A promising start of what could well find John Creasy (Abdul-Mateen) reprising his role as the PTSDing loner.

Sometimes it goes a little overboard with its aesthetics. So be it. Director Marc Munden’s hour-long episodes do become more disturbing (just like the book) and he draws impressive performances from a young cast.

“Half Man,” as you probably can guess, is a bit of an endurance test. But it has a storytelling mightiness and an acting fury you can’t deny or ignore. It wrings you out, and leaves you in awe of all involved.

“Beef Season 2” will invariably be compared to Season 1, and while it’s not quite there it’s in the same neighborhood.

One of Apple TV’s best series of the year.

Each episode runs less than 25 minutes and is instantly bingeable. It’s a well-made entry, better than some of the live-action films.

The writing, casting and acting add up to a show that is so good you’ll be inclined to give it multiple viewings. There’s no word yet on Netflix ordering a follow-up season; let’s hope that happens.

It’s a lot to stuff into one series and sometimes “The Audacity” does suffer from trying to do too much. But what it does accomplish is to deliver a solid right hook to the tech world and that hit proves to be acerbic, relevant and unbelievably on target, as are the performances from Magnussen and Goldberg.

Nesbø realizes the importance of showing all the shading of a character he obviously feels strongly for, and that comes through in the poignant scenes between Harry and his lover’s (Pia Tjelta) son Oleg (Maxime Baune Bochud) who feels a strong connection to Harry. It is those decisions that elevate this series above traditional mystery fare and makes us hope that this team will reunite to adapt more of Nesbø’s addictive novels.

Riz Ahmed’s maverick Prime series oscillates from boldness to hilarity — sometimes in the same instance — throughout all six of its under-25-minute episodes. It’s that potent balance that makes it one of the smartest and best streaming shows you’ll watch this year.

What makes season 2 stand out is that showrunner Dario Scardapane’s hard-boiled superhero thriller refuses to pluck at the same dramatics notes strummed in season 1. Instead it arrives, to a story destination that challenges and upends expectations while showing how revenge can have its limits.

She [showrunner/executive producer Haley Z. Boston] makes the anxiety-ridden upcoming nuptials of the doubting Rachel (Camila Morrone) and the devoted Nicky (Adam DiMarco) one of the most malevolent and surreal events of the streaming season.

Creator Annie Weisman does know how to keep the pot boiling, but the material, based on a novel, seems obvious and struggles to figure out what it wants to accomplish.

This is an extra-busy series that hopscotches too often. Carrel and company are all stellar and worth crowing about but plucking out a few side stories might well make this a smoother, more tonally consistent show.

As you probably guessed, “Sunny Nights” switches from chuckles to beatings (a waterboarding scene goes on much too long) and even bloody deaths. The disparate parts create a gumbo filled with so many ingredients that it keeps us surprised and discombobulated.

“Vladimir” works because it is indeed funny and sexy but also because it has fully developed, complicated characters — the too-smart-for-their-own-good sort that are having a hell of a time sorting out their lives.

While it fails to approach the same comedy and writing heights of those aforementioned series [“Only Murders in the Building” and “Schitt’s Creek”], creators Michael Hoffman and Bob Bob Martin’s champagne-bubbly sendup of the stage world earns positive notices mostly due to its cast.

This is a grand adventure and cracking good mystery awash with gaslighting, brawls, murders, red herrings and a secret society. Better yet, it provides a better understanding of how the past and Sherlock’s dysfunctional parents (played by Natasha McElhone and Joseph Fiennes — Hero’s actual uncle) and his ardently disappointed brother Mycroft (Max Irons) ushered in Sherlock’s anxiety and neuroses.

As far as guilty pleasures go, Prime Video’s cockamamie but sexy mystery series serves its purpose. So good on that. But be ready to titter away at its unbelievable twists and turns. They’re ridiculous but fun.

Who’s responsible for the buried body of a drag queen decomposing in the basement of a rundown Victorian in Louisville, Kentucky? That question keeps you watching this compelling two-episode, true crime series directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

Sometimes veers toward the overstated and melodramatic. .... “Love Story” is best at showing how damaging and merciless the scrutiny can get for the rich and famous and those thrown into it all without a life vest.

It’s a better and more cohesive series than Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and slams home a harsh point — that we are all to blame when it comes to worshipping beauty.

The first four episodes sew with the same pattern, and while that’s comforting, the seams are starting to fray.

The ones who makes this all work are the two leads. Kingsley is a natural-born showman and channels legendary thespian vibes with every line he delivers, while Abdul-Matten II makes you feel the neuroses rooted in the psyche of his trying-too-hard character, who feels like an imposter.

Their back-and-forth gives the series the pluck it lacks elsewhere. Should there should be a second season of “Seven Dials, it would be best to dial up more of that Bundle-Battle repartee and formulate a better, more convincing mystery that’s not overly reliant on coincidences and preposterous.

The eventual big reveal leaves you with more questions than answers. No matter, this is a tightly wound, decent financial thriller worth a binge. It’s made all the more suspenseful for its lead characters’ honest and realistic antics.

The violent series once again is breathlessly plotted, and the production details all but make you smell the stench of the mangy streets.

Like its predecessor, “Hijack” is a fun escapist thrill-ride, though it does go off the rails and sticks too closely to the same playbook as Season 1 — trading air passengers for Berlin train commuters.

Any mother with a newborn will feel like they’ve stepped into their worst nightmare when watching this well-done Paramount+ six part series based on Sarah Vaughan’s novel.

The half-hour musical comedy has been favorably compared to “Schitt’s Creek” and “Glee.” Those are apt comparisons for this warm-hearted confection.

Anderson and Headey give it their full commitment but their characters are painfully one note.

It’s one of the most effective and affecting series I’ve experienced in some time, and is a creative triumph for all involved.

Season 2 rebounds and embraces its kitschy self and is all the better for it. Burnett finally gets her chance to shine (and speak — first season she was mum).

An extra-cozy mystery series that once again begs for another season.

This six-episode series, while being essentially indistinguishable from so many others of its ilk, goes above its own pay grade when Jamie (Duchovny) starts smelling a rat likely living in his posh London digs now. That’s when the series kicks into high gear and the hunt turns deadly, if predictable.

This is a cerebral thriller of the highest order, and that’s reflected in the writing, acting — Danes, Rhys and Snow are all deserving of accolades — and the direction.

Director Jessica Palud loosens up the buttons on this whole affair and never lets things lag in creator Jean-Baptiste Delafon’s bad people behaving badly period piece with a take-command performance from Vartolomei.

These rich folk are hiding scandalous secrets – some that don’t make much sense upon closer inspection. That illogic is part of the guilty fun of “All Her Fault,” which provides a decent enough diversion along the lines of Netflix’s equally star-studded bit of domestic thriller ridiculousness “The Perfect Couple.”

“Death By Lightning” rousingly entertains and enlightens in equal measures while giving a talented cast some colorful real-life figures to portray while handing them extra-tart dialogue to chew on. It’s one of Netflix’s better series this year.

But it is the luminescent performance from Reinhart as the binding agent that calms Hal’s boyish ways that sticks with you the most.

The cast is good but it’s the shock-a-minute story that makes this hard to shake off.

It’s ghoulish fun to see it all play out, but “Welcome to Derry’s” ambition sometimes outstrips its execution. The special effects can look corny and the story overloads us with too many characters. But each are given King-sized personalities.

“Boots” improves as it goes along and the plot veers into the odyssey of closeted servicemen who have to hide their love and live in fear of being revealed.

Miller is an expert interviewer and has given cinephiles a real gift as a candid Scorsese talks about his battles with drugs and his connection to faith.

Macmanus expertly weaves in how Gacy was brought to justice and highlights both the dogged determination of those involved with the law — detective Rafael Tover (Gabriel Luna) and prosecutor Bill Kunkle (Chris Sullivan) — as well as how the system failed to stop Gacy before. It adds depth and context, but it is the overwhelming sadness over how Gacy robbed these boys and young men of their futures that hits the hardest.

“Murder Before Evensong” has just enough edge — including a zinger of a finale — to keep us hooked.

True to Knight’s style, it boasts tremendous production values, and is energetic, racy and above all else irresistible.

“Hotel Costeira” balances the beauty of the Amalfi Coast with often humorous but compelling plots and subplots — a dreamy mix indeed.

Even though it is overstuffed, it consistently and intelligently weighs in on hot-button issues and avoids traditional black-and-white commenting or resolutions. .... Overall the show bristles with sharp writing and acting; Aniston anchors the entire production and gives a career-high performance this season.

Like “Mare,” it’s a polished act — from the directing and writing to the career-high performances from a perfectly selected cast.

“Girlfriend” is hardly high art, but it is an outright gas.

The result is a compelling if not overly deep expose on a series that has run its course, thankfully for the health and well being of all.

“Butterfly” interjects a wee bit of dark humor that works and features some risky moves in its final episode. If it embraces that dark side more, it would give the series more edge and would give it more kick. As is, it’s a middling watch with a good performance from Kim.

Some of the bits don’t fly, such as a character being afflicted with “bird blindness,” a joke that makes a big thud. But getting to hang out with these bad boys and girls as well as one of our favorite sidekicks, the American eagle, Eagly — who faces his own threat — makes you forget about the dents here and there.

It is Hawley’s astute attention to detail and desire to construct an intricate story that distinguish and make “Alien: Earth” a big step up in quality for the “Alien” series overall. It’s certainly one of the best series I’ve seen this year, and better than the majority of studio blockbusters this summer in theaters.

There’s a lot of family background and drama to set up, which explains the need for the first episode to clock in at nearly 80 minutes. But the episode never lags, as it creates indelible characters, peppers in a few spicy moments and revels in the period details of the time, all richly brought to life.

Director/executive producer Todd Harris emphasizes the action and does it with style to spare for each of these exciting, briskly told tales united by the actions of a secret Wakanda group called the Hatut Zaraze.

The primary reasons to tune into the sophomore season of Apple TV+’s thoroughly enjoyable but risk-adverse series about the exploits of the likable but L.A. neurotic besties Syliva (Rose Byrne) and Will (Seth Rogen) are: 1. Byrne. 2. Rogen. 3. Luke MacFarlane.

It by no means sugarcoats how bloody that war got, and though it isn’t as narratively daring as “Shogun,” it is on the same playing field as that Emmy winner when it comes to the pure spectacle of it all and the level of exacting attention it pays to cultural detail.

Creator/writer Catherine Moulton takes her time in unfurling the action, which opens the door for Ayling-Ellis and Moore to add depth and dimension to their beautifully written parts. It’s their electric performances that elevate this from being your average crime thriller. And the last two episodes are outright nail-biters.

The premise promises more than what ultimately gets delivered in this disjointed, semi-compelling six-part series.

Yes, it threatens to go overboard, and sometimes does, but keeping it afloat are its two terrific leads. They anchor this warts-and-all romance.

Due to modest budget, “The Institute” isn’t a vintage King production — even though the author is an executive producer on it — but it keeps you on edge and speculating why these children are made to suffer.

“Ironheart” points MCU in an intriguing direction and gives us characters we’d like to see more of in the future.

“Smoke” is well-made and tremendously acted, and while the plot does go up in — ahem — smoke late in the game, the actors always keep us invested.

The formula of one death per episode does get belabored eventually, but Martin and Carpenter perk it up with flashbacks that dig into the twisted backgrounds of each motel guest.

“The Waterfront” is a keeper because of the outrageous behavior of its morally compromised characters — with Grace leading [t]he way.

Undeniably a great detective series and is just as sharp and engrossing as “Slow Horses.

Mythology, feminism and three terrific female performances intertwine to defy predictability and expectations.

Benny is overcompensating so much that he’s denying who he truly is, and he’s not alone. And that’s the beauty of a series that reminds you of one of Oscar Wilde’s best sayings: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

There’s much more in play here than simple entertainment as “Murderbot” explores the value of free will and our inherent need to roam and explore so we can enrich our soul.

It makes for a breezy and tart eight-episode romp even though it encounters a few pacing bumps along the road for both Morgan and executive producer J.J. Abrams.

“Forever” keeps in step with Blume’s style by not seeming like it comes from an adult perspective. That comes through in the conversations (topics include a hit manga series and popular music). The leads also are painfully real.

“Carême” is the hottest thing to hit streaming services in a long time, and it’s sinfully fun even as it gets more and more preposterous. Seconds, please!

Eight episodes is too much for a thin premise like this, and “Four Seasons” sometimes feels as if its overstayed its welcome. Fey’s potshots at Forte become so repetitive, for instance, that you want this couple to just go away already. Still, the veteran cast and Erika Henningsen, as a radiant late arrival to the tightly knit group, often sparkle and an Alda cameo certainly warms the heart.

An example of multifaceted worldbuilding that stresses the importance of complex character arcs and terrific writing. It’s layered with intrigue and full of intricate rebellious acts and is relevant to today’s turmoil and troubling times.

Although it tags a few familiar bases — an unreliable main character who’s overmedicating, a less than bereaved husband — it’s always engrossing even when the actions of the characters get more and more infuriating.

Series creator Rachel Bennette keeps it pithy, but it really comes to life whenever Rhys appears on the scene; his character is far more interesting than any other and reminds us of what a tragedy it was that “Perry Mason” received the ax from HBO.

Rest assured, your expectations will get met in Season 2. So just let it unfold naturally and savor how it stands out from the pack of dystopian fiction by so depicting how actions have moral consequences and have the power to change us forever.

Showrunner Adi Shankar (“Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix”) takes time and care with the multi-layered world building while pumping it all up with adrenaline, heavy-metal-esque action sequences. They razzle dazzle.

Tropper’s series does meander, but even if it’s not run as tightly as a ship as it could be, its original premise and its ability to make many of these characters interesting as they show flickers of humanity and then do something appalling keep you watching. The primary reason remains Hamm.

All of these encounters are funny, raw and real, in line with the series itself. But what makes “Dying for Sex” more than just a collections of scenes involving sex is the foundational friendship between Molly and Nikki. It’s compassionate and believable.

While this streaming version could have been told in less than eight hour-length episodes, showrunner Nikki Toscano’s compelling take gets everything else right.

“The Residence” never achieves the same frothy fun that Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” series so effortlessly does except for its last Christie-perfect episode, but it’s still quite a bit of fun.

“Ludwing” never loses its pip nor its charm and a large reason why it works rests on Mitchell’s tensed-up shoulders and the show’s creators. He’s no cookie-cutter ace detective; rather he is a welcome addition to the pantheon of fictional detectives.

“The Studio” breezes along through 20-minute-plus episodes but isn’t an empty-headed lark and does make some zinging points about an industry in dire crisis.

Henry and Moura play off each other well with Henry’s multi-layered performance — he stays true to the survivor spirit inherent in his character throughout — worthy of awards consideration. He and Moura nail the details in a production that nails gritty visual details about what the hard edges of Philly and a few of its tattered by the opioid crisis ‘burbs look and feel like.

All told, this is a heartbreaking look at a devastating tragedy that leaves a community and a family grappling with the heartbreak and wondering if they played a part in what happened. It’s powerful and finds Graham being a force in front of and behind the camera.

“Running Point” is far from perfect but it still has Hudson and she’s sinking three pointers every time.

“Daredevil: Born Again” is easily one of the best series the Disney+ has offered and is also one of the best shows of 2025. It journeys into dark spaces with its contemporary power struggle and grazes, but doesn’t surrender to, the morally blurry lines set forth in “The Joker” and “The Batman.

Season 3 maintains the same high standards from before and presents a twisty mystery and goes to darker moral places. It’s creepier too.

“A Thousand Blows” builds to a climax as secrets get revealed and motivations become circumspect. It’ll leave you dangling and begging to jump into its ring once more.

“Win or Lose” notches another Pixar win and proves yet again how the studio remains an animated champ.

As Desiree, Cox radiates charisma, a quality that pairs perfectly with her dad Wallace.

I gobbled down six of the eight episodes available for review, and will say – without even the slightest reservations – that “Lotus” regulars should check in for this third season. You won’t be disappointed. Just be prepared to get your jaw dropped and your raised eyebrows torched right off.

An improved second season patches up a few rough edges in Netflix’s enjoyable spy romp, and does so by repositioning its jocular, off-the-cuff spirit in mostly a new setting, South Korea.

“Apple Cider Vinegar” doubles as both a searing and entertaining — albeit shocking — character study of an out-of-control narcissist (portrayed with sociopathic guile by a stellar Kaitlyn Dever) and as an example of the profusion of so-called wellness experts flooding social media channels.

Even though it telegraphs its “surprises” way too often, it’s always entertaining — even as it gets tied up into plot knots by its end. As a bonus, Martha Plimpton co-stars and Stephen Rea appears in a smaller role. They get to chew a bit of the scenery, and it’s a welcome addition to this passable thriller that’s elevated by its lead star.