TV Review: The CW’s 'Ringer'

Sarah Michelle Gellar makes her return to television in Ringer, which premieres Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 9 p.m. on The CW. The following are reviews from TV critics around the Web, compiled by B&C.

“Ms. Gellar’s new show is at least nominally realistic, but a recurring and humorous shot of her standing next to a set of oversize stone gargoyles nods to her earlier career as a vampire slayer, and she brings the same matter-of-fact soulfulness to the mystery story of Ringer that she did to the Gothic romance of Buffy.” — Mike Hale, The New York Times

“Sure, she gets to play a pair of identical twins — one (Siobhan) allegedly good, one (Bridget) bad — and even briefly interact with herself, but the show is stiff and dull, the characters (including both twins) thin, the situations laughable — even though it isn’t trying to be campy fun.” — Alan Sepinwall, hitfix.com

“Although she often looks like a frail, wet cat in Ringer, compared to everyone else in the hyper-young-female world of The CW, she’s projecting gravitas. And the series itself, despite a number of flaws, might be something fans of The CW and its warren of rich gossip girls, vampires, witches and models can view as highbrow fare.” — Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter

“The premise of Ringer is that the twins, who haven’t spoken in years, reunite after Bridget flees to New York, and one twin ends up pretending to be the other twin. It’s basically a take on Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper, but in this case, it’s more like The Ice Princess and the Warm-Hearted, Druggie Hooker.” — David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s not the funny, campy, kickass Buffy of fond memories, but Ringer could find a less demanding audience.” — Joanne Ostrow, Denver Post