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

Season 3 gets off to a fine and frothy start.

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

Told with style and assurance, this "Roots" revival is packed with credible performances, including Anika Noni Rose's terrific portrayal of Kunta's daughter, Kizzy in her older years, and Rege-Jean Page's charismatic turn as her son, Chicken George.

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]

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]

Whereas most entries in the musty genre are simply inclined to go for cheap shrieks and lofty body counts, this saga defies expectations with a more humanistic approach.

The show is at its best when the confrontational tension among the humans is palpable.

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

"Extras'' doesn't quite rise to the same level [as "The Office"], but it is very funny and Gervais plays another memorable character

It is a great performance [by Mirren], strong enough that it overcomes the flaws of "Elizabeth I."

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]

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]

To be sure, the show is like any other crime drama in that it contains darkness and violence--some of it erupting in unexpected ways. But there are enough new wrinkles here to make anyone who takes a chance on it feel thoroughly justified.

What Deadwood becomes within its first four episodes is a complex, neo-Shakespearean take on social and institutional corruption, racism, environmental barbarism, and the nature of good and evil. It not only provides a different view of how the West was won but also muses on how the taming of the frontier mirrors modern times. [21 Mar 2004, p.3E]

A pretty lively and entertaining show, maybe the fledgling WB network's first real shot at a breakaway hit. [10 Mar 1997, p.10E]

Torchwood-- the "Doctor Who" spinoff that was a breakout sci-fi hit last year--is back Saturday with new episodes that are as smart, sassy and sexy as ever.

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

What ensues is a dizzying, turbocharged confrontation designed to keep your nerves in a vise (or your stomach in knots). Of course, it's all punctuated with the violent reverie of an all-out zombie splat-fest. So, basically, it's The Walking Dead on crank.

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

Superb. [17 Sep 1994]

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 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]

At least early on, Nip/Tuck manages to hit the right notes and reclaim a spot as one of television's most watchable and entertaining series.

Initially, these and other fresh characters make Season 3 feel overcrowded--and we pity any new fan trying to make sense of it all. But by the middle of the second episode, the show begins to gain traction and sucks you in with its new set of tantalizing mysteries.

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

But the feeling here is that Simon may have dipped into his Baltimore crime well one too many times. Tonight's pilot episode, while intriguing in spots, is hampered by a convoluted tangle of multiple plot threads and numerous characters, most of whom seem to have no interesting wrinkles. Worse yet, the story moves at an annoyingly sluggish pace. [1 June 2002, p.4]

At its very best, '24' creates an almost tactile sense of tension that no show can match. From one harrowing moment to the next, your pulse races and your skin prickles with apprehension. On the other hand, the show's gimmicky structure forces its writers to keep the plates perpetually spinning, and they often aren't up to the task. [5 Jan 2005]