Smulders would have been a great lead in one of Steven Bochco’s series. Here, she has to provide that vibe with lesser scripts.

Astronaut Wives moves as fast as a beach novel, covers more territory than a history book. But it’s history channeled through a distinct lens. The first episode was slow to launch, but the series could take off once we figure out who’s McSteamy and who’s McDreamy.

All very simple, “Leanne’ puts into play what Morgan describes on stage. The anecdotes wear well with others sharing the comedy but, too often, the star is left to reflect others’ glory.

First Day of Camp’s success depends on your love for the original film and your willingness to sit through some comedic dry spells before you hit a gusher. It isn’t Old Faithful. It’s just a chance to rekindle old times.

While Grammer slips into the role like its an expensive pair of loafers, he’s surrounded by a closet full of sneakers. They’ll need some breaking in.

“The Thing About Pam” is entertaining. Zellweger, Duhamel and Judy Greer (as the Lincoln County prosecutor) land their laughs and make you wonder how stuff like this happens. ... But it takes on a different feel when you see Betsy’s children and husband caught up in the big gulp world of Pam Hupp. While your eyes widen, your heart also sinks.

The variety--particularly if you watch them consecutively--shines through. Because it’s such a confined space, directors like Smith have to focus on the acting. The episodes are like little workshops. ... It's like any motel--hit and miss.

Director Kimmy Gatewood makes sure the first episodes have force and takes full advantage of the spackling Martindale can do. Fewer bromides might make this a better series but it takes the Hallmark model and turns it ever so slightly so newcomers can find a handle. Like “Desperate Housewives,” “Chicken Sisters” delights in its ability to shock and thaw.

It's a hit-and-miss proposition that works every time Kerri Kenney-Silver is on screen.

"Etoile" (which means "star" in French) wants to be more high-brow than it should. The dances are beautiful, but the characters shouldn't have to walk in others' toe shoes. We've seen the petulance, the bickering, the histrionics before. .... And the cast? It's too large for something that's already unwieldy. Eliminating the side stories (did we need Jack's sister in this?) could put the focus where it needs to be: creating art in a bankrupt society.

Straley, Holmes and Scott bear watching. But Feig and Bicks might want to make some changes before rolling out the welcome mat. In “Welcome to Flatch,” it’s often difficult to focus.

Cute, initially, the bull-in-a-china-shop premise wears a little thin until you realize there are others in the family capable of embarrassing dad, too.

Rather than produce a compelling documentary, they felt the need to insert themselves in a story that didn't require it.

Moments in the first episode suggest Defiance could be filled with the kind of minutiae "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" fans love. But its plot is so thin it could float away.

Part Greek tragedy, part “Silence of the Lambs” offspring, The Following has an intriguing premise that almost rises above its layered plotting.

Frequently, the mixed signals cross and Rogue seems unhinged. Stick with it, though, and you'll be rewarded with some nice moments that justify an unwieldy script.

Because this series doesn't tell us anything about the character we didn't know (a Mr. G spinoff might have been much better), it's often like spending time in purgatory. The laughs are there. Ja'mie's just not easy to take.

While parts of this are too broad, it’s crafted in such a way it can’t be ignored. Just when you think you’re ready to move away, Henson pulls you back in and Empire becomes the new song you can’t get out of your head.

The sharpness of Season One gives way to the moodiness of Season Two. And, thus far (three episodes were made available), it’s hard to get a bead on where this is headed.

Rise isn’t as heartbreaking as “Friday Night Lights” or as complex as “Parenthood” but it’s in an embryonic stage and has the potential to become the next big must-see entry on NBC’s schedule. Gillespie and Cravalho hold our interest, but it’s Perez who bears watching.

Once director Vanessa Caswill boils away the innocence, Little Women becomes a more substantial drama. ... While the four roles could have been played by stronger actresses, they’re fairly well-matched. Watson and Lansbury are left to carry the subtlety. Both do it well, making us long for “Older Women,” a version that views the high-strung March girls from another perspective.

It has to discharge a few clichés and run the brotherhood thing through a few more paces. But the pilot shows there’s worth and, yes, maybe even a pat on the head.

While “Mid-Century Modern” has plenty of laughs (and takes you away from contemporary troubles), there’s something a bit off with a series this specific. Finding that relevance (as “Will & Grace” did) may take time, even if that clock is barely ticking.

Many of the opening episodes blend, particularly when the cases hover in the same ball park. When it strays, we learn a bit more about the relationships established before Warren stepped in. That interests. The cases? Not so much.

In the second season of The Newsroom, much of the posturing and preaching has given way to storytelling--a good thing. The bad? There's still way too much attention placed on the importance of the jobs being done in a cable newsroom.

Far more formulaic than you’d expect from Executive Producer Ryan Murphy, 9-1-1 sparks to life when it’s dealing with the oddest cases.

While Brunson has the format for a good series, she doesn’t have all the elements. Sometimes, the comedy is forced. ... This is a start but it's like Brunson's character -- a little naive. To be the show we need, "Abbott Elementary" needs to do more than dance around the obvious.

In comparison to [FX's Trust], “Succession” doesn’t hold up. It doesn’t have the same production values or theatricality. This is “Dynasty” without the costumes, “Arrested Development” without the overt comedy.