An entire season of no conflicts and Shrill’s series finale ends with a mess of loose ends, that makes it feel like all Annie’s and Fran’s personal accomplishments have amounted to nothing and leaves viewers with no resolution.

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.

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.

Even genre-bending as much as it does would normally be a challenge, but It’s A Sin pulls it off through its smart script and its brilliant performances.

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.

At half-hour each, Cobra Kai is an easy binge that will only make you want more.

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.

By throwing caution to the frostbiting wind, rather than trudging over former glories, Hawley and co. give TV’s great snow swept saga quirkier characters that cover greater thematic ground. Is it a departure? And is that what makes it great? On both counts: oh yeaaah, you betcha.

You don’t have to be a skater, know anything about skating, or be a Zoomer to enjoy Betty. Virtually flow with the boards on Betty, absorb the scenery and let the sound of the wheels on concrete sooth you.

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.

A keen ear is necessary to catch all her slick comments, so many of which are razor-like in their humor. The funny factor spikes in every scene with her parole officer Janice (Jo Martin), who rivals Haggard with her natural comedic delivery and priceless lines.

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.

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.

There are a few new characters that are life preservers in this murky swamp of uninteresting plots.

"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.

Ostensibly, Homecoming might appear uneventful and slow but it's deliberately and skillfully languid, ratcheting up tension with purpose and ease.

Charlotte and Jonah don't get enough screen time, which is the shame as they are the main reasons to tune into Ozark, which is otherwise not worth the commitment.

The layered darkness that inhabits Flynn's work is the primary hurdle here, and fans looking for a captivating mystery with Gone Girl's twists and turns will be disappointed. Fortunately, for those willing to soak in the experience, director Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies, Dallas Buyers Club) allows for the slow burn required to inhabit Flynn's deeply personal corners.

Ultimately, Kiri is an admirably executed story of confusion, emotion, and consequence, though not without a handful of fumbles.

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.

There's no reinventing the wheel going on here, but as they say, why reinvent something that already works so well.

The big, heartfelt, Dangerous Minds style lines that are geared at squeezing out tears are so cheesy, predictable, and trite, they cause eye-rolls instead.

Rust, Apatow, and the other writers make an understandable attempt at supporting character development this season, which takes some of the weight off of the main couple, but it's the surprising chemistry between Gus and Mickey in both love and war where Love thrives.

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.

The end result is sort of like the Coen Brothers directed Get Out while listening to trap music, and it's not like anything I've ever seen.

Nothing about this reboot is a disappointment. If you were a Will & Grace fan the first time, you're going to love it all over again. This is how comedy is done.

A wonky framing device, where Moynihan fills in gaps in the storylines directly to the audience, is given no explanation as to why it's even there, or who he's talking to; you're left to suspect that the writers couldn't figure out a more organic way to clue viewers in on why these scenes are being show to them.

With all these elements working in its favor, scale back on the titular character and give Missy and the mom some more individual airtime and you might have something worth its timeslot.

When these murders took place in real life, they shook the world with horror and disbelief. Those feelings are reignited with the deliciously morbid quality of The Menendez Murders, literally like a slow motion retroactive murder you can't take your eyes off.

Barry Levinson's The Wizard of Lies is a fascinating, and in many ways horrifying glimpse into one of the most notorious thieves in American history.

From its dynamic female characters, to its willingness to turn dashing leading men like McGregor into far more fascinating warts and all character actors, to its exquisite (and frequently hilarious) montages about everyday Americana, Fargo's third season is thus far as strong as any of the sterling preceding tales in this snowed in noir universe.

For now, it lacks such innovation, to say the least. It's as stale as yesterday's paper.

Joining McShane and Whittle, such stars as Cloris Leachman, Peter Stormare, Emily Browning, Pablo Schreiber, and others contribute their immeasurable talents. They play their roles expertly, carrying the show's allure and mystery while humanizing their otherworldly characters.

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.

Moss is stellar in the role, perfectly able to convey simultaneous resistance and forced acceptance of the bleak social structure. It's in the show's writing, though, that the true genius lies. There's not a single dull moment the whole series. Even when it starts to feel a little too close to home, it's impossible to look away.

The beauty is in the discovery of how much terrain there can be for setting up the chess pieces for the world of Breaking Bad. Co-creators Gilligan and Peter Gould make sure to walk you through it at a slow pace, so you can admire the cacti.

Corey Hawkins does a perfectly serviceable job in the thankless role of playing the new Jack, as do the other leads Jimmy Smits and Miranda Otto. But you'll have more fun rewatching your season one DVD.

In the end, it's Law's incredible performance--certainly one of his best--that makes Lenny compelling, mysterious, and complex. We can't help but fall under his charismatic spell and stick with him through trying moments.

A show that offers few laughs and just as much entertainment.

Though Season 3's content remains iron-clad, the proliferation forces things closer to the territory of having "forgotten" episodes, watering down the power of Brooker and his team's vision. More is seductive, but beware dilution.

If their latest appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers as the Talking Heads parody band "Test Pattern" is any indication, Season Two isn't purely a high concept exercise in direct imitation, there will also be plenty of LOLs.

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.

With a star-studded cast (notably featuring Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Anthony Hopkins, James Marsden, and Jeffrey Wright), lush production design, epically sprawling story, and astonishingly huge budget, HBO is banking on the J.J. Abrams-produced Westworld to become a tentpole series. In a rare case, the network's investment pays off.

Meadows was the one minor bright spot as the self-emasculating and self-deprecating therapist. Hines' allusions to a wild, coked-up past, Zorn's workplace woes, Pemberton's teen angst-these were all well-treaded tropes, and likely a missed opportunity for something more clever.

A series pilot has to walk a rather tricky line of setting up a series premise, giving a hint of things to come, and, you know, being entertaining. As far as pilots go, NBC's The Good Place (from Parks and Creation co-creator Michael Schur) hits it out of the park with all of the above-not to mention some honest to goodness earned laughter.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Head of promotions/payola master Zak Yankovich (Ray Romano), giftedly shady head of sales Skip Fontaine (J.C. MacKenzie), and ill-fated artist Lester Grimes (Ato Essandoh) are among the engaging characters who could ensure that Vinyl lives as much more than a destination for leisure suits, coke noses, and Foghat.

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.

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.

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.

Every bit as gripping as this year's earlier docu-series hit, Making a Murderer is the anti-The Jinx.

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.

This could have been more appealing with a stylized visual approach or a novel tone but instead it's sci-fi-by-numbers. [Nov-Dec 2015, p.78]

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.

Ten minutes into Ash vs. Evil Dead it's clear that the show is pulling none of the maximum blood-and-scare punches of the movies, and their humor is thankfully intact.

Part of what makes Supergirl work is the tone. Those who found Man of Steel too dark won't find much traction leveling similar complaints here, as Supergirl is full of light and hope, but not so much so that it doesn't have weight and drama.

Sharply written and delivered with an acute self-awareness.

On balance, Heroes Reborn shows great promise. The challenge will be how the writers and producers pull all the disparate threads into a cohesive storyline.

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

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.

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

As it stands now, the case-of-the-week approach is as hackneyed a take on Minority Report as FOX could have come up with.

The Bastard Executioner suffers from inconsistent pacing. At times meandering or sluggish, it then changes gears, rapidly springing a gory, adrenaline-infused battle seemingly out of nowhere.

It's engaging, it's addicting, and it makes for damn lively Sunday night viewing.

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.

Not only are the fake documentaries of Documentary Now! hilarious, but doc fans are sure to embrace (while laughing) these studiously crafted pieces from creators Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Seth Myers for their loving attention to detail.

David Wain and Michael Showalter's quirky brand of comedy is still the heart of the series, and works because it is so youthfully rudimentary, playing up romantic comedy tropes with bratty sneers and whimsy. First Day at Camp is essential summer TV viewing nobody asked for, but nobody's complaining either.

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.

It's punchy, violent, and darkly funny.

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

Season three makes no significant step forward, but improves by spreading its charm out to the supporting cast.

Sense8's ensemble is contemporaneous, creating an exciting real time tension as the characters take advantage of their seven partners' unique specialties and experiences to unravel mysteries in their own respective scenarios.

The series has also been acquainted with theologically bent ideas, but the trajectory points to the series' characters becoming manifestations of Biblical themes, concepts, and binaries. That they're able to get away with such hard to sell content and pull it off with such aplomb is proof yet that Hannibal, so often a cut above the rest, gets away with delicious murder.

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.

It's dark and, yes, gritty, but the tone fits the character, and it's obvious the series' creators have a real familiarity and affection for their source material.

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.

There is an interesting dynamic of a cast so compact in a setting so large. They literally have the entire world at their disposal.

Hirst transports us to a fascinating and brutal world, combining fact with fast-paced fiction into a show, the likes of which come around all too infrequently. As Ragnar does, so too does Season Three of Vikings expand its worldview beyond the inlet at Kattegat and into Medieval Europe, promising battles, glory, and adventures not to be missed.

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.

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.

Man Seeking Woman is a rare and unique comedy, but raises the bar so high with its initial episodes that it will have to work extra hard to keep up this pace.

The past is suddenly malleable. This removes all the stakes, but also downgrades 12 Monkeys from fatalistic sci-fi dystopia to a predictable genre piece. Not horrible by SyFy, or even cable thriller standards, but still disappointing.

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.

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.

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

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.

Freak Show starts off strong, offering more than just a taste of the spooky, bloody, quirky season to come.

Feldman and Milioti are inherently likeable actors, though as Andrew and Zelda, even their allures wane, stretched too thin by underwhelming writing and a disappointing lack of both humor and creativity.

The show tries (too) hard for laughs ... Walsh does what she can with the material, but by the twelfth time she utters the word "dude," her efforts fall flat.

A smart and enthralling D.C. drama that resurrects its predecessor's outlook, but still takes on a life of its own.

Gordon and the graft permeating the GCPD can be compelling enough to sustain a Gotham story in which Batman doesn't yet exist. However, without the foil of Batman, the villains run the risk of appearing cartoonish.

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]

The Flash continues the CW's streak with the perfect mix of humor and gravity intrinsic to The Flash comics. [Sep/Oct 2014, p.83]

Limp and gratuitous dialogue often borders on melodrama, and none of the characters are particularly compelling or interesting. [Sep/Oct 2014, p.83]

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