2019 Winter TV Scorecard

Critics Consensus: An action thriller starring Mads Mikkelsen as the world's most dangerous assassin should be terrifically entertaining, but Polar proves it's possible to ruin anything if you try.

Synopsis: The world's top assassin, Duncan Vizla, aka The Black Kaiser, is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Ruby O. Fee, Robert Maillet

Directed By: Jonas Akerlund

Critics Consensus: The jury finds Proven Innocent -- on the charges of saddling fine actors with clunky dialogue, padding out its storylines with stale plot contrivances, and wasting viewers' time with rote procedural formula -- guilty on all counts.

Starring: Rachelle Lefevre, Russell Hornsby, Vincent Kartheiser, Riley Smith

Critics Consensus: Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club lacks the trashy joie de vivre of similar reality shows in large part because of the titular character's lack of screen time.

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Gabi Andrews, Billy Estevez, Michael Dapaah

Critics Consensus: Despite the show's earnest intentions, Rent Live's clumsy production and pre-recorded broadcast render it an underwhelming "live" musical event.

Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Keala Settle

Directed By: Alex Rudzinski

Critics Consensus: The Village commendably attempts to affirm the bonds between neighbors in an urban community, but the series' overeagerness to wring tears from viewers will most likely only prompt them to roll their eyes.

Starring: Moran Atias, Dominic Chianese, Warren Christie, Frankie Faison

Critics Consensus: Close puts a welcome female-fronted spin on the prototypical action thriller; unfortunately, the rest of the movie's ingredients are tediously predictable.

Synopsis: After an attempted kidnapping, a counter-terrorism expert is assigned to safeguard a wealthy young heiress.

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Sophie Nélisse, Indira Varma, George Georgiou

Directed By: Vicky Jewson

Critics Consensus: The Dirt celebrates the rude debauchery that Mötley Crüe's fans enjoy -- but does so with the dispiriting lack of substance that the group's critics have long decried.

Synopsis: The misfits of Mötley Crüe rise from the streets of Hollywood to the heights of international fame in the 1980s.

Starring: Douglas Booth, Iwan Rheon, Machine Gun Kelly, Daniel Webber

Directed By: Jeff Tremaine

Critics Consensus: Despite an appealing cast, FAM flounders under the weight of its sitcom stylings, drowning much of its potential in a sea of familiar jokes that don't serve its progressive premise.

Starring: Nina Dobrev, Tone Bell, Odessa A'zion, Brian Stokes Mitchell

Critics Consensus: Despite going too far into virgin territory, the 23rd season of The Bachelor manages to mix it up thanks to a particularly eccentric group of contestants.

Starring: Chris Harrison, Colton Underwood, Terry Crews, Caelynn Miller-Keyes

Critics Consensus: Despite a set of stellar performances led by the capable Jennifer Carpenter, The Enemy Within stumbles into an overly formulaic narrative that fails to produce any real spark.

Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Morris Chestnut, Raza Jaffrey, Kelli Garner

Critics Consensus: Poor writing and predictable plot twists dampen Turn Up Charlie's fun premise -- but those looking for a breezy sitcom starring the perennially cool Idris Elba may find themselves tapping along to its good natured beats.

Starring: Idris Elba, Piper Perabo, JJ Feild, Frankie Hervey

Critics Consensus: Defying all tropes of the reality competition genre, The Masked Singer manages to be both magnetically apocalyptic and inexplicably boring.

Starring: Nick Cannon, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger

Critics Consensus: White Dragon boasts a visually striking setting and a commanding central presence in John Simm, but this neon noir is hobbled by a mystery that doesn't hook and a reliance on its Hong Kong backdrop that arguably borders on cultural exploitation.

Starring: John Simm, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Emilia Fox, Dervla Kirwan

Critics Consensus: Roswell, New Mexico admirably adds modern political context to its premise, but this reboot hews too closely to its predecessor to transcend the pitfalls of a redundant retread.

Starring: Jeanine Mason, Nathan Parsons, Michael Trevino, Lily Cowles

Critics Consensus: Black Monday zips with irrepressible style and a seductively stacked cast of charismatics stars - but this Wall Street odyssey is too preoccupied with flash to ferment its needed substance.

Starring: Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, Regina Hall, Paul Scheer

Critics Consensus: American Gods retains its bombastic style but loses its divine inspiration in a derivative second season that, after a change in show-runners and even some crucial cast members, feels like a false idol.

Starring: Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover, Ian McShane

Critics Consensus: The Punisher's second season leaves fans torn between the undeniably action-packed fun and the underwhelming portrayal of the charismatic Frank Castle.

Starring: Jon Bernthal, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah, Jason R. Moore

Critics Consensus: Ferociously ambitious, The Widow boasts Kate Beckinsale's killer action chops but goes astray in a jungle of problematic tropes and unsatisfying twists.

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Alex Kingston, Babs Olusanmokun, Charles Dance

Critics Consensus: Strong performances from leads Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Saniyya Sidney can't course correct The Passage's wayward plot and feeble tone.

Starring: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney, Jamie McShane, Caroline Chikezie

Critics Consensus: Despite well executed action and smart casting, Deadly Class struggles to meet the mark set by other spooky teen shows.

Starring: Benedict Wong, Siobhan Williams, Benjamin Wadsworth, Taylor Hickson

Critics Consensus: Project Blue Book will likely intrigue fans of the paranormal with its loose adaptation of historically unexplained phenomena, but this buttoned-down series lacks the narrative verve to appeal beyond the true believers.

Starring: Aidan Gillen, Michael Malarkey, Neal McDonough, Michael Harney

Critics Consensus: Audiences looking for an arsenic cookie of a series may cut Flack some slack, but its cynical take on publicity is exacerbated by hyperbolically unpleasant, underdeveloped characters.

Starring: Anna Paquin, Rebecca Benson, Rufus Jones, Lydia Wilson

Critics Consensus: A gritty reimagining of the 2011 film, Hanna adds new wrinkles to the mythology and texture to the titular assassin -- though the series' long-winded journey may try the patience of viewers who want their violent fables concise.

Starring: Esme Creed-Miles, Joel Kinnaman, Mireille Enos, Joanna Kulig

Critics Consensus: Despite some early watered down humor, Abby's brims with potential thanks to its easy going, goofy sensibility and a perfectly cast Natalie Morales.

Starring: Natalie Morales, Nelson Franklin, Kimia Behpoornia, Jessica Chaffin

Critics Consensus: A visual collage of dot com history, Valley of Boom proves to be just as sprawling and ramshackle as the docuseries' subject.

Starring: Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn, Dakota Shapiro, Lamorne Morris

Critics Consensus: After Life's first season teeters tonally between dark comedy and affecting drama, but Ricky Gervais' poignant performance illuminates new sides of the actor's talent.

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Kerry Godliman, Tom Basden, Tony Way

Critics Consensus: Schooled's freshman outing struggles to differentiate itself from its predecessor -- though its sweetly silly sensibilities and stellar cast may be enough for viewers looking for a good-natured sitcom.

Starring: Tim Meadows, Bryan Callen, Amanda Michalka, Brett Dier

Critics Consensus: Chris Pine inhabits I Am the Night with the roguish gravitas befitting a noir -- even if this entry into the pulp genre is more straightforward and languidly paced than some viewers would like.

Starring: Chris Pine, India Eisley, Jefferson Mays, Leland Orser

Critics Consensus: More charming than clever, Miracle Workers functions as a palatable showcase of Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi's quirky star power.

Starring: Steve Buscemi, Daniel Radcliffe, Karan Soni, Geraldine Viswanathan

Critics Consensus: Amy Schumer's standup matures in an hour filled with concise insights into aging and matrimony, marked with only slight Growing pains as the comedian refreshes her comedic voice.

Synopsis: Amy Schumer gives a refreshingly honest and hilarious take on marriage, pregnancy and personal growth in her new Netflix comedy special. Filmed in front of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Schumer

Directed By: Amy Schumer

Critics Consensus: Though its animation leaves something to be desired, Watership Down is a faithful adaptation that will resonate with viewers of any age.

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, John Boyega, Gemma Arterton, Olivia Colman

Critics Consensus: Marrying filmmaker Gregg Araki's frisky style with heady conspiracies and literary allusions, Now Apocalypse's bodacious aesthetics and philosophical pondering may prove too deliberately offbeat and garish for some.

Starring: Avan Jogia, Jacob Artist, Kelli Berglund, Roxane Mesquida

Critics Consensus: This animated anthology has enough creative Death to satisfy cyberpunk aficionados who Love their Robots to have some Heavy Metal influence, but the series' lofty ambitions are often undercut by a preoccupation with gore and titillation.

Starring: Helen Sadler, Dieter Jansen, Gary Anthony Williams, Scott Whyte

Critics Consensus: Alex Gibey's The Inventor declines to outright condemn the actions by Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, but instead provides a comprehensive overview of the scandal that allows viewers to mull over its implications towards the broader Silicon Valley.

Synopsis: With a new invention that promised to revolutionize blood testing, Elizabeth Holmes became the world's youngest self-made billionaire, heralded as the next Steve Jobs. Then,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elizabeth Holmes, Errol Morris, Dan Ariely, Tyler Shultz

Directed By: Alex Gibney

Critics Consensus: The Umbrella Academy unfurls an imaginative yarn with furtive emotion and an exceptionally compelling ensemble, but the series' dour sensibility often clashes with its splashy genre trappings.

Starring: Elliot Page, Mary J. Blige, Cameron Britton, Tom Hopper

Critics Consensus: In the battle over Fyre Festival content, Fyre Fraud comes out swinging with a questionable interview of conman Billy McFarland and a thoughtful exploration of nefarious social strategy.

Starring: Billy McFarland

Critics Consensus: Marie Kondo makes for a delightful instructor on Tidying Up, gently encouraging us all to cut out all the clutter from our lives.

Starring: Marie Kondo

Critics Consensus: Black Earth Rising is an exceptional political thriller, confronting relevant challenges and deep-seated geopolitical problems with storytelling verve and a wise refusal to provide any easy answers.

Starring: John Goodman, Michaela Coel, Noma Dumezweni, Tyrone Huggins

Critics Consensus: With acerbic wit and a mesmerizingly eccentric performance from Benedict Cumberbatch, Brexit energetically renders recent history with unflinching poise.

Synopsis: A strategist begins a campaign to convince British voters to leave the European Union.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Boardman, Jay Simpson, Oliver Maltman

Directed By: Toby Haynes

Critics Consensus: A worthy Serial supplement that isn't without flaws, The Case Against Adnan Syed fleshes out the life of Hae Min Lee and gives context to in the complicated boon of true crime entertainment.

Starring: Luke Brindle-Khym, Rabia Chaudry, Saad Chaudry, Don Clinedinst

Critics Consensus: Fascinating and frustrating, Lorena's ample footage and fresh perspective on a long-mocked moment provide welcome context and vindication to the woman at its center -- even if its reenactments don't quite measure up.

Starring: Jovanna Valladares

Critics Consensus: Fun, feisty, and fueled by the chemistry between its charismatic leads, Whiskey Cavalier overcomes its familiar structure to deliver an attractive take on a well-worn formula.

Starring: Scott Foley, Lauren Cohan, Ana Ortiz, Tyler James Williams

Critics Consensus: Pure sidesteps the seedy pratfalls of its ribald premise to instead compassionately explore the complications of compulsion, shame, and struggling to make sense of oneself.

Starring: Joe Cole, Anthony Welsh, Niamh Algar, Kiran Sonia Sawar

Critics Consensus: Informer boasts striking visuals and a promising performance by Nathan Rizwan -- if only it weren't all undermined by uneven writing and an overly cynical world view.

Starring: Paddy Considine, Bel Powley, Nabhaan Rizwan, Arsher Ali

Critics Consensus: Girl uses one aspiring dancer's story as the framework for a poignant drama that approaches its difficult themes with fittingly alluring grace.

Synopsis: Lara, a 15-year-old girl who was born in a boy's body, is committed to becoming a professional ballerina.

Starring: Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter, Oliver Bodart, Katelijne Damen

Directed By: Lukas Dhont

Critics Consensus: Gotham concludes in a glorious free-for-all that takes full advantage of the series' dense roster of colorful villains, making for an extended climax that is equal parts daffy and thrilling.

Starring: Benjamin McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Morena Baccarin

Critics Consensus: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind earns its predictably uplifting arc through strong performances and impressive work from debuting director Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Synopsis: A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aïssa Maïga, Joseph Marcell, Noma Dumezweni

Directed By: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Critics Consensus: Affirming and uplifting as ever, Queer Eye's third season settles into a nearly formulaic groove -- thankfully the concoction continues to work like gangbusters thanks to the Fab Five's comforting Midas touch.

Starring: Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness

Critics Consensus: By focusing on the bureaucracy involved in catching a killer, Manhunt dramatizes a notorious chapter in British crime without exploiting its seedier elements.

Starring: Martin Clunes, Stephen Wight, Christopher Fulford, Ziad Abaza

Critics Consensus: Driven by Mahershala Ali's mesmerizing performance, True Detective's third season finds fresh perspective by exploring the fallibility of memory.

Starring: Mahershala Ali, Stephen Dorff, Carmen Ejogo, Scoot McNairy

Critics Consensus: Mrs. Wilson is a handsomely crafted mystery, filled with startling period details and a sterling performance by Ruth Wilson as a determined widow braving the eye of heartbreak.

Starring: Ruth Wilson, Iain Glen, Keeley Hawes, Anupam Kher

Critics Consensus: Bawdy, heartfelt, and surprisingly wise, Sex Education is a raucous romp through a group of teenagers whose sexual misadventures are so thoughtfully rendered, adults could learn a thing or two from them.

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey

Critics Consensus: Fyre smolders with agonizing tension when a party in paradise goes awry, but this slickly assembled documentary reserves its greatest horror for damning observations about the dangers of wealth.

Synopsis: The history of the Fyre Music Festival, from its creation through its unraveling.

Directed By: Chris Smith

Critics Consensus: Disturbingly nuanced performances from Patricia Arquette and Joey King make The Act a convincing case for the ongoing dramatization of true crime stories.

Starring: Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Chloë Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb

Critics Consensus: The OA's second season provides satisfying answers to its predecessors' most maddening enigmas, all while maintaining the singular ambience that fans have come to crave.

Starring: Brit Marling, Emory Cohen, Phyllis Smith, Jason Isaacs

Critics Consensus: It takes its time coming together, but the quietly effective Paddleton pulls off a tricky tonal balancing act, thanks largely to the strengths of its well-chosen leads.

Synopsis: An unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpected emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Starring: Mark Duplass, Ray Romano, Marguerite Moreau, Christine Woods

Directed By: Alex Lehmann

Critics Consensus: Sharp social commentary and a star-making performance from Aidy Bryant help Shrill overcome its familiar comedic sensibilities to create a show that proves self-acceptance isn't one size fits all.

Starring: Aidy Bryant, Lolly Adefope, Luka Jones, Ian Owens

Critics Consensus: Vivid animation and creative reconstruction of the Carmen Sandiego backstory elevates this property beyond its edutainment roots.

Starring: Gina Rodriguez, Finn Wolfhard, Abby Trott, Michael Hawley

Critics Consensus: Thoughtful, emotional, and eye-opening, Butterfly effectively addresses the nuances of gender identity with a careful balance of sensitivity and realism.

Starring: Emmett Scanlan, Anna Friel, Callum Booth-Ford, Millie Gibson

Critics Consensus: The Magicians conjures a mind-bending fourth season that reinvigorates the ensemble with heady twists and spellbinding turns -- all leavened by the series' signature glib humor.

Starring: Jason Ralph, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Hale Appleman

Critics Consensus: The next generation of DC heroes and villains return with sharper animation and a bloodier sensibility that nevertheless retains the preceding seasons' hefty dose of heart.

Starring: Jesse McCartney, Nolan North, Stephanie Lemelin, Jason Spisak

Critics Consensus: With game leads and a wickedly witty sense of humor, The Other Two skewers and celebrates pop culture with equal aplomb.

Starring: Drew Tarver, Heléne Yorke, Case Walker, Ken Marino

Critics Consensus: Delightfully absurd and ridiculously fun, What We Do in the Shadows expands on the film's vampiric lore and finds fresh perspective in its charming, off-kilter cast to create a mockumentary series worth sinking your teeth into.

Starring: Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén

Critics Consensus: By unearthing previously suppressed histories, Surviving R. Kelly exposes the dangers of enabling predatory behavior and gives necessary voice to its survivors.

Starring: Tarana Burke, Kathy Chaney, Candice Norcott, Touré

Critics Consensus: The Good Fight's third season pulls no punches, doubling down on the social commentary while maintaining the show's sensational delights to create one of the best dramas on TV.

Starring: Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo, Rose Leslie, Delroy Lindo

Critics Consensus: Andrew Davies' deft adaptation of the oft-retold Victor Hugo classic affords viewers a newfound intimacy with these outcasts and revolutionaries, who are ably brought to life by a star-studded cast.

Starring: Dominic West, David Oyelowo, Lily Collins, David Bradley

Critics Consensus: Viewers willing to suspend their disbelief will find much to enjoy in Pen15, wherein Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle reprise their adolescent selves -- stirring up plenty of yucks and pathos amidst the farce.

Starring: Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle

Critics Consensus: DC Universe finds breakout material in this iteration of Doom Patrol thanks to a fully committed cast and the writing's faith in weirdness.

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Matt Bomer, April Bowlby, Diane Guerrero

Critics Consensus: Brash and bonkers as ever, Veep bows out with an unapologetically absurd final season that solidifies its status as one of TV's greatest comedies.

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott

Critics Consensus: Russian Doll may be stuck in a time loop, but this endlessly inventive series never repeats itself as it teeters on a seesaw of shifting tones -- from fatally funny to mournfully sad -- that is balanced with exhilarating moxie by an astonishing Natasha Lyonne.

Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Elizabeth Ashley

Critics Consensus: With tables turned and alliances formed, Billions's fourth season goes full throttle with sharp dialogue, better rivalries, and bigger stakes.

Starring: Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman

Critics Consensus: Catastrophe hits its crescendo in a cutting final season that finds both the humor and heartbreak of simply trying to get by as a lover and a parent.

Starring: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Ashley Jensen, Mark Bonnar

Critics Consensus: Crucial and careful, Leaving Neverland gives empathetic breadth and depth to the complicated afterlife of child sexual abuse as experienced by adult survivors.

Starring: Jimmy Safechuck, Wade Robson

Critics Consensus: Boomerang succeeds as both an affectionate continuation of its cinematic forebear and a modern reimagining with an engaging ensemble who excel at the smart repartee brought by creators Ben Cory Jones and Lena Waithe.

Starring: Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, Leland B. Martin, Lala Milan

Critics Consensus: Good Trouble is a spinoff that leaves the nest and takes graceful flight, bringing a deft comedic touch to the trials and tribulations facing Generation Z.

Starring: Maia Mitchell, Cierra Ramirez, Tommy Martinez, Zuri Adele

Critics Consensus: Gina Rodriguez delivers a stellar performance in Jane the Virgin's final season, grounding the series in humanity amidst all its quirky telenovela humor.

Starring: Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Justin Baldoni, Yael Grobglas

Critics Consensus: Five seasons in, Grace & Frankie remain blissfully at the top of their game, thanks to Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin's undeniable bond.

Starring: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston

Critics Consensus: Endearingly acerbic, You're The Worst refuses to overstay its welcome, delivering its fifth and final season with plenty of on brand care and cringe.

Starring: Chris Geere, Aya Cash, Desmin Borges, Kether Donohue

Critics Consensus: Fun, focused, and surprisingly thoughtful, The Orville's second season makes good use of its talented crew.

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson, Scott Grimes

Critics Consensus: The final installment of Lemony Snicket's magnum opus adds new contours to its expansive cast, provides answers to some of the pernicious questions within the series' lore, and delivers a finale that is more graceful than unfortunate.

Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Malina Pauli Weissman, Louis Hynes

Critics Consensus: Santa Clarita Diet's third season is a generous meal of entrails, morbid humor, and a touching affirmation of marital love -- with Barrymore and Olyphant's pitch-perfect chemistry brightening each blood-soaked installment.

Starring: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo

Critics Consensus: Incisively critical of the genre and equally delighted by its subjects, Documentary Now! nails mockumentary under the deft direction of Rhys Thomas and Alex Buono.

Starring: Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Helen Mirren, Connie Chung

Critics Consensus: Following a period of uncertainty and a shift to NBC, Brooklyn Nine-Nine reemerges with its cast and tone wholly intact.

Starring: Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero

Critics Consensus: Glazer and Jacobson give the people exactly what they want in Broad City's final season - relatable content, questionable intimacy, and ingenious escapades through the glorious squalor of IRL NYC.

Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Ilana Glazer, Susie Essman, Yamaneika Saunders

Critics Consensus: A Discovery of Witches smartly grounds its flights of fancy with a lived-in authenticity and harnesses the chemistry between its two star-crossed leads to make for a promising foray into the occult.

Starring: Teresa Palmer, Matthew Goode, Edward Bluemel, Malin Buska

Critics Consensus: As timely and tender as ever, One Day at a Time's third season manages to up to comedy ante without losing the intimate family moments that help it hit so close to home.

Starring: Rita Moreno, Justina Machado, Stephen Tobolowsky, Todd Grinnell

Critics Consensus: Pamela Adlon fully asserts her authorial voice over Better Things in a triumphant third season that examines the exhaustion of motherhood with exhilarating artistry.

Starring: Pamela Adlon, Celia Imrie, Mikey Madison, Hannah Riley

Critics Consensus: Barry follows up a pitch-perfect debut with a second season that balances darkness with comedy while steering clear of antihero overindulgence.

Starring: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg