Miles Beller

As manifest in Cybill's premiere, Shephard and cast are castoffs, and a bit confused as to the actions they are made to complete, people performing in such an extruded manner that it's difficult investing interest in Cybill's citizens. [30 Dec 1994]

Though featuring the comedic talents of Bronson Pinchot (formerly of the elliptical Perfect Strangers), Pinchot's latest primetime outing lacks anything more than a germ of a funny idea that essentially allows the actor to make like Robin Williams and do zany. [24 Aug 1993]

An engagingly brooding and meditative revisitation via a three-night miniseries that stars Rebecca De Mornay, Steven Weber and Courtland Mead. While Stanley Kubrick's 1980 movie was barely able to contain the manic machinations of Jack Nicholson as the bedeviled writer and Shelley Duvall as his victimized wife, ABC's renewed "Shining" delivers its own sustaining vision of an anti-holiday in hell. In fact, those who might question the wisdom of recasting and remaking "The Shining" into a miniseries will find this video version a force to be reckoned with. For this time out, The Shining radiates profound power as a deeply evocative and nuanced piece, rendered as a grandly textured triptych working on multiple levels. [23 Apr 1997]

A horror sci-fi miniseries these days is as rare as moon rocks, as far and few between as known inhabited planets. And make no mistake, It is a humdinger, one big kicky ride thanks to the charismatic acting of Curry as savage, sneering malevolence. Moreover, the work of Reid, Anderson, Christopher, Ritter, Thomas, O'Toole and Masur make It a sensational horror show.

As chill-and-thrill programming goes, the two-evening "Tommy" is overextended and underdeveloped, a laughable, would-be scare-'em inspired by King's novel that has been distended over too long a time to meet the needs of TV's mini form. [7 May 1993]

This latest King project, though king-size in running time, is considerably less King-ly in terms of its TV content. Indeed, the whole oversize romp winds up an exercise in the overlong, a tale lacking cohesion and solidity, coming across as an overblown "Twilight Zone" robbed of focused staying power. In its video guise, "The Langoliers" is a bloated exercise in "boo" closer to a whimper than full-blast fright show. [10 May 1995]

This four-night, not-so-mini TV event that takes its story from the best-selling Stephen King book keeps you watching and waiting and on the edge of your seat. A captivating video version of King's horror parable (complete with religious "significance" of grand betrayals, Armageddon endings and messianic resurrections), The Stand shapes up as a chillingly absorbing descent into horror and things that go boo! in primetime. In scope and magnitude, The Stand delivers King-sized chills and thrills. [6 May 1994]

Chiklis as the man with the big badge and large heart puts over the role with grand, embracing humanity. And Saldana as the Mrs. makes the part convincingly real. To be sure, there's more than a tad of schmaltz and stage business afoot here. Yet "The Commish" out-performs the usual cop operas impressed into primetime service this time of year. [27 Sept 1991]

This new Fox drama is all about the cloyingly sensitive, a treatment of innocence and loss that is over-the-top contrite. Indeed, a pinch of corrosive cynicism might have rescued the total undertaking from the terminally coy. Instead, we get ever more labored business. [12 Sept 1994]

Stick-to-your-ribs television, the sort of weekly program that instantly wins your heart and your allegiance. [25 Aug 1994]