The look inside The New York Times is often compelling reality television. But there’s also something missing.
American Idol isn’t perfect. But it more than justified its return.
A review of ABC’s American Idol, which continually revealed itself to be more than I expected—and became worth watching again.
Review: Netflix’s Evil Genius, an intriguing but unsatisfying true crime series
A review of Netflix’s new documentary reality series about the mysterious case of a pizza delivery man who robbed a bank and then was killed by a collar bomb.
The Great Interior Design Challenge is the splendid makeover that the interior design competition needed
My new reality TV competition obsession from the UK has amateur designers redecorating rooms in buildings already blanketed with history.
Review: Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, on which everything old and tired is back again
In an attempt to get big ratings, MTV has reunited most of the cast of Jersey Shore, who get drunk and party. Okay.
Review: In Nailed It, a celebration of trying and failing, America has its signature baking competition
Nicole Byer hosts Netflix’s wonderful baking competition, which dispenses with the usual reality TV chicanery and phony, hyperbolic stakes, and just has fun.
Marcia Clark Investigates The First 48 finds nothing new, at least in Casey Anthony’s case
The new A&E reality series should be called Marcia Clark Recaps A Famous Case. A review of its premiere.
One Strange Rock is a wonderfully rich, weird look at our planet
A review of—and behind-the-scenes details about—National Geographic Channel’s trippy new Darren Aronofsky-produced, Will Smith-hosted series.
American Idol’s premiere is familiar and icky, but new judges offer hope
ABC’s American Idol has a strong, protective, and playful judging panel, but has not lost its mean streak.
Citizen Rose is a vital portrait of Rose McGowan and her work
A review of E!’s Citizen Rose, a two-hour documentary about Rose McGowan’s activism, art, and pain.
Tabatha Coffey’s return on Relative Success with Tabatha is relatively successful
A review of Relative Success with Tabatha, Tabatha Coffey’s new Bravo show on which she helps struggling businesses, but it isn’t quite like her previous series—starting with the fact that she hugs someone.
Review: Undercover High, where adults go back to high school
Undercover High, which sends adults into high schools to find out what’s going on, has all the right pieces: an important social issue, public education, that needs more public discussion and attention, and a prime-time series is a great place to start; a polished production, with efficient storytelling and smooth editing; and charismatic young stars, both the 20-somethings who are pretending to be high school students and some of the actual high school students themselves.
A review of The Big Family Cooking Showdown, the BBC show on Netflix
If you need a television show to invite you inside from the cold, and wrap you in a warm blanket of food and family, The Big Family Cooking Showdown is here for you, and it’s brought The Great British Baking Show‘s best flavors with it. The cooking competition, which is on Netflix, aired earlier this fall… continue reading
Encore, Kristen Bell’s reunion of high school theater classmates, needs to be a full series immediately
High school classmates reuniting after 20 years to once again put on a production of Into the Woods in their high school auditorium, mentored by Kristen Bell and a team of Broadway talent: Why isn’t this already a full series? It was a special that aired last night on ABC called Encore, and turned out to… continue reading
Guy’s Big Project is Food Network’s most interesting new show in years
Guy’s Big Project, which stars Guy Fieri as he tests, mentors, and narrows a group of contestants who want their own food travel show like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, gets closer to being human than any show I’ve seen on Food Network in years.