If Sports Night is by far the most interesting new series of the year, and among the most entertaining, it also has some problems. ... Still, Sports Night's freshness is inspiring, and its potential is great.
It is a diligent, well-crafted work that never spins out of control despite its grandiose conception. And yet, as anyone with an ear for faint praise can tell by now, it is pretty dull.
Ally's self-involvement can make the viewer wince because of the writing and because she hasn't earned our sympathy--her predicaments often seem so false. ... And yet, because Flockhart really is a fine actress and the writing can rise to a higher level, the show has its winning moments.
Watching the show these days is a wearying experience. ... The writers have decided to find humor in gay stereotypes, but there is something brittle and off-putting about this. While that strategy may work in the movie In & Out, Ellen seems to be reaching for a campiness that doesn't suit it.
