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.

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.

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

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

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.

Pee-wee as Himself is a fascinating, endearing, and moving portrait.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Over 10 labored episodes (which I do not recommend saving up to watch as a binge), I felt my interest waning in Reggie’s delusional quest for renewed glory. .... But just as in 30 Rock, it’s the gags that keep us coming back. And Reggie is full of them.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Part One of Stranger Things 5 is pretty much a thrill ride start to finish, with all of Hawkins under quarantine and military occupation following the earth-shaking events that concluded Season 4 all those years ago.

When Étoile stops trying too hard and gives itself up to that sort of starry-eyed euphoria, it’s a terpsichorean treasure.

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.

Splendidly produced as are most things in the Trek universe, Academy may not jump to the head of its class, but neither is it an epic fail. There are many worse ways to spend one’s recess from reality.

Amid the plentiful greed and treachery on display as the field relentlessly dwindles, we also witness moments of great bravery and sacrifice.

Even when the corny situations are clearly beneath them, as when they vie for the attention of a hunky housekeeper (“We’re dangerously close to the plot of a porno”), the show balances its uproarious off-color saltiness with a squishy sentimentality that’s so old-school it’s almost refreshing.

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

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.