The Lincoln Journal Star's Scores

  • TV
For 188 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 79% higher than the average critic
  • 2% same as the average critic
  • 19% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 6.9 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average TV Show review score: 74
Highest review score: 100 The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee
Lowest review score: 16 Secrets and Lies: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Mixed: 0 out of 138
  2. Negative: 0 out of 138
138 tv reviews
  1. You expect Fargo to be dark, funny and quirky. But, darn it, if it doesn’t pull at the heartstrings, too.
  2. Each episode brings a sense of foreboding, making viewing sometimes uncomfortable. And Moss, well, she captivates as the heroine with the odds stacked against her. This one is must-see television.
  3. There are times when the dialogue is rough and doesn’t flow quite right, but not enough to overshadow the humor. Ansari has a gem of a show here.
  4. The wide-eyed Ahmed is perfect as the naive young man who can’t seem to make a right decision. That is until he agrees to let Turturro’s Jack Stone help him. And Turturro hits the right notes as the cynical attorney who has his work cut out for him.
  5. Atlanta is deep, even a tad dark, and refreshingly different from the screwball wackiness of “Community.”
  6. The performances, especially Gooding’s and Travolta’s, are over the top, but, heck, so were the real-life events. Gooding and Travolta show just how sensational the whole thing was. The trial captured a nation’s imagination, and, more than 20 years later, it still does.
  7. It’s stark, harsh and sometimes difficult to watch. It’s also some of the best-made television, dramatizing real-life issues that are as eye-opening as a slap across the face.
  8. McGregor’s portrayals, especially when the brothers share the screen, are astonishing, reminding me of Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany’s multiple-role performances in “Orphan Black.” Winstead and Coon are noteworthy, too.
  9. The drama is quite riveting.
  10. The pilot is a trip, with Thornton’s character leaving four bodies in his wake--three of whom he dispatched himself. Each meets his end in an unusual, dramatic and somewhat humorous fashion. It’s just the kind of thing you’d expect from a Coen brothers' product.
  11. These episodes will stick with you long after watching them.
  12. National Treasure is an uncomfortable, but compelling watch.
  13. While the first episode lacks development of any of the characters outside of Kunta Kinte, a young man taken from Africa and sold into slavery in the United States, it still resonates. It’s a story that needs to be told again.
  14. The third season picks up right where the the other two left off, with more suspenseful tales “exploring themes of contemporary techno paranoia.”
  15. The series is visually arresting, with brightly colored clothes that seem to have come right out of closets from the 1970s. It adds to the series’ trippiness. Legion is not mainstream like Stevens’ “Downton Abbey,” most likely catering to sci fi and comic book fans instead.
  16. While Geere and Cash are razor sharp, the supporting cast are just as entertaining, if not more so.
  17. This is just pure camp. This is what Murphy does best. Get out the popcorn.
  18. A thoroughly entertaining early summer revelation.
  19. The draw here is watching how unraveling the mystery results in Dory finding herself and taking charge of her life. She just needed a little prompting.
  20. I wanted more about Bradlee and Graham’s relationship, but that’s my only real complaint. The documentary opened up other windows into the fabled man for me.
  21. Aldon is a hoot. Her character Sam is rough around the edges, which makes her extremely relatable. The series hits its stride in episode two when Sam speaks at her middle daughter’s school about female empowerment.
  22. The main storyline involves a nefarious crime lord, played by Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, whose gang, The 100, is terrifying the city, but it's Black Lightning’s journey into social issues--the character quotes Martin Luther King Jr. at one point in the premiere--that separates him from the rest of the superhero pack.
  23. These shows are character studies. They are methodical and well-orchestrated. Both are a joy to watch and savor.
  24. Just as Gilligan routinely did with “Breaking Bad,” the first episode ends with a cliffhanger of sorts, and another pleasant surprise. It’ll make you wish 9 p.m. Monday comes quickly.
  25. This is the best new show of the summer.
  26. UnREAL is way over-the-top and trashy, but in an entertaining way.
  27. Viewers unfamiliar with Gaiman’s novel may have trouble following the TV series. The story contains lots of sides and flashbacks. But stick with it. The payoff is there. This is Starz’s most ambitious and satisfying offering yet.
  28. This is one you will want to binge-watch. It’s a thrill ride from the onset.
  29. The series is fun, scary and a perfect tribute to the era, including the spot-on hairdos and clothes.
  30. Pulling it all together is the cast. Cooper is fierce and weathered, Negga is spunky smart and Gilgun is just a joy to watch and hear, with that thick Irish accent of his.

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