My Life Is a Lifetime MovieMore like great water-cooler gossip than actual true-crime material, the self-deprecating humor helps but doesn't exactly distinguish the series from other examples of this genre, which is already prevalent on channels like Investigation Discovery.Laura Fries10/17/2012 2:38pm PT
Hunted"Hunted" adds to TV's rich trove of female spies -- think "Alias," with side-boob and more violence.Brian Lowry10/16/2012 7:36pm PT
American Horror Story: AsylumThere are three ways to watch "American Horror Story: Asylum," FX's follow-up to the over-the-top horror series (or for Emmy purposes, miniseries): Try to track the story, such as it is; ignore that and simply savor the atmosphere, movie references and fine actors hamming it up; or indulge in chemical enhancements to augment the surreal nature of the experience.Brian Lowry10/16/2012 7:30pm PT
The Men Who Built AmericaProfiling five titans of industry whose lives helped define the American Dream, History's "The Men Who Built America" arrives well-timed to an election season driven by economic issues.Geoff Berkshire10/15/2012 7:47pm PT
The GirlAn intoxicating HBO/BBC collaboration anchored by splendid performances from Toby Jones and Sienna Miller. Brian Lowry10/15/2012 11:12am PT
Emily Owens M.D.Watching medical residents behave like 10th graders grows tedious quickly, and the title character -- played by Mamie Gummer -- is forced to narrate her story, which, for youth-oriented dramas, has become its own kind of orthopedic crutch.Brian Lowry10/11/2012 8:48pm PT
UnderemployedSticking close to what should be near to its target demo's heart, MTV's "Underemployed" is basically "Avenue Q," just without the songs and puppets.Brian Lowry10/11/2012 8:46pm PT
See Dad RunFamiliar enough to feel like some quickly forgotten network filler, "Dad" may blend in a little too easily on the rerun-driven cabler's schedule.Geoff Berkshire10/11/2012 6:20pm PT
Girl vs. MonsterThe pic is akin to a good piece of Halloween candy that's sugary sweet on the outside but has a chewy surprise in the middle.Laura Fries10/9/2012 3:42pm PT
Dog With a BlogQuickly dispensing with "Seinfeld's" admonition -- the pilot features hugging and learning -- the show, which will premiere after the channel's latest original movie "Girl vs. Monster," should go about as far as its title character's four furry legs can carry it.Brian Lowry10/9/2012 3:35pm PT
Beauty and the BeastAlthough the show and characters share names with the CBS series introduced a quarter-century ago, any resemblance between the CW's "Beauty and the Beast" and its predecessor is purely coincidental.Brian Lowry10/9/2012 3:31pm PT
The Walking DeadThe series features plenty of moving parts -- some less satisfying than others -- but far from lumbering like one of its zombies, "Dead" is now gliding along like a well-oiled machine.Brian Lowry10/9/2012 12:08pm PT
NashvilleFuture historians will likely puzzle over ABC's fascination with country music, embodied this fall by the Reba McEntire sitcom "Malibu Country" and, up first, the musical soap "Nashville," which seeks to set "All About Eve" to a twang-y soundtrack.Brian Lowry10/8/2012 3:43pm PT
ArrowAlthough the title is a little less overtly colorful than its comicbook origins would imply, "Arrow" is really just a surrogate for a TV version of another superhero -- namely, Batman.Brian Lowry10/8/2012 3:24pm PT
Chicago FireDespite featuring slickly executed action sequences (though nothing viewers couldn't see on Universal's "Backdraft" ride), "Fire" is almost as drab as a pile of ash.Brian Lowry10/7/2012 7:16pm PT
Upstairs DownstairsReturning for an expanded six-episode run, "Masterpiece Classic's" reboot of "Upstairs Downstairs" yields some genuine surprises and a rich historical backdrop, set against the tensions surrounding 165 Eaton Place amid the swirl of events leading toward the onset of World War II. Soapy, well cast and boasting uniformly strong performances, the show's servant-class stories still don't measure up to more regal doings, and the series proves enjoyable, but a few rungs down the ladder of TV royalty -- essentially, a handsome placeholder -- compared with the similarly themed "Downton Abbey."Brian Lowry10/5/2012 10:52am PT
Curiosity: Plane CrashThis two-hour project -- unconvincingly positioned as an "audacious" experiment -- hits its own patch of turbulence.Brian Lowry10/4/2012 6:55pm PT
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007Capitalizing on the 50th anniversary of James Bond movies as well as promoting the upcoming release "Skyfall," Epix makes 007 the centerpiece of its free-preview weekend, garnishing a film marathon with a splendid documentary chronicling the colorful, larger-than-life personalities who brought the superspy to the screen.Brian Lowry10/4/2012 4:00am PT
Steel MagnoliasStrictly from a commercial standpoint, redoing "Steel Magnolias" with a predominantly African-American cast feels like an idea whose time has come, and -- smart enough not to tamper with success -- producer-star Queen Latifah and her collaborators have essentially provided a shot-for-shot remake of the 1990 movie, cast to the hilt with topnotch talent.Brian Lowry10/3/2012 7:48pm PT
Abducted: The Carlina White StoryDirector Vondie Curtis-Hall delivers an engaging original movie for Lifetime based on the true story of a baby abduction -- the first such reported case in a New York hospital -- where the kidnapping is the least of the drama.Laura Fries10/3/2012 7:43pm PT
DexterThis season, key players are engaged in ways that prove occasionally shocking and disarmingly funny. In other words, "Dexter" isn't just killing time.Brian Lowry9/28/2012 8:23am PT
666 Park AvenueThe network's latest gothic-soap dice-roll, "666 Park Avenue," comes to the task with handsome accessories and a cheeky sensibility, none of which makes the delicate balancing act of what amounts to a "Rosemary's Baby"-like series any easier to realize.Brian Lowry9/26/2012 8:07pm PT
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesShow, premiering with an hourlong episode in the Saturday-morning block, is a handsomely produced effort, with a strong vocal cast, considerable humor and scads of high-spirited action.Brian Lowry9/26/2012 8:02pm PT
Call the MidwifeAlready a huge draw for BBC, "Call the Midwife" might take awhile to grow on Yank audiences. Brian Lowry9/26/2012 7:59pm PT
Made in JerseyThe timeslot virtually caps the show's upside (especially in demographic terms), but based on Montgomery's appeal alone, "Jersey" might please enough folks to win its case.Brian Lowry9/26/2012 7:55pm PT
The NeighborsIf only "The Neighbors," ABC's stab at an aliens-among-us comedy, were a bit more like "Galaxy Quest," and less like an extended "Coneheads" sketch.Brian Lowry9/25/2012 7:10pm PT
ElementaryThe main question -- whether this slickly made, shrewdly conceived series can sustain "Person of Interest's" lead-in among CBS viewers -- might best be answered with another: Will many of those previously watching "The Mentalist" in this timeslot even notice the difference?Brian Lowry9/25/2012 6:59pm PT
Ben and KateA comfortable thematic companion to a lineup anchored by "New Girl."Brian Lowry9/24/2012 7:41pm PT
VegasGiven its enviable stability, CBS allows itself roughly one bet each season that dares to stray, ever so slightly, beyond its (and its audience's) comfort zone. Enter "Vegas," a powerfully cast drama with an extra touch of atmosphere thanks to the period setting.Brian Lowry9/24/2012 7:35pm PT
The Mindy ProjectIt's an imperfect product, and given its familiar trappings needs to put even more effort into bolstering its support system. Still, there are enough winning moments here to come back for an encore.Brian Lowry9/23/2012 11:06pm PT
HomelandWith one foot rooted in reality and another in the nail-biting trappings of a geopolitical thriller, "Homeland" returns with the assured sense of a series that captivated viewers in numbers few Showtime programs have.Brian Lowry9/23/2012 8:24pm PT
64th Primetime Emmy AwardsAt an awards show notorious for predictability in so many categories, it's crucial for every other element of the Emmys to inject some life into the proceedings. Luckily, the 64th edition of the kudocast was up to the task.Andrew Wallenstein9/23/2012 8:14pm PT
Last ResortThe opening hour of "Last Resort" is crisp, tense and full of possibilities.Brian Lowry9/22/2012 4:00am PT
Secret PrincesAdapted from the U.K. series "Undercover Princes," "Secret Princes" owes such a debt to the movie "Coming to America" it's a shame the late Art Buchwald isn't around to file another lawsuit against it. Brian Lowry9/19/2012 7:01pm PT
PartnersAfter a few misfires since "Will & Grace," producers David Kohan and Max Mutchnick have taken the maxim, "Write what you know," to heart, devising their new comedy, "Partners," around a professional relationship and friendship between a straight and gay man, much like their own.
Brian Lowry9/19/2012 6:57pm PT
RevolutionPost-apocalyptic drama requires its own set of rules, and in "Revolution's" case, plenty of willing suspension of disbelief.Brian Lowry9/13/2012 7:48pm PT
The Mob DoctorThe show's title character explains in an opening voiceover she's "not your typical doctor," but even with a few unexpected twists, this show is about as typical as TV gets.Brian Lowry9/13/2012 7:44pm PT
KatieSome TV personalities do one thing well. Katie Couric -- in keeping with the varied demands of her signature "Today" stint -- is a chameleon.Brian Lowry9/13/2012 7:39pm PT
Boardwalk EmpireAfter the scintillating highs and surprises of its second season, "Boardwalk Empire" returns following a passage of time, which can always be a trifle unsettling. Brian Lowry9/12/2012 2:17pm PT
Guys With KidsHarmless, but about as inspiring as any forgotten sitcom from the Reagan Era.Brian Lowry9/10/2012 6:38pm PT