Blog Entries by Maureen Ryan from 02/2012

Smash Review: Will NBC's Terrific Backstage Musical Make It Big?

| Publication 02.01.2012

"Smash" has music, dancing, lots of entertaining backstage bitchery and a very talented "American Idol" runner-up ... Truth be told, I got a lump in my throat at the end of the second episode -- an achievement for any show so early in its run.

'Lost Girl': The Best Show You're Not Watching Plus Exclusive Video

| Publication 02.02.2012

Hot damn, did I miss having a breezy supernatural-fantasy show in my life. One of the reasons Lost Girl has made such a big impression on me is because it does what so many genre programs fail to do these days: It has fun with its premise.

The River Review: Reasons to Avoid It And Reasons To Watch

| Publication 02.07.2012

"The River" isn't terrible, but it's fairly indicative of ABC's post-"Lost" flailing ... ABC has tried and tried again to replicate parts of the "Lost" formula, but with more timid concepts and less imaginative executions.

'The Walking Dead': Is It Finally Returning To Life?

| Publication 02.09.2012

I'm tentatively hopeful that the second half of Season 2 will be different. There are signs that "The Walking Dead" has realized where it went wrong and is actively trying to right those mistakes.

'Parks And Recreation': Season 4 Finale Scoop, Bradley Whitford Guest Stars And Campaign Heats Up

Publication 02.10.2012

"Parks and Recreation" has told a season-long story about Leslie Knope's campaign for public office, so it's only fitting that the show will be paying...

'Cougar Town' Returns With Its Wine-Drinking Wit Intact

| Publication 02.13.2012

One of the most impressive things about "Cougar Town" is how many jokes and silly moments it can fit into a scene, while keeping the characters consistent and the enclosed world of the Cul De Sac Crew rooted in its own loopy reality.

'Parks and Recreation': Watch Tom Haverford's Nicknames For Ann Perkins Exclusive (VIDEO)

Publication 02.14.2012

Talk about perfect timing: This Valentine's Day, let "Parks and Recreation's" Tom Haverford show you how to woo the ladies. In a recent episode of...

'Star Trek' And 'Doctor Who' Come Together In Crossover Comic

Publication 02.14.2012

It sounds like something dreamed up in the fevered brain of a Comic-Con attendee: A sci-fi story that features an unholy alliance between "Star Trek's...

'Cougar Town' Proposal: How Did The Comedy's Creators Get Their Wives To Say Yes?

Publication 02.15.2012

As is only appropriate for a show that came back on Valentine's Day, Tuesday's "Cougar Town" season premiere ended with Grayson (Josh Hopkins) proposi...

'The Hour': Five Reasons To Catch Up With The BBC Drama

| Publication 02.15.2012

"The Hour" is one of those nicely calibrated UK dramas that has an alluring atmosphere and is bursting at the seams with great character actors ... If it's a well-made British costume drama you want, you can't wrong with this show.

'A Gifted Man' Doctors Rock Out In An Exclusive Clip (VIDEO)

Publication 02.16.2012

Things are often serious on "A Gifted Man"; that's only to be expected of a show about a doctor who tries to save people who are dealing with neurolog...

Ricky Gervais' Life's Too Short: An Aggressively Unfunny Comedy Failure

| Publication 02.16.2012

This unfunny program goes a long way toward proving that the smug, smirking Gervais has turned into The Office's David Brent.

'Lost Girl' Season 2 Will Air Very Soon On Syfy In U.S.

Publication 02.16.2012

Every day on my Twitter feed, I hear from new converts to "Lost Girl," and that is a beautiful thing. Since the Syfy show premiered in January, it...

'Parks and Recreation' Politics: Ron Swanson's Take On Government

Publication 02.17.2012

Ron Swanson has never made a secret of what he thinks of the government: There's too much of it. Way too much. As you can see in the exclusive clip...

Why You Should Stick With Luck

| Publication 02.17.2012

There's a good chance waverers will stay with "Luck" after Sunday's episode, which features a terrific racing sequence that embodies everything I enjoy about Milch's drama.

'Downton Abbey' Finale: What The PBS Hit Did Wrong (And Right) In Season 2

| Publication 02.19.2012

The second season of "Downton Abbey" has proved that creator Julian Fellowes is sloppy and inconsistent when it comes to writing for television.

TV Question Time: If You Have Tube Queries, Share Them Here

Publication 02.21.2012

It's been a while, but let's get back to one of my favorite regular features: Ask Mo. Here's the deal: You ask TV-related questions in the comment...

'Mad Men,' 'Fringe,' 'Justified' And 'Game Of Thrones' Questions Answered: Ask Mo Time

| Publication 02.28.2012

"Do you think 'Mad Men's' long hiatus has cost it the cultural initiative?" "Will Netflix draw a large audience to original programming?" "If you had a TV comfort food, what would it be?" Find out in the latest Ask Mo column.

'Awake' Review: Is Jason Isaacs' NBC Cop Drama Worth Staying Up For?

| Publication 02.29.2012

All four episodes that NBC sent for review were quite competently made: They were well-paced, well-directed, well-acted, and a few featured well-earned twists I didn't see coming.