It's a muscular, instantly riveting series that features sensational performances by Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight. Based on the early episodes, we could be looking at television's next great character-based drama.

Clearly rooted in life experience, Transparent continues to be a series that understands both love and pain.

Those who make the investment are richly rewarded. There's enough tension, betrayal, treachery, greed and sex, after all, to fill eight seasons of "Scandal."

Put together, all these elements make Rescue Me one of the television's top dramas, on a par with the likes of "Deadwood" and "The Shield." It is that rare TV series that offers insight, generates heartfelt emotion and challenges the viewer to consider the darker corners of the soul. [21 June 2005, p.2D]

"The Sopranos" has renewed and refreshed its ability to surprise. [4 Mar 2001]

Mad Men can still keep us spellbound.

It manages to be a rousing piece of filmmaking, a fascinating character study and a largely accurate presentation of the time when America was born.

Deadwood may not offer the vision of the Old West Americans have had for years, but it is a stunning, intelligent, almost poetic view of how we came to be a nation. [5 Mar 2005, p.1E]

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.

The engrossing series is loaded with surprisingly strong stuff, including provocative takes on terrorism and the politics of genocide. The special effects are unexpectedly good. And the acting -- from the likes of Edward James Olmos as Commander Adama, Mary McDonnell as President Roslin and Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck -- is light-years better than in the original. [10 Jan 2005, p.2C]

For five decades, the cop drama -- the good guys vs. the bad guys on the streets of our cities -- has been one of the cornerstones of network television, from the days of "Dragnet" to newer shows such as "Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD Blue" that altered TV. But never, ever has there been a cop drama quite like The Shield, and it could have an impact on pop culture that rivals the best of the police shows that came before it. [12 Mar 2002, p.AE 1]

This adaptation of a BBC series differentiates itself in enough ways to keep things fresh and riveting.

Though the show contains laugh-out-loud moments, it occasionally proves to be more melancholy than mirthful. Along the way, it has some sharp things to say about race, gender, the absurdity of celebrity and the nagging fear of failure. Glover's Atlanta, it turns out, has all the right beats.

It's captivating, and also poignant.

The top-notch acting is still intact, as is the attention to aesthetic detail.

Audacious plot lines help to keep Orange Is the New Black so unusual and refreshing. It's the one prison show that you may never want to escape.

It's never easy to say goodbye to a drama as mind-blowingly magnificent as Breaking Bad, but savvy creator Vince Gilligan has picked the right time to put his end game into motion

The show probably wouldn't fly for a minute, though, if it weren't for the ineffably engaging Cavanagh, who looks a lot like sardonic comedian Jon Stewart, yet has the laid-back affability of a young Jimmy Stewart. All bright eyes and dimples, he absolutely sparkles in the role. [7 Oct 2000, p.D01]

Fearless, relatable, goofy and charmingly awkward, she’s just a joy to watch. She has a strong voice, too.

Fortunately, the new Steel Magnolias turns out to be a full 90 minutes of wonderful.

Orange is teeming with humor, heart and poignancy--all the elements needed to qualify it as one of the summer's must-see shows.

The lively script by Geoffrey Ward covers a lot of ground and offers keen insights via interviews, not only with experts but regular folk who lived through the era.

This is a TV drama of quality, masterfully written and lovingly produced, which probably reflects what may be the most important new trend in network television: The increasing willingness of feature film talents to work in the medium. [28 Sept 1998]

One of the best pilots from a new show this season -- a wild, stylish ride through Sydney Bristow's unraveling life. You have to suspend disbelief, but this series promises to be one nifty piece of entertainment. [28 Sept 2001, p.5E]

The overall result is something rare--a film that sucks you in as a riveting thriller would, but also one that will make you pause to ponder issues of race, domestic abuse and our obsession with celebrity.

They could have made for some deadly passages, but thanks to Morgan's writing and a superior cast, these discourses on the nature of evil, and whether the truly evil ever can be restored to humanity, are mesmerizing.

In the end, The Wire is extraordinary television. It has a richness, a depth and an intelligence that transcend the medium and makes it the kind of superb literature that A.O. Scott found lacking in the world of books.

The way these characters interact and relate in the first hour is dazzling and involving without being self-consciously clever.

The show is a tour de farce for Warburton, who has the commanding gusto of a superhero and the deadpan style so appropriate for the material. [8 Nov 2001, p.D01]

This season's opening four hours are as good as anything the series has ever done.

Last Resort [is] another epic, ambitious and distinctive new show that is cause for excitement.

FX may have struck dramatic gold again. This series is mesmerizing. It sucks you in like a good book and has you yearning for more.

One of the most fully realized, innovative and flat-out exciting television debuts ever. [4 Nov 2001]

If you stick with it, you will be rewarded with some of the most compelling, provocative drama ever produced for television.

One of TV's most invigorating and intellectually stimulating series.... provocative television that transcends its genre.

The writing... is sharp and rich. The production -- from the design of the carnival to the evocative cinematography -- is dazzling. The direction from the likes of "Sopranos" veteran Rodrigo Garcia is first-rate. And the acting is sensational. [14 Sep 2003]

That Thrones remains so utterly unpredictable makes it even more mesmerizing.

The format of '24' still works beautifully. [27 Oct 2002]

Murder One is a giant step above the other new fall attractions and proof again that Bochco is America's most experienced chef when it comes to cooking up irresistible adult drama. [19 Sept 1995, p.1D]

What [director Ryan Murphy] delivers is a film with piercing emotional honesty that feels rough, and real, and intimate, and truly full of heart.

It's an extraordinary achievement, particularly since the miniseries ended up involving seven directors, including Hanks, and six writers. There is an inevitable difference in tone between the episodes, but "Band" never wavers from its vision of re-creating the experience of war through the eyes of average soldiers. [9 Sept 2001, p.3E]

The special stays true to the tone and searing wit of the original series and makes for a spectacularly funny coda to "The Office." [18 Oct 2004]

House is a rarity for TV: a true anti-hero, someone who's hard to embrace but easy to accept. [15 Nov 2004, p.2C]

Boomtown offers hope that it could be one of those rare shows that looks sharp, is sharp and actually has something to say...In lesser hands, it could have been hackneyed or pretentious. But creator Graham Yost is a skilled writer who handles the shifting perspectives and the time jumps with aplomb and without sacrificing characterization. [27 Sept 2002, p.SE1]

As its lofty production price tag suggests, The Pacific is bursting with epic sprawl and extravagance. But like any effective film of its kind, it also contains a brand of intimacy that will have you bonding with its characters and caring deeply about their fates.

Treme, probably more than any piece of cinematic fiction set in New Orleans, feels like an authentic experience. As you watch it--and slowly savor it--you can practically taste the red beans and rice.

The one truly original new show this season and certainly the funniest comedy. It is outrageous. It is odd. It is fresh. It is smart. And, given the track record of such refreshingly sophisticated comedies on network TV, it will be lucky to last three episodes. [31 Oct 2003, p.9E]

The good news is that it's still got game. [7 Nov 2004, p.C09]

[Sorkin's] premier episode for West Wing is a fine piece of work, relying heavily on a presumption that viewers have brains and can absorb a lot in a short period...Rarely has a writer fleshed out so many characters with so few words in such a short period of time. [22 Sept 1999, p.14E]

By the end of the opener, a web of intriguing plot lines (and their treacherous overtones) are firmly in place. As ensuing episodes unfold, the story finds its beating heart as the characters substantially deepen.

[It has] a rich mix of sharp observant humor and a sure feel for the family dynamic.

This BBC-produced series has some of the best writing and acting you're likely to see this season.

The best new series of the season, it's a drama that deftly blends familiar elements of "The Stepford Wives" and "American Beauty" with a dash of "Twin Peaks," while still managing to feel strikingly new. [3 Oct 2004]

The series is a funny, knowing, sometimes dark, sometimes romantic take on the time just before the power of advertising was fully realized.

One of the best-written and well-acted pilots of the fall, this spunky dramedy is full of small surprises. [29 Sept 2000, p.T034]

This is a cast that jells immediately, hitting on all cylinders from the very first scene.

Sunday night's opening episode, Public Relations, delivers some jaw-dropping moments.

While Botwin's crime world is the engine that drives "Weeds," there is much more to the show than that. At its core, it's a subtle satire of suburban life, politics, social mores and race. [13 Aug 2007]

And as far as the plots are concerned, don't sweat it. Tonight's engaging season-opener is easily accessible. Spend some time with these characters and soon you'll find yourself developing a strong emotional connection to them. [5 Oct 2007]

Superb. [17 Sep 1994]

The finest purely American TV film to come along in some time.

Through it all, Bloodline sucks you in and keeps your nerves in a vise.

Powerful stuff. [16 Apr 2000]

Based on the first two installments of a 13-episode season, it will continue to have viewers perched on the edge of their sofas.

There is no question Rescue Me walks a very thin artistic line. The miracle, in television terms, is how brilliantly it works. While heart-wrenching at times, it is also a very funny series. [21 July 2004, p.6E]

Stick with it, and this Sherlock proves to be a fun and exhilarating TV experience.

The good news is that it doesn't stink. The even better news is that it's clever and sophisticated and immediately outclasses most of the comedies currently on network television -- not that the bar is set to breathtaking heights. [24 Mar 2005, p.D01]

A dark but wildly funny comedy. [19 March 2000]

Season 3 gets off to a fine and frothy start.

The Australian actor is again in Emmy-caliber form, delivering a gripping character study of a man who isn't comfortable in his own skin.

An underlying warmth and a certain charm to the characters mitigate some of the childish jokes and give the series real appeal. [5 Aug 2005]

Hannibal is a sturdy offering, one that keeps viewers guessing and tensions simmering. Most TV crime shows have a tendency to quickly fade from memory. This one just might haunt your dreams.

The characters are intelligent, complex people you quickly care about, even if -- this being a show about television -- they can be egotistical and self-centered.

Vinyl, after all, is at its best--and most interesting--when it sticks to the music industry with its oddball characters, egos and hedonistic ways.

Gilmore Girls is brimming with fine performances all around, but the keys, of course, are its two leads. The appealing Graham has endured her share of TV flops ("Townies," "MYOB" and "Conrad Bloom"), but now she appears to have the kind of material that will allow her comic talents to shine. Meanwhile, Bledel is a promising newcomer with an intriguing round face, expressive eyes and a gift for deadpan retorts. [5 Oct 2000, p.D01]

Monday's opening hour is a bit disjointed stylistically. But the individual pieces are so compelling that you're still going to be sucked into the saga. And the show gets far more consistent in future episodes.

This year, as in the past, there are all kinds of problems with "24" if you think too hard about what you're watching.

The driving force behind the show's appeal is Ferrera, who gives a pitch-perfect, killer performance in the opening episodes.

A compelling thriller.

The series returns with its creative six-shooters blazing, its florid language and baroque manner of storytelling still gloriously riveting.

The Missing, an eight-hour thriller coming to Starz on Saturday, is so tantalizing and haunting that it qualifies as a must-see, even for viewers who might be suffering from serial crime fatigue.

The show is brimming with salty humor, cynical rants and plenty of raunch. But for all its bleak irreverence, You're the Worst also can be surprisingly sweet, tender and even poignant.

The good news is that the folks behind "Buffy" -- notably writer-creator Joss Whedon -- have come along for this new chapter in a vampire's life and, at least for the first episode, have brought their wit, style and keen sense of pop culture with them. [4 Oct 1999, p.1C]

It's a mesmerizing tale of legal maneuvering with the distinctive FX moral ambiguity and splendid performances by Close, Rose Byrne ("28 Weeks Later") as her protege and TV veteran Ted Danson as her latest courtroom adversary.

Yes, this is chilling stuff. And provocative. It makes you ponder just how precious freedom really is and what kind of sacrifices you would make to maintain it.

An emotionally powerful dramedy.

With the help of her stellar cast, creator Sharon Horgan (“Catastrophe”) manages to find plenty of humor in domestic turmoil.

It all adds up to a trip that's well worth taking.

Mirroring Hill's demeanor in those incendiary hearings, Washington is all grace under fire, delivering the graphic allegations in a calm, composed and measured manner while nailing every nuance.

From Spector's verbal bluster, to all the chatter about ballistics and forensics, it's a very talkie 90 minutes, occasionally punctuated by a haunting soundtrack. But the high-caliber performers, as well as Mamet's sparkling dialogue, keep things compelling.

A finely detailed exploration of high school life and small-city dynamics.

Much of its strength comes from a group of actors so skilled that, like the ensemble on "The Sopranos," they draw us into the lives of their characters even if we don't initially want to go there.

Some of the characters are so simplistically drawn that it's laughable. On the other hand, we love these characters so much and we're having such a jolly good time that we just can't resist Downton Abbey.

There will be those who will find true comic insight in the sharp comments and ugly little moments of truth. And there will be those who will flee "Curb Your Enthusiasm," seeking something just a bit less off-putting. [14 Oct 2000]

As good as some other cop shows are -- "The Shield," for example -- no other comes this close to a true-to-life portrayal of life on the mean streets. [29 May 2003]

As it turns out, Veep might be even more hilarious if it didn't hit so uncomfortably close to the truth.

Most TV shows, after all, quickly fade from memory. This one will haunt your dreams.

It is smart, challenging television that is respectful of its audience's minds and delves into a corner of our world where no series has gone before. [28 March 2000]