Love It! Hate It! 01.31.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Two-A-Days (MTV)
"Modestly compelling."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Two-A-Days (MTV)
"As reassuringly wholesome as it is to see MTV teens who aren't either spoiled, drunk, or having a drunk, spoiled threesome, these realistically bland kids just aren't all that riveting."
Josh Wolk, Entertainment Weekly

Big Day (ABC)
"The honeymoon for this sad sack sitcom was over before it began."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Big Day (ABC)
"Irrepressibly funny."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

The Real Housewives of Orange County (BRAVO)
"If reality TV remains a fungus on our democracy, I have a persistent itch for 'The Real Housewives of Orange County'."
Paul Brownfield, LA Times

Love It! Hate It! 01.30.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Angels Fall (LIFETIME)
"Locklear proves, once again, that she is, without a doubt, awesome."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Angels Fall (LIFETIME)
"Awful."
Karen Hunter, Hartford Courant

Kindness of Strangers (BBC AMERICA)
"Now this is how you make a psychological thriller."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

The Power of Choice: The Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman (PBS)
"The film is so unabashedly venerating — it would credit Mr. Friedman with inventing the Hubble Telescope if it could — that it ultimately does its subject a disservice, refusing the spirit of argument that was so obviously Mr. Friedman's lifeblood."
Ginia Bellafante, New York Times

The Liberace of Baghdad (SUNDANCE)
"The most damning failure of the picture is a lack of any discernible payoff."
Peter Hanson, Film Threat

Love It! Hate It! 01.29.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

The Valley of Light (CBS)
"Eye-numbingly sappy."
Jessica Shaw, Entertainment Weekly

The Valley of Light (CBS)
"Feels more like a 'Twilight Zone' episode than a movie-length premise."
Brian Lowry, Variety

The Valley of Light (CBS)
"It's not a bad movie, exactly, just a hokum-laced forgettable one."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Extras (HBO)
"It's got edge galore, but it's the kind that sneaks up on you and proves again that Gervais has the subtlest kind of brilliance, hard to categorize but easy to enjoy."
Tom Shales, Washington Post

Extras (HBO)
"Necessary viewing."
Melanie McFarland, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

King of the Hill (FOX)
"No TV show - drama, sitcom or reality series - captures the current state of our everyday lives quite like 'King of the Hill'."
Adam Buckman, New York Post

King of the Hill (FOX)
"A family sitcom executed with depth, honesty and a sweet sense of humor."
Tim Goodman, San Fransisco Chronicle

Love It! Hate It! 01.26.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi (HBO)
"If Pelosi's intent is to show that evangelical faith suffocates reason, the point is well-made."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi (HBO)
"Unfortunately, this documentary may ultimately say more about the insulated Blue Stater behind the camera than the Red Staters in front of it."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi (HBO)
"'Friends of God' is powerful filmmaking in a uniquely understated way, a tour through another America that is sometimes funny, sometimes touching, and sometimes scary as hell."
Tom Shales, Washington Post

Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi (HBO)
"It's a lively, interesting film, if not always deeply penetrating."
Florangela Davila, Seattle Times

Pros vs. Joes (SPIKE TV)
"The central problem with 'Pros'...is that once you've seen one episode you truly have seen them all."
Andrew Lyons, Media Life

Pros vs. Joes (SPIKE TV)
"It's the kind of show where you can send your brain to bed early, watch anyhow and miss nothing."
David Hinckley, New York Daily News

Love It! Hate It! 01.25.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

George Lopez (ABC)
"How is it possible that a network so creative and astute on the hour-long front can be so inept and tone-deaf when it comes to comedy?"
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Oprah's Roots: An African American Lives Special (PBS)
"You don't have to be a fan of the daytime talk-show host to find this interesting."
Kevin McDonough, United Features Syndicate

The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"Like nothing else on TV."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

In Case of Emergency (ABC)
"Sodden, forbidding, a waste of 22 good minutes.
Verne Gay, Newsday

Beauty and the Geek (CW)
"Third time is even more charming for this unexpectedly sweet reality game show."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Love It! Hate It! 01.24.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Lincoln Heights (ABC FAMILY)
"Outstanding."
Marshall Fine, Star Magazine

Lincoln Heights (ABC FAMILY)
"It's not a bad show by any stretch, but it's by no means revolutionary."
Rob Owen, Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Dirt (FX)
"An embarrassing dud that's both trashy and self-pitying."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Dirt (FX)
"It's a mishmash that wastes an interesting cast…and the few intriguing ideas it has."
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

Beyond the Call (PBS)
"Slightly disjointed but stimulating."
Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 01.23.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Prison Break (FOX)
"One hell of a fun roller coaster ride."
Kelly Woo, America Online

Prison Break (FOX)
"A deliciously preposterous premise that worked."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Boulevard of Broken Dreams (E!)
"E!'s new docu-series that is what the old 'True Story' used to be - warts, moles and all."
Linda Stasi, New York Post

I Love New York (VH1)
"But oh, the downloadable moments — they're already piling up."
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

Love It! Hate It! 01.22.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

The Dresden Files (SCI FI)
"Brooding, seductive and smart."
Marilyn Moss, Hollywood Reporter

The Dresden Files (SCI FI)
"There's a decent helping of mystical escapism here."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

The Dresden Files (SCI FI)
"'The Dresden Files' is currently mediocre, a series searching for the right tone, seemingly unsure of itself and all The while not quite selling itself to the non sci-fi crowd."
Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle

Hyperdrive (BBC AMERICA)
"More droll than funny."
David Kronke, LA Daily News

Jane Eyre (PBS)
"'Jane Eyre' is not an inspired reinterpretation; it's another respectful, faithful telling of a well-known tale."
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

Psych (USA)
"It's nonsensical, relies heavily on the likeability of its leads to distract from thin plots, and won't leave much of a lasting impression."
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 01.19.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Scrubs (NBC)
"Fall-on-the-floor hilarious."
Chuck Barney, Seattle Times

Scrubs (NBC)
"Wonderfully silly."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Scrubs (NBC)
"Among the best song-and-dance episodes of a TV show I've seen."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Scrubs (NBC)
"'Scrubs' injects itself with music for an episode that's bright but will hardly leave you humming."
Mark A. Perigard, Boston Herald

Smallville (CW)
"If 'Smallville' wants its thunder back from 'Heroes', it'll have to try harder."
Jeff Jensen, Entertainment Weekly

Smallville (CW)
"The series ranks as one of those rare TV commodities: A true unsung hero."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Love It! Hate It! 01.18.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"A Southern-fried mess."
Andrew Lyons, Media Life

The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"Despite the talented performers involved, this is one of those instances in which a friend would say, 'Don't give up your night job.'"
Brian Lowry, Variety

The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"Their work as a comedy duo loses some of its edge when it is refined and processed, sliced and diced, and repackaged for half-hour episodes of television."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (COMEDY CENTRAL)
"Smart and funny."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

In Case of Emergency (ABC)
"Shapeless, pointlessly annoying comedy."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Beauty and the Geek (CW)
"Effortlessly watchable, with more laughs than many of this year's sitcoms."
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Love It! Hate It! 01.17.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

American Idol (FOX)
"Despite their undeniable popularity, these audition episodes have always struck me as out of character for the show and somewhat dispiriting…"
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Real Housewives of Orange County (BRAVO)
"It evokes the fun of its inspiration, 'Desperate Housewives,' without feeling like a cheap imitation."
David Hinckley, New York Daily News

Frontline: Hand of God (PBS)
"Unnecessarily stacked with visual clutter, 'Hand of God' would have been a much better movie if Cultrera had been more judicious about editing himself."
Janice Page, Boston Globe

Dirt (FX)
"'Dirt' is like a tabloid: The glossy surface lures you in, but there isn't a lot more there."
Hal Boedeker, Orlando Sentinel

Dirt (FX)
" It should be fun, and it isn't."
Gillian Flynn, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 01.15.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Extras (HBO)
"Painfully funny."
Rob Owen, Cincinnati Post

Extras (HBO)
"You will indeed find yourself bloody laughing."
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Rome (HBO)
"A joy to watch."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

Rome (HBO)
"This splendidly acted melodrama delivers a bloody good time barreling toward oblivion, delivering enough political intrigue, violence and sex to slake even the most debauched viewing appetites."
Brian Lowry, Variety

24 (FOX)
"Even in its sixth season, '24' remains remarkably compelling."
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

24 (FOX)
"If the rest of the season lives up to the first four hours, season six could be '24''s best yet."
Andrew Lyons, Media Life

Johnny and the Sprites (DISNEY)
"As close to appointment television as it gets."
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Love It! Hate It! 01.12.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"I'm not sure whether to recommend it or warn you to flee to the nearest bookstore for the evening."
Rick Ellis, AllYourTV.com

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"Maybe one of these 'celebrities' should arrest the network executive who approved this project."
Marc Berman, Media Week

Rob and Amber: Against the Odds (FOX REALITY)
"Die-hard fans might welcome the reunion, but rest assured, there's little 'reality' here."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Afro Samurai (SPIKE TV)
"Excellent."
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

Men in Trees (ABC)
"Increasingly enjoyable."
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Love It! Hate It! 01.11.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"Worthless ratings bait."
Rob Owen, Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"CBS' latest addition to the 'Marginal celebrities will do just about anything for attention' genre."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"Yes, just when you thought they couldn't reach lower down into the M-list celebrity junk pile for the formerly famous to star in what can only be termed one of the stupidest ideas in reality TV to date - they did."
Linda Stasi, New York Post

The Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"The Knights have a happy mutt's lovability."
Troy Patterson, Slate

The Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"You'll root for these inept amateurs, but sustaining this premise won't be easy."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Tease (Oxygen)
"Armageddon truly must be right around the corner."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"Worthless ratings bait."
Rob Owen, Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"CBS' latest addition to the 'Marginal celebrities will do just about anything for attention' genre."
Brian Lowry, Variety

Armed and Famous (CBS)
"Yes, just when you thought they couldn't reach lower down into the M-list celebrity junk pile for the formerly famous to star in what can only be termed one of the stupidest ideas in reality TV to date - they did."
Linda Stasi, New York Post

The Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"The Knights have a happy mutt's lovability."
Troy Patterson, Slate

The Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"You'll root for these inept amateurs, but sustaining this premise won't be easy."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Tease (Oxygen)
"Armageddon truly must be right around the corner."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Love It! Hate It! 01.10.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Dirt (FX)
"Delirious, dizzy, decadent and altogether delicious."
Glenn Garvin, Miami Herald

Dirt (FX)
"A wickedly entertaining show."
Tom Shales, Washington Post

Dirt (FX)
"Ms. Cox is strangely wooden and bland."
Alessandra Stanley, New York Times

My Boys (TBS)
"Yawn."
Aaron Barnhart, Kansas City Star

Rome (HBO)
"C'mon, it's sex, violence, and fancy book learnin' — everybody wins."
Alynda Wheat, Entertainment Weekly

Love It! Hate It! 01.09.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Gay, Straight or Taken? (LIFETIME)
"It's as silly and fake and tiresome as can be."
Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

Gay, Straight or Taken? (LIFETIME)
"Those expecting harassment and hysterics will be sorely disappointed — this is more like 'Supermarket Sweep' than 'Flavor of Love'."
Brian Juergens, After Elton

Lincoln Heights (ABC FAMILY)
"A refreshing surprise."
Amy Amatangelo, Boston Herald

Lincoln Heights (ABC FAMILY)
"Finally, someone's making a family drama for television that actually stands for something."
Adam Buckman, New York Post

To Be Fat Like Me (LIFETIME)
"It could be described as a two-hour public service message - which is fine, just not necessarily very compelling television all by itself."
David Hinckley, New York Daily News

Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century: The Resurgence (PBS)
"Sometimes complex, often infuriating and always eye-opening…"
Barry Garron, Hollywood Reporter

Love It! Hate It! 01.08.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Starveillance (E!)
"Viciously funny."
Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Starveillance (E!)
"It's the kind of lighter-than-air distraction that dovetails nicely with the cable net's aspired-to niche as a haven for showbiz snarkiness."
Brian Lowry, Variety

I'm From Rolling Stone (MTV)
"You're excused for not caring."
Ray Richmond, Hollywood Reporter

Gunslinger Girl (IFC)
"Each haunting chapter leaves you heartbroken, disturbed and hungry for the next."
Melanie McFarland, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The Apprentice (NBC)
"It's time to consign him [Trump] to the pop-culture trash heap, along with his relic of the reality-show boom."
Robert Bianco, USA Today

The L Word (SHOWTIME)
"Remains a juicy bit of TV melodrama with a strong acting ensemble, glittery guest stars, often snappy writing and a nice measure of risk-taking in its storytelling."
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

Love It! Hate It! 01.05.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

The Dan Ho Show (DISCOVERY HEALTH)
"The latest, coolest avatar of lifestyle bliss."
Virginia Heffernan, New York Times

The Dan Ho Show (DISCOVERY HEALTH)
"One of the most unique and authentic people to come to your television screen in a very long time."
Jimmy Moore, Blogspot

Afro Samurai (SPIKE TV)
"Finally, Spike TV is gambling on cutting-edge programming."
Sandy Deane, America Online

Afro Samurai (SPIKE TV)
"Merely knowing that Samuel L. Jackson is the Afro Samurai is reason enough to watch."
Melanie McFarland, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

My Name is Earl (NBC)
"Sweetly wacky."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

Love It! Hate It! 01.04.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"The best new network sitcom this season."
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News

Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"…knee-slappingly and side-splittingly funny stuff."
Tom Shales, Washington Post

Knights of Prosperity (ABC)
"It has a goofy charm and outsize ridiculousness that wins you over."
Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle

In Case of Emergency (ABC)
"This irritating sitcom apparently splurged its production money on a recognizable cast and forgot about hiring decent writers."
Mark A. Perigard, Boston Herald

In Case of Emergency (ABC)
"…far too broadly painted for its own good."
Maureen Ryan, Chicago Tribune

American Masters: Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (PBS)
"An insightful look into how an artist ultimately confronts life and loss through a lens…"
Phil Gallo, Variety

American Masters: Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (PBS)
"It's all quite glamorous and interesting, if also kind of empty."
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe

Love It! Hate It! 01.03.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Dirt (FX)
"While imaginatively filmed, 'Dirt' is ultimately as enjoyable as bathing in sewage."
Mark A. Perigard, Boston Herald

Dirt (FX)
"It's a show where neither the world being created nor the characters populating it are remotely convincing - or interesting."
David Bianculli, New York Daily News

Dirt (FX)
"Sanctimonious yet salacious, tawdry yet preachy, and dull as, well, dirt, this haltingly comic drama has as much trouble finding a workable tone as it does making a coherent point."
Robert Bianco, USA Today

Dirt (FX)
"…explores the salacious underbelly of fame in a series that's slick-looking and easy to consume."
Florangela Davila, Seattle Times

Big Day (ABC)
"'Big Day' just doesn't deliver many big laughs."
Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press

Big Day (ABC)
"'Big Day' should be retitled 'The Longest Day,' as it spends an entire season showing us how many dreadfully unfunny complications can spoil a single wedding day."
Matt Roush, TV Guide

A Fish Story (PBS)
"…a bit lazy."
Neil Genzlinger,

Love It! Hate It! 01.02.07

« 12.01.06 02.01.07 »

Ugly Betty (ABC)
"You can't exactly call it original, but it's not like anything else on the U.S. network schedule."
Robert Lloyd, LA Times

Ugly Betty (ABC)
"You've never seen anything quite like 'Ugly Betty'…"
Jonathan Storm, Philadelphia Inquirer

Ugly Betty (ABC)
"This is a warmhearted dramedy, which gushes charm and family appeal."
Garry Barron, Hollywood Reporter

Wicked Wicked Games (MNTV)
"Thankfully, these MyNetwork shows are scheduled for limited runs."
Angel Cohn, TV Guide

Wicked Wicked Games (MNTV)
"You keep wishing that 'Wicked Wicked Games' would flash some move that a hundred earlier soaps hadn't tried before."
David Hinckley, New York Daily News

Absolutely Fabulous (BBC AMERICA)
"The ladies of 'Absolutely Fabulous' are the ultimate party girls -- and they're much more entertaining that either Paris or Lindsay."
Courtney Potter, Zap2It