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.

Every cheap sexual innuedndo, obvious adolscent pun, and cliched puerile situation is exploited here. [Holiday 2009, p.86]

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.

The premise provides an interesting hook for a period drama, but the show straddles too many lines, as far as tone and genre go. If it committed more fully to any one direction, it would be exponentially stronger. As it is, it feels too concerned with casting as wide a net as possible and could fail to catch many return viewers.

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.

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.

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

The remaining first half of this ten episode season (I only binged the five so far) are equally strong as the premiere, falling short of only the series’ absolute apex, which is of course Season Two’s famous “Forks” episode.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Down Cemetery Road’s first season starts off as a pulse-pounding journey that sadly hits a dead end.

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.

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.

Maron is at its greatest when the comedian plays into the abrasiveness that lands him in trouble with others.

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.

It works in measures, but the tragedy here is that Samberg's leash is too short.

Overall, it took Once Upon a Time a season to fall flat; Penny Dreadful does that immediately.

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.

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

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.

More irresistible than the most-watched “unscripted” series revolving around the wealthy and as riveting as an ‘80s mini-series, FEUD’s one-a-week episode drops (although it kicked off with two) cannot come fast enough.

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.

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

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.

It escalates and complicates some of the best and most controversial elements of its parent show that it should have no trouble standing on its own.

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.

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.

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.

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

The second episode also has a number of evocatively shot scenes. But the character development on this episode (which runs ten minutes shorter than the premiere) is equally effective. This is especially true of Ryan’s Melanie.

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

With Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood) as creator and producer, About a Boy could very well be the next universally appealing family show.

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.

High Desert is barren of laughs, and its tone is as abrasive as a dusty California valley cactus.

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.

If you can tolerate the overly histrionic pilot and are curious enough to find out what "the event" actually is, of which there is no mention in the pilot, then NBC has a Lost-esque show on its hands. Count me out.

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.

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.

While Hawaii Five-0 Mark II has none of its predecessor's cringe factor, the classic theme music retains its blood-rushing quality with a sharp, updated recording. And when McGarrett first utters the infamous line, "Book 'em Danno," we dare you not to let a little grin escape.

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

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.

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 switch from battered girlfriend to ball busting crime boss is so sudden, it’s hard to reconcile the instantly experienced crook Joan becomes with the desperate mother she is. Turner handles this inconsistency brilliantly, maintaining viewers’ attention with her razor-sharp turn as Joan. Additionally, the ‘80s setting makes up for the storytelling deficiencies in many ways.

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.

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

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 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.

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]

The characters are cookie-cutter, the dialogue predictable, the jokes stale and flat, completely unexpected from a sitcom veteran.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

"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.

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

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

This could be a watershed moment in TV's long and inglorious history of idiocy, a drama that unintentionally almost matches Arrested Development for laughs.

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 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.

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 efficiency and charisma of these two, enhanced by the haute couture and clichéd exotic locales, makes watching Undercovers really fun-but not very believable as a spy drama. It is all a little too casual and humorous to be convincing.

The set-up sounds promising except the overwhelming apologetic tone that blankets every single exchange stops Ten Percent from developing any kind of edge.

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.

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.

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

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.

The rest of Detroit 1-8-7's cast is fill-in-the-blanks police fodder. The only two characteristics that separate this show is one, it is filmed wholly in Detroit (who cares, a soundstage looks just as convincing) and two, the cameras are handheld (who cares, that shakiness can become very annoying).

Legacy starts strong and only gets stronger. It’s a multi-generational family dynasty real-life drama far more riveting than any dramatized version.

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

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's hard to fall in love with a world that feels...borrowed.

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.

If you’ve seen the YouTube Originals The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story produced by *NSYNC’s Lance Bass and are noticing some overlaps between that 100-minute documentary from 2019 and this docuseries. .... There is more understanding of Pearlman as a person, and his essentially sad existence in Dirty Pop, which also has a good handle on the pacing of the narrative.

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.

It's punchy, violent, and darkly funny.

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.

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.

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.

To give the second season of The Morning Show something, anything, to propel it forward, there are a variety of soapy dramas, many of them pinned to the new characters. These cobbled together histrionic dramatics are offensive compared to the gravity of the issues of the first season. Even combined, the desperate scrambles of the second season don’t have enough bite, or credibility, for the viewer to invest in.

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.

[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.

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.

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

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 main storyline isn't strong enough and the incongruous peripheral elements just confuse rather than engage the viewer.

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

Nothing groundbreaking, but every so often a sports-themed show is de rigueur

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.

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.

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.