The twists are bold and entertaining, but perhaps not as much as the scenes where Howard confronts himself.

A Cold War-era Fringe shot through with a sprinkling of Lost, perhaps? The pilot is very promising.

Counterpart has the potential to join the ranks of shows like FX's The Americans or-again-Showtime's Homeland. Both have routinely fought to show history and world events from a perspective other than that of their target audience.

In the most enjoyable who-are-they-now tour de force since Tatiana Maslany's multiple star turns on Orphan Black, Simmons is sensational as Howard Silk.

It's a slower burn than you might expect, but it also grows a little more rewarding with every episode.

Compelling thriller has intrigue, violence, cursing.

A stellar cast...makes Counterpart a force to be reckoned with.

Not everything meshes entirely smoothly, but the series' style and substance are apparent from the start.

Counterpart is quite likely to appeal to fans of a few different genres.

Counterpart shows a remarkable willingness to move away from the status quo and to keep the story moving forward.

[It's an] engaging science-fiction spy thriller that'll leave your head swelling with thoughts.

Counterpart would be an okay show with a decent psychological premise on its own, but what elevates it into something essential is J.K. Simmons.

Blending genres and mixing worlds, Counterpart opens a passage to one of the best viewing experiences of the season.

Throughout all the setup of this riven world, imagined by show creator Justin Marks, Simmons shines. His performance as both Howards is endlessly entertaining, and it kept me engaged in the story even when I wasn't certain exactly what was happening.

Counterpart is the kind of slickly entertaining fare that's often lost in the chasm between popcorn and prestige aspiration.