It happens every year: Disappointing new shows arrive on our TV screens, and they not only leave us cold, they also drag some of our favorite performers down into the muck of mediocrity. If only we could wave a magic wand and free these actors from disappointing or inconsistent vehicles! As it stands, however, the majority of the shows listed below -- from 'Ringer' to 'American Horror Story' -- ...

This is the kind of vote of confidence that warms the heart: Starz has given 'Spartacus' a third season before the second season of the show arrives on Jan. 27. Executives at Starz apparently felt so positively about the second season, 'Spartacus: Vengeance,' and new star Liam McIntyre's performance in the title role that they've told executive producer/creator Steven DeKnight and his writers ...

There's so much going on in the current season of 'Sons of Anarchy' that some fans have wondered whether the show would be able to wrap everything up in 13 episodes. The good news is, 'SOA' won't have to tie everything up in that time span. FX executives have decided to give the fourth season an extra episode; the season will now consist a total of 14 hours. "Creatively, this has been Sons' ...

['Supernatural' - 'The Mentalists'] I'm not sure whether 'The Mentalists' will provoke the same furor that 'The Girl Next Door' did a few weeks ago, but this week's episode dwelled on a lot of the same story elements, so I'm betting it'll stir up a few of those hornet's nests again. In any event, some of the same writing issues that affected 'Girl' were on display here, and those problems ...

'Homeland' is certainly the year's best new show, but fans of that Showtime drama will want to make time Sunday night for a British import that explores neighboring territory. Speaking of imports, Masterpiece's bracing British fare -- 'Downton Abbey,' 'Case Histories,' 'Page Eight' and 'The Song of Lunch,' which arrives Nov. 13 -- isn't just enjoyable on its own terms; it proves HBO doesn't ...

Jenna Elfman, best known as half of 'Dharma and Greg's' title couple, will guest star in the second season finale of Showtime's 'Shameless.' The drama, which stars William H. Macy as the patriarch of a struggling Chicago family and Emmy Rossum as his eldest child, returns Jan. 8, but we'll have to wait until the twelfth episode of the season to meet Elfman's character. The actress plays ...

It was bound to happen sooner or later: AMC has a dud on its hands. The network's track record thus far has been enviable, but 'Hell on Wheels' (10PM Sunday, AMC) is disappointing on any number of levels. I certainly wasn't a fan of how 'The Killing' ended its debut season, but at least that show started out strong, and the rest of the network's programs offer compelling characters, distinctive ...

Here in the U.S., we haven't even seen the second season of 'Downton Abbey' yet (it arrived in the U.K. weeks ago but doesn't air here until Jan. 8), but it's good to know that there will be a third season of the acclaimed period drama. A U.K. newspaper announced the news today, as did Newsweek/Daily Beast writer Jace Lacob (update: PBS confirmed the third season via email as well). Julian ...

This week on the Talking TV podcast, Ryan McGee and I discuss AMC's new Western drama, 'Hell on Wheels,' we gab about this week's episode of 'Sons of Anarchy,' and we delve into some of the fall season's winners and losers. Ryan and I each picked two winners and two losers: One of my winners was 'Revenge,' and one of my losers was fall's other woman-with-a-secret drama, the CW's 'Revenge.' Ryan ...

['Sons of Anarchy' - 'Kiss'] Oh, Jax. You stepped up and showed some very savvy leadership in this episode. Much of what was good about 'Kiss' stemmed from Charlie Hunnam's terrific performance and from the ways in which the episode showed that Clay isn't just reckless these days, he's also not a good leader for the club. Jax is clearly the right man for these troubled times. But does Jax ...