Critics

Love It! Hate It! 06.30.06


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
"Not since 'Seinfeld' have central characters been so self-centered and politically incorrect."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
"The show is the quintessential slacker comedy."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
"The series is like a live-action 'toon from Matt Stone and Trey Parker ('South Park')..."
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
"Despite occasional moments of silliness, ...all is not quite so sunny in 'Philadelphia'."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters (HBO)
"...a thoroughly entertaining look at some of Hollywood's biggest movie hits and misses."
Rick Kushman, Sacremento Bee

Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters (HBO)
"...it's fun to hear industry heavy-hitters reflecting on their hits and misses, often in salty terms."
Tom Jicha, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Master of Champions (ABC)
"I must admit, this is truly the most unique game show I've ever seen."
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

Master of Champions (ABC)
"If you want to see real talent, you have to watch ABC's 'Master of Champions.'"
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Love It! Hate It! 06.29.06


Blade: The Series (SPIKE TV)
“Even die-hard ‘Blade’ fans will find little to sink their teeth into.”
Mark Perigard, Boston Herald

Blade: The Series (SPIKE TV)
“You'd be better served by the comic books.”
Melanie McFarland, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Blade: The Series (SPIKE TV)
“…’Blade’ shows itself to be less driven by plot than a series of violent, revenge-driven, oft-graphic confrontations.”
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Blade: The Series (SPIKE TV)
“…too dreary and weary for its own good.”
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Hustle (AMC)
“This gang of thieves just might steal your heart along the way.”
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Shark: Mind of a Demon with Fabien Cousteau (CBS)
“’Shark’ is a vicarious adventure full of whiz-bang technology and a palpable sense of crisis and danger.”
Alex Strachan, Ottawa Citizen

My First Time (TV LAND)
“Sounds like more light and fluffy retrospection from TV Land, and that's fine with me.”
Adam Finley, TV Squad

In Performance at the White House: Dance Theatre of Harlem (PBS)
“…it is all but impossible not to feel inspired by the voices joined in song on that White House stage.”
David Zurawik, Baltimore Sun

Love It! Hate It! 06.28.06


P.O.V.: No More Tears Sister (PBS)
“A lovely, poignant documentary…”
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

P.O.V.: No More Tears Sister (PBS)
“It's a strong start for the 19th season of a great series.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

P.O.V.: No More Tears Sister (PBS)
“These people are telling this story for the first time -- and it's definitely worth hearing.”
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Rescue Me (FX)
“’Rescue Me’ sometimes feels like one of those clubhouses with the sign ‘No Girls Allowed’ posted outside.”
Ellen Gray, Philadelphia Daily News

Rescue Me (FX)
“…allowing the lead character on one of the network's flagship shows to be not just a sexist jerk but a rapist as well is not a good way to keep FX's female viewers, let alone attract new ones.”
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Last Comic Standing (NBC)
“Anybody else find it painful to watch people fighting for a shot as a VH1 talking head?”
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 06.27.06


Kyle XY (ABC FAMILY)
"… a lightweight but charming drama."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Kyle XY (ABC FAMILY)
"Boring 'Kyle XY' will induce ZZZ's."
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

Kyle XY (ABC FAMILY)
"Even Matt Dallas' Pretty-Boy Looks Aren't Enough To Save This Klunker."
Karen Hunter, Hartford Courant

Kyle XY (ABC FAMILY)
"…unpredictably provocative…”
Diane Werts, Newsday
newsday.com , June 26

How Art Made the World (PBS)
"… pleasantly entertaining…."
Benjamin Genocchio, New York Times

How Art Made the World (PBS)
“An insightful look at art (and a hunky host's calves).”
Sheila Farr, Seattle Times

Guests of the Ayatollah (DISCOVERY-TIMES)
“…often painful, occasionally uplifting and ultimately quite scary.”
Glenn Garvin, Miami Herald

Guests of the Ayatollah (DISCOVERY-TIMES)
“…a reasonable and exhaustive account of a piece of history that, in many ways, lives on.”
Mike McDaniel, Houston Chronicle

Love It! Hate It! 06.26.06


The Catherine Tate Show (BBC AMERICA)
"This new-school Tracey Ullman is still fearless and chameleonic with her knack for conjuring up hilariously oddball characters.. ."
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Bill Moyers: On Faith and Reason (PBS)
"Bill Moyers is back -- and his return is extremely welcome."
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Bill Moyers: On Faith and Reason (PBS)
"…a series of articulate, sometimes humorous and often enlightening conversations."
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

Banshee (OXYGEN)
"This is a woman-in-jeopardy flick from hell, tossing out a measure of suspense but pretty much zero depth or plausibility."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Banshee (OXYGEN)
"… ridiculous, exploitative and downright creepy."
Laura Fries, Variety

Broken Trail (AMC)
"'Broken Trail' is one for the ages."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Broken Trail (AMC)
"'Broken Trail' is a gorgeous piece of cinema."
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

Broken Trail (AMC)
"Its old-fashioned virtues are refreshing in a tale of good guys versus bad that hits few false notes."
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Huff (SHOWTIME)
"Fresh, fun and never predictable, 'Huff' is appointment TV at its best ."
Adam Graham, Detroit News

Half Light (TNT)
"'Half Light' is simply a half-baked mishmash of obvious and modest chills."
Mark Adams, Sunday Mirror

Inside the Actors Studio (BRAVO)
"Hoffman's two-hour conversation with host James Lipton has just about everything you'd want in a good movie -- humor, intelligence, tears, surprise -- as well as a little trivia."
Allan Pergament, Buffalo News

Love It! Hate It! 06.23.06


House of Boateng (SUNDANCE)
“Where it succeeds as a fashion industry primer, it stumbles as compelling TV.”
Randee Dawn, Hollywood Reporter

House of Boateng (SUNDANCE)
“If this represents a shift in tone for Sundance, the flashy and shallow ‘House of Boateng’ is not exactly a hopeful sign.”
Karen Hunter, Hartford Courant

Billy Wilder Speaks (TCM)
“…90 minutes of an aging genius elf dishing dirt and dispensing hard-won wisdom.”
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Showbiz Show with David Spade (COMEDY CENTRAL)
“In an US Weekly world overrun with extravagant, fawning celebrity prattle and tabloid nonsense, a snide Hollywood wag like David Spade can offer astutely sarcastic perspective.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Love It! Hate It! 06.22.06


A Lion in the House (PBS)
“It is impossible to watch this documentary without coming away touched as well as wounded.”
Marilyn Moss, Hollywood Reporter

A Lion in the House (PBS)
“…in spite of the film's being a sincere and thoughtful undertaking, it's hard to guess why anyone but a connoisseur of misery would start watching it, knowing that the program can only bring hours of suffering.”
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

A Lion in the House (PBS)
“Heartache, hope, anguish and the intense glow of the human spirit flow through this portrait of children with cancer.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Plastic Disasters (HBO)
“…the documentary is as gripping as any horror movie, and it offers a powerful counter to the sensational reality-television world of augmented physiques.”
Natasha Singer, New York Times

Plastic Disasters (HBO)
“I wouldn't eat for a while before or after.”
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Sean Connery (USA)
“…sentimental, emotional and often R-rated funny.”
Susan King, LA Times

Big Brother: All Stars (CBS)
“I bet most Americans couldn't pick these folks out of a lineup if they were wearing name tags.”
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Love It! Hate It! 06.21.06


Frontline: The Dark Side (PBS)
“'The Dark Side’ is riveting television, heavily reported, that exemplifies what ‘Frontline’ does best: go inside a major story and give us context.”
Sam Allis, Boston Globe

Frontline: The Dark Side (PBS)
“'Dark Side’ could serve as a primer on how Washington really works, where ego needs and policy questions swirl in the same pot while the nation awaits the outcome.”
Tony Perry, LA Times

Frontline: The Dark Side (PBS)
“…a hair-raising tale of political infighting…”
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Frontline: The Dark Side (PBS)
“It's a solid historic document about a serious, complicated subject.”
Paul Farhi, Washington Post

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
“…'Real Sports’ offers a consistently-worthy sports journalism twist on ‘60 Minutes.’”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (BRAVO)
“We don't need the ashen face of a visiting celebrity to remind us that war is hell, but Griffin's sometimes awkward attempts to use humor to comfort an injured soldier or deflect her own terror help this celeb-reality show connect in ways that a more noble news program might not.”
Karla Peterson, San Diego Union-Tribune

Love It! Hate It! 06.20.06


A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (LIFETIME)
“…despite the fact that the basic story line seems stuffed to overflowing with dramatic potential, ‘A Girl Like Me’ is surprisingly flat and tedious.”
David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (LIFETIME)
“Instead of sentimental melodrama, ‘A Girl Like Me’ is an unusually affecting film that's tough, honest and inspirational.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (LIFETIME)
“…a wonderful example of sparse writing and understated performances by a first-rate cast.”
Marilyn Moss, Hollywood Reporter

A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (LIFETIME)
“As good and socially commendable as `A Girl Like Me' is, it also is a missed opportunity.”
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

History Detectives (PBS)
“…one of the summer's best breezy and educational viewing pleasures.”
Rick Bird, Cincinnati Post

Free Speech: Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee (PBS)
“In a time when so much TV talk is conditioned by the transient need to pitch something or comment on a current event, it's good to see two people of experience speaking for no other reason than that they are people of experience.”
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Love It! Hate It! 06.16.06


Live from Lincoln Center: The Light in the Piazza (PBS)
“It's rare enough to see a complete, current New York hit free on TV — but ‘Piazza’ is something really special.”
Everett Evans, Houston Chronicle

Live from Lincoln Center: The Light in the Piazza (PBS)
“The tale of love and romance in 1950s Florence is a perfect choice for TV with musical numbers that emphasize intimate emotion over bombast.”
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

Live from Lincoln Center: The Light in the Piazza (PBS)
“… if you love touching stories, soaring music and fabulous acting, there is no other place to be.”
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Waterloo Road (BBC AMERICA)
"...ropes you into its dysfunctional web with a topical blend of heart and hard knocks.”
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Waterloo Road (BBC AMERICA)
“These grim tales from a troubled British high school play like a grittier, darker version of ‘Boston Public’."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Run's House (MTV)
“An MTV reality show that the entire family will enjoy.”
LaToya West, About.com

Love It! Hate It! 06.15.06


Commander in Chief (ABC)
“The death knell was sounded several months ago, but that doesn't make ‘Commander in Chief's’ demise any easier to swallow.”
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

Commander in Chief (ABC)
“At the least, it got people talking about the possibility of a female president in real life.”
Kelly Woo, America Online

Commander in Chief (ABC)
“America was simply not ready for ‘Commander in Chief’ -- and it may never be ready for a lady president.”
Andrew Ryan, Globe and Mail

Haunting Evidence (COURT TV)
“There is much effect and much fun in this series that makes crime-solving an art form for reality television.”
Marilyn Moss, Hollywood Reporter

Countdown to Doomsday (SCI-FI)
"…with its 10, count 'em, 10 separate scenarios that might bring about the End of the World as We Know It, left me feeling oddly detached.”
Ellen Gray, Philadelphia Daily News

So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)“You're allowed to be excited if you can name the winner from last year's dance-off.”
Robert Bianco, USA Today

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
“It may in fact be the apocalypse: George Carlin and Ann Coulter are both guests on Wednesday’s ‘Tonight Show with Jay Leno’.”
Rachel Anderson, The Celebrity Cafe

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
“Either the talent bookers at ‘The Tonight Show’ are really stupid or they're geniuses.”
Joel Keller, TV Squad

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
“Best guess is that Carlin and Coulter (if they appear together at all) will both be bombastic.”
Jeff Freeland, National Ledger

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
“Well, if it doesn't get meaningful, let's hope it gets real nasty.”
Randy McMullen, San Jose Mercury News

Love It! Hate It! 06.14.06


Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“Every moment of this repugnant product is absolutely precious, if you have a fetish for counterfeit emotions, Tupperware cheeks, ice-pick fingernails, and 'real women' who can cry on cue -- without spoiling their makeup.”
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“Going above and beyond what is miserable about most reality television, ‘Tuesday Night Book Club’ on CBS is a deeply depressing show.”
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“In ‘Book Club,’ skin isn't for getting under; it's for showing off.”
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“Curiosity could breed tune-in, but this is strictly a cheap knockoff for those who can't survive a summer hiatus from housewives married to, and often equipped with, oversized boobs.”
Brian Lowry, Variety

Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“Think of it as ‘The Jerry Springer Show’ with rich people.”
Robert P. Laurence, San Diego Union-Tribune

Tuesday Night Bookclub (CBS)
“Since these ‘Book Club’ women do not seem inclined either to read or discuss their books, my advice is to follow their example -- and neither watch nor discuss ‘Tuesday Night Book Club’.”
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Rescue Me (FX)
“If I were only going to watch one show this summer, this would be it.”
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Love It! Hate It! 06.13.06


Saved (TNT)
“'Saved' could use some resuscitating itself -- from cliches.”
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Saved (TNT)
“All told, this look into the world of paramedics delivers a prescription for ennui.”
Brian Lowry, Variety

Saved (TNT)
“Tom Everett Scott and his character, a gonzo paramedic addicted to high-risk situations, make it worth taking one more heart-defibrillating, chest-pounding ride.”
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Saved (TNT)
“A pale imitation of FX's `Rescue Me,' set in the world of paramedics, it tries to be edgy but misses by a mile.”
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

The Closer (TNT)
“…works because it recasts a classic television archetype — the Columbo-style detective — along modern, feminist lines.”
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

The Closer (TNT)
“At its best, the show's witty repartee brings to mind classic film noir.”
Joy Press, The Village Voice

How to Get the Guy (ABC)
“’Guy’ is almost that bad date that makes for a good story, but instead it's just a bad date that won't say good night.”
Jessica Shaw, Entertainment Weekly

How to Get the Guy (ABC)
“’How to Get the Guy’ is a date with boredom.”
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

The Drug Years (VH1)
“A vivid, comprehensive and historically accurate overview of the narcotics culture and the times they've shaped that's as grandly entertaining as it is incisive.”
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Love It! Hate It! 06.12.06


Deadwood (HBO)
“The circuitous plot is challenging, but the true glory of 'Deadwood' is in its vivid creation of a volatile world where scoundrels, wretches and tormented heroes coexist in an unvarnished time capsule of Wild West history.”
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Deadwood (HBO)
“Unlike 'The Sopranos,’ which wasted a season cheating its fans, ‘Deadwood’ has story to spare.”
Mark A. Perigard, Boston Herald

Deadwood (HBO)
“It's a panorama of human potential that catches a whole species in the act of becoming.”
Mark A. Perigard, The Star-Ledger

Entourage (HBO)
"Not only is ‘Entourage’ a delightfully entertaining spoof of the quirks and excesses of Hollywood, but it also has a warmth that previous satires have lacked."
Robert Lloyd, San Jose Mercury News

Little Britain (BBC AMERICA)
“’Little Britain’ is truly the most bizarre show to come out of the U.K. in a while.”
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed (HBO)
“At once savvy and cranky, he commands the stage in this superbly entertaining HBO solo comedy hour taped from Washington with a kind of rumpled flair -- coming across like the spawn of Robert Klein and the pre-conservative Dennis Miller.”
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed (HBO)
“…Black truly has a style all his own that needs to be experienced by everyone.”
Jonathan Toomey, TV Squad

The 4400 (USA)
“Throw in the ongoing government conspiracy (led by Peter Coyote’s Dennis Ryland), and the show is like a comfort-food version of 'Lost' -- a pleasing summer snack that involves no stress.”
Amy Amatangelo, Boston Herald

The 4400 (USA)
“‘Sure, it's all a bit X-Men-lite, but 'The 4400' feels much closer to home.”
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Lucky Louie (HBO)
“Think of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ with an X rating for language and simulated sex and think of the Barone family barely able to afford a modest apartment ... and you still wouldn't have ‘Lucky Louie,’ but you'd be getting close."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Lucky Louie (HBO)
"'Lucky Louie' is a true original -- a pleasantly twisted variation on 'The Honeymooners' or 'Roseanne' for the 21st Century ."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Dane Cook's Tourgasm (HBO)
“Those who have yet to be absorbed into the cult of Dane Cook fans will likely be left mystified as to his appeal upon viewing this tedious comics-on-tour reality show -- a half-hour vanity project that proves HBO can not only be TV, but bad TV at that.”
Brian Lowry, Variety

Degrassi: The Next Generation (THE N)
“We can't say Degrassi never has an awkward moment, but it sure is coming of age nicely.”
Jennifer Armstrong, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 06.10.06


Blackbeard (HALLMARK)
"Who needs 'Pirates' on the big screen when you can indulge in this cheese-fest at home."
Sandy Deane, America Online

Blackbeard (HALLMARK)
"The action tries, but misses."
Mandi Bierly, Entertainment Weekly

Treasure Hunters (NBC)
"…ideal summer entertainment for armchair travelers."
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Treasure Hunters (NBC)
"Call it the mediocre race."
Amy Amatangelo, Boston Herald

Treasure Hunters (NBC)
"…The most striking thing about NBC's 'Treasure Hunters' is how much it looks and feels like CBS' 'The Amazing Race,' right down to its summertime premiere."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (DISNEY)
"'Wendy Wu' is especially depressing because, while purporting to give girls a role model who both kicks butt and learns to honor family traditions, it staunchly upholds the values of popularity, cuteness and shopping, shopping, shopping."
Joanne Weintraub, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Celebrity Deathmatch (MTV)
"Just in case you ever dreamed of watching tabloid celebutante twerps Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie tear each other apart, here's your vicarious clay animation opportunity."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation (SHOWTIME)
" Canemaker's effort is constantly inventive visually -- as one image morphs into the next -- but feels more like a therapy session than a coherent work."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Touch the Top of the World (A&E)
"'Touch' is a straight-ahead treatment that doesn't try to jerk too many tears while telling a story that couldn't be more perfect for Father's Day."
Ellen Gray, Philadelphia Daily News

Miss Marple: By Pricking Up My Thumbs (PBS)
"In this case, too many detectives spoil the broth."
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Love It! Hate It! 06.09.06


Windfall (NBC)
“It's an enjoyable, intriguing look at what can happen to a group of ordinary, cash-strapped people who wake up one day as multimillionaires.”
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Windfall (NBC)
“Though the actors are competent and mostly likable -- Luke Perry brings his feline, bittersweet charm to his role of an average guy whose wife is straying -- 'Windfall's' interlocking plots are mostly predictable and bland.”
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Windfall (NBC)
"It's a decent enough show, a soap opera essentially, playing around with heavy themes and life-changing events but lightweight enough not to make you think too hard or keep you glued to the television when you decide you want something from the refrigerator — the TV equivalent of a beach book."
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Windfall (NBC)
“Fortunately, this soap opera disguised as a prime-time show is an addictive frolic for summertime, when reality TV takes over the airwaves."
John Maynard, Washington Post

Hex (BBC AMERICA)
"...may not be stupendous TV, but for a decent summer thrill, nothing on broadcast holds a candle to it.”
Melanie McFarland, Seattle Post Intelligencer

Hex (BBC AMERICA)
"...is like a compendium of every spooky film and television show that has come before.”
Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter

Hex (BBC AMERICA)
“With its sometimes glib and arch dialogue, and the way it juxtaposes humor, sexuality and genuine scares, ‘Hex’ plays with the same basic and tricky template established by Joss Whedon on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Angel’.”
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

I Wanna Be a Soap Star (SOAPNET)
“Prepare to be amusingly appalled.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

2006 MTV Movie Awards (MTV)
“Considering that every moment of the show was tightly planned -- right down to strategically dropped F-bombs and cheesy product placement…the fun felt a little canned.”
Liane Bonin, Rolling Stone

Love It! Hate It! 06.08.06


Dog Bites Man (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"Yes, this is more cover-your-eyes, cringe comedy -- the kind of funny that's hard to watch because it only works when innocent passersby, people like you, are manipulated and humiliated on camera, unaware that the reporter who just busted through the front door is really an actor."
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

Dog Bites Man (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"There's no question that 'Dog Bites Man' -- which is, in the current evolving sitcom style, partly improvised by its talented cast -- scales heights of hilarity, more than one might have a right to expect."
Tom Shales, Washington Post

Dog Bites Man (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"This disappointing new series operates by one rule alone: When all else fails, refer to genitalia. "
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Dog Bites Man (COMEDY CENTRAL)
“The title may be an oblique reference to the definition of a non-news story, but anyone who watches often fluffy, histrionic local newscasts will immediately get this series."
Rick Bird, Cincinnati Post

Dog Bites Man (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"In its zeal to zing local TV news, 'Dog' loses any flavor of authenticity, which is absolutely essential for effective satire.”
Verne Gay, Newsday

Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator (NBC)
“It's kind of like watching a train wreck, seeing correspondent Chris Hansen confront men (some of whom even recognize their questioner!) who've shown up at a house expecting to 'visit' with an underage boy or girl.”
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator (NBC)
“Bet the cops look nothing like their MySpace photos.”
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 06.07.06


The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (OXYGEN)
"Ms. Dickinson's praying-mantis body and ravenous-looking face are disturbing when scrutinized too closely, and the producers of her new reality show on Oxygen seem to know it.”
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (OXYGEN)
“During her resurgence, she has made Simon Cowell look like a pussycat and has tried to bring back her glory days at Studio 54 ... or at the very least extend her well-worn 15 minutes of celebrity earned after her stints on 'America's Next Top Model.'"
Laura Fries, Variety

The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (OXYGEN)
"In 'The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency,' in which she is setting up -- wait for it -- a modeling agency, her full-on ranting-diva mode is proudly displayed, and, truth be told, is fairly entertaining if you're into this sort of silly reality spectacle."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (OXYGEN)
“It's ironic that a network calling itself Oxygen would commission a reality show centering on a woman who specializes in sucking the air out of any given room..."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (BRAVO)
“Kathy Griffin may claim to be on the D-list, but she's A-list when it comes to making us laugh."
Tim Stack, Entertainment Weekly

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (BRAVO)
“Kathy Griffin, the redheaded queen of celebrity-skewering mean, is back to pump up the sarcastic, self-promotional comic volume on her Hollywood reality show life.”
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (BRAVO)
“The merciless mocker of stars continues to suffer humiliating if hilarious reminders of her diminutive fame.”
Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today

Queer Eye (BRAVO)
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas -- unless the fab five from 'Queer Eye' have anything to do with it."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Love It! Hate It! 06.06.06


Lovespring International (LIFETIME)
"'Lovespring International' is demented enough to leave fans of conventional sitcoms mystified and even miffed. "
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Lovespring International (LIFETIME)
"It's all sort of cartoonish and, for better or worse, the characters rarely rise above it ."
David Hinckley, NY Daily News

Lovespring International (LIFETIME)
"Gifted performers and a fertile premise go mostly wasted in cable's latest stab at the improvcom, representing another salvo in Lifetime's new series initiative."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Lovespring International (LIFETIME)
"Sadly, setting a comedy in a dating service run by misfits is a wee bit stale ."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Lovespring International (LIFETIME)
"'Lovespring International' is very funny in the same vein as 'The Office' (NBC), 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' (HBO) and 'Reno 911!' (Comedy Central): icy-dry satire laced with moments of farce and inspired lunacy."
Alessandra Stanley, NY Times

Fast Incorporated (MTV)
"Despite the potential in creating a Laguna Beach with grown-ups and consequences, the excitement isn't exactly palpable."
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

The Apprentice (NBC)
"You would think his staff roster was full by now."
Andrew Ryan, Globe and Mail

Everwood (WB)
"And now, our little show -- just 4 years old -- lies flattened on a blanket of Colorado snow."
Heather Svokos, Star-Telegram

Deal or No Deal (NBC)
"Howie Mandel and Celine Dion on the same stage!"
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Love It! Hate It! 06.05.06


The Sopranos (HBO)
"The endgame is afoot. Tony must (and probably will) die. TV's greatest literary Chinese puzzle will soon be solved."
Verne Gay, Newsday

The Sopranos (HBO)
"...is there a possibility for a stay of execution? Fuhgeddaboutit."
Greg Braxton, LA Times

The Sopranos (HBO)
“It could be said that this HBO series is actually timeless, a masterpiece that has carved its own artistic niche outside the entertainment constraints of commercial television.”
Robert Bianco, USA Today

The Sopranos (HBO)
“Because of the disjointed nature of the show in general and the especially fragmented feeling of this current season in particular, it’s difficult to work up any emotion over an impending climax.”
Michael Ventre, MSNBC

The Simple Life: 'Til Death Do Us Part (E!)
"Shouldn't there be a law against these two ever contemplating motherhood?"
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

The Simple Life: 'Til Death Do Us Part (E!)
"This edition at least has the distinct bonus of zero face-to-face interaction between our hollow heroines, though it would be nice if someone could politely inform Nicole that referring to everybody as 'bitch' does little to endear her."
Ray Richmond, The Hollywood Reporter

Footballers Wive$ (BBC AMERICA)
"...everything's a bit more intense, luv, which is as it should be on this delightfully trashy Brit soap."
Maureen Ryan & Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

Big Love (HBO)
"...excels at exploring the meaning of family — the kind you choose and the ones you're stuck with — asking, ultimately, to what degree are they your damnation or your salvation?"
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Beyond the Break (The N)
...has a slightly plodding, after-school-special tone: there are all kinds of lessons about self-reliance and self-respect (but not sunblock) tucked into the plot. "
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Beyond the Break (The N)
“Just like you take a trashy novel to the beach, this is the perfect show to watch on a lazy, hot Friday night.”
Kelly Woo, America Online

Doctor Who (SCI FI)
"...the Doctor discovers that Armageddon is fast approaching. It makes sense; some see reality TV as the end of the world, right?"
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

World News Tonight (ABC)
“Gibson is not a new broom sweeping clean but a mark of continuity in a time of unasked-for change — an old broom sweeping some of the dust back in to keep things cozy.”
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Washington the Warrior (HISTORY CHANNEL)
“No matter how honest young George may have been, he also may have been the first American politician to understand the concept of spin: Washington, it seems, was careful to edit what he wanted history to remember.”
Patricia Brennan, Washington Post

Love It! Hate It! 06.02.06


The 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC)
"...these whiz kids could spell ratings for primetime network TV's first spelling bee since Charlie Brown tripped up on 'beagle.'"
Roger Leister, TV Guide

The 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC)
"ABC is betting that the show's formula — nervous civilians performing live — will turn the once-stodgy National Spelling Bee into the latest reality TV phenom."
Johanna Neuman, LA Times

The 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC)
"If you're surprised that the athletic (Robin) Roberts is hosting this young brainiacs convention, know two things: (a) she's the daughter of an English teacher, and (b) she digs the sport of it."
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

The 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC)
"...a move to prime time -- a natural progression, given the nation's growing spelling obsession."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

The 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC)
“It's about time the Scripps National Spelling Bee got the TV recognition it deserves.”
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

The Human Behavior Experiments (SUNDANCE & COURT TV)
"...the kind of cerebral documentary programming that's too rare, sadly, in the increasingly loud but not very bright basic cable space."
Brian Lowry, Variety

The Human Behavior Experiments (SUNDANCE & COURT TV)
"...shows how easily people lose perspective and basic decency when in the grip of a credible authority figure or even just a difficult group dynamic."
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Game Show Marathon (CBS)
“CBS, carrying the concept of recycling a tad too far, combines seven of TV's most familiar game shows with celebrity players who might, for all we know, be on an outing from VH1's 'Surreal Life' house.”
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)
"...the show's pretty blonde UK infotainer-host, actually sounds rather cerebral. OK, we're grading on a steep eye candy curve here."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

The Secret Voice of Hitler (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC)
"We know he was a nutcase; maybe he was really a woman!"
Courtney Potter, Zap2It

Love It! Hate It! 06.01.06


The Hills (MTV)
"...features a cast of long-locked bathing beauties and a rotating gaggle of spiky-haired young men in distressed denim."
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

The Hills (MTV)
"...sand and surf have given way to steel and glass in her world, and she is earnestly trying to forge a Mary Tyler Moore existence in Los Angeles."
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

The Hills (MTV)
"The spinoff is stylish, mindless and easily devourable."
John Maynard, Washington Post

The Hills (MTV)
"All told, it's 'The Simple Life' with less substance, featuring youths that have clearly studied both the reality TV manual and ' The OC' to perfect their 'characters.'"
Brian Lowry, Variety

Game Show Marathon (CBS)
"Yep, another reason to turn off the TV and read a book."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Game Show Marathon (CBS)
"CBS, carrying the concept of recycling a tad too far, combines seven of TV's most familiar game shows with celebrity players who might, for all we know, be on an outing from VH1's 'Surreal Life' house."
Barry Garron, The Hollywood Reporter

Today (NBC)
"Will we get this same blend of giddiness and seriousness, these same jaw-dropping, must-watch moments, from Meredith Vieira? No disrespect to Ms. V., but I kind of doubt it. "
Gary Susman, Entertainment Weekly

Today (NBC)
"...proves that leaving 'Today' has never been easy for anyone. The long goodbye becomes endless and unwieldy."
Verne Gay, Newsday

Ghost Hunters (Sci Fi)
"...takes on a place that stands at the confluence of fiction, legend and fact, immortalized by Stephen King in his 1977 novel The Shining. "
Kate O'Hare, Zap2It


Love It! Hate It! Archive

Television Reviews - TV Shows & TV Reviews - TV Series Recaps & Reviews | TWoP

Pick of the Litter

The Bachelorette

One of these well-heeled gents has a new girlfriend, courtesy of ABC ... and desperation. Our congratulations to the fake couple!