Although there’s nothing new here, per se, it’s still a solid hour of watchable drama that often plays out more like a movie than a television series.

[Minne Driver] jumps into it headfirst which helps the original sale, but as she settles into the role she will have to adjust the tone in order to toe the line between endearing and annoying. ... The real story here though is breakout star Fowler. For a kid who has minimal dialogue he has loads of star power thanks to fantastic facial expressions and giggle-worthy reaction shots.

Its kindly spirit and those performances [from Graynor, Hansen and Grier] help prevent Bad Teacher from falling into the increasingly raunchy trap of its network predecessor, “Two and a Half Men.”

He looked like he was enjoying himself throughout the half hour--a key quality in today’s late-night landscape. But most of all, he looked like a guy who might have the audacity to try to replace Jon Stewart. And that he just might pull it off.

The writing is fairly predictable on the pilot, which plays a lot of emotional notes we're all very familiar with on TV.... Problems aside, there's a “Wonder Years” quality to Red Band Society that transports viewers back to those simple firsts in life, the coming of age rites of passage that we all instantly understand and can connect to.

In the end, those hate-watchers had little to complain about other than occasional uneven camera angles, a missing Toto (he disappeared after the first scene) and the long three-hour running time; strong performances, fun dialogue and dazzling numbers rounded out an overall solid outing this time around.

Looking is a good show. It will reward viewers who can hang on beyond the first episode and can adapt to its much slower pace and more naturalistic shooting style..... But, Looking will make you work to get there.

Viewers’ patience for the show and its dreamlike pace will likely depend on their appetites for soul-searching about the afterlife.

Molly’s extraterrestrial and emotional challenges threaten to overwhelm both the character and the actress, but Berry rallies in the second half of the premiere, seeming to finally embrace the absurdity of the space-invader plot with a “if we’re doing this, let’s do this” determination.

Despite the occasional creakiness and lapses into melodrama Downton Abbey remains a show to watch, notable for its dreamy production values and the real depth of feeling it portrays between the classes.

The pacing in the early episodes can be uneven, and some plot points you see coming from a long way off. But BrainDead is promisingly original, a deft combination of the tropes of a horror movie, the pace of a forensic drama and the barbs of a political satire that’s thoroughly of the moment.

It is a refreshing amalgamation of the two genres that creates a fascinating exploration into the world of four-color comics by imagining what it might really be like to live among costumed superheroes and villains.

It’s a wonder Spike didn’t position Tut as an angst-filled teen drama. Kingsley steps in to ensure that doesn’t happen despite the production’s occasional seemingly period-inappropriate detail--jarring neon hair extensions and the like.

The producers and creator Jeremy Carver have deftly retrofitted a familiar film for the small screen with smart present-day touches and solid performances.

Overall, Ballers is good bro-down TV in the same vein as “Entourage.” Dwayne Johnson does a solid job of leading the ensemble, and he’s totally believable as a guy who’s best buds with athletes.

The pilot for NBC's Marry Me isn't love at first sight, but there's enough potential there to expect that with time viewers may adore it.

Instead of being nags or props, the female costars on this series are just as fleshed out and funny as their male counterparts, and the comedy is all the better for it.

When stacked up against a series like “The Leftovers,” which also examines a cult, it feels flat at first. But once the story does finally get rolling, the intersecting elements begin to build towards a compelling story with more complexity than first meets the eye.

The show moves quickly to establish not only Jane’s superior physicality, but also her hard-wired do-gooder tendencies and willingness to join the fray. At the same time, Blindspot creators seed their story with memory flashbacks intended to suspend the tension surrounding the character.

[A] thoughtfully lighthearted and frothy comedy.

Ultimately, once viewers overcome the sluggish pace there’s something for everyone with Marco Polo. History lovers will enjoy Googling along with the series as historical names and battles are introduced while martial arts fans will appreciate the intricately choreographed fight scenes. Although the series isn’t as riveting as “Game of Thrones,” strong performances and impeccable visuals make it worthy of a watch on a slow and rainy afternoon.

At the outset the pilot is a fun and adventurous romp without ever feeling campy or overdone. ... Where the plot gets bogged down is in the overall mysteries introduced in the pilot, namely those surrounding the Lucy character.

This big-box comedy is stocked full of broad and easy laughs familiar though they may be.

Even if subtlety isn’t going to be part of the equation, Burns makes up for it with his wiseguy humor, rapid-fire dialogue and a high volume of plot.

Bunbury is a star in the making as the leading character. ... Gosselaar is unrecognizable thanks to some newly acquired facial hair. As a result viewers will pay more attention to his equally strong performance and interactions with Bunbury throughout the hour. Mo McRae, Ali Larter and Tim Jo round out the solid cast, making for a pretty entertaining hour.

While the characters sometimes border on cartoonish, they also manage to showcase an underdog quality that will have the audiences rooting for them anyway, and they’re somewhat grounded by the rest of the cast, including librarian Abbey Logan (Maria Thayer).

By episode three, Tomlin and Fonda find their comedic voices and cement Grace and Frankie as the candid and humorous series it truly is.

Simmons pushed back on Barkley’s rankings, as only a true fan can. It’s this informed jousting, the back and forth between devotees of sports that could make Any Given Wednesday appointment viewing for sports fans. ... It’s classic Bill Simmons, a man with questions and answers, with a new forum where he can drop the mic and let others do the same.