Kelsey Grammer is shockingly mesmerizing as Starz's "Boss"
Frasier Crane he isn't: Alan Sepinwall says he was taken aback by "the intensity and magnetism of Grammer's performance. I knew the man gave good speech, that he was a classically-trained dramatic actor who accidentally became a sitcom star, and that whenever the 'Cheers' or 'Frasier' writers gave him a more serious moment, he played the hell out of it, but I still wound up thunderstruck by the actual work."
The problem is "Boss" can't keep faith with its own cynicism
Grammer is too theatrical, creating a leaden tone
"Boss" has "The Wire"-like ambitions // There's so much to like, savor, quote
Who wants to watch unpleasant people week after week?
This is the juicy kind of role Grammer has coveted for decades
"Once Upon a Time": The season's most charming and elegant surprise
Because of its Sunday timeslot, the ABC series could be considered a new version of "The Wonderful World of Disney," says Hank Stuever. The first episode, he says, "perfectly imagined, written and performed — which is saying something when you consider that the lead character is Snow White. When was the last time anyone over the age of 5 admitted to wanting to know more about Snow White?"
"Once Upon a Time" is great — as a miniseries // A little complicated
It's sweet, funny and the writers are having a good time
"Once Upon a Time" is much better than "Grimm"
TV Guide sat the two together for a chat. "Carol," says Poehler, "I just loved the tone and the feeling of love you all shared and the incredible collaboration. You could tell the cast was having so much fun and because of that, so did we at home. I have very lovely memories of watching the show together with my mom." PLUS: Watch 
The former "Everwood" star, says Choire Sicha, "does polite socialite, romantic damsel, hurt girl and incredibly evil mercenary equally well, all with just a twist of her flat face. She pulls the show off super-quietly, and lets the histrionics go on around her." PLUS: 
The ABC comedy, says Mary McNamara, "mistakenly believes that what is essentially a front of the book piece for GQ or a mildly amusing stand-up riff — my father wore a hat and a tie, I wear a hoodie — is enough to support the weight of a sitcom. If only they had bothered to learn basic carpentry from their own dads, they would know that if you don't have a solid foundation, you might as well not bother."
