Instead of being heavily self-important, The Looming Tower is swift and urgent, with an outstanding cast and zingy writing.

Like its main characters, Good Girls, goes to unexpected places. Here’s hoping NBC viewers know a good, original show when they see it.

Everything Sucks! isn’t likely to become a classic, but with its binge-friendly short episodes, it may be perfect for viewers who want something that won’t demand a ton of time.

In the first four episodes, Here and Now suffers from wanting to cover too many topics. By episode four, the characters start to become less annoying, but that's asking viewers to be patient in a world where there are hundreds of other shows to watch. The main problem, in the early going, at least, is that "Here and Now" feels less like a drama with fully developed characters than an essay on The Way We Live Now, with doomstruck observations about the difficulties of finding harmony among races, cultures, genders, and so on.

Overall, the first four episodes of the Portlandia final season indicate that Armisen, Brownstein and the rest of the team intend to keep things bright as they prepare to turn out the lights.

The first episode is dragged down by more conspiracy blather, interminable voiceover and way too many apocalyptic predictions of doom. And there are a few too many references to Donald Trump's presidency and friction with the FBI, elements that feel dated even as we watch. But Anderson and Duchovny remain one of the television's best-ever teams.

The show keeps a sense of humor and refreshing lightness--as usual--even when disaster looms.

The show drops in lovely little moments, funny, melancholy and insightful.

Utterly fascinating. ... The Crown is a showcase for keen character observation and inspired acting, not only from Foy. As Philip, Smith is able to show more dimensions of a man who's hard to like, but not easy to outright condemn.

Even when scenes border on getting mushy, as in the final moments of Stranger Things 2, the sentiment feels earned, not plastered on. Scary, witty and sweet, Stranger Things 2 just might give sequels a good name.

Star Trek: Discovery feels like it's just finding its footing. On the promising side, Doug Jones is already a standout as Science Officer Lt. Saru, who's from an alien race called Kelpiens. And James Frain is perfectly cast as Sarek, the Vulcan who veteran "Trek" fans know as the father of Spock. The relationship between Burnham and Sarek is one of the more intriguing aspects of Star Trek: Discovery.

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 Vietnam War is both the most powerful film Burns has produced, and the most despairing. ... By the end of the fascinating, sometimes wrenchingly hard to watch 18 hours, it's impossible to regard the Vietnam War as anything other than an agonizing failure, one that taught Americans to be cynical about a government that lied to them, sent Americans off to risk their lives, and made one costly bad decision after another.

The Deuce is probably the best new show of the 2017 fall TV season, with superb acting, punchy writing, expert production design, great music, and a storytelling flair that keeps you watching. That said, The Deuce may also make you feel a bit queasy.

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.

The history is mostly a familiar overview, but the straightforward narration, well delivered by actor Liev Schreiber, covers the big picture and some smaller, but intriguing, details.

Even when The Defiant Ones pauses to reflect on grim reality and troubled times, its tone is generally laudatory. We may wish for more depth and perspective. But then along comes another vintage clip of U2 in its prime, or Snoop Dogg's laid-back assurance, or a young Springsteen and the E Street Band, and the music takes over, and takes us away.

In Snowfall, we instead watch the talented cast try to overcome writing more interested in making points than in fleshing out the people involved.

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.

Though Chibnall doesn't quite stick the landing in the last of the eight episodes--when we learn the truth about Trish's assault, it feels a bit too much like an "Author's Message" sign should be flashing--any fan of intelligent TV should watch Broadchurch Season 3.

GLOW is both blessedly original and delightfully nostalgic. ... It's a superb showcase for an ensemble cast that couldn't be better. Brie, in particular, is a revelation.

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.

Despite the sad fates of members of the Madoff family, The Wizard of Lies fails to summon much pathos or deliver much insight into Wall Street's get-rich-at-any-cost ethos.

American Gods is amazing to look at and often hard to watch. If you're a fan of Gaiman's work, and patient with slow-moving scenes of thinly developed characters speechifying, you may like it. Others might want to proceed with caution.

Painfully timely. It's also absolutely enraging, and completely riveting. ... The Handmaid's Tale isn't just the best original show Hulu has ever done. It's one of the most impressive series of the year.

The story of Henrietta Lacks is too big to be compressed into 90 minutes. And though it's made with all the good intentions in the world, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks feels rushed and cramped.

If subsequent chapters in the 10-episode season stay at this high level, Fargo again looks like a contender for best TV series of the year.

The two Season 3 episodes made available to critics feature both familiar strengths and weaknesses of the series so far.