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EW critics rate the TV sweeps: George Clooney is leaving 'ER'; Woody Harrelson is visiting 'Frasier'; and 'The '60s' is a bum trip

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By Josh Wolk

Josh Wolk

Josh Wolk is a senior writer at EW and the author of ''Cabin Pressure: One Man's Desparate Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor''

This month, George Clooney will scrub off "ER," "The X-Files" will decrypt five-and-a-half seasons' worth of mysteries, and Stephen King will try to scare up an audience with his new miniseries: When you've got this much big-time TV to choose from, you know it must be February sweeps. Not to worry. EW's TV critics weigh in on which shows are worth your time and which you should sweep under the carpet.

"Tom Clancy's Netforce" (ABC, concludes Feb. 4) If you missed last night's first installment, consider yourself lucky. The much-hyped four-hour miniseries centers on cops from the year 2005 who fight Internet-related crime, "so it's a lot of scenes of Scott Bakula and Judge Reinhold typing on computers," says EW's Bruce Fretts. "It's just boring cyber-nonsense." Although Clancy's name is in the title, his actual production credit is only for coming up with half the story. "They slapped his name on it, and it has gadgets in it," says Fretts, "but it really doesn't have the quality of a Tom Clancy movie."

Woody Harrelson visits "Frasier" (NBC, Feb. 4) Harrelson is the fourth "Cheers" veteran to visit Kelsey Grammer in his spin-off, and it's "a pretty sure bet" to be a winner, says Fretts. "Woody is the biggest movie star of the cast, so he'll certainly add some marquee value to that show -- for one week at least."

"The '60s" (NBC, Feb. 7, 8) It's overachieving to attempt to stuff an entire turbulent decade into a four-hour miniseries, and the result is an underachievement. The program "doesn't capture the 1960s at all or the era's complexity," says EW's Ken Tucker, "and it really dumbs it down." The characters -- including a Black Panther and a family that includes one hippie, one conscientious objector fleeing to Canada, and one bitter Vietnam vet -- are all cliches. "People may watch the first night," adds Tucker, "but I can't imagine they'd want to sit around and watch all four hours once they get the drift of how plodding it is."

"The X-Files" two-parter (Fox, Feb. 7, 14) The "conspiracy" that has baffled Scully and Mulder for years may finally be unraveled in these episodes, if Chris Carter is to be believed. "If it really pays off the way Carter is claiming, it could be satisfying for both fans of the show and those who are occasional viewers who want to get caught up," says Tucker. And winding up this half-decade-long mystery might actually spark more viewer interest. "The show has lost its momentum to a certain extent because it's gotten bogged down in these so-called 'mythology episodes,'" adds Tucker. "If it can jettison some of the baggage, that will be good."

Fox's Reality Specials Fox has grabbed boffo ratings with such shocking true-video compilations as "When Good Pets Go Bad," so it's no surprise that this month they're airing five specials, including "When Good Times Go Bad 2" (Feb. 11) and "The World's Most Shocking Medical Videos" (Feb. 18). "As long as they find new variations on the formula, it'll continue to work," says Fretts. "I don't know how many people really make an appointment to watch them. It's more like you're flipping around and you get caught by some bizarre sight on video and end up deciding, 'Maybe this would be more interesting than going back to the last act of 'Cupid.'"

"Stephen King's Storm of the Century" (ABC, Feb. 14, 15, 18) King himself wrote this creepy miniseries about a small village trapped in a blizzard with a murderous satanic being. "It's six hours, and you don't mind being trapped with Stephen King's characters on this tiny island in Maine," says an impressed Tucker. "It's very suspenseful, and to be able to end each of the nights on a high point of suspense is an accomplishment."

George Clooney departs "ER" (NBC, Feb 18) Clooney's Dr. Ross is currently in trouble for illegally giving experimental medicine to a child: Will this be what gets him bounced out of the hospital... and the show? "They're going to have a tall order trying to top Jimmy Smits leaving 'NYPD Blue' in terms of dramatic value," says Fretts about the closely guarded final episode. "But in terms of viewer interest, people who might have strayed from 'ER' this year because it's been pretty bad might tune back in to see just how they're going to write out Clooney's character."