An unflinchingly brilliant satire that could be subtitled “Honey, I Shrunk the Ego!” Apple TV+ has another winner in The Studio.

With humor and pathos underscoring the constant panic and grief, The Pitt is anything but the pits.

Their [Deborah and Ava) generational differences and conflicting attitudes provide an endless well of barbed humor, but never have these frenemies been at such odds as when the brilliant fourth season begins.

The American Revolution achieves that goal brilliantly, sidestepping romanticism of the period (see Outlander) and stripping away myth with a grounding in granular reality. While never losing focus on heroes like George Washington, whose triumphs and mistakes are scrutinized by a diverse faculty of scholars, the series brings history to life through the accounts of lesser-known participants.

The second season lands its body blows to the soul early and often, as characters reel from unimaginable loss with fury and despair, debating revenge and the remote possibility of mercy.

The Alien movies set the standard for suspenseful science fiction laced with classic monster-movie horror. Earth, created by Fargo‘s brilliant Noah Hawley, honors that tradition with imagination, intelligence, impressively epic style, and a devilish taste for graphically gruesome ick that recalls John Carpenter‘s iconic 1982 The Thing.

The third season of The Diplomat is the very definition of a breakneck binge bonanza. It’s also the most sensationally entertaining political drama since The West Wing.

The unpredictability is thrilling, and thanks to Seehorn’s bravura performance, the fascination never ebbs.

Put aside any fears of a sophomore slump. Think second-year sensation, as Hulu’s post-apocalyptic Paradise exceeds expectations with a surprising, emotionally exciting, and robustly suspenseful new chapter.

HBO’s wonderfully modest new Game of Thrones spinoff. .... If we’re lucky enough to get more seasons, I expect we’ll be witness to the making of a future legend who deserves to be more than a footnote in the annals of Westeros history.

Stay with the twists and turns, even the occasional groaners, for a satisfying finish, providing a fairy-tale happy ending for some and for others a bittersweet reckoning that whatever hurdles life throws at you, nothing is as important as friendship — and perfecting the next joke.

Their sordid cycle of disappointment, humiliation and bitter recrimination is riveting, but also at times predictable, as we nervously begin to expect the worst even in rare moments of harmony, and creator-writer Gadd never fails to deliver on that threatened promise.

Much like in the unsurpassed second season, the joy of The Bear comes in watching these dedicated co-workers set challenges, find their passion and grow in their jobs as artistes.

Here’s the lowdown: Hawke’s a hoot, and The Lowdown is a must.

Like The Office, this deft workplace comedy also strikes a universal chord with an endearingly amusing ensemble of silly would-bes and never-wases.

My only regret is that the absorbing Code of Silence ends after just six episodes. Thankfully, there will be more.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is a raucous hoot of a four-episode reunion that, unlike so many shows on streaming or just about anywhere, leaves us wanting much more. Yet we’re also happily satisfied with the reboot’s breezy, boisterous brevity.

A compellingly voyeuristic drama.

At times, when the tone veers into adolescent gossip, mean-girl rivalries, and mad crushes (including one tangled love triangle), it can feel like how the story might appear on a channel like Freeform. But at its best, which is to say its worst, the premise is as unsettling as ever.

The tension between her undeniable talent and her understandable insecurities makes Patience a winner in its first six-episode season, with a second season underway.

Though it can sometimes feel like a task to keep returning to this downbeat world, Task rewards the viewer with emotional payoffs that are as likely to lift as break the heart.

The past comes vividly to life, spinning a fable of unrequited love and undying sibling devotion worthy of Jane’s own fictions.

As Russ bends to the genre’s sentimental rules to embrace his inner Chad, Chad Powers finds its way into a goofy end zone of comedic bliss.

"Easter eggs" ease us into the discomfort zone we’ve come to expect from adaptations of the horror King. It's not as clever a brand extension as FX's superb Alien: Earth, and if this isn't top-tier King—it’s not even the best It—it's far from the worst.

There was a sense that for all of the ribbing, this Emmys broadcast was a pleasurable celebration of an ever-evolving medium.

Though it’s as weightless in impact as a Hot Wheels hot rod, the eight-episode action series is a perfectly enjoyable showcase for Lost alum Josh Holloway‘s effortless swagger and Cheshire cat charisma as carefree mob-family driver Jim Ellis.

Bottom line: If you liked Scrubs then, you’ll almost certainly like it now. And if you’re new to the party, you’re in for a treat.

If you’re looking for a solid tearjerking catharsis, you might find it here.