“Alien: Earth” is a lavish production – more so than any of the films in the canon – but just as claustrophobic and, easily, as memorable.

“Back to the Frontier” may not be as titillating as “Naked and Afraid,” but it’s one reality show that certainly shows what happens when the shine is off the rose. It’s a keeper.

Go into "The Bear" with the right mindset and you'll discover it's the best drama on television.

“Adults” is very adult and may take some time to warm to, particularly since it’s impossible to get a bead on Samir, Billie, Paul Baker, Issa and Anton.

If there’s a disappointment, it’s that Reubens doesn’t open up more about his feelings during the scandalous times. .... What “Pee-wee as Himself” does provide is a look at the building blocks that made the quirky character.

It's bursting with ideas initially but once it leans into to specifics it becomes the series you may just want to embrace. Barinholtz and Wonders are great support; O'Hara may well have found her new "Schitt's Creek." Rogen, though, needs a chill pill.

While “Gemstones” doesn’t bite the religious hand quite the way it did in previous seasons, it does conclude without a big sermon. Aimee-Leigh might have delivered the message in song. But the way Jesse, Judy and Kelvin do it is quite good – and just the farewell we need until they return with a big “Gemstones” movie.

Although she [Jennifer Coolidge] lit up two seasons of the quirky Mike White drama, she has a kindred spirit in Parker Posey, who takes the third season to her own offbeat heights. .... “The White Lotus,” season three, is a bit more lush than the previous two and stuffed with phrases you’ll be hearing for months to come.

While “The Pitt” hits familiar notes (overcrowding is still a problem; understaffing is a given), it benefits from the “24” approach to storytelling. After one episode, it’s impossible to leave the “day in the life.” Binging is a likely diagnosis.

“SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” is a fascinating dissection of the series’ later years. .... “More Cowbell” makes a little too much out of the sketch (particularly when there are others that deserve the micro-surgery) but it shows how that defining moment can be the difference between success and failure.

Better than “Goliath," “Landman” lets Thornton convey the emotions that color a “cigarettes and Dr Pepper” kind of guy. The role fits better than a well-worn pair of jeans and, like his trusty boots, never lets him down. He’s one of the best actors of the season in a show that could be one of the best of this or any year.

Leaning into the community (what are Oregon’s strengths, for example) and showing Joyce out in it, would give “St. Denis” the specificity it needs. It’s a fun half-hour. It just needs to uncover situations everyone can identify.

The new series has enough hallmarks of the old to please O.G. viewers and snag new ones. Key to much of the new fun is how exacting Thiele is at suggesting the younger Henrie. He’s a dead ringer for the dad and a fine comedian. Brown has hints of Gomez but she’s blazing her own trail, particularly since we’re not sure where she’s from or why she’s here.

The key to making this work (even though 10 episodes are more than plenty) is Josh Rivera as Hernandez.

“English Teacher” takes a while to heat up. But when you get to episode six of the new FX comedy, you’ll be hooked. There, Linda Harrison (Jenn Lyon) enters the picture and demonstrates what kind of challenges teachers face today. .... It’s a great addition to cable’s curriculum and a chance for the oh-so-talented Alvarez to show the breadth of his resume. But Jenn Lyon? She’s one to watch.

While it’s too early to determine where this is going (even they admit “we’ve been very lucky with people dying in our building”), it could unravel in interesting ways.

While “Hacks” isn’t as ruthless as it was in its infancy, it does have moments where Smart can bear her claws. .... When Deborah gets a guest spot, “Hacks” hits its apex and puts everyone on alert. It’s the season’s best episode and yet another reason Smart is the best female in a comedy series, hands-down.

While “Dinner with the Parents” doesn’t seem like it will last 10 years, it could surprise in ways we haven’t imagined. As long as the entrée is good, you can serve it every time guests come over.

Shephard (and others) muddy the waters with detail that isn’t necessary. Gladstone gets her own family disconnects and has a tie to Reena that makes the case important. But Godfrey’s approach doesn’t always emerge as acceptable. To fully understand what’s at play, “Under the Bridge” needed footnotes that didn’t require whole episodes of backstory.

While Patricia Highsmith’s novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and the film it spawned were engrossing, “Ripley” takes the skill to a different level. .... A technicolor Italy is certainly attractive, but a black-and-white one demands attention. Zaillian doesn’t waste the conceit. He gets high drama from crashing waves and a performance from Scott that embraces more than 50 shades of gray.

This “Feud” is like a phone tree, adding strength as it pushes out. Hollander knows how to get under Capote's skin. He just never makes him likable enough to justify the women’s attention even in the good days. Where “Feud” succeeds is in recreating the world they inhabited.

Very 1980s in his approach to storytelling. .... O’Malley has a bunch of balls in the air (we still can’t figure out why the washer/dryer combo is in the kitchen) and a nimble cast to juggle them. Spencer is the real surprise, able to volley jokes just as well as Faison and Cryer. The kids are pretty sharp, too.

Created by Noah Hawley, the new season is among the series’ best, using wild characters and round-about storytelling to pull you in. By the second episode, you will be hooked.

Because it looks at the selling of a superhero (come on, there’s even a class in branding), “Gen V” is pulling out a different rug than “The Boys.” Both are fairly subversive (and violent) but this one has an easier way in.

With a little elbow grease, some long hours and good support from Willis (who should have been in a series long before this) Moonlighting could well go into overtime. [01 Mar 1985, p.B13]

The loopy plotting may be hard to embrace initially, but it straightens out before the last few episodes and gives Aniston one of the best acting showcases in her career. .... When the third season gets to its oh-so-good last episode, you can see the grand contributions producers Mimi Leder and Charlotte Stoudt have been able to make.

There’s a fairy tale quality to a story that constantly twists and turns. Like Victor LaValle’s novel, it manages to touch on a number of issues and secrets. When it ties this story to other, classic books, “The Changeling” really shines. Stanfield, too, is the best man to play the game.

How Harjo will end the series is anyone’s guess. Easily, the town could continue on with other stories, other protagonists. The four friends, however, were the lure that brought us in. No doubt, their exit will be emotional. If there’s a lesson to be learned from the journey, it’s this: Great stories are everywhere. It just requires someone to give them light.

So “inside baseball,” the new season fits the stars better than previous outings. It hints at retracing steps, but the over-the-top production numbers make it more of an original than even “Schmigadoon.”

In addition to some of the stars of the original “High School Musical,” this year’s farewell brings back characters from three previous seasons. Much of the show’s fun is seeing how they work their way in.

That loopy quality is what makes “WWDITS” so fun. Just when you think it’s headed down a familiar path, it pivots and finds a new vein.

The series isn’t a fluke. It’s as good as we thought it was last year and, maybe, even a little bit better. When you see the fulcrum at home, you’ll understand what pokes “The Bear.” In a word, it’s phenomenal. And the series is, too. It proves “every second counts.”

Based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel, “ABC” expands his concept and uses its panels as storyboards for something much greater. It works.

It’s a funny special, but it’s also a brutally honest one.

The series may have been a dandy offering during the pandemic (if you didn’t binge it then, you should now), but it’s a good digestif for the world we’re in now.

The last season is stuffed – and remarkably so. It gives newcomers like Reid Scott and Jason Ralph a good foothold in the series and suggests there’s much more that could be mined. ... Season Five wasn’t just business as usual. “Marvelous” is only one word to describe it.

“Dave,” season three, is as raunchy as you remember but also a bit telling. As he makes his way around the country, look for his world view to change. Sometimes, the more you see, the less you know.

While the season takes time (and some close listening) to take off, it’s in play by episode two and ripe with possibilities for spin-off series, should “Ted Lasso” end its run after this season.

While Rauch was the one who got the laughs on “The Big Bang Theory,” she’s largely the set-up person here. ... Larroquette, however, isn’t just stunt casting. He delivers. ... De Beaufort and Talwalkar are largely window dressing in the opener but they become active participants as the series unfolds. ... Lacretta, though, has the ability to steal every scene she’s in.

“Will Trent” borrows plenty from the past (the Carpenters, for example) and dabbles in the present (the pronoun debate) before settling in a world so remote from Cabot Cove you couldn’t classify the series as similar. ... The series could erupt.

Caplan’s narration guides the journey and makes the trip rewarding. When she and Brody get a minute to size up their friend, “Fleishman” does more to capture the value of friendship than any number of episodes of “Friends.”

Director Jason Winer gets the series off to a fun start, bringing Allen back to his old ways. But he also finds a way to make the former Scott Calvin look a little hip. (A Santa with abs? It’s possible.) He also fleshes out the workshop and finds enough ways to lampoon tradition without appearing ungrateful. ... The latest iteration may not be as snarky as earlier ones, but there's plenty of fun to ensure this isn't going to be a "lump of coal" year.

The opening episode has plenty of what fans love most – revenge, romance and remorse. ... Even though there’s plenty of “Dallas” maneuvering, you can see why the Paramount Network series is so popular. These characters don’t really care what others think. They press on and leave plenty in their wake.

As easily digested as gelato, this season has action that hinges on those two young women (Beatrice Granno and Simona Tabasco) making visitors feel welcome. That means the stakes are high and the room service bills even higher. Coolidge continues her winning ways (Emmy No. 2? It’s possible) and DiMarco has just enough innocence to make you wonder what his future will be. “The White Lotus” still ranks among television’s best.

While “Tell Me Lies” isn’t as complex as “Normal People,” a fascinating look at similar changes, it does hold interest, particularly since all of the students have plenty of time to dabble in things that don’t require a paper at the end of the term.

It’s mainstream fantasy, blessed with sumptuous costumes, compelling settings and those “Avatar”-like swooping dragons. Dragons, in fact, turn up just when the plot needs them most. When the house seems like it’s going to fall, they’re there to shore it up. ... It’s good; it still has time to be great.

“She-Hulk,” in fact, is probably the most network-like series Marvel has produced. It goes for the quick laughs, embraces a cavalcade of bizarre guest stars and lets Maslany play both sides of her Priscilla Presley hairdo.

This “League” is like someone took the original concept and found a new playbook. It works, but it’s also more adult than you could imagine. ... Because there are so many players to consider, they’re often reduced to their personality traits or positions. They all get playing time. Some, however, are more prominent than others.

Sure, it’s billed as a comedy but there are so many touching moments it could easily top the shows that are billed as dramas. ... You’ll also see why there are many rites of passage in a teenager’s life. Some come with guidance; others require a little on-the-job experience. All should be preserved as beautifully as these.

What surprises are the women who populate “Uncoupled.” Tisha Campbell – as a fellow real estate agent – is a gem, commenting better than Kim Cattrall at a martini party. ... Harris is too strong to play the pitiable bachelor. ([Tuc] Watkins would be a better choice). ... In the sixth episode, Harris finds a groove that’s better fitted for long-term success. It leans into the Campbell/Harden/Harris triangle and actually brings laughs.

“HSM:TM:TS” has great adult appeal. It also boasts a lot of solo numbers, presumably because COVID concerns limited the number of big song-and-dance routines. Bassett, one of the best in a very excellent bunch, gets a rousing “breaking free” anthem that he sings. ... It isn’t a huge twist on the summer formula, but it does have enough variety to suggest this season could produce a couple more breakout stars.

What gets lost, though, is the camaraderie of the dissidents. It’s still around, but so much time is spent showing Homelander railing at everyone, it doesn’t give them their due – at least not in the early episodes. ... But the beauty of “The Boys” is you just never know where it’s headed.

While “Hacks” will definitely be in the hunt for more Emmys (it won for Smart and its writing and directing), look for Metcalf to join their ranks. The second season’s third episode is about as good as these things get.

It's an unabashed, out-there, boldface teen drama that makes the stuff in Washington look like "The Wonder Years." [30 Jan 1998, p.C1]

Enjoy hearing the pitch. Bayer sells it with gusto. Shannon embraces it with heart. And Lewis kills it will excellence. Just when you thought you didn’t need another addictive series, “I Love That For You” steps in and tells you supplies are limited.

Clever asides here and there suggest this is a more PBS version of the romance novel; scant bedroom scenes confirm it. Season Two gets its heat from Anthony’s no-nonsense way of going about his matrimonial business. ... Bailey plays this oh-so-smoothly and raises the bar on “Bridgerton’s” elegance.

That’s the thrust of the fourth season – people making bold moves. After two years of life without the Maisels it’s a welcome change.

Filled with outrageous supporting characters and a quirkiness that befits the subjects, “Pam & Tommy” thrives on the performances of its two leads.

Family Ties is the heir apparent to All in the Family. Equally relevant, it captures '80s home life better than anything else on television. [24 Sep 1982, p.B3]

Fun to watch. ... Even though it goes too far with its secret rooms and hostage situations, it makes you want others to be kept in the dark. “You” started with a bang and, thankfully, it’s still firing solid kill shots.

While the first two episodes of season two are too enamored with getting players in place (particularly since season one ended with a house cleaning), “The Morning Show” does pick up steam and gets everything from the Iowa Caucuses to a visit to Wuhan in the picture. ... Crudup, though, is the heart of this world. As corrupt as he may be, he’s worth following.

A series that scores inning after inning. “What We Do in the Shadows” is a clear comedy league leader.

Harjo and Waititi take their time painting the picture. They introduce outsiders (who stereotype residents) and give us a strong sense of what it’s like on the inside. ... “Reservation Dogs” is the comedy you never expected but may just need. It’s powerful dive into a world that’s oh-so deep.

Directed by Brian Volk-Weiss, the often irreverent documentary moves as quickly as a roller coaster and excites twice as much.

Sudeikis continues to inspire in untenable situations. Season Two throws out plenty of them and lets the fish out of water swim more than sink. A big chunk of the supporting cast earned Emmy nominations and it’s easy to see why – particularly when they’re made the focus of entire episodes.

White uses sly humor throughout the series and gets his best results from Bartlett, who unravels in unusual ways. He captures the manager’s approach beautifully and has plenty of fun getting even.

Thanks to some inspired choreography by Christopher Gattelli, “Schmigadoon!” is as excitable as its exclamation point and just as worthy.

More confident than the first season, this “Dave” shows a side of the fictional Burd that’s more believable. ... While “Dave” embraces too many guest stars, it doesn’t shortchange GaTa (the show’s stealth weapon) or Burd. Burd, in fact, is a much better actor this time out. ... “Dave” really soars on the backs of its unexpected stars.

“Hacks” is her [Jean Smart's] master class – a series that showcases just how much she can add to anyone’s work. ... “Hacks” nicely fills the void left by “VEEP.” It, too, is acerbic and on point. ... While “Hacks” may be a harsh title for something this deliciously good, it captures the price some are willing to pay for celebrity.

When Federle brings in the North High cast (also competing for the big “Menkie” award for school productions), “HSMTMTS” becomes much more complex than any of its predecessors. ... “HSMTMTS” may have the longest title of any series on television, but it earns each of its consonants.

Running seven hours, “Mare of Easttown” often exchanges action for atmosphere. A few more cases could have pushed this along, but it does engage. Winslet never falters, making “Easttown” seem like the place she was born, raised and disappointed. Peters and Smart are great sparring partners but Mare is the deserving main attraction. Winslet is the reason.

“TF&TWS” feels right now, even though it was originally scheduled to come before “WandaVision.” After that ground-breaking series cleansed the palate, it’s good to have something this lavish popping on home screens. Mackie and Stan deserve the attention. We saw that in earlier films when they got to banter. Now, they’re in the drivers’ seats.

Easily one of the best new shows in years, “WandaVision” accomplishes the impossible: it pulls us back in just when we thought we were out.

While “On Pointe” forgets some characters from episode to episode, it details the shared experience nicely. Ballet is not easy, we learn.

Intriguing and thought-provoking, “Your Honor” should get families to consider how far they’d go to protect a loved one.

Anderson, a favorite in British theater, shows American audiences yet another nuanced take that manages to nudge even Colman’s performance. ... While Corrin doesn’t make a deep impression until the third episode, she gives Diana a strength we haven’t seen before.

While Adams and McDorman dominate, they’re not the only ones to watch. The other five get their moments; their families do, too.

Because it antes in so many pots, this “Fargo” is like a thick novel – frequently unwieldy. Schwartzman and Buckley get lost (just when you need them the most); Timothy Olyphant and Jack Huston show up as lawmen when you’re not quite ready for them.

“Coastal Elites” is a powerful 90 minutes with five actors who know how to make each moment count. You may not agree with the political points some espouse, but you will respect the heart that’s behind them.

While the first season surprised with behind-the-scenes talk (and action) among the superheroes, it didn’t have the depth this one does.

“Lovecraft Country,” which tips its hat to the novels of H.P. Lovecraft, has the gloss of a Steven Spielberg summer blockbuster. It also has Spielberg’s way of tucking messages in places you wouldn’t expect.

Winters hits the bases but doesn’t necessarily come all the way home. In “Showbiz Kids” there are enough storylines to fill a stadium.

This is a dandy companion piece – for hardcore fans. The idea that Disney would do similar documentaries on other animated features is overkill. Sometimes there’s more magic in not knowing how the sausage is made.

Spread over eight episodes, this “Perry Mason” deserves the time you give it. It lets supporting characters have their moments and it gives Rhys yet another opportunity to display just how fertile his imagination is. If there’s a second season – and that’s quite likely – it’d be nice to see cases closed after two or three episodes.

It’s likely this could have a good long run, particularly since Scott is so smart and approachable and Reynolds is so deliciously low. ... It’s easily one of those shows that could go the distance. It’s far better than some of the network’s retreads and it’s much more interesting with the producer’s well-written asides. This “Don’t” is a big do.

While none of the jokes land with the same precision as "Veep's", they do play in the same pool. If Kudrow had been given more screen time, she just might have made this zing as well as "The Comeback."

A simple check of Google could tell you how this all turns out but it’s fascinating to see how McNamara bends the narrative to fit the message.

The two [Applegate and Cardellini] are great together even when “Dead to Me” doesn’t give them the scenes they deserve. Because they’re so linked, the second season episodes should be binged. Alone, they lack context; together, they’re like a tray of appetizers – easy to slide down.

It’s sexy, sizzling and silly, all at one time.

In light of “The Good Place,” “Upload” seems light on humor and connections we can embrace. Amell and Allo are good partners. They’re just caught in a situation that’s too raw for viewers who now are in the middle of a pandemic.

“Defending Jacob” is fairly straightforward. It has a murder. It has a suspect. It has a trial. And then it starts sprinkling in reasonable doubt. If there’s a greater lesson to be learned, we missed it. ... Thanks to a great score and lingering cinematography, “Defending Jacob” is good. It just seems supersized to justify a film star showing up on television.

While Blanchett waltzes through the miniseries like Eleanor Parker, she doesn’t quite get the hardscrabble woman who tilted at the ERA windmill. She’s too patrician for those of us who remember her. ... Martindale and Ullman have done their homework, but it’s Elizabeth Banks as Jill Ruckelshaus and Byrne who impress. They capture the movement’s urgency and help us understand their place in it. ... “Mrs. America” might have benefitted from an additional episode to explain how many of [Schlafly's] disciples went on to win seats in the House and the Senate.

Running just seven episodes, “Run” makes a strong case for short-term series. Stopping when it should, not when producers think it can’t be squeezed anymore, the half-hour series rarely lags, even when some twists seem forced. Waller-Bridge created the template for something like this. Now, Jones borrows the playbook and two extremely talented actors make it worth the risk.

The deck is stacked against the fledgling money launderers. How they maneuver around their detractors is still “Ozark’s” biggest strength. Couple that with the one-two punch of Linney and Pelphrey, and this is a compelling season worth binging.

The Netflix documentary is so horrifically addicting you’ll be like a cat at feeding time. Never mind some of the seven-part series’ editing or focus. The production pulls you in because the characters are so unabashedly brazen. They don’t just talk about their hatred. They openly demonstrate it, helping you understand a layer of society you never knew existed.

While this “One Day at a Time” isn’t as revolutionary as Lear’s early offerings (“All in the Family” is still the gold standard), it does move the needle on a number of issues. It also shows fans know better than executives.

Witherspoon, who practically owns the franchise on uptight white women, gives this one an even bigger nudge. At times, “Little Fires” looks like a Marc Cherry potboiler. Washington, meanwhile, reacts like she’s in something more significant. That pull adds to the story’s allure and pushes our sympathies to others. ... “Little Fires Everywhere” doesn’t have the heft of “Pretty Little Lies,” but it should spark discussions about privilege, race and expectations.

The laughs aren’t as rapid-fire as they were in “Veep,” but they are plentiful. Gad perfects that smarmy billionaire; Suzy Nakamura is ideal as his common law assistant. ... Laurie is ideal at the helm – even when the story seems like it’s rudderless. He plays captain in a way you wouldn’t think and handles disaster like Jean-Luc Picard never would. Make it so? “Avenue 5” does.