All the weird, impulsive jokes are as outrageously funny as they aspire to be. [22 Sept 1994, p.1C]

The writing has picked up considerably since the pilot. But the real reason to try this show is the cast.

As is the case of "Monk'' at its best, ["Psych"] isn't as much about the crime mysteries as it is a vehicle for lighthearted fun.

The patter is more what you'd hear from reasonably clever people in real life, not a bunch of lines thought up in the comedy's writers' room.

A creepy, atmospheric, sometimes downright scary hour of TV.

Ringer may not be able to match the Master of Suspense at the top of his game, but it does a great job of creating a constant state of queasy tension.

"Ranch House" is the most ambitious of the "House" projects.

Duchovny, as usual, is a kick to watch. He brings just the right touch of casual charm and swagger to the role. Meanwhile, Anthony's Manson is appropriately chilling, even as he utters kooky lines like "I pulled you out of the womb of ignorance and into the light of now." And a sound track full of evocative tunes from the era keeps things humming. All in all, Aquarius makes for a cool summer diversion.

They [Robin Williams and James Wolk] seem to be having a blast playing off one another, and their comedic energy is infectious.

By the end of the first hour of Tell Me, I found myself caring deeply about what was happening to the couples and whether, in the end, they would find some joy of sex and emotional satisfaction. And whether I care about the characters is always my bottom line as to whether a series succeeds.

While it's not totally painful, it's so hopelessly incoherent that you'll probably get a headache or two if you actually stick with it for the full three days and six hours.

1) It's not all that funny, which could be a problem considering it's supposed to be a comedy, and 2) It continues a rather arrogant presumption on the part of show-biz types that we're all ceaselessly interested in the inner workings of their industry. [4 June 2005, p.C01]

The writing, which delivers humor and heartbreak in near equal measure, contains enough observational shrewdness to keep the endeavor engaging. And the performances by this all-star cast don't hurt, either.

The production is bolstered by some stunning visuals and a few tantalizing plot twists that I won't go into here. Also, the we-don't-need-Batman female empowerment angle holds some intrigue. [9 Oct 2002, p.A1]

What really makes the opening episode work, though, is the chemistry between Grammer--as Chuck Darling, an egotistical newsman who has returned to Pittsburgh after his career stalled--and Heaton as his uptight longtime co-anchor, Kelly Carr, who isn't thrilled by his return.

What's more bothersome about Skins from a critical standpoint is the thin plotting, the aimless narrative, and the generally flat and artificial feel of the production.

"Justice" is slick, fast-paced and stylish, with enough twists to separate it from the glut of shows in its genre. But it's also one of the most extraordinarily cynical shows to come along in some time.

Allegiance does a decent job of propping up its crazy premise with some juicy intrigue and solid performances, though Stenhouse comes off as rather bland.

All this talent can't make the premise - a police detective talks to murder victims - work.

All Cane has going for it now is the cast. In tonight's opening episode, the tone is all over the place

Until "Carnivale" fulfills more of its promise, my enthusiasm is restrained. [3 Jan 2005]

While these [butt-kicking] scenes contain a certain intensity and exhilaration, you can't help but think that, had the writers of Missing devoted as much time to plot and character as they did to the fighting, they might have wound up with a much more enjoyable show.

I'd rather spend time with an edgy show that aims high and sometimes falls short, than one that doesn't.... Welcome back, Mr. Sorkin. It's a pleasure to have you.

"Falcone" essentially is "Donnie Brasco" lite--tightly plotted and mostly absorbing, but watered down in terms of acting and storytelling (not to mention dialogue). Still, it's sharper than most of the typical network fare. [4 Apr 2000]

For now, though, Delany is enough to hold our attention. With a deft touch, she blends just enough warmth and vulnerability with the sass and smarts to make it all palatable.

"Commander'' looks good, summons up some real energy in key scenes and establishes a certain warmth in its portrayal of the Allen family.

Through the early episodes, nothing really happens that you couldn't see coming. Still, the setting is so seductive, the period details so vivid and the acting so stellar, that it's as intoxicating as a potent mojito.

Breakout Kings manages to compensate for its lack of creative ambition with some lively writing, good pacing and an off-kilter sense of humor. It is also blessed with a colorful cast of characters.

Unlike the pilot movie, which came across as stilted or even phony in spots, tonight's show is crafted with a smooth blend of action, character development and convincing special effects. [26 Jan 1994, p.3C]

While it's always good to see Burnett, something has gone seriously awry with this new version.

Unfortunately, The Cape fails to fly. Lyons has all the charisma of a fence post, and the leaden scripts bring no fresh twists to the genre.

Wu does what he can, bringing a steely authority and mad kick-butt skills to the role. But the show is hampered by too many overly broad characters, genre cliches and the kind of groan-worthy dialogue that leaves one restless.

Unfortunately, things just never really gel in a pilot episode that falls flat and is only intermittently funny....In fact, only Janney, whose gleefully oblivious character spews un-PC zingers and keeps a huge self-portrait in her office, makes a truly fresh impression.

The opener is riddled with juvenile humor consisting of jokes pegged to corpses, crotches and child molestation. It's almost enough to trigger a case of mad cow disease.

A pedestrian, predictable crime procedural.

It's an intriguing premise but one that comes off a bit strained in the opening hour and leaves you with the feeling that you have no idea where the show is going.

Baruchel and Johnson (who is quite appealing in his role) have real chemistry.

Baum's work almost collapses under the weight of a misguided re-interpretation.

Blanchard is lovely and plays Cher so well that you'll never miss Silverstone. Many of the key supporting actors from the movie reprise their roles in the TV series, but the chief saving grace is the clever script. [20 Sept 1996, p.3E]

The writing is smart, the production is crisp and surprisingly stylish, given the budget, and the show has a fascinating central character in kinetic blogger Dylan Krieger.

If it keeps its balance and cuts back on some of the more implausible moments in the first hour, this series could be a keeper.

This is by no means a lousy show. The performances are solid and the brothers-working-together dynamic is intriguing. But the pilot lacked dramatic oomph, and it did a poor job of actually taking viewers inside the math and explaining how it works. Consequently, "Numb3rs" just doesn't add up. [22 Jan 2005]

As TV science fiction goes, there's nothing particularly bad about this spinoff from the long-running Stargate series. On the other hand, there's nothing particularly good about it either. [15 Jul 2004]

The show does a decent job of setting up its premise, the pace is brisk enough, and there are plenty of visual flourishes, but somehow. it all feels a bit too mechanical. It doesn't help that, with few exceptions, the new characters are pretty juiceless.

Moliere it's not, but somehow it works as a sort of energized hybrid of "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Mork & Mindy" and those "Coneheads" sketches Curtin spent so much time in while she was with SNL. [7 Jan 1996]

This series is about the bonds of family and heated power struggles--with a big dose of vampiric hedonism mixed in. Sounds like the makings of something pretty fang-tastic.

If you're a sucker for tangled mysteries--and are in need of a few heebie-jeebies--the show has enough oomph to its early episodes to suck you in.

Some viewers will be riveted to the sex, violence, beautiful nude bods and sensory gluttony of Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Others will be turned off almost instantly.

There's just enough punch to it that you'll want to stick around for Hour Two.

Right now, it's a comedy in search of real laughs. [20 Sept 2002, p.1]

It tries to be edgy but misses by a mile.

It may be that in the long run, "Heist" proves to be something you can admire simply for its pure entertainment value. But right now, it's a show that looks good on the surface but is empty at the core.

This is a series trying to be fresh but succeeding only in trading on the predictable cliches.

An incoherent, almost unwatchable mess.

It shows more than a bit of promise.

I found enough mesmerizing moments, bits of character and sharp Milch dialogue in the opening episodes that I'll probably stick around to catch a few more waves.

There's nothing particularly fresh about the visual approach, the writing is only serviceable and the plotlines -- a pregnancy, a drunken-driving accident, love found and lost -- are straight out of TV Writing 101.

It's a rip-off (and not a particularly well-executed one) of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

[It] comes up more than a bit short.

Surely it will have Palin lovers rushing to plant wet smooches on the screen and all the haters citing it as proof that TV is, indeed, full of dreck.

Stargate SG-1 is mainstream sci-fi television of the no-brainer genre. Light on intellectual depth and heavy on action, it seems destined to play toward a younger age group than the Star Trek and Babylon 5 sort of science fiction shows. [24 Jul 1997]

For at least the first two episodes, "Jericho'' works better than it should, and there are some striking moments and images.

Gone are the wit, the entertaining twists on sci-fi films and actors (outside of Gross) who knew they were doing a sendup of the genre. And the special effects are so cheesy that it looks as if the series cost about $1.95 to make...It's hard to believe that Sci Fi canceled the fine "Farscape" to put this series on the air. [28 Mar 2003, p.TV]

It doesn't work, largely because there's not enough wit from creator and star Louis C.K. to make the vulgarity anything more than an exercise in blue.

Warm, clever, appealing and a lot of fun.

Rogue does a nice job of methodically building an unsettling mood.

With her winning smile, Southern twang and a tough-but-tender demeanor, Giddish makes for an instantly appealing lead. Unfortunately, she's about the only thing going for Chase, which is hampered by an unimaginative script.

More occasional eye-rolling ensues over the oh-so-earnest portrayal of Kelly Ann (Imogen Poots), a roadie who has become disillusioned with the state of the music biz. "I have to be a fan of something, or I'm nothing," she moans. On the plus side, Crowe's series does contain a beating heart, and it clearly is brimming with his undying passion for music.

The Playboy Club isn't in the same league, or even the same galaxy, as the critically adored "Mad Men." While the latter offers nuance and depth and keen insights into its era, the former settles for stock characters, cliches and superficiality, punctuated by a lot of come-hither looks.

"Free Ride" is crude, mean-spirited, and not nearly as fresh and innovative as the producers think it is.

Tonight's opening episode is somewhat better than the pilot, although it's clear there is still work to be done in defining the characters and setting an overall tone.

Much of Tarzan feels more like a marketing strategy than a show, and it seems to have a few flaws that "Smallville" doesn't. Chief among them is the incoherent plotline, which, in the pilot at least, does little to explain the motivations of Pileggi's character. [4 Oct 2003, p.D01]

The show is overly ripe in its writing and spends far too much time exploring the whiny angst of the teens.

Next Thursday's outing is much better [than the pilot], suggesting the series could generate some laughs over the long haul.

This is a show that has its heart in the right place, but is, ironically, pretty mindless.

The good news is that Crisis eventually gains a bit of traction in its stretch run, but it’s much too late by then.

Judging by the pilot, George Lopez is no laugh riot, but it definitely has its moments, and it's refreshing to find a touch of Mexican-American flavor on TV somewhere other than Showtime and Nickelodeon. [27 Mar 2002, p.D01]

Corddry manages to make scenes work that otherwise would have viewers reaching for the remote.

Based on two preview episodes, Anger Management is at least more interesting than "Two and a Half Men" (take that, Ashton Kutcher). That's certainly not saying much, though.

There are some very funny lines and moments... Unfortunately, the good stuff isn't worth slogging through the rest of this sitcom.

While it hardly breaks new TV ground or sends off the kind of sparks you want in a first-rate drama, the series has a certain watchable quality to it.

This is David E. Kelley on his worst days with wildly improbable plot developments and much forced humor.

With her Texas twang and feisty demeanor, Giddish is instantly engaging, and she and Bishop share a nice on-screen chemistry that make them worth our time. As for the Past Life cases, they are adequately compelling.

While the Daniels drama does have some bounce to its step, at least early on, it isn’t as instantly appealing and distinctive as Empire” was.

While you have to give them credit for trying something at least a little different, the creators and cast try way too hard to pull laughs out of the situation and the show comes off as forced and unbelievable.

There's not a lot wrong about "Brian.'' But there's not a lot right about it, either.

Could prove to be a hit without being very good. [20 Sept 2002, p.1]

In its early episodes, "American Dad" not only follows the lead of "Family Guy" but also throws in digs at U.S. political institutions. [1 May 2005]

Malibu Country is so old school, in fact, that it feels like a leftover from ABC's TGIF days, complete with a studio audience, an irritating laugh track and a sitcomy march-time pace.

What keeps Jungle from being laughably bad is Shields is so charming and Raver so intelligent in their roles that they carry scenes that should just keel over and die.

As hard as Tucci tries -- and he tries very hard -- he can't make Dr. Doug Hanson into Dr. Gregory House. It's not his fault; the writers simply don't give him the dialogue and depth that Hugh Laurie gets to play with on "House.''

A mishmash that wastes an interesting cast... and the few intriguing ideas it has.

The series' first episode was lifeless, with perhaps three good lines in the entire half hour. Almost all of the film's charm seems to have drained away during the transition to TV. Perhaps later episodes will be better, but I wouldn't hold out much hope. [26 Feb 2003]

The situations are predictable, the writing is unfunny and the cast is forced to overplay every scene in hopes of generating something resembling a chuckle.

Both tonight's opening episode and next week's installment are predictable, loaded with cliched dialogue and lacking in the tension you want in this kind of show.

It's all shamelessly manipulative, but the show has real heart.

There's nothing particularly awful... But there's nothing particularly right about it either, and laughs are spotty at best.

The problem is there's nothing here that hasn't been done before, and often done better. Even more disheartening: The cast, which includes Matt Long and Billy Zane, is stocked with forgettable and/or boorish characters.