Abrams directs stunning action scenes, and he develops a shadowy world of long-term potential. Garner manages to keep the show involving in the sillier moments, such as when Sydney dyes her hair loud red and goes off to settle scores single-handedly...Garner plays this conflicted heroine with poignancy and grit. [30 Sept 2001, p.4]

Expert casting deepens this version. Without stars as these youthful Dashwood sisters, the men are on equal footing.

You couldn't wander in at this point and not be lost. Yet here's one series worth catching up with on DVD.

Heroes offers uneven acting, clunky dialogue and some flat figures.... Yet Heroes overcomes its flaws to present arresting, off-the-wall entertainment.

The House-Wilson scenes bristle with edge and anguish. Their interplay builds through the hour to a staggering scene, one of the strongest in the show's history.

As Veronica, Bell delightfully plays the clash between sarcasm and sweetness. The actress, who appeared in Deadwood, is one of the most valuable performers this fall. As her struggling detective father, Enrico Colantoni displays more charm than he ever did on Just Shoot Me. [22 Sept 2004, p.E1]

The show echoes everything from Gilligan's Island to King Kong. But the parts have been assembled with a flair that makes Lost a genuinely eerie experience. [22 Sept 2004, p.E1]

The series presents the medical cases in credible style by stressing the patients' humanity and by refusing to shy from grim prognoses.

Sleeper Cell moves with more sophistication than most crime dramas.

Ealy and Fehr give fierce performances that will keep fans hooked.

This creepy storytelling carries extra punch because the drama has an excellent, easy-to-root-for cast.

Of the three [alien invasion series], this CBS series boasts the best light show. It has assembled the strongest cast. Above all, it establishes the most involving story and the one most likely to bring viewers back the following week.

Mamet skillfully balances the men's harrowing missions with their wives' sacrifices on the home front.

Proves that a conventionally made sitcom can still produce laughter.

Louis-Dreyfus reaffirms her talents for playing exasperation and physical awkwardness. Christine stumbles repeatedly, but Louis-Dreyfus soars.

The adult show supplies shocking twists. The tone ranges from passionate to campy to scary.

Torchwood enlivens Saturdays, which has become a desert for viewers.

Extraterrestrials are communicating through the young. But what do the visitors want? The answer and mankind’s response transform Children of Earth into an epic that should bring Torchwood to a wider audience. (The miniseries, a high point for summer television, will be available on DVD July 28.)

Yes, My Boys echoes Sex and the City. But this new series is a pleasant variation on that TV classic. PJ is more down-to-earth and tomboyish than Carrie Bradshaw.

Not since Friends has a comedy been blessed with so many appealing performers matched to sharply drawn characters.

Creature Comforts is genuinely good.

This amusing series is likely to leave you smiling rather than guffawing.

The opener has been smoothly filmed, but the second episode supplies personal angles that deepen Kidnapped and suggest its potential.

Despite the Palin raves, Fey saves her best for this witty show.

The premiere suggests that Bruckheimer has added to his lustrous record in crime: He's guilty of being outrageously entertaining again.

A legal thriller with the depth and structure of an engrossing novel.

The series retains its challenging, jumping-through-time storytelling.

Eureka is neither as charming as Northern Exposure nor as sinister as Twin Peaks. Whatever it lacks in originality, Eureka still represents an oasis in this reality-infested summer.