The Mercury News' Scores

  • TV
For 243 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 10.5 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average TV Show review score: 78
Highest review score: 100 Half Man
Lowest review score: 37 Hello Tomorrow!: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Mixed: 0 out of 228
  2. Negative: 0 out of 228
228 tv reviews
  1. This season takes risks galore and comes up a winner every time.
  2. You’ll gobble down all six episodes and crave even more.
  3. 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.
  4. That’s a lot of names and narratives to keep track of, but the story lines intertwine nicely, even if you might need a list of the characters to reference. No matter. If you’re a kaijū fan and prefer jigsaw-puzzle-like storytelling, not to mention great action sequences, this one — or at least the eight episodes released for review — crushes it.
  5. This turns out to be even better than Season 1, with stronger animation, storytelling risks, dollops of humor and another dynamite soundtrack.
  6. As a storyteller, Doerr is a master at weaving all these threads and elements together while giving us more nuanced characters, but in this well-intentioned production the stitching and seams that we can see all too often.
  7. The three lead Latino characters, and the actors who play them, in Netflix’s breezy, Miami-set comedy/drama are so likable and charismatic you can’t help but kind of fall in love with them. I defy you not to.
  8. Magnificent. .... “Fellow Travelers” cycles through many time periods and historical LGBTQ markers — all vividly brought to life. But first and foremost, this is a love story, one that breaks your heart.
  9. My only beef about this intricately plotted season is that its eighth episode lacks a true ending, making us gnash our teeth for another season.
  10. “Lessons in Chemistry” could have been tighter (trimmed to six episodes), and a subplot about Black neighbor Harriet (Aja Naomi King) fighting racial injustice could be more developed. Still, “Chemistry” comes up with a winning formula in the end.
  11. The creepy production values are top-notch and the scares are not only frightening but disturbing. .... One of the best series Netflix has ever produced.
  12. Everything about “Bargain” is skillfully unhinged, with developments unfolding like new video game levels. Director/writer Jeon Woo-Sung’s expansion on a short film delivers on numerous counts, packing in more nonstop action and plot surprises than anything I’ve seen this year.
  13. This eight-episode spinoff of Amazon Prime’s R-rated superhero series “The Boys” is better than it has any right to be. That’s because it cribs from the best elements of “The Boys” — outrageous behavior, shocking violence and, of course, an irreverent attitude.
  14. “Shining Girls” is undeniably kooky, but the characters, situations and the city itself are so vividly brought to life that you’ll be dying to figure out what happens next. Just watch it with the lights on.
  15. We can say that director Albert Hughes (the first and last episodes) and Charlotte Brandstorm (the second one) keep the action and storyline lean and mean, and the body count high, allowing us to soak up every second of these 90ish-minute episodes. Wick devotees will walk away satisfied.
  16. Coleman and Jackson-Cohen give compelling performances, but they can’t overcome the listless plotting of “Wilderness,” which curiously steamrolls right through its final pivotal 10 minutes.
  17. It’s fun. It’s smart. And it has something potent to say.
  18. It’s Aniston and Witherspoon who really anchor the series. Both actors are on top of their game and not for one second lose sight of who their characters are and how they should react in dicey, unexplored situations.
  19. 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.
  20. Remarkable for its even-handed but “let’s-ask-the-tough questions” approach, “Wanted” unfolds like an unbelievable, pulpy financial thriller filled with decadent lifestyles, global corporate in-fighting, daring escape plans, shady financial moves and intriguing characters. .... Brilliant docuseries.
  21. The writing remains sharp as a stiletto, and the cozy mystery is puzzling enough to keep us guessing. Streep and Rudd make it even more entertaining. They’re having a grand time, and so will you.
  22. Yes, it strains credibility. So what? Most creations from talented author Harlan Coben (Netflix’s “The Stranger,” “Safe” and “The Woods”) do. We’re hooked from the first episode. With its tongue-in-cheek humor and wild twists, this will become your next guilty pleasure.
  23. “Heartstopper” is a gem, and remains perhaps the most uplifting, refreshingly optimistic and utterly charming series currently running on TV or streaming platforms.
  24. This superior Nordic noir is intense, sexy, well-acted and unnerving.
  25. While it might seem awfully bleak, there’s humor too, including a four-legged troublemaker locked up at the jail. It’s a series that’s hard to resist.
  26. Filled with huge tentacled beasts in the sea and monster-sized land creatures on the infamous home of King Kong, “Skull Island” makes you feel like a kid who just discovered the best comic book ever.
  27. Showrunner Jordon Nardino’s chipper but not just skin-deep show gives singer/YouTube sensation Miss Benny and Cattrall juicy roles to sink their teeth into, but all the characters are written and played well.
  28. Created by George Kay (“Lupin”), the tightly wound seven-episode series doesn’t waste a moment. It’s a shot of pure adrenaline.
  29. Marvel buffs will be able to collect their fair share of Easter eggs, but this one can be enjoyed by a PG-13-suitable crowd that prefers action (this one is pretty violent, though) with a relatable plot that doesn’t require you to watch all in the MCU canon to understand what is going on. In supporting roles, Kingsley Ben-Adir stands out in this promising leap forward for Phase 5 of the MCU.
  30. Another bold brushstroke of originality that is also set in Oakland and shakes it head at out-of-control greed.

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