It's oddly disconnected from the idea of art as transformation, the show's characters are thinly drawn and it's usually fairly easy to see where the story is heading.

Surprising doesn't begin to describe what happens.

As these two families question their assumptions and experiences, we not only get insights into a thorny issue but, through the families on the show, we also get fascinating glimpses into lives we'd never otherwise lead.

It doesn't work as a character drama and it's tiresome more often than it's freakily scary.

Fifteen minutes into A Gifted Man, the performance of Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle and Margo Martindale had completely won me over, and of all the pilots I've screened for fall, this is the one I most want to see more of.

Powers, the central character in the strangely compelling new HBO series Eastbound & Down is a down-on-his-luck pitcher whose glory days in the Major League are well behind him.

His repetitive fights with his ex-girlfriend, Karen (Natascha McElhone), with whom he reunited at the end of last season, are by far the most tiresome part of the show. Much more fun is the easy camaraderie Hank has with his growing entourage, all of whom share his cynical and saucy outlook on life.

Though the show apes “Burn Notice’s” beachside vibe, the new program is too predictable to make much of an impression.

Eli Stone is not quite there yet; the characters are pretty thinly drawn in the first few episodes, and the law cases seem heavily tilted toward the "little guy" side.

All in all, this is a much-watered down version of "Meet the Parents," and the only watchable things are the slow-burn looks of disgust from Dick (Kurtwood Smith), Sam's displeased future father-in-law.

Given that this show was created by "Scream" writer Kevin Williamson, there's the usual showy deconstruction of scary-story cliches, but that deconstruction just draws attention to how hollow this project is. ... Ultimately, my dislike for The Following has less to do with its gore factor than with its essential laziness, silliness and pretentiousness.

A grim, formulaic drama.

Not an unqualified success, but it is eminently watchable. What's more, it does the near-impossible: It doesn't make the viewer forget the original, but it actually inspires affection, instead of cries of "sacrilege!" from this rabid "Office" fan.

Stories aren't particularly dense or surprising, and some of the conflict feels quite contrived

Even when the show gets a bit melodramatic or overwrought, however, Parenthood's good intentions radiate throughout its many story lines. But do good intentions make for reliably compelling family drama? That depends on your tolerance for its frequent tonal shifts and occasional manic intervals.

The theme of the show is a metaphor for how McIntyre will start to dive into her life and listen to "wake-up calls from the universe." It's a slender concept, and the series may not stand out enough in this crowded summer season.

The first episode of Enemy ended up being a relatively compelling hour of television. As competent as it is, though, it’s hard not to think that the premise contains some holes.

It does what it sets out to do reasonably well without breaking my brain in the process.

An intermittently interesting summer potboiler with a creepy "Twin Peaks"-meets-"American Beauty" vibe, with a little of "The Riches" thrown in for good measure.

As guilty pleasures go, Harper's Island may hit the spot. Though perhaps it would have worked best as a summer series?

Nip/Tuck is back to being the frothy, fun and knowing show it was in its early days.

Though there are exceptions and a few bits work, the skits that weren’t funny in one episode don’t become funny when they are repeated, with minor alterations, in the next.

Certain moments may verge on cliche (and once in a while, the dialogue is a little corny), but overall, The Pacific is crafted and acted with such loving devotion that it's hard to find fault with its sincerity and sentimental forays.

As straight man and wild card combos go, Hanks and Whitford are well-matched, though "The Good Guys" really belongs to Whitford. He appears to be having so much fun that it's simply infectious.

An impressively constructed thriller and an intriguing, timely exploration of what people at the apex of society will do to hold on to their power.

A program so bad that it's not only unpleasant to watch, but it makes you fear for the future of network television.

This well-intentioned Sense gets the job done.

The New Normal needs to work in a more linear and emotionally direct fashion, and there's not much about this NBC pilot, which is fueled by a mixture of cattiness and slick manipulation, that reassures me on that front.