Paige Wiser

Brenda is the closest thing to a real character we've seen in police procedurals so far. [8 Jun 2005]

The new version isn't as painfully, profoundly funny as the original. But that's as it should be. American audiences don't necessarily want to cringe when they sit down for a sitcom. This is why "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is a cult hit, and not a hit hit. [23 Mar 2005, p.59]

It's a fresh, compelling story about a couple of KGB operatives pretending to live the American dream as a married couple with kids in suburban Washington, D.C.

The show is a refreshing alternative to the typical diva docu-series, where overly cosmeticked prima donnas stir up drama in their perfectly appointed mansions.

The problem is that financial idiots (hello!) will still be bewildered by the complicated wranglings and enormous cast, and people familiar with the crisis will be annoyed by the simplistic tone and fictionalized scenes.

The Voice is not that bad.

At the end, Cinema Verite shows how the Louds dealt with the notoriety after the series aired, and where they are now. Cinema Verite blurs the lines even more - but there's a perverse logic to that.

The kingdoms are gorgeous to look at, down to the last loving detail - you could be entertained just by watching for the inventive suits of armor. The violence is spectacular; the sex is twisted. The producers even had a language invented for the Dothraki, which should please the Dungeons and Dragons crowd.

If the movie had gone all-out camp, it could have been a classic. If it had gone all-out cheesy, we could mock it more mercilessly. As is, William & Kate is as benign as the actual couple.

The only funny moments came from Omid Djalili, who plays a sub-dollar-store merchant and cat-tracking hobbyist.

Original, it's not. But these friends do have chemistry, and some great moments as a hipster Greek chorus.

I don't think watching Oliver's descent into depression is going to translate into ratings. Sure, this show is good for you, but ask yourself: Do you really want to watch an exercise in futility, however vigorous?

Watching it was just bliss, and those of you who experienced the first five seasons in real time will probably enjoy it even more.

The pace is so fast that, like a good party, you might forget everything that's happened even before it's over. That's the sign of top-notch disposable entertainment.

With their moody new mystery series The Killing, AMC clearly knows what's good for us.

The Kennedys is eight hours long, trying to strike an uncomfortable balance between high-minded and trashy. It does not succeed.

Showtime has tantalized me for ages with glimpses of Jeremy Irons growling and groping his way through a role as history's most debauched pope. It finally arrives Sunday, and you won't be disappointed.

Fantasy epics aren't really my thing, but this stylish, intense series should satisfy sci-fi fans for some time.

It's "The A-Team" meets ... really good writing.

There's plenty of potential in the fringe characters.

Delany is as likable as possible in an extremely unlikable role. But the writing is a bit too tidy, and Delany's smarty-pants approach gets old in the first 10 minutes.

Film buffs will have a field day analyzing the themes: social climbing, postwar materialism, feminism, lousy parenting, etc. But this is not event TV like "Boardwalk Empire."

You can always count on Gary Busey to bring the crazy, whether he's playing himself on "Entourage" or stumbling through "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." The man is a treasure. Casting Busey is so easy it's practically cheating.

If nothing else, Breakout Kings is a nice travelogue of the country's prisons. Here's hoping there's a juicy episode coming up for Stateville. But the gratuitous violence and creepiness will turn off a lot of viewers.

Panettiere takes a tricky role and does it, at least, some justice.

There's nothing terribly original about the Shedding, although it's a hoot to hear about the couples' theme weddings.

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior is a solid addition to your evening lineup.

I imagine it is a challenging acting exercise and a fascinating debate. But like Jones' character, I just can't bring myself to care.