The first episode, titled "My Struggle" (the English translation of Hitler's manifesto, "Mein Kampf," which seems strange) starts off well enough. But then things go haywire.... The second episode, directed and written by X-Files veteran James Wong, is a welcome step up from the first. And the third (only three were made available for screening), is a comic horror gem.

By this point, the actors are comfortably in their element. Spacey is as assured as ever, even if Frank's occasional addresses to the camera seem to come out of nowhere. Wright again wears a cool mask to hide what Claire is really thinking as she deals with assorted crises while looking impeccable in her tailored suits. Less successful--again--are the portrayals of writers and journalists.

Based on the first four episodes available for preview, “Your Honor” unfortunately doesn’t match the tension of that fateful early sequence. But the 10-episode series does serve up tasty performances, knotty ethical issues, attempts to explore racial injustice in the legal system, crime story theatrics and nagging questions about why its characters do what they do.

Unfortunately, though Eisley is affecting, Fauna’s story feels like it’s skimmed over. The racial elements are intriguing. ... But, like Fauna’s character, this aspect of the tale is underdeveloped. Pine, who’s also an executive producer, has more success with Jay, giving a contemporary spin to a film noir-style antihero.

["These Old Bones" is] a bit pat, and it’s definitely too long, but Turner is warm and peppery, Goodwin is likable, and by end of it, I admit it -- I was reaching for the tissues. ... More interesting, however, is “Jolene,” which isn’t exactly a folksy, feel-good number.

Despite a distinguished voice cast, the new animated comedy is hurt by uneven and unsure writing. [9 March 2000]

Legends, which is based on a novel by Robert Littell and produced by a team that includes "Homeland" veterans Howard Gordon and Alexander Cary, has an unusual sense of melancholy, which seems to emanate from Bean's soulful performance.

The '70s costume and production details are fine, but when you're paying more attention to the classic rock tunes on the soundtrack than to the story, it's time to close the case.

Comfortably formulaic.. ... “Away” may not boldly go where no show has gone before, but it reminds us that watching likable people doing their best provides its own simple pleasures.

It was two shows in one. For the most part, the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards on NBC was a better-than-average awards show, with surprise winners, humorous touches and some heartfelt speeches. But then there was that other show, the one with Ricky Gervais as the supposed host of the festivities. ... [Gervais] came off like the guy sitting at the back of the auditorium who’s had one too many, and keeps yelling out unfunny, sarcastic remarks.

Though the '60s music is sometimes laid on with a heavy hand, Aquarius benefits from its stylish look, and a moody atmosphere that doesn't become oppressive, thanks to Duchovny's mordant wit. It's an unusual summer season offering, sometimes unsettling, but worth checking out.

For every slight improvement--more fully developed female characters, the always watchable Chris Noth as an American General who arrives as part of U.S. efforts to help bring democracy to Abuddin--Tyrant still fizzles more often than it sizzles.

In a gimmicky touch, it's narrated by a boy in a coma. But despite the easy grabs at our heartstrings–-who in their right mind isn't rooting for young people to get well?–-the pilot benefits from the vivid, likable performances of the cast.

This dramatization feels less like “The Jinx” or “Making a Murderer,” and more like a weird mix of Southern California lifestyle satire and a “Dateline” episode.

Rene Balcer's writing and Lesli Linka Glatter's direction keep things moving, and if these two episodes don't promise anything terribly deep, they're packed with enough good performances and details (an alibi conversation revolving around a supposed meeting at the Beverly Hills Cheesecake Factory, for instance) to make us curious about what comes next.

The [first] episode is at its best when it’s most straightforwardly serious. The second 44-minute episode, “Freedom,” feels more like a “Daily Show” outing, with Stewart in sarcastically irreverent mode on the topic of COVID-19, anti-maskers and anti-vaxxer

Sharp though some of the writing is, “Coastal Elites” never challenges the moral superiority of its characters, and so they mostly come off as predictable, making predictable points.

The series isn’t perfect, but at its best, “Inventing Anna” tells a story that, especially when staying close to real episodes involving Anna and those around her, is entertainingly, jaw-droppingly outrageous.

After two episodes of Angels, the situation looks grave. Pulse is weak and thready, blood pressure already dropping. [15 Jan 2000]

At its best, The Last Tycoon is an absorbing trip back to Hollywood's not-so-Golden Age. And even when it slips, it's still pretty good melodrama, with desperate characters, unexpected deaths and gorgeous people pretending they're keeping it together even when they're not.

Latifah’s presence gives it a little something extra. Her charismatic underplaying draws you in, and adds a sense of mystery even when the writing is clunkily obvious. ... “The Equalizer” packs enough action to satisfy its post-Super Bowl audience, most likely. But it’s refreshing to see a few quieter moments of insight, mixed in with the good guys prevailing.

Vice Principals isn't just a show to skip. It's a show to actively avoid.

Though much of The Ranch feels familiar, and an odd fit for Netflix, that doesn't mean it's terrible. For all the crude jokes (the premiere, for example, goes on and on about how Uggs are girly footwear, not suitable for a real man), Kutcher and Masterson have an easy, unforced brotherly rapport.

The early episodes of “Hollywood” are an entertaining mix of earnest inclusiveness and dishy wallow in showbiz lore. But, like those Murphy-produced TV series that went on too long, by the end, “Hollywood” is floating on so many alt-history good vibrations that it becomes less of a celebration, and more of a lecture.

The cast has easy chemistry, the New Orleans setting is colorful, and Pounder lends class to anything she does. The CBS procedural formula works, but that doesn't make it feel any less formulaic.

A dutiful, perfectly fine, surprisingly dull evening of television.

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe is a glum retread of Monroe's legend, with a flat script by Stephen Kronish and direction by Laurie Collyer ("Sherrybaby") who gives it all a funereal, depressed tone even when Monroe's career is at its height.

The first episode gets us in the mood for the TV equivalent of a beach read adventure..... [James Wolk] easily rises to the task, making Jackson charming, sympathetic, and capable. Though Zoo may turn out to be more silly than sensational, Wolk is always delightful TV company.