The Shield is the kind of cop show you might find on HBO, a superbly written, inventively directed, sharply acted drama that screams authenticity and excellence, and -- like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Sex and the City -- makes matter-of-fact use of adult language and nudity. But The Shield is not on HBO. [10 Mar 2002, p.2]

Homicide is a cop show of a different kind, a rare TV combination of writing to die for, brought to life from the pages of a bestseller, by a knockout ensemble cast, and the production smarts of one of Hollywood's hottest Oscar-winning filmmakers. [31 Jan 1993, p.3]

The Boondocks is can't-miss TV, as vicious, funny and relevant as McGruder's comic strip.

Freaks and Geeks shows promise of touching the same common chord that The Wonder Years played so well for the classes of the '60s. [25 Sept 1999, p.7]

The dialogue is smart, and the comedy is edgy, and from the six already previewed out of this 13-episode run, the characters may drive you crazy with their constant navel-gazing, but they do grow on you. [3 June 2001, p.2]

This ensemble cast is top-drawer, the pace is lightning-fast, the dialogue crackles, and the halls of the West Wing hustle and bustle. With all that energy, this is not a show to watch with one eye on something else. Attention must be paid. [22 Sept 1999, p.H1]

Their ear for dialogue is exceptional, and there's no doubt they know their characters. HBO is well aware, too, which is why the network left the authors to their work. [1 June 2002, p.9]

What makes Sports Night such a standout is Aaron Sorkin's crisp and clever script. It's crammed with characters who seem full-fleshed and real after just one encounter. And, trust me, you do NOT have to be sports fan to get it. [22 Sept 1998, p.1]

There's a lot to love about Everybody Hates Chris.

In a stunning two-part pilot episode, which concludes next week, J.J. Abrams (Alias) has taken a derivative concept - a plane crash on a deserted island - and shaped it into something new and compelling, and possibly prehistoric. [22 Sept 2004, p.1]

It works. It's different. It's fun, offbeat and charming. [31 May 1990, p.5]

And we learn more about the lives of Stabler and Benson than Wolf usually reveals in a whole season with his L&O detectives. [20 Sept 1999, p.1]

It's a taut, action-filled opener, and Garner's charisma and agility in this demanding role give it a special glow. If America's in the mood at all for spies and terrorists, this show's the semi-Superwoman version. [29 Sept 2001, p.9]

Felicity is a stylishly produced, appealing show, with a likeable ensemble of players. Even though the romantic triangle is and will remain the centerpiece, the best thing about the show is that in the college setting there's plenty of new territory to explore the experience of coming of age. [29 Sept 1998, p.1]

This isn't a laugh riot, but it's got promise. And with that cushy time slot, right after Raymond . [22 Sept 2003, p.6]

The acting is strong. The music is urgent. The on-location shooting - with many exteriors - has a gritty Gotham authenticity. And the directorial style is crisp and energized. [21 Sept 1993, p.H1]

It's outlandish and contrived with story holes wide enough for a jackknifed 18-wheeler. But the two-hour pilot of Prison Break... is irresistible.

Like CSI and its offshoots, Bones will take viewers to dark and sometimes disgusting places. So, in one sense, Fox may have come up with a format that will reach both men, who love unappetizing scenes, and women, because of the female heroine.

When it is clicking, The Colbert Report is Countdown on mescaline -- occasionally brilliant, occasionally loopy, definitely entertaining.

The show is told stylishly. A character from today morphs into how he appeared years ago - an excellent way of getting into a story quickly without confusing viewers. The showy all-music ending to Sunday's episode is another nice touch. [27 Sept 2003, p.10]

Exceptional producers Paul Attanasio (Homicide: Life on the Street), David Shore (Hack), Katie Jacobs (Gideon's Crossing) and Bryan Singer (X-Men) have cast their lot with Laurie (Peter's Friends, Sense and Sensibility, Stuart Little), and it pays off handsomely. Despite House's peculiarities, he's a fully rounded character, and Laurie appears comfortable in his clothes. [16 Nov 2004, p.8]

The O.C. may be a lousy title but it's cast, written and directed well. Early indications are that the show is smartly going after two generations of viewers - not just the 20-somethings Fox is famous for, but also their parents. [5 Aug 2003, p.8]

NBC's Office is as smart - and the office workers appear as well-cast - as the BBC's "Office", and there is no laugh track - huge pluses. Still, viewers who have not been exposed previously to "The Office" will like this more than those who have. [24 Mar 2005, p.01]

There's nothing terribly wrong with the show except that it draws from the same procedural well as CSI, Law & Order and the show from which it's spun, JAG. [23 Sept 2003, p.Hou1]

A crude comedy filled with frat-boy humor.

That '70s Show does have its amusing moments -- without marijuana. And it does have nostalgia on its side. [23 Aug 1998, p.3]

For now, we have a prologue to set the scene and a large cast to get to know, amid unspectacular special effects, a few punch-and-shoots, and no alien beings at all. [20 Sept 2002, p.1]

Fantasy and cute shtick are on overkill here; Scrubs would be better without those elements. [2 Oct 2001, p.8]