Robert Lloyd

Robert Lloyd is the television critic for the Los Angeles Times, writing analytically about how series, specials and documentaries work as stories and as pieces of television history. His coverage stands out for the way it connects the mood, structure and performances of new shows to the long arc of the medium, treating each project as part of a larger conversation about what television has been and what it is becoming. Across reviews, appreciations and essays, he moves easily between current premieres and legacy programs, using a calm, closely observed style rather than hype or blunt consumer advice.

Crime, mystery and character-driven series

Lloyd writes frequently about crime dramas and mysteries, paying close attention to character psychology and tone rather than just plot mechanics. In his review of HBO’s “Task,” he focuses on how a pair of tragic men anchor the crime drama, framing the series around their emotional burden and the moral tensions they create. When he writes about BritBox’s “Tommy & Tuppence” alongside Prime Video’s “Neagley,” he emphasizes the pairing of mystery and romance in one case and sustained action in the other, using the contrast to show the range of contemporary genre television. His work on series like “Best Medicine,” which he compares to “Doc Martin,” looks at whimsy, realism and bedside manner as narrative tools, treating a light medical show as seriously as a darker drama when it comes to coherence and character. Even in pieces that consider an alien private eye or other heightened premises, he grounds the analysis in performance, pacing and the human stakes, not in novelty for its own sake.

Streaming platforms and the evolving TV ecosystem

A major thread in Lloyd’s work is the way streaming platforms and premium services shape both what audiences can see and how they experience television.

His review of “Call My Agent! The Movie,” a continuation of the French series now positioned for global streaming audiences, looks at how a beloved show translates into a film format and what is gained or lost in the process.

In his piece pairing “Tommy & Tuppence” and “Neagley,” he writes about BritBox and Prime Video as distinct homes for mystery and action, treating platform identity as part of the viewing experience. His article on “Looney Tunes” being removed from Max goes beyond noting a catalog change, arguing that the disappearance of classic shorts feels like an attack on a shared cultural touchstone.

Across these pieces, he treats catalog decisions, rights changes and platform strategy as central to understanding television now, especially when longtime staples suddenly move or vanish. That same concern with context appears when he covers documentaries such as “The Beach Boys,” where he weighs sentimental storytelling against the realities of band history and the way a streaming-era film frames familiar music for new viewers.

Television history, comedy and cultural figures

Lloyd’s long tenure on the television beat lets him write about comedy and classic personalities with the same fluency he brings to new series. In his archive piece on Jerry Lewis and the Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon, he describes the ritual of the broadcast and Lewis walking alone after his dismissal, treating the telethon as a major television institution rather than a simple charity show.

His appreciation of Don Rickles centers on the comedian’s zingers and one-liners while also arguing that Rickles’ style revealed the folly of social pretensions and the power of insult comedy on TV. When he joins a conversation about the reboot of “Roseanne,” he approaches the revival as both an iconic sitcom returning and a flashpoint for cultural and political debate, situating the show within the wider history of American television. He extends this historical sensibility to music-focused documentaries like “The Beach Boys,” where he notes how the film’s sentimental tone downplays the band’s squabbles and complicated past.

Beyond daily criticism, he has written long-form television history, including an oral history of “Freaks and Geeks” for Vanity Fair, which shows his interest in preserving the stories behind influential but relatively short-lived series.

Voice, format and range

Lloyd has been covering television for the Los Angeles Times since 2003, giving him a long view on broadcast, cable and streaming eras that informs his criticism.

He previously held the television critic role at L.A. Weekly and also worked as a music editor and critic there, which helps explain his ease in writing about music-centered projects such as “The Beach Boys” alongside scripted series.

His work moves between straight reviews of new shows, essayistic reflections on catalog changes like the removal of “Looney Tunes” from Max, and appreciations of individual performers and hosts.

In newsletters and event coverage, he can distill a broadcast down to a few telling observations, as when he describes an awards host as “above all a woman having a good time,” capturing both tone and presence in a single line. Across formats, his writing is measured, detail-driven and attentive to performance, structure and context, making his coverage especially useful when a project’s success depends on how it fits into television’s broader story.