Showrunner Marco Ramirez’s setup bites off a lot to chew on in six episodes, but even when “La Máquina” doesn’t connect, it bobs and weaves with style and fire whenever Luna and Bernal take center stage together.

“Monsieur Spade” is rich in period details and is really the equivalent of a jigsaw puzzle, one with numerous pieces that might seem all but impossible to connect before Spade sweeps in and fits them into place with just the right amount of aplomb and snark. Get ready to give those brain cells a workout and witness Alfre Woodard steal the show in its final episode.

More than a meticulous procedural as it exposes a legacy of layered coverups while exploring the emotional frailties of these two unlike but smart characters. Both Jumbo and Capaldi give extraordinary performances in a series that digs deep into the complicated home lives of both. “Criminal Record” deserves to become a hit and here’s hoping for a second season.

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.

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.

Centering it is Stanfield, who gives maybe one of the most nuanced and gut-wrenching performances you’ll ever see in a horror series or film. Few actors can make you feel the pain and anguish inside of a character with the ferocity that he can. He is the one driving this series over the finish line.

There are many other developments in the lives of secondary characters’ in a transcendent series that so precisely evokes two different eras and illustrates the painful decisions and sacrifices that loved ones make that can haunt them through life. It remains one of the most meticulously crafted series running.

With impressive special effects and some sharp storytelling instincts, “Last of Us” ups the playing field for not only streaming services but movie blockbusters.

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.

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.

It’s been compared to “Game of Thrones,” and while it’s an apt comparison, “Dune: Prophecy” exists in its own universe, and is a strategizing sci-fi headtrip with outstanding effects and production values. I’m certainly hooked.

“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.

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

“Heartstopper” is a gem, and remains perhaps the most uplifting, refreshingly optimistic and utterly charming series currently running on TV or streaming platforms.

“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.

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.

Aan absorbing, eerie brain twister that delivers a shocking denouement. (I’m sworn to secrecy). For mystery lovers, it doesn’t get much better than this.

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.

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.

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

Every character in “Shrinking” is worth getting to know. The biggest surprise is how great Ford is at just letting loose in a comedy. (Trust me, he’s hilarious). “Shrinking” deserves to become a huge hit.

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.”

Terrific. .... “Get Millie Black” devotes time to all of its characters’ stories, which heightens its portrayal of why Black is so determined to bring bad people to justice at all costs.

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.

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

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.

This superior Nordic noir is intense, sexy, well-acted and unnerving.

“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.