Yes, this is a fairly straightforward police drama, but it’s buoyed by some well-drawn characters even in its pilot episode, not always an easy task.

Light legal drama that’s neither funny enough nor dramatic enough to make much of an impression.

Light-hearted procedural that’s better than it should be thanks to the comedic, charismatic personality of its lead performer.

“Let the Right One In” features strong performances, particularly from Bichir and Rose, but it’s a slow burn and doesn’t have much new to say about the themes it embraces.

“Reginald” lacks much dramatic or comedic bite.

This is a show that knows what viewers want and gives it to them. “Interview” is not precious about its subject matter. ... Through the first five (of eight) episodes, it’s got all the makings of a deserving cult hit.

These characters offer a fresher take on “Star Wars” lore than Andor’s story, which is a rote rebel mission. If the series finds a way to further blend familiar storytelling with the more-unusual-for-“Star Wars” vibe of palace intrigue, “Andor” might yet prove itself to be a favorite among fans much the way “Rogue One” has become embraced in the eight years since its initial theatrical run.

“Reboot” benefits from a great cast – Judy Greer and Paul Reiser are among the show’s series regulars – and some funny moments. But occasionally it feels like there’s something missing. ... Still, “Reboot” has enough going for it that I’ll stick with it to see how it develops in later episodes.

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.

Perhaps the affable Thompson, so reliable on “Saturday Night Live,” was talked into that awful opening, because he quickly returned to tell some jokes that successfully scored laughs. The remainder of the telecast was funny, entertaining and moved like a freight train.

“Monarch” is a decidedly old-school, broadcast network prime-time sudser.

Through its first five episodes, the show’s final, sixth season is stronger even as it gets stranger.

“The Serpent Queen” offers juicier period drama than either of the ballyhooed fantasy epics [“House of the Dragon” and “The Rings of Power”]. ... [Samantha] Morton mesmerizes.

Fans of Hollander’s “Ray Donovan” will recognize Hollander’s style of storytelling.

This first hour is a slog punctuated by the occasional battle with a Ray Harryhausen-esque snow troll. The second episode, written by Gennifer Hutchinson (“Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”), proves more satisfying.

A tension-filled, character-driven psychological thriller that's a worthy successor to their early 1980s Soviet spies drama [Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg's "The Americans"].

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]

If early seasons of “Game of Thrones” meandered a bit or felt slow as the series followed assorted characters on multiple quests, “House of the Dragon” barrels through its story.

Coarse but clever comedy abounds in “Sprung,” with Plimpton stealing almost every scene as a crusty mama bear with a contorted face and a squishy core.

Credit Marvel with attempting a half-hour comedy series for Disney+, but “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” proves too timid about leaning into humor.

By the end of the first season, it’s hard not to be invested in the Peaches as a team, but it’s an occasionally bumpy road getting to the point that the series and its characters become entirely embraceable.

A lot of “The Terminal List” is pretty standard-issue, macho-man military conspiracy theory fare, just darker, bleaker, duller and more humorless than usual.

While there are some nice small moments – a few Will (Noah Schnapp) scenes indirectly address his sexuality; Max (Sadie Sink) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) have some welcome interactions – it’s all the overheated bombast that feels like filler that disappoints.

The good news is the show’s second season, streaming Tuesday, is more like the back half of season one: funnier and more involved because we’re dealing with established characters and because the writers, led by showrunner John Hoffman (“Grace and Frankie”), have a firmer grasp on the show’s tone and a more confident hand in its plotting.

Most of the laughs come later in the [premiere] episode. Subsequent episodes prove funnier still.

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.

Proves itself a pretty good queer soap if you can tolerate how self-absorbed, narcissistic and generally unlikeable most of the characters are.

“First Kill” is a dull, predictable “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” knock-off (if Buffy was a lesbian).