Both Nacho’s and Saul’s arcs plots have equal emphasis in the two episodes that were provided to critics. Even though Nacho’s is more action packed, both have enough of the series’ famous off kilter twists to satisfy its hardcore fanbase.

Barry’s runtime always whizzes by like a hitman’s bullet, the laughs constantly killing and the tone hitting an elusive bullseye. Aside from these richly layered plot developments, the characterization and performances of Barry, Gene, Hank, and, above all Sally, help this hilarious and occasionally heart wrenching dramedy once again — just like its title character — hit the mark.

Wainwright strikes a delicate balance between intimate character study and increasingly complex crime drama. Plot layers give Happy Valley more scope and suspense, while remaining digestible.

Given the unpredictable character development and impassioned performances throughout these four episodes, the second season of Reservation Dogs is looking as promising as the first season, whose innovation and nuanced indigenous depictions won a coveted Peabody award, critical acclaim, and endless quotables from Knifeman.

The throughline for all these characters remains truthful, but the show’s pacing this season is uneven. Granted, Better Things has never adhered strictly to linear narratives or the traditional arc of a 30-minute episodic. There’s more of an emphasis on moments and feelings over plot.

Sharp and accurate, at the same time, humorous, it is this latter characteristic that allows for the messages of the series to come through loud and clear. We’re listening and cannot wait to hear what the rest of this season has to say.

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.

Lovingly filmed, richly written.

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.

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.

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.

So far, Season Three of Hacks is free of the formulas that make lesser shows so much more hack-y.

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.

If the quality of the first episode of season five is at all indicative of what we’ll be seeing the rest of this season, it’s probably a good thing the show’s creators took the time to get it right. The opening salvo of the new season is spectacular: insane joke density, an ever-present silliness brushing up against bad taste, awkward social situations laid bare, and hilariously tearing classic sci-fi and genre conventions a new one.

It's not going too far to say Eastbound and Down holds a magnifying glass up to sports and hero workship, it's just that the magnifying glass is outrageously outsized, Charlie Chaplin, silent-movie prop huge. Sadly, as far as McBride takes Powers, the satire may never go far enough, as LeBron James and Roger Clemens and Tiger Woods and a host of others have shown.

The real heart here is the Jennings family. It's what make The Americans a better show than most, and what keeps it a show to watch heading into its second season.

Writer Terence Winter (The Sopranos) delivers the most exciting new series in recent history with Boardwalk Empire, a sweeping Prohibition gangster saga that redefines the boundaries of television storytelling.

The successes on season two of Hacks are hard won by the series’ characters who maneuver around a minefield of losses. The message of perseverance and determination, however, is sent with aplomb and without a shred of “hack”-y-ness.

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.

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.

With several seasons under their belt, they effortlessly inhabit the hundreds of characters that populate their vision of Portland. That vision is simultaneously expanding and tightening.

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.

Even the inclusion factor of This Way Up is natural and believable, and its management of mental health issues is respectful and personal. Six episodes feel like a lifetime with these wonderful people. At the same time, it’s not nearly enough.

With a sharply-written script, nuanced direction, and deft acting, particularly on the part of Doherty, Chloe is a study in modern social dynamics and their psychological impacts as much as it is a ravishing mystery that needs to be seen through to the end.

The Lowdown hits more highs in a moment of screen time than most series do in their comparatively feeble entire run times. Harjo pays homage but also builds on crime tomes from prior generations.

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

Riley keeps us guessing right up until the end, not to mention pulling off a satisfying conclusion from the web of plot and thematic threads he has weaved, is a testament to his skill. That he does so while also making a profound social statement is more impressive still.

Roiland and Harmon have put together a finely balanced show, with infinite possibilities that leave the door open for an exciting future.