In addition to fresh, sharp writing, the casting in Freaks and Geeks is exceptional. [25 Sept 1999, p.E05]

Football is the framework for what remains a gritty, family drama with enormous heart.

It's amazing stuff. Totally engaging. And completely worth watching.

Sunday's Alias premiere plays out as a high-energy adventure wrapped in a mystery -- and it's better than a lot of theatrical films of the genre. Whether the series holds up is open to question. But the premiere is a gas. And the show could well turn out to be a good one. [28 Sept 2001, p.C08]

For the first time in a long time, NBC has a new sitcom that really is must-see TV. [2 Oct 2001, p.C08]

However, I can't give The Shield an unqualified recommendation given its placement on a basic cable network. There are scenes that make "NYPD Blue" look tame, including nudity, sex scenes, horrific violence and everything short of the f-word in terms of language. It looks like something you'd expect from HBO or a pay-cable channel that you specifically pay for and expect to include adult content. Not a basic cable channel that's next to Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. [12 Mar 2002, p.C08]

One of the most promising new shows of the season...This is not all heavy drama, however. There's a lot of humor and a lot of great characters. Everwood is not unlike Cicely, Alaska, in "Northern Exposure" -- it's a place where the characters are, well, characters. [14 Sept 2002, p.E08]

And what makes Yost's script even more amazing is that this is not just a show about crime, but it's a show about the characters as well. In the hourlong pilot, we get glimpses into each of their lives and begin to see how who they are affects what they do. [27 Sept 2002, p.C08]

Whether Cryer is all of that in real life, I don't know. But I do know that both he and Sheen seem to have found the perfect sitcom roles in "Men." The show is a hoot. [22 Sept 2003, p.C08]

There isn't another half hour like it on network television right now. It's a 30-minute show, but it isn't a sitcom. As a matter of fact, it's at least as much a drama as it is a comedy. It's also one of the best new shows of the season. [22 Sept 1998, p.TV]

The first four hours are good. Very good. Certainly, 24 fans will enjoy them.

It's entertainment. And, as entertainment, it clearly fulfills its function.

Great drama is great drama. And Caprica shows all the signs of turning into another great drama.

Suffice it to say that Breaking Bad is an enthralling narrative, for all that it remains tough to watch.

Not only are the stories engrossing in and of themselves, but they seem certain to spark interest in genealogy among viewers.

Rescue Me remains a crazy mix of drama and comedy that's heart-wrenching and hilarious. Can't wait to see how it ends.

It'll bring a smile to your face and, yes, warm your heart a bit.

It looks like one of the better original offerings on any of the broadcast networks this summer.

Hot in Cleveland is bright, funny and witty. And, yes, it's a purely traditional sitcom, filmed in front of a studio audience, which clearly appreciates the jokes.

Treme features the kind of indelible characters we've come to expect from Simon and Overmyer in "Homicide" and "The Wire."

With a show like this--a show about a super-smart, super smart-alecky police detective--it's not about the concept, it's about the execution. The characters. The actors. And The Glades looks like a winner on those counts.

It's all nicely done, if you like this sort of thing. And there are a lot of people who like this sort of thing, judging by the ratings of both "JAG" and "CSI." [23 Sept 2003, p.C08]

The events of that Season 3 finale have rebounded to the good of the Season 4 premiere. And Season 4 gets off to a very promising start on Sunday.

It's a slam-bang action adventure with comedy and a little bit of personal drama. And it doesn't aspire to be anything more than that.

With a little bit of effort on your part--The Pillars of the Earth is pretty good viewing. It's the sort of expansive miniseries that we never see on network television anymore.

It's not bad. It's actually sort of promising.

The pilot is good; Episodes 2 and 3 aren't as good. But it has potential.

Both intriguing and very iffy. It's all going to depend on how good a job the writers do in making this mystery work over the long haul. If they follow the "X-Files" example of one-step-forward, one-step-back, this could get old quickly. [20 Sept 2002, p.C08]