While the first episodes are fun to watch – particularly with all of the devices the production designers have created – it’s never clear where it’s headed. ... “Hello Tomorrow” takes a while to show its hand and, then, it’s likely bluffing. With Crudup at the helm, this could go anywhere.

While Rauch was the one who got the laughs on “The Big Bang Theory,” she’s largely the set-up person here. ... Larroquette, however, isn’t just stunt casting. He delivers. ... De Beaufort and Talwalkar are largely window dressing in the opener but they become active participants as the series unfolds. ... Lacretta, though, has the ability to steal every scene she’s in.

“Will Trent” borrows plenty from the past (the Carpenters, for example) and dabbles in the present (the pronoun debate) before settling in a world so remote from Cabot Cove you couldn’t classify the series as similar. ... The series could erupt.

Caplan’s narration guides the journey and makes the trip rewarding. When she and Brody get a minute to size up their friend, “Fleishman” does more to capture the value of friendship than any number of episodes of “Friends.”

Director Jason Winer gets the series off to a fun start, bringing Allen back to his old ways. But he also finds a way to make the former Scott Calvin look a little hip. (A Santa with abs? It’s possible.) He also fleshes out the workshop and finds enough ways to lampoon tradition without appearing ungrateful. ... The latest iteration may not be as snarky as earlier ones, but there's plenty of fun to ensure this isn't going to be a "lump of coal" year.

The opening episode has plenty of what fans love most – revenge, romance and remorse. ... Even though there’s plenty of “Dallas” maneuvering, you can see why the Paramount Network series is so popular. These characters don’t really care what others think. They press on and leave plenty in their wake.

As easily digested as gelato, this season has action that hinges on those two young women (Beatrice Granno and Simona Tabasco) making visitors feel welcome. That means the stakes are high and the room service bills even higher. Coolidge continues her winning ways (Emmy No. 2? It’s possible) and DiMarco has just enough innocence to make you wonder what his future will be. “The White Lotus” still ranks among television’s best.

Because “Monarch” (which is the name of the family company) doesn’t really dig beneath its “Dallas”/”Dynasty” trappings, there are plenty of moments that ring false. When the performers are on stage, they seem real. When they’re insulting each other at home, they look phony.

While “Tell Me Lies” isn’t as complex as “Normal People,” a fascinating look at similar changes, it does hold interest, particularly since all of the students have plenty of time to dabble in things that don’t require a paper at the end of the term.

It’s mainstream fantasy, blessed with sumptuous costumes, compelling settings and those “Avatar”-like swooping dragons. Dragons, in fact, turn up just when the plot needs them most. When the house seems like it’s going to fall, they’re there to shore it up. ... It’s good; it still has time to be great.

“She-Hulk,” in fact, is probably the most network-like series Marvel has produced. It goes for the quick laughs, embraces a cavalcade of bizarre guest stars and lets Maslany play both sides of her Priscilla Presley hairdo.

This “League” is like someone took the original concept and found a new playbook. It works, but it’s also more adult than you could imagine. ... Because there are so many players to consider, they’re often reduced to their personality traits or positions. They all get playing time. Some, however, are more prominent than others.

Sure, it’s billed as a comedy but there are so many touching moments it could easily top the shows that are billed as dramas. ... You’ll also see why there are many rites of passage in a teenager’s life. Some come with guidance; others require a little on-the-job experience. All should be preserved as beautifully as these.

What surprises are the women who populate “Uncoupled.” Tisha Campbell – as a fellow real estate agent – is a gem, commenting better than Kim Cattrall at a martini party. ... Harris is too strong to play the pitiable bachelor. ([Tuc] Watkins would be a better choice). ... In the sixth episode, Harris finds a groove that’s better fitted for long-term success. It leans into the Campbell/Harden/Harris triangle and actually brings laughs.

“HSM:TM:TS” has great adult appeal. It also boasts a lot of solo numbers, presumably because COVID concerns limited the number of big song-and-dance routines. Bassett, one of the best in a very excellent bunch, gets a rousing “breaking free” anthem that he sings. ... It isn’t a huge twist on the summer formula, but it does have enough variety to suggest this season could produce a couple more breakout stars.

What gets lost, though, is the camaraderie of the dissidents. It’s still around, but so much time is spent showing Homelander railing at everyone, it doesn’t give them their due – at least not in the early episodes. ... But the beauty of “The Boys” is you just never know where it’s headed.

While “Hacks” will definitely be in the hunt for more Emmys (it won for Smart and its writing and directing), look for Metcalf to join their ranks. The second season’s third episode is about as good as these things get.

It's an unabashed, out-there, boldface teen drama that makes the stuff in Washington look like "The Wonder Years." [30 Jan 1998, p.C1]

Enjoy hearing the pitch. Bayer sells it with gusto. Shannon embraces it with heart. And Lewis kills it will excellence. Just when you thought you didn’t need another addictive series, “I Love That For You” steps in and tells you supplies are limited.

Pre-pandemic, this might have been a juicy potboiler. Now, it’s just a slap away from being dated. ... Unlike the 1994 one, there’s not enough of the snide humor that made it so deliciously evil. Kruger gives it a Sharon Stone vibe, but she isn’t given enough lines that would make her seem smarter than others in the room.

Clever asides here and there suggest this is a more PBS version of the romance novel; scant bedroom scenes confirm it. Season Two gets its heat from Anthony’s no-nonsense way of going about his matrimonial business. ... Bailey plays this oh-so-smoothly and raises the bar on “Bridgerton’s” elegance.

Straley, Holmes and Scott bear watching. But Feig and Bicks might want to make some changes before rolling out the welcome mat. In “Welcome to Flatch,” it’s often difficult to focus.

“The Thing About Pam” is entertaining. Zellweger, Duhamel and Judy Greer (as the Lincoln County prosecutor) land their laughs and make you wonder how stuff like this happens. ... But it takes on a different feel when you see Betsy’s children and husband caught up in the big gulp world of Pam Hupp. While your eyes widen, your heart also sinks.

That’s the thrust of the fourth season – people making bold moves. After two years of life without the Maisels it’s a welcome change.

Filled with outrageous supporting characters and a quirkiness that befits the subjects, “Pam & Tommy” thrives on the performances of its two leads.

Family Ties is the heir apparent to All in the Family. Equally relevant, it captures '80s home life better than anything else on television. [24 Sep 1982, p.B3]

While Brunson has the format for a good series, she doesn’t have all the elements. Sometimes, the comedy is forced. ... This is a start but it's like Brunson's character -- a little naive. To be the show we need, "Abbott Elementary" needs to do more than dance around the obvious.

Fun to watch. ... Even though it goes too far with its secret rooms and hostage situations, it makes you want others to be kept in the dark. “You” started with a bang and, thankfully, it’s still firing solid kill shots.