with a sly sense of humor (Cootie’s reaction when he finally gets to eat a Bing Bang Burger is a realistic disappointment) and Jerome’s sweet and grounded performance. The show has a lot of Big Ideas it wants to introduce even if “I’m a Virgo” doesn’t always follow through.

The love story is perhaps the least convincing aspect of this iteration of “Shōgun,” but the rest of it feels impressive in its scope, attention to detail and storytelling that sucks viewers in by the end of episode two and holds their attention from then on.

Ahmed created the series, and he’s clearly having a blast making fun of himself and wringing laughs from the situations he puts his alter ego into, absurd as they often are.

If you have been on board already, season three proves as addictive as season two, albeit slightly more heightened because the technology of this timeline’s 1990s is advanced beyond space-faring technology then or now.

Aside from an unearned character turn in the season finale that seems to come out of nowhere, “The Diplomat” delivers another great season of political intrigue mixed with character drama.

Hawke mesmerizes as Brown — excellent casting for a wild-eyed character — and Johnson brings a mix of a child’s innocence and a young man’s recognition of the craziness of the world around him to his sometimes heartbreaking performance as Onion.

There are grittier, hipper, more popular crime dramas coursing through the TV/streaming ecosystem – “Tulsa King,” “Presumed Innocent,” “The Rookie” — but none of those shows can match the quality of AMC’s “Dark Winds.” .... “Dark Winds” continues to feel taut and rightsized.

“The Last of Us” turns out to be a terrific series despite its thematic similarities to “The Walking Dead.”

Even though this is a procedural, it’s more elevated, more cinematic and more entertaining than most. ... Lyonne is perfectly suited to this milieu.

“Evil” is the rare show that’s both frequently scary — one jump-scare was enough that my reaction scared my dog sitting next to me on the couch — but in a generally sophisticated way. ... Episodes three and four of “Evil’s” second season, particularly three, are less commendable, splitting up the lead trio for too long and sending characters on paths that lack clear motivation.