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.

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

The second season continues We Are Lady Parts’ deft and nuanced storytelling but doesn’t rehash past issues.

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

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.

There is nothing in music that 1971 has not touched. Essential viewing.

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

We Need to Talk About Cosby is difficult to watch, but it is absolutely necessary.

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.

Before long, these employees satisfyingly rise up to break free of those arbitrary cubbies, after seeing not merely the system’s exploitation but undeniable evil. By then, viewers will have long been hooked by not only that vital social commentary and the series spiky humor, but also Severance’s office shredder sharp direction and — above all — its white-collar hero cast.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It weaves the stories of its eight principal characters in a way that never feels redundant or overcomplicated.

This astoundingly moving yet hilarious–at times in the same scene–series depicts the how and why of an American political tragedy.

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.

A welcome return for one of TV’s most deftly penned and performed series.

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

Thanks to his chemistry with his castmates, and his leaning into a boyish charm that came off as stilted inexperience in prior seasons—along with even better than ever turns from Matten and McClarnon, make season four of Dark Winds a new high watermark for this ever burgeoning crime saga.

The Bear continues to make viewers laugh, dab tears and watch ravenously as the most lived-in characters on TV ply their trades and shake off setbacks. Whether they’re chatty or contemplative, you won’t be able to take your eyes off this unmatched cast and the gorgeous dishes they prepare.

The mystery of the villain this season is intriguing, and culminates in a hugely satisfying twist in later episodes. That being said, some viewers will become impatient with that dynamic and miss the presence of a big baddie like Weaving’s, plotting schemes and chewing up scenery. .... But best of all is the surprisingly effective melancholy giving bite to the dark humored banter between the main Slough House cast.

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.