The Netflix docuseries doesn’t probe as deeply as the podcast, but it does assemble key figures.

It doesn't stretch itself too thin working for laughs, but rather earns them genuinely.

While historians may struggle with these early-century equivalents to rock stars as busy sleuths, Houdini's unshakably scientific stance can be refreshing, and it's entirely possible that the real Houdini and Doyle would have loved this--while they were still friends.

Even without Walter White or Jesse Pinkman, Saul--with his bizarre acquaintances, his oily courtroom performances, his willingness to throw people under the bus to save himself, his me-first attitude, and his incredible potential for bad situations--makes for some darn good television.

It warrants a little suspension of disbelief, but Blindspot is a fun, entertaining, action-packed thriller perfect for a Monday night lineup.

The show is still subject to the freak-of-the-week formula that so pervasively plagues comic book series, and its treatment of the criminally insane remains more criminally over-the-top than in Gotham's peer programs (Arrow and The Flash, most notably). On the whole, though, Gotham's second season debuts as strong as--if not stronger than--the series premiere, encouraging those who stuck with the hammy inaugural season to settle in for the long haul.

There was a certain circuitousness to the plotlines that Archer Vice not only interrupts, but short-circuits completely.

There's enough intrigue driving the premise to set The Leftovers up as a promising series; whether the show can maintain its momentum or succumbs to the weight of the myriad, potentially frustrating mysteries behind it remains to be seen.

Viewers will be won over by this series’ charms and mysteries, even if it frustrates and falls short in some of the aspects that draw in viewers in the first place, specifically Mann’s involvement and the thinly drawn Adelstein. Still, the series lives up to its namesake city by offering intrigue and quirky surprises in equal parts.

Matt Dillon is perfectly cast in the lead, and though some themes and visual cues are a little hokey at first, Wayward Pines soon enough turns into thrilling network television.

The series’ incendiary latter episodes make it worth waiting out an ambitious but ill-conceived first half that’s bogged down almost as badly as the Baltimore justice system Simon is trying to depict.

It’s the tending to his deeper wounds: familial, romantic and professional, however, that make The Old Man not just highly watchable but truly memorable.

The Curse is not for everyone, but in general, it’s a lot more approachable than some of Fielder’s and Safdie’s other works. The series features such precise filmmaking and multi-layered storytelling that it naturally appeals to many different audiences.

The story serves as little more than set pieces to the real conflict here, which is Clara's relationship with The Doctor.

Overall, the show could have used a little tightening (it might be time to rethink the 13-episode model, which Daredevil's second season ought to have already proven), and episodes can lag a little bit in the middle, but it's an enjoyable ride.

All in all, while not an absolutely great Christmas special since it struggles to find its footing at times plot-wise, it's worth watching for the celebrity cameos and the raucous and at times hilarious singing.

There is an angry sexual energy between Rebecca and Cam whose source will no doubt be revealed in subsequent episodes, but which, nonetheless is irrelevant, and extraneous, to the main storyline. This is not the only unrelated, fabricated side storyline on Under the Bridge, which would benefit from some streamlining. The central story is riveting enough without these random and inconsequential side ones.

Later surprise-laden and richly complex scenes handily salvage Fargo’s fifth season after a ham-fisted start. That, and consistently remarkable performances at even the most shoddily written early moments, along with breathtaking action and bleak humor, show Hawley is still a TV visionary well suited to build on the Coen Brothers’ Fargo 1996 film legacy–even if he takes commendable big swings that occasionally miss.

Trust's early episodes show some promise, though it remains to be seen if the story will take off to the level of other FX dramas.

Few shows have such a unique combination of grounded action and performances with an Orwellian social conscience and special effects splashed flash forwards. If Class of ’09 balances those elements better going forward, it could be as well-rounded, lithe and lethal as the best trained FBI boot camp recruits it is depicting.

Unlike most peak TV series that drag on like a rained-out vacation, The White Lotus could use more episodes to explore its underused characters’ arcs, or at least let these rich nitwits twist in the wind a little longer.

We Are Who We Are’s scope is almost too expansive, but Guadagnino’s gentle direction and subdued script help the audience build a connection to the characters.

The most common criticisms of Euphoria are its inaccurate portrayals of modern high-schoolers, its complex and confusing plotlines, and Levinson’s constant use of differing experimental filmmaking techniques. All three of those things are at play here, but in this case, where Levinson focuses specifically on a single character, they become more rewarding.

The series may be called Ramy, but the best parts of the show are its supporting characters. Finely drawn and beautifully developed, both the scripted versions and the actors who portray them are on point.

While the conflicts of this season are of the easy-to-resolve variety, they are problematic enough to keep viewers involved.

Overall, not a minute is wasted with key information packed into every frame, each minuscule element filling in another piece of these multilayered and intersecting stories, guided by a cast that grasps and leans into the complexity of its setting. Were it not for Portman dragging the series down, it would be a must-watch. As it stands, skip the sixth episode altogether and the rest fits together a lot better.

The first two episodes of this season end on cliffhangers that maintain commendable suspense, despite some expository scenes that tumble into proverbial valleys compared to action packed and sharply acted road buddy sequences that are The Old Man’s peaks. Nevertheless, the exquisitely shot Middle East landscapes, Shawkat’s steely portrayal of a character in perilous danger, Bridges’ pitilessly pugnacious fight scenes, and his sparky chemistry with Lithgow make The Old Man a must watch, and prove some elder operatives need not be scurried out to pasture.

Glover and Erskine’s fans will have high expectations after the ground they broke on Atlanta and Pen15. This follow up project will prove to be no less enjoyable, even if it is more conventional and vying for a broader, thrill-and-romance seeking audience. The expert crafting of superficial pleasures, plus distinctive chemistry and heartfelt exchanges between its leads helps Mr. & Mrs. Smith hone in on an elusive target.

Too Much feel[s] rife with potential, even though it has yet to cohere into a great sitcom in line with the heights that these individual talents have already achieved elsewhere.

Do non-music people care why they don’t have to pay to listen to music? The grammatically incorrectly titled How Music Got Free tells the story of [how] this came to be, which, arguably, most music people already know the story.

Once you get past the initial insufferable hump at the series’ start, it becomes a guilty, addictive watch, not unlike watching self-centered wealthy people on reality shows dedicated to them.

It sounds a tried and true setup, but Master of None immediately breaks the mold, infusing the struggling actor formula with a touching helping of both heart and humor.

While the pilot sets the series off to a rather slow start, once you warm to the unique pace and rhythms of their comic delivery, Garfunkel and Oates makes for an endearing half hour experience.

Unquestionably, the marquee names like Rhoads and Dimebag will draw the most attention. But every installment of Into the Void is worth watching. Just don’t binge it. The content is relentlessly heavy (pun only half intended) and is best consumed with a lighthearted sitcom chaser.

The Underground Railroad is an incredibly tough watch, but it is a deeply poignant and thought-provoking series from one of the most consistent and incredible directors of the 21st century.

Horrifying as it is, Leaving Neverland lacks a bit of nuance, rarely coming at these allegations from any sides other than the subjects. There is footage of Jackson denying initial charges but the movie primarily focuses on Robson and Safechucks stories, which are credible and damning without ever feeling exploitive for the purpose of the documentary.

One has to be both in the know, as well as acclimated to the gory violence and corpses that frequently appear on camera in order to follow along. As long as Cross and Ruiz's renewed partnership seems necessary, season one fans should welcome the return of The Bridge.

While the humor of Back to Life’s second season is still razor-sharp, the sinister elements and the characters’ excruciating pain override the laughs, tipping the series into highly sensitive human interactions and dangerous, heightened feelings much more so than comedy. ... Six episodes per season is simply not enough of this charming. if disturbing, series.

There is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief required for Nobody Wants This. .... The highly bingeable series has excellent comedy writing and a strong cast who move the episodes along at a quick clip. But even with all its on-point humor, Nobody Wants This has an undercurrent of seriousness, which puts it a few notches above the average sitcom.

You need to keep your wits about you to pick up on all the witticisms of The Other Two, and it’s worth a re-watch to pick up on all the little quips that are littered throughout the series. They’re even better the second time around.

A Very Royal Scandal does a good job of showing all perspectives and putting this specific situation into a greater context that questions right and wrong. Ultimately, it leaves the drawing of conclusions to the viewer.

A solid cast with tangible family chemistry make Blue Blood a contender.

Rake has enough varied story elements to not fall into the procedural courtroom drama. Kinnear is a natural in the starring role, effortlessly making the shambles of his character's life seem not only plausible, but also sympathetic.

The 30-minute episodic structure makes the series feel less powerful than the film it is based off of. Even so, Blindspotting is a welcome return to form for not only the stellar cast, but also for Diggs and Casal’s consistently encapsulating, dynamic and affecting screenwriting style.

While turning Backman’s complex novel into a series rather than a film was a smart move, Beartown does run into some issues along the way. The rise of Beartown’s hockey team is important for the context of the story, but the series spends too little time showing how their skill improved. The series relies too heavily on surface-level montages to communicate how this dramatic shift actually happened.

It's cheeky and lighthearted escapism perfect for unwinding on a Tuesday night.

The further The Girls on the Bus gets into its storylines, the more likeable the central characters become, and the more invested you become in what happens with them.

Seeing Mulder and Scully back together is enough to maintain interest, even if The X-Files starts diving into political themes that are a little unnerving.

The problem is, it's nothing we haven't seen already in The Office, or countless other romantic comedies. It's forgivable, though, as Hello Ladies doesn't give up on the self-deprecating scenery.

With contributions from horror luminaries such as Ana Lily Armipour (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night), the visionary Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) and Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and stars like Dan Stevens and F. Murray Abraham, there’s a good deal of hope that the series might transcend its conventional presentation and predictability to offer something a little more substantial.

Scream is a deferential adaptation well aware of its source material's strengths. It uses them to its advantage, fully embracing them for a result that, while never quite as salacious as the first film, is a more than worthy entry into Scream lore.

Not only does it promise scares, but it looks good, moves quickly, and uses effects well and wisely. In a market that's rapidly growing, Constantine does a commendable job distinguishing itself.

Where Stewart is the show's greatest strength, there is very little else to grasp onto. The situations are good for a few awkward giggles, but ultimately Blunt Talk misses the mark on the bigger picture.

The Case of: JonBenét Ramsey takes a while to find its footing, but when it does, it's undeniably engaging, especially for true-crime enthusiast.

Fox aside, the show boasts some strong performances which should hold it up through the weaker material, for a time at least.

This may not be the strongest first showing, but if it finds its rhythm soon, playing off of its existing strengths and shedding its weaknesses, this will be a compelling hour.

Mulaney often feels inauthentic and forced. However, one gets a feeling that like his smart stand-up material, Mulaney is aware of the awkwardness of his chosen format and is using it to his advantage. [Sep/Oct 2014, p.83]

A German-language spy thriller cut from the same cloth as The Americans.

Despite the disappearance of his top lip when smiling, newcomer Wolk employs the same conman charm on the viewer. Rooting for both the wife and the girlfriend--maybe a little bit more for the latter, Lone Star has the makings for a sudsy tune-in.

The fourth season of the 1950s-into-1960s period comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel gets off to a shaky start.

The New Look lags and drags. It takes far too long to get its points across. When it finally does, it does so with not enough conviction. Instead of focusing on the fashion, which is in the title (The New Look was the name of Dior’s first collection when he set up his own house), the 10-episode series keeps forgetting what it’s about and reverts to being a Holocaust story.

Palm Royale is so gorgeous to look at, the story is almost secondary. Funny and frothy, Palm Royale is an indulgent watch not unlike gorging on colorful and beautifully decorated pastries.

There's enough substance to the novel that what's left in the miniseries ends up feeling less like a truly successful adaptation and more like a sketch of a great one.

There is enough going on in The Slap without the addition of the narration, which is reminiscent of the voice over on Pushing Daisies and sounds like it's describing a comedy. Get rid of that smug, knowing narrator, The Slap can speak for itself.

The entire thing could have been told in a tight and easy to grasp two hours and could have used a lot more grit and grime to ground Camden in authenticity. Still, there is plenty to learn from Camden, albeit in a CliffsNotes version.

The Rayburns are, to a tee, well-trod stereotypes. Their dialogue is often as two-dimensional as they are, and when it veers more toward the melo than the drama, Bloodline can get down right corny.

While the series has kinks to work out, the prospect of another season (or more) detailing what the members did afterwards would be fascinating to watch and perhaps less cartoon-ish than aspects of Season One that have been documented ad nauseam.

The warming to the characters of young Einstein's universe is slow, yet once he meets and falls in love with fellow physics student Mileva Maric (Samantha Colley) during his time at Zürich Polytechnic in Switzerland, intrigue begins to mount.

The Powells' snarky dialogue can be a bit annoying, but executive producer Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters) cares for the family dynamics. Even the special effects are commendable. Some of the acting and line delivery can be a bit hokey, but that comes with the comic book-esque material.

The first few episodes of Season Three are overly saccharine. ... Thankfully, this cloying approach fades away relatively soon and Trying reverts to its winning and likeable personality.

For fans craving the next dark, disturbing weekly watch in the spirit of The Walking Dead, The Strain will prove too cheeky and eye-roll inducing. Those that appreciate late '90s B-horror flicks such as The Faculty might enjoy The Strain for the kind of creepy, often goofy ride it is, even though it never gets too deep.

It's more of a kindhearted family show--but it does need some kind of edge.

But even Bader, a seasoned comedic character actor, can’t make the overly-quippy-yet-deflated dialogue land. Same goes for the rest of the talented but hung-out-to-dry cast, each straining for cringey humor in one limp written exchange after the next. Only Odenkirk and Enos succeed by playing their scenes utterly straight.

Norton's stony glare, and a supporting cast rarely rising above one-line descriptions don't sink proceedings. Even if this is just The Night Manager cross-pollinated with The Godfather, it produces a decent hybrid.

Star-Crossed is a by-the-numbers, odds-against, inter-species, teenage love story.

While it's a well-produced and entertaining series, it's disappointing to see writers and filmmakers heading back to the well to rehash lesser John le Carré works when current spy novelists like Olen Steinhauer, Charles Cumming, and Chris Pavone have modern novels that could easily be adapted--and likely with superior results.

Aside from giving these secondary characters more substantive scenery to chew on, our wish list also includes better dialogue for the leads, especially Spector, who spends far too much time reciting thematic exposition. When he does get to speak like a living breathing marginalized minority he’s downright gripping, but show runners Simon and Ed Burns should have more faith that viewers can read between the lines, and ditch the exposition. ... But if this miniseries falls short of those lofty goals, it’ll still be sturdily watchable, thanks to its pristine production value and impassioned acting.

Mixology has sharp-witted lines that are genuinely funny--if at times highly sexist--rather than being gratuitous, clichés, or too-obvious puns.

Everyone is over-acting to a borderline unconvincing amount. The series’ narrative progression is carefully curated to appeal to the tastes and sensibilities of viewers. ... Nothing happening in the series may be real, or important, but that’s never Star’s goal. Rather, each episode in Season Two is nothing more than a 30-minute escape, peering into a world that is mere fantasy, and is all the more entertaining for it, which, in this case, is enough.

It feels a little predictable, but the extreme personas of the overdrawn characters keep you locked in.

The episode is highly watchable when West is hanging out with his friends, professing his love for Chicago or delivering incredibly catchy freestyles. In the moments between these ones, however, jeen-yuhs feels a little bit lost.

The Trophy Wife characters are well developed and the actors very natural in their roles. The kids are brilliant--particularly Tsai.

The cast comes across as natural, even in their stereotypical roles. The dialogue is similarly fluid and representative of the kind of conversations that would happen in these circumstances.

Other than a few other corny ideas (the whole Presidential assassination trope is a little cliché), Hostages delivers a compelling plot with enough tension to keep viewers interested for 45 minutes.

The concept is predictable, but not tired. The cast is relatable, and the dilemmas are thought-provoking without being heavy-handed.

Duntsch’s story would be tough to stitch up in even the steadiest of auteur’s hands. Hats off to Macmanus and directors Maggie Kiley, Jennifer Morrison and So Yong Kim for their ambitious vision, not to mention the ace cast. At the same time, it’s a shame that Dr. Death is too often so dull.

"Meta" is the word used most to describe this strange take on a reboot, which in its very weirdness will have viewers—all of whom will be those that watched the original series when it aired in real-time, none of whom will be fans that aren't the ages of the actors/characters as it will make absolutely no sense to them.

Shangri-La is not an advertisement for the studio, nor is it a biography on Rubin. It touches on the history of the space, which was built in 1976, featuring some classic footage with Scorsese and The Band, and the titular character for the television show Mr. Ed, who lived in a stable at Shangri-La when on hiatus.

[Mia McKenna-Bruce as Jane is] a performance that anchors the series. By contrast, Natalie Dormer, as Sarah, never quite lands. .... The detectives, however, feel underwritten; their investigative work is so thinly drawn that the conviction itself strains credibility. Despite all this—or perhaps because of it—The Lady remains a frothy, distinctly British watch.

Under this gorgeous dressing, The Knick feels curiously hollow.

Starstruck gets off to a dull start, then becomes predictable and uninteresting. But, as the episodes progress, Matefeo rediscovers the instinctive humor that made the first season such a delight.

Season Two of Betty feels like watching an identity crisis unfold. Not necessarily trying to figure out what kind of show it wants to be, or what story it wants to tell, but rather, how exactly to tell that story.

It is hard to find a suitable middle ground, when neither protagonist wants to implicate him/herself. That--this puzzle of what really happened--might be the genius of the show, but it's also frequently its great frustration. If audiences aren't fully engaged while watching Noah's point of view, then having to rewatch everything a second time around from Alison's perspective will be painful.

This narrative of bad people who want to feel human, whose flaws are both embedded into their DNA and yet crippling, has gone stale. In the context of a crime show, the gimmick ages rapidly.

Heigl's serviceable, and the show's writing is fun enough that, as long as audiences don't expect the next great political thriller, State of Affairs could be a worthwhile way to spend the concluding hours of a Monday night.

Neither particularly bad nor stellar, Madoff is a mildly entertaining, though far from impressive, miniseries with oversimplified depictions of white-collar thieves, bumbling to the point of cartoonish financial analysts, and fraud run rampant.

And Just Like That… addresses these issues [death, alcoholism, racism, sexual identity] with a lot more respect bringing a deserved weightiness to the matters, which are explored over the course of the 10 episodes and not resolved in under half an hour—love. The overarching cringing “wokeness” of it all—hate.

Meyers' Dracula is in line with the seductive, brooding bloodsuckers we've become used to lately, sipping fine whiskey as often as he does blood. The pilot moves very slowly, but the production values are outstanding.