Molly Eichel

It’s a sweet, well-made show. It may not dominate the conversation of the internet, but it’s certainly worth talking about.

Some episodes are silly, others are sad. ... All of them are worth watching.

You'll turn on the first episode and mysteriously find yourself sitting in the same spot on your couch eight episodes later, never having moved an inch.

[Five-year-old Joe Hughes (Max Vento)] doesn’t take direction, not because he’s obstinate, but because he can’t. Joe is also a wider part of the family portrait, which is one of The A Word’s greatest strengths. It shares that quality with another dramedy that used an autism-spectrum disorder to great narrative effect: Parenthood.

There’s an artfulness to Rosenfeldt’s killers, and that’s what makes his stories compelling, even if they’re ridiculously improbable. Seeing how Rosenfeldt can keep everything moving cohesively is almost as much fun as the story itself.

Preacher lets its mystery and mythology trickle out slowly over the four episodes provided for review, never being vague for vagueness' sake, or too obvious.

The show works better when Dice is in sitcom mode, rather than trying to stretch his dramatic chops.

There is potential for Lopez, but George has to stop relying on old tricks.

[Netflix's Love] at least felt fresh and directed in the way it surgically examined the tropes of the romantic comedy. It was a character study that had a purpose, explaining through its run why we were watching these characters to begin with. Flaked never answers that question.

It accomplishes what it sets out to do--be a bland family sitcom playing to a nostalgic audience. But that doesn't mean it's any good.

Do these high concepts always work? Not really, but sometimes they’re quite funny. But like any show that is heavy on concept, that can wear thin.

Madoff takes the easy route, but what it lacks in complexity, it makes up for in a pace that keeps Madoff’s dealings moving at a clip. And while it still won’t explain the inner workings of why we should be enraged by Bernie Madoff’s actions, it still evokes that rage.

The [first] episode is stilted and odd, the plot not engaging, and no one looks particularly excited to be there. So much time is spent on exposition and reminders of the past that it's groan-worthy. The following two entries are episodic, monster-of-the-week affairs and they reminded me how good The X-Files could be.

The rushed plot leaves Grossman's rich world feeling empty. That world is still fun to live in--even if it's not as good in TV form.

Chip is an angry guy wholly consumed with himself, but as ludicrous as he may be, Galifianakis makes him feel stubbornly real. Chip is a bitter, middle-age guy holding on to his dream so tightly he's suffocating himself. That commitment also extends to Louie Anderson, who brilliantly plays Chip's mom, Christine--yes, his mom (in drag).

This version of War & Peace may not have all of its parts intact, but it keeps the structure of the plot in place, giving a nice overview of Tolstoy’s novel, and keeping a tight pace for TV. It’ll be interesting to see whether the series can sustain throughout its six-part run, but the first few hours are an enjoyable way to pretend to digest great world literature.

It's a shame that the marathon viewing of Angie Tribeca exposes the show's weaknesses. Does goofiness hold up in a 25-hour block? Or does the shtick wear too thin? Angie Tribeca's shtick was never particularly thick to begin with.

Teachers still feels like a webseries, just in a longer format. There’s a lack of fleshed out narrative in the four episodes screened for critics.... [But] Their comedy lacks vanity, and their onscreen chemistry together is quite good, with each member of the troupe filling a different stereotype for Teachers.

Shades Of Blue doesn’t have the same balls that The Shield did by making the central figure a person who could do truly reprehensible things, yet still dare you to like him. But it’s not a slog to watch thanks to Lopez and Liotta.

Telenovela may not have depth, but watching Longoria mug for the camera ain't a bad way to spend half an hour.

Demos and Ricciardi serve their subjects well, but they also serve their case well. They take complex legal subjects and make them interesting, boiling down mundane legal bureaucracy into a cohesive story that still is able to treat all victims--no matter what side of the cell bars they are on--with respect.

Transparent's second season is even more visceral, real, and funny than the first.

It's profane and funny and totally out of the ordinary. A Very Murray Christmas won't become a classic of the Christmas genre, but it's certainly a nice way to spend the holidays.

The show features narrative moments, snippets of his stand-up, and talking-head interview segments that would feel more at home in a mockumentary (think The Office or Parks and Recreation), all coming together into a hodgepodge that makes no sense.

Ansari and Yang come out of the gate strong, showcasing who they are and how they view the world with a clarity and assuredness that few others have been able to master.

Bloom is so perfect for the part, emerging as a fully formed character. She grounds Rebecca, but is also fearless when Rebecca needs to live up to the title of the show.

The second season of Fargo is just as fantastic as the first. And viewers who didn't catch the first season can easily slide into the second. Some nuances will be lost, but those are minor compared to how good this series is.... Hawley and his writers' greatest strength is incredible control of tone and atmosphere.

Giving her a dirty mouth and dirty mind is like a cheap laugh that grows stale, and the goodwill Krumholtz creates with his wonderful character quickly dissipates.