Blends Rock's signature, whip-smart irreverence with richly humorous, character-driven stories of his own adolescence to create the rare family comedy that is both hilariously honest and filled with heart.

Masterful.

The lavishly beguiling historical drama is pumped up on passion, wit and the majestic fire of Helen Mirren's thrilling performance as one of history's most intriguing rulers.

Milch's darkly hilarious exploration of the American frontier spirit is back for a third season of twisted human conniving.

Start to finish in its first-rate opening season, Showtime's "Brotherhood" has the makings of something neat, offbeat and special.

"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is another Sorkin mother lode of stylish wit, uncompromising quality and timely, topical substance. It's TV with a brain for viewers in search of something other than the same old, same old.

As Betty Suarez, a beautiful dreamer with a heart full of soul, America Ferrera gives the breakout new star performance of the season. And "Ugly Betty," fizzy, smart and colorfully styled, is looking fine.

Filled with strong writing, a colorful gallery of vivid characters and a rocking good mix of cool dialogue and explosive action, "Battlestar Galactica" rolls on as an intergalactic entertainment classic.

No, the thrill isn't gone. "24" remains a wild 'n' crazy roller-coaster ride.

This effort is blessed with a wealth of exceptional talent.

TV's most original and irresistible new comic concoction.

Damages is dynamite. And the fuse is lit.

Pushing Daisies is a delicate, rapturously original little television miracle.

Hall, who invests strange, demented Dexter with real heart and humanity. It's a spooky tour de force.

Just imagine if Tony Soprano had decided to be a cop instead of a gangster. Yes, scary. Scary and compelling. And that's what you get with Detective Vic Mackey, the brutal, anything-goes Johnny Law at the dark heart of The Shield, an explosively well-done new crime drama. [12 Mar 2002]

This is sophisticated television that assumes there is an intelligent audience for well-written, off-center, ambitious entertainment. David Chase has created a contemporary mob masterpiece. The Sopranos, make no mistake, is the first truly great TV show of 1999. [8 Jan 1999, p.1D]

The stylish, fast-moving series premiere is filled with surprising twists, witty repartee and some revved-up, well-choreographed action sequences. But the real star of Alias is, well, the star: athletic Jennifer Garner, who portrays Sydney with intelligence and graceful, hard-bodied charisma. [29 Sept 2001]

Boomtown, created by Graham Yost, who wrote "Band of Brothers" and "Speed," has the potential to be NBC's best crime drama since "Homicide: Life on the Street." [27 Sept 2002]

One tasty comic treat.

An instant chucklehead classic.

A spiffy new version.

Feels like a hit show about to happen.

A terrific, six-hour miniseries, beautifully written and sharply directed.

Thanks mostly to the acting intelligence and talent of Lili Taylor, State of Mind is the more interesting, entertaining newcomer.

As a witty social history viewed through the tempestuous prism of office and sexual politics, Mad Men is big fun ... classy entertainment with a brain.

Duchovny possesses the engaging comic empathy skills to make his Left Coast libertine decidedly witty and likable.

The ensemble cast, including David Oyelowo, Edward Woodward ("The Equalizer") and Janet McTeer, is first rate. A winner.

And you don't have to be a sci-fi fanatic to get a kick out of Firefly, which brandishes playful bits of Whedon's signature wit and snappy repartee. [20 Sept 2002]

Though it's extremely well done, The Wire lacks the signature HBO kick of discovering something brand new, that giddy feeling of freshness that immediately attached itself to "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under." With The Wire, there's a less-exciting echo: Same old, same old. Been there, done that. [31 May 2002]

Like any over-the-top, conspiracy-laced concept, "Prison Break" will only work if viewers are giddily enticed to jump aboard the Willing Suspension of Disbelief Express.

Both fun and unexpected.

Besides the nifty, repressed romantic dynamic between Brennan and Booth, "Bones" has some fun with snazzy hologram visualizations of the murder victims in each case.

You know you're in the presence of a fresh, original sitcom when you don't even mind the laugh track.

"Out of Practice" is that increasingly rare old-fashioned sitcom that delivers decent laughs.

A compelling tale of ordinary people ensnared in extraordinary circumstances.

"The West Wing" was more vivid, original and compelling than "Commander in Chief" is likely to become. But impressive Geena Davis and the Oval Office gender twist are indeed refreshing.

A raunchy, mostly forgettable female bonding sitcom.

Like the frequently audacious comic strip that gave it life, "The Boondocks" doesn't mess around.

"Sleeper Cell" works as a smart, sharply styled thriller about a very serious subject.

An offbeat treat worth rooting for.

It's actually rather funny, broadly entertaining and blessed with a sweet screwball spirit. It's a promising farce with heart.

Simultaneously appealing and rather sadly appalling, "Mrs. Harris" gets at the messy truth of it all in a distinctively mischievous manner.

It's uneven in spots, with the riveting action sequences sometimes overshadowing the more subdued domestic scenes. But unlike the often gratingly shallow "JAG," "The Unit" allows for ambiguity.

What may appear at first glance to be a cheap reality TV gimmick... soon evolves into something quite compelling.

Has some genuinely funny moments despite its laugh track and conventional sitcom framework.

It's a fresh, darkly comic workplace/social life farce peppered with good laughs.

[A] smart, hard-edged new crime drama.

It's styled as a sort of laid-back Gen X updating of "thirtysomething," replacing that show's neuroses-fueled, East Coast edge with a more casual, lighthearted California vibe.

"Lucky Louie" is a true original -- a pleasantly twisted variation on "The Honeymooners" or "Roseanne" for the 21st Century.

The breezily irreverent "Entourage" -- chock-full of witty banter, Hollywood insider jokes and real-life celebrities in self-spoofing mode -- parties on in especially fine style.

A richly entertaining winner, a saga that both stirs the emotions and whips up vivid outbursts of satisfying, varmint-vanquishing action.

"Eureka" is clever paranormal escapism that sometimes teeters on the edge of whimsical excess. But that doesn't mean you won't find plenty of affable, oddball entertainment.

A comedy anchored in the flawed, deeply genuine humanity of its characters often delivers the rollicking natural high of laughter.

On a simple quality drama level, it's the best network miniseries in several years.

A witty, sophisticated romantic drama.

It arrives fresh, charming and consistently funny.

Though the crime thriller territory is familiar, Liotta and the talented supporting cast give "Smith" an extra kick of dramatic energy.

Darkly gripping.

With fun, familiar faces like Field, Flockhart and Griffiths on board, attending a family reunion with the Walkers every Sunday could be a lively, entertaining way to end the weekend.

Feresten makes a rather engaging talk show host.

You don't have to be a fantasy or sci-fi geek to have fun with it

Dexter is... one of the most compelling new characters on TV.

The smartly told stories of first-year coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, "King Kong") and his Dillon High School Panthers are packed with gritty style and heartfelt emotion.

"The Nine" unfolds with an abundance of emotion-charged imagination.

Fey's humor possesses a sly, literate snap. And like NBC's recent cool comedies, "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl," her rollicking "30 Rock" has a surplus of nutty imagination.

A clever new animated series.

"The Sarah Silverman Program" is not for everyone. But if you've chuckled along to the rascals on "South Park" -- or if you thought "Borat" was one hilarious movie -- then chances are you'll get some perverse jollies with Sarah Silverman's latest venture.

A terrific series pilot that gives off little echoes of everything from "GoodFellas" to "The Departed."

Thanks to Corddry's social misfit charisma, Ricky Blitt's affable lowbrow lunacy flashes with a sharp, dizzy wit.

Laced with profanity, amoral behavior and fine performances, "The Riches" adheres to its own maverick set of family drama values ... infused with secrets and lies, twisted laughs and lots of love.

[A] sly spoof.

Yes, the premise may be decidedly derivative, but it's all in the witty execution.

Although it's not quite as much smart, trashy fun as "Rome," it is still an engaging romp that moves along at a stylish pace.

A breezy summertime comic joy.

It makes a smart, charmingly irreverent first impression, thanks to its pleasantly warped, deadpan writing and performing.

The most compelling storytelling usually involves the combative relationship between Steinbrenner and Martin.

Thanks to sleek production values, a generally top-notch cast and an absorbing overall story that smartly mixes explosive action with quieter moments of sinister intrigue, The Company delivers a refreshingly solid jolt of summertime Big Event drama.

High School Musical 2 is pretty much a total tuneful blast.

The snap, crackle and pop of witty dialogue well delivered. That is the consistently amusing, escapist pleasure of Back to You.

It's headed in the right direction ... fast, loose and fun.

With its sharp writing, wonderful cast and wacko spirit, Reaper is one helluva good time.

Bitter family power struggles, corporate rivalries and a touch of murder highlight a promising, if overly tangled and busy series premiere.

The show's ensemble cast -- which also includes Jill Clayburgh, William Baldwin and Samaire Armstrong ("Entourage") -- is pretty darn fabulous. And the entertaining result is sophisticated trash with stylish flash.

Lewis is terrific. But his brazenly loopy lawman may not be to everyone's offbeat crime drama tastes.

Aliens in America delivers the laughs. It's one of the most enjoyable members of this fall's freshman class.

It's actually good ... and genuinely funny.

It sets up a scenario that sends Walt, played by Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle"), on an unpredictable, surprisingly fun-to-watch journey that frees him from his law-abiding past.

Right from the dark start, the new "Night Stalker" is a more provocative, emotionally layered thrill ride.

The writing and comic sensibility are fresh and unpredictable. [23 Aug 1998, p.1L]

Light, breezy and easy to enjoy. [20 Sept 2002]

Grim, stylish, smart and gripping. [26 Sept 2003, p.8E]

With a little bit of prime time luck, Lost just may become what it sets out to be -- a mesmerizing thrill ride with a brain and more than a little humanity. [22 Sept 2004, p.1C]

Television always needs smart, quality shows. And with "ER" on creative life support after 10 years, this challenging new medical drama could be good entertainment therapy. But for many viewers, "House" could be a tough pill to swallow. [15 Nov 2004, p.1C]

Tell those Tinseltown pixies to go grab that big jar of cosmic stardust off the shelf. The magic show biz thing is happening again. [29 Sept 1998, p.1D]

Yeah, sounds sappy. But it's just the opposite -- a charming mix of rambunctious wit, honest emotion and interesting characters. Lots of smarts and a generous heart. A winner. [16 Sept 2002]

The gracefully gonzo result is funny and affecting, and sometimes it is downright insightful. Good grief. [1 June 2001, p.1E]

The opening episode is solidly done and pretty entertaining. But a fifth season of "Everwood" would have been a much better fit in the time slot following "7th Heaven."

A sly, witty step up from the boorish "Becker."