The third season, as much as the two preceding ones, continues to breathe new life and vigor into the Western genre. What's more, the actors have become so comfortable in the skins of their characters, we can now appreciate the complexity of their personalities and desires.

A heart-pounding, mesmerizing adventure unlike anything else up or down the dial.

Although more like "Felicity" than "The Paper Chase" in attitude and subject matter, early indications are that the characters in this eight-episode series have neither the depth nor texture of either of those shows.

If the stories aren't entirely convincing, the actors are.

Much of the charm in this show, as well as the humor, comes from Rock's ability to vanquish political correctness in favor of a candid but affectionate look at the past.

Felicity lacks the quirkiness and the humor of "Ally McBeal." However, it has a warmth, a charm and a dramatic urgency that could, at least in part, justify the buzz. [28 Sept 1998]

In lesser hands, Longford might have come off as dogmatic or, worse, pathetic. Broadbent endows him with a cocktail of emotions that makes Longford simultaneously heroic and vulnerable. It is a performance that will likely not be forgotten later this year when Emmy nominations are announced.

It's all done so masterfully that by the third installment, Treme has the old-shoe feeling of a series that has been on for years, not weeks. Still, those first three episodes do move slowly, and if there's a sour note to be sounded it's that it takes awhile for the series to find its centerpoint.

Husband-and-wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa pack the half-hour with oddball characters, zany circumstances and loads of physical comedy, but it's all grounded in enough reality to be utterly believable and irrepressibly funny.

Although the premiere could be more energetic, there's enough going on to coax you to revisit the Buffkins. Hephner shows genuine star potential with his portrayal of brooding Morgan, the moral center of the show. His performance is reason enough to keep watching, though others also stand out.

This latest production from Terence Wrong and ABC News is as ambitious as it is thrilling, a beautiful collage of life-and-death drama, raw courage, medical miracles and human foibles.

Long on heart, brimming with great characters, smartly cast, expertly written and funny from start to finish, Family is the obvious choice for best new fall comedy--and possibly best series.

It is a gem of a production and would be a highlight of any TV season. Pacific, in its totality, conveys a sense of the combat experience that is as complete and realistic as any work of film could be.

Shores has created a funny, loopy, off-kilter comedy that, truth be told, probably would play just as well on other cable channels, including Comedy Central and TV Land.

In the end, it's just a case of pouring old crime into new bottles.

Although several characters are refugees from central casting, there is too much of an earnest streak running through "Dirt" to dismiss it as a breathless soap.

The series, from creators Bryan Fuller and Barry Sonnenfeld, is a masterful mixture of life, romance, optimism and youthful exuberance, all played out under the threat of instant death.

In the second season, some novelty has inevitably worn off, but Dexter is, if anything, more of a paradox and remains one of the most compelling characters on TV.

The more K-ville captures this aura of gloom, the more depressing it is to watch.

A wonderfully engaging combination of comedy and drama that could succeed simply on the passion of its characters and the strength of the performances. But the show also boasts intelligent dialogue and a willingness to grapple with thorny issues, both personal and professional. [21 Sept 1998]

Two episodes NBC made available to critics prove this series is ready to scale even higher comedic heights and that the brightest spot on the planet is not the light atop the Luxor but the writers' room of 30 Rock.

A look at the first episode suggests that, just as A.M. radio is the unassailable province of the right, TV might better be left to the left.

Pace and Anna Friel, who plays Chuck, his childhood sweetheart, are as charming as ever. Even better, their relationship is evolving. Yet another encouraging sign is that the first few episodes promise significant involvement from one of TV's best supporting casts.

Let's get it out the way right now, the blurb that will be quoted after this review is run: "If you see nothing else this summer, watch 'Brotherhood.' "

That it has been a hit in 35 nations... reveals that there are more international threats than terrorism and global warming.

Reaper is a fun show to watch but not to think about. The concept is imaginative, and the characters are enjoyable. The pilot is a hugely entertaining hour of TV.

Whether or not "The Nine" succeeds -- and, personally, I'm pulling for it -- it deserves credit for advancing the art of TV storytelling to new heights, both complex and rewarding.

Justified will not stretch the dramatic envelope the way many FX shows have. Still, with its white knight of a hero, fine guest stars and intriguing relationships, one can rely on the show to deliver 13 hours of entertaining and occasionally taut crime drama.

This is one of the rare situation comedies that relies almost entirely on situations, each of which is more bizarre than the next and at the same time perfectly plausible. It's almost too good.

There are more than a few well-made dramas this season, but "Studio 60" -- with its intelligent dialogue, ironic humor, brilliant acting and Schlamme's inspired direction -- lays claim to being the most exciting new show of the season.

Sound more than a little like FX's "Rescue Me"? Absolutely.

The writing is sharp enough to create nearly as many solid laughs as there are producers. [21 Aug 1998]

A compelling, intelligent and wonderfully engaging drama. [22 Sept 1999]

This remains a superb, positively riveting TV drama, however repetitive the themes and grandly implausible the scenarios.

Even with its eye-rolling plot and its McMusic, High School Musical 2, like the original, does well by doing good.

Those who gravitate to this engaging show will be rewarded with the kind of substantial, thoughtful fare more often reserved for theater audiences. Plus, there are outstanding performances.

This handsome miniseries is praiseworthy on many levels--as history, as entertainment and as a way to bring to life for new generations a sense of the sacrifice and heroism needed to establish the U.S.

The new series boasts eye-catching animation and dollops of sex and violence but only enough humor to elicit occasional chuckles. If you eliminate the references to sexual perversions, even the smiles are few and far between.

The series premiere suffers from a catalog of problems longer than most demand lists.

While it is far from apparent that Friday night is the best place for this smart and stylish show, one can assume USA will move it elsewhere, if necessary, to give it the chance it deserves.

Simultaneously sexy and relatable, Elfman wins us over with a convincing performance that shows vulnerability just beneath a placid surface.

It's a Western miniseries with impeccable pedigree, memorable characters, breathtaking cinematography and a story that seems almost as if it had been put together by a committee.

Director-writer Peter Berg understands completely, and he explores the psychology of team sport and the dynamics of personal tragedy with great sensitivity.

Working together, Goldblum and Craven create some of the most honest scenes in the genre.

The buzz is that "My Name Is Earl" is good, and the truth is that it's better than the buzz.

Hall... is brilliant at conveying the subtle complexity of Dexter.

[It] might more accurately be titled "Touched by a Sponsor."

The latest (and last) in the series featuring superhero librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) packs more humor, suspense and adventure into two hours than either of its two predecessors.

For all its gore, Dead Set has a frightening lack of suspense. Then again, except for Kelly (Jaime Winstone), a "Big Brother" producer with a dysfunctional love life, most of the characters are so lacking in humanity that the transition to zombie isn't much of a leap.

No doubt about it, Futurama and its entire splendid voice cast is back, sly wit, social satire and all. So, too, are the disembodied heads of celebrated figures.

If you've seen the original with Donald Trump, there is scarcely a need to view this carbon copy.

The Aliens pilot has some of the funniest writing on TV this fall.

The harsh reality is that it will be lucky to get the time it needs to figure out how to become the show it was meant to be.

The best thing in the show's favor is its single-camera style and a cast that knows its way around a punchline, though these are few and far between. In general, stories are contrived and exaggerated, and they fail to deliver even a mild comedy payoff.

It is a terrific springboard to a series that is appealing--even compelling--in a variety of ways.

The producers do a nice job of developing characters and delineating the conflict. It's so good that, with only a few tweaks here and a little better dialogue there, it could rival "The Office" as a faux documentary.

Without more skillful dialogue and lively stories, this won't help A&E kick the reality habit.

The premiere of Angel suggests this is a fairly grim and humorless series, though perhaps not entirely predictable. With no Buffy to offset the intensely glowering and eternally brooding Angel (David Boreanaz), the former love of her life, the spinoff becomes a sort of "Touched By a Vampire," a show in danger of taking itself far too seriously and the audience far too lightly. [4 Oct 1999]

Some of the sharpest political satire on the small screen.

[An] unflinching and engaging look at the lives of a disparate group of women in their 20s and 30s whose share a love for this rough-and-tumble sport.

That's a lot of story potential, but most of it is squandered in trite and predictable ways.

This is a warmhearted dramedy, which gushes charm and family appeal.

It has the wit and bite that made the series a standout, but it has jettisoned much of the dramatic baggage that had begun to weigh the show down.

A terrific boon to those who can't wait a week between "Friday Night SmackDown!"

A little heavy on exposition.... "Burn" is at its best when Westen is outwitting and outracing bad guys.

Scene after scene transports viewers across time and space to a place made vivid and real. By doing all this, the robust, two-part, four-hour "Masterpiece Theatre" program raises the bar for future "Jane Eyre" productions to a level that will not be easily hurdled.

It bursts with humor thanks to a solid cast, smart writing and a quick pace.

The series, from Liese's Herizon Prods. and New Line Television, is remarkable for the way it compresses time and hones in on pivotal moments.

For someone named Pepper, this character is awfully bland.

Unlike so many adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, this one not only pleases just as it stands but also could inspire a genuine curiosity in many viewers about seeing more of his work.

There's no shortage of laughs.

Largely a waste of time.

Too often, though, plots are contrived and coincidental (how many times can Kellerman defend clients against the same prosecutor, who just happens to be his girlfriend?) and lack the wonderful surprises that are trademarks of a Bochco production.

British reviewers pegged Hotel Babylon correctly when they called it flashy, trashy, cheeky, frothy and "like a perfectly executed souffle."

The script, from Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg, is true to the spirit of the original and exciting enough to make you swallow the premise and beg for more.

The pilot is full of dark, dangerous and sexy moments.

Black, a thinking-man's blowhard, carries the concept off with shameless aplomb, while his debating helpers are equal parts witty and wise.

Director David Nutter gets the series off to a rousing start, practically packing every frame with suspense, special effects and an urgency that drives this show like an incessant drumbeat.

Give Gilligan credit for a pilot, written mostly as one long flashback, that is suspenseful and surprising. Cranston is always fun to watch and Bad is no exception. What's more, a strong supporting cast suggests there is a lot of room for this series to grow.

"Book Club" is one of those "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" series. You know, the kind that promote themselves as giving unvarnished looks into real-life issues facing women in a variety of situations but that mostly exist to exploit them.

The show has a complex rhythm involving characters, satire and sight gags. You can watch "Barker" again and find things you missed the first time.

This farmer may want a wife but, in the end, the only guarantee is that he gets a reality show.

It's imperative to make [a commitment] to this series because it doesn't really find itself until the second and third episodes. That's when you feel and recognize the beauty and the pain that Cynthia Mort smartly and sensitively portrays in her fiercely honest examination of sex in relationships.

There's no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to new TV series, but Back to You is as close as it gets.

As exciting as the original.

True Blood, with its constant profanity, gore and banal cruelty, will have a limited appeal. It might become appointment viewing for genre fans even as the rest of us steer clear of Bon Temps.

Well-cast and full of expensive-looking special effects, FlashForward should hook a respectable number of viewers with its combination of surprise and suspense.

A standout comedy with a lousy title.

A nice combination of brains and belly laughs and a solid addition to the CBS comedy block on Monday nights.

It is a series that boasts more than a few terrific performances, and yet it is surprisingly mellow, nearly devoid of the kinds of dramatic moments that resonate after the final credits roll.

Maybe this show would be more compelling if the Donnellys were a little less black and a little more gray.

Outrageous at times, sentimental at other times, "The Boondocks" brings a unique and satiric vision to animation.

What gives this serious heft and its own unique feel is the family drama woven throughout the premiere. That, and a group of particularly talented and skilled cast members who, under director Thomas Schlamme, take their performances to the highest levels.

Creator-writer Norman Morrill's drama is so taut and his approach to the genre so sharp that the only significant complaint is that the first "season" is only six episodes.

When the show clicks, as it does in several scenes, the improvised performances have a more natural look and feel than typical sitcom scripts. Elsewhere, the comedy feels forced and staged.

This one has more heart and is a better fit with its primetime neighbors.

Californication can be unabashedly self-centered, judgmental and off-putting, but it is redeemed by occasional hilarious moments, an appealing father-daughter relationship and Duchovny's skillful creation of a charismatic boor.

If one dispenses with the seemingly coaxed melodrama, the well-rehearsed family scenes and the endlessly repetitive bumpers, an occasional nugget of helpful information on tracing family roots is discovered.