House of Cards has its own distinct, if shallow, pleasures, including Spacey, who just gets better and better as Frank.... Wright is Spacey's equal, and in Season 4, Claire is more stony and stoic than ever.

It's totally far-fetched, but the roles are so well-cast and the 1960s texture so evocatively re-created (Jake goes from starry-eyed nostalgia to shock when he sees segregated bathroom signs) that 11.22.63 makes the trip back in time both suspenseful and enjoyable.

Overall, Vinyl suffers from an inflated sense of its own importance, and a dreary lack of humor (though the pilot has a funny drive-by diss of England Dan & John Ford Coley.)

Like the trial itself--and the spectacle that surrounded it--The People v. O.J. Simpson is sometimes trashy, often disturbing, and so compelling that it's impossible to stop watching.

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.

Based on the first few episodes, Portlandia remains as odd, endearing, and Portland-made as ever.

It may not be subtle, but thanks to razor-sharp writing, and dynamic performances by Giamatti, Lewis (as with "Homeland," deploying a persuasive American accent) and everyone in the strong cast, Billions is dark, edgy and outrageously entertaining.

It would be more exciting if it took more chances. It's an earnest effort, and reminds us that all that compelling stories don't need to be told with an English accent.

Characters behave pretty much exactly as we've come to expect; plush décor and candlelit dinner parties dazzle the eye; and the actors dive into their scenes with the gusto of carnivores dining at a top-dollar steakhouse.

Scenes set in 1920s Berlin, apparent flashbacks that seem like they're aching to be their own show, but don't quite work in this one.... The further adventures of that family, in all their flawed glory, make Season 2 of Transparent a smart, sensual treat.

A Very Murray Christmas is an odd concoction, flavored by holiday blues, but topped by a coating of sparkly tinsel.

Overall, the TV-movie has the satisfying feel of a traditional historical saga. What makes it more than a well-told story, however, is how Saints & Strangers handles the perspective of the Native American tribes, who must decide whether to wipe out the settlers, or accommodate them.

Those are a lot of threads to knit together, and some feel looser than others.... But there are enough chilling scenes to make The Man in the High Castle genuinely disturbing.

Jessica Jones could use a bit more wit, overall. But its messed-up, tough, brave heroine holds our interest every moment.

Into the Badlands should be nonstop, melodramatic entertainment. But the first two episodes are listless and dull whenever Wu isn't battling villains. The writing lacks flavor, and the performances are stiff, with the florid exception of Csokas' Quinn.

At times endearingly old-fashioned (montages of whirling newspaper headlines), sometimes scatalogical (a time-machine toilet), occasionally blasphemous ("Turkey Jesus"), and totally irreverent (Odenkirk as "Pope Jonah Abromowitz.") The tone can get pointed (Cross as a filmmaker who's such an apologist for slavery he refuses to call it that, instead using the term, "helperism"), but the mood stays buoyant.

Master of None is a warmer, sweeter show than "Louie" often is, and it's less cynical than a raft of other comedies on TV and elsewhere.

There are so many plot twists coming at us so quickly, without much development, that at times, it's hard to know who's seeking what, why they want it, and wait, who was that character again? On the plus side, the cast has solid chemistry.... It also helps that there are enough amusing one-liners to keep things skipping along, even when the storytelling goes off course.

By the end of the first episode, it's clear that the series is less wicked, than wearisome. Something lousy this way comes.

Loyal members of the "Evil Dead" cult won't be disappointed by "Ash vs Evil Dead," which kicks off with a romper stomper of an episode.

If you're still on board with wondering if Carrie will go off her meds again, whether she and Saul will patch things up, or if Quinn is an alienated killing machine or kind of crushing on Carrie, welcome back to Homeland. But if you're craving something more, Season 5 may feel like a retread job on tires that are showing their wear.

Season 2 of The Leftovers has its maddening moments, but I never knew what was coming next. And, in a crowded TV world, that anything-might-happen quality is enough to keep me interested. At least for a while.

Season 2 improves on Season 1 by broadening the story to give us the points of view of the wronged spouses, Noah's wife, Helen (Maura Tierney,) and Alison's husband, Cole (Joshua Jackson.) Tierney and Jackson are both so good, they left us wanting more in Season 1, and it's great to see their characters do some well-justified venting.

On Monday night, Stewart's spirit hovered over the proceedings so much it was hard to get a sense of what makes Noah special. He seemed relaxed, and smiled throughout the whole show, looking entirely happy to be there.

He was overeager, a tad hyper, and trying to do too many things at once. But after a bumpy start, Colbert seemed to gain in confidence as the show wore on.

Fear has some immediate strengths, as well as weaknesses that could drag down the proceedings considerably.

Documentary Now! is dazzlingly smart.... It's true that Documentary Now! is funnier if you're at least vaguely familiar with the movies that serve as the inspirations.

At times, the pace drags. Some scenes make the same points over and over again. Sticking with it may feel like eating your spinach. But the commitment is worth it.