Mistresses (UK)

Without the annoying melodrama [like "Desperate Housewives"], you become more emotionally hooked by the lives of the four complex and original characters.

It's "Sex and the City" London-style, but with a darker edge, and more brains and gravitas.

There's a thriller aspect to it that dovetails nicely with the sassier elements. But the show never devolves into wanton erotica. And all I know is through each of the first four screened episodes, I couldn't wait to get to the next installment.

As constructed by series creators Lowri Glain, S.J. Clarkson and Rachel Anthony, there's a strong momentum to the serialized storylines, and the key players are so innately appealing.

Of course, because this is a British production, it goes without saying that the acting across the board is terrific, adding a certain sheen to the well-thumbed plots.

The whole show is so repetitive and plotless and gutless and beside the point, it's hardly worth your time.

It’s a co-production with an outside company, poorly scripted and directed.