Sioux City Journal's Scores

  • TV
For 342 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 58% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 38% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 4.5 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average TV Show review score: 72
Highest review score: 100 The Bear: Season 4
Lowest review score: 25 Almost Family: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Mixed: 0 out of 243
  2. Negative: 0 out of 243
243 tv reviews
  1. When it achieves its loftier goals, it’s usually quiet. Hunnam, in fact, is best when he doesn’t speak. He can convey plenty with looks, simple gestures. Katey Sagal is potent, too, as Jax’s mom and the queen of the SOA.
  2. “The Righteous Gemstones” clicks along for a couple of episodes, then hits high gear when Walton Goggins shows up as Baby Billy Freeman, Eli’s late wife’s brother. ... Tossing him – a propane tank of emotions – into a volatile mix like this enhances what already was a comic firestorm.
  3. “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.
  4. It’s looser--and smarter--and it could just make believers out of those who never joined the conversation in the first place.
  5. Like life, it unfolds in quirky ways. Knowing Dunham, its ending will leave questions: Will we get to see what great work comes from her character's experiences? Easily, this could be the "Go Set a Watchman" for something more.
  6. It’s a magnetic production, one that’s filled with precious performances that sparkle.
  7. The joy, though, is listening to Roberts’ Chanel Oberlin bark at her minions and security officer Denise Hemphill (a brilliant Niecy Nash) savor the show’s writing. They’re funny in a fresh, interesting way that fits nicely with Murphy’s social commentary.
  8. Fey and Carlock constantly keep audience members on their toes, thrusting ideas that sound so wacky they’d never work. And yet they do.
  9. If you’ve never seen Casual, start from the beginning, don’t jump into next week’s conclusion. Alex’s arrested development doesn’t make sense without the fun he derives in the first season. Similarly, Laura seems cold at the start of the fourth season, not the product of an environment. Streaming from the beginning (and, really, there aren’t that many episodes) will give you an appreciation for what the creative team has accomplished.
  10. Aptly named, Genius is kinetic.
  11. It’s sexy, sizzling and silly, all at one time.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. It recalls some of the better standup specials of the past decade. It hits on those R-rated topics she’s good at addressing and it lets her weigh in on the problems women face in Hollywood.
  17. Silicon Valley is good. But “Silicon Valley 2.0” is going to be even better.
  18. Like “A Different World,” the “Cosby Show” spin-off, “grown-ish” moves to its own beat. While it, too, tries to be socially conscious, it doesn’t force its message.
  19. “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.
  20. Directed by David Semel, the first episode (now available on Amazon) sets a visual tone that immediately sets this apart from other thrillers.... By the second episode, you’ll want to know who’s really good and who’s bad and how the latter will meet their untimely deaths.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. The Deuce isn’t an easy watch, but it is a telling one. By the time the hairstyles and polyester settle down, it’s ready to explain how the industry took hold, what elements were at play and, essentially, who is teaching syllogisms and who’s crafting them.
  24. “Cheer” isn’t so much a new take on an old story as it is proof there’s drama wherever two or more gather. It’s an addicting reality show that will make you think twice the next time you see someone accomplish something amazing.
  25. Sweet, in a “Mike & Molly” way.
  26. Watch those supporting actors. They’re Tony winners and highly skilled.
  27. The retro feel of ABC comedies is wearing thin; the kids, though, are cute.
  28. Considering he [Walton Goggins] has played some of the most offbeat characters on TV, this is a switch and, at times, a heartwarming journey.
  29. “Harts” lets you have a helping of the lifestyle you loved in “King of the Hill.”
  30. 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]
    • Sioux City Journal

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