Spring TV Roundup, Week 4

I review the first two episodes of each of the new shows this Spring. If you don't see a new show listed, check previous weeks!

Monday Nights:
Those Who Kill, Mondays at 10 p.m. on A&E
About: I loved the pilot for this show. It was moody and the stars, Chloe Sevigny and James D'Arcy, worked well together. It was a crime drama that appeared to work well in the short term and had an ongoing mystery. The second episode felt like a step backward, for both the characters and the story. It felt like the show fell into familiar tropes, and it didn't work as well. The biggest problem, as it turns out, was the ratings. After two airings, A&E pulled the show from the air. It says it will return… at some point. It's clear the show has been cancelled. There were good elements here, but it just didn't find an audience.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B

Thursday Nights:
Chicagoland, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CNN
About: This is a documentary series about the city of Chicago from the people who followed Cory Booker for "Brick City." It also comes from producer Robert Redford. The first episode focused on Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, and a cast of characters in different areas of city life. I was hooked by the first episode. It was great in the way it looked at Chicago as emblematic of the problems of inner-city America, and I thought the second episode worked in a similar way. This show tells the story of a city, its challenges, and the people fighting to make a difference.
Pilot Grade: A
Second Episode: A-

Sunday Nights:
Resurrection, Sundays at 9 p.m. on ABC
About: This show has a wild premise. People come back to life years after they died looking exactly the same. It looks at the impact on those who see their loved ones return. I liked the pilot for this show, seeing it as a fascinating concept that was put together well. The second episode felt like a bit of a step back. There is still something fascinating here, but it remains to be seen how the show develops. It seems clear that there is more to the returned than it appears, but you have to wonder how long the show can maintain the formula of bringing a new person back from the dead each episode. I also have questions about how it works long-term, but for now I'm intrigued.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: B

Cosmos, Sundays at 9 p.m. on FOX
About: This is a re-boot of the Carl Sagan series, this time with Neil deGrasse Tyson as host. I liked the first episode and found some of its content fascinating. Then I read about how the show misconstrued history and some of the "scientists" mentioned to make its point. That made me think about the show a bit differently. The second episode was very by-the-numbers in its approach to science and The Big Bang Theory. It doesn't leave much room for faith, though Tyson tacked on a line near the end about how science was a spiritual experience for him. I was fascinated by the way the show was put together and the information it provided. Sometimes it's good to hear a viewpoint that's different from your own. It's also very well put together and has some great graphic effects. Plus, Tyson is a very affable host.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B-

Believe, Sundays at 9 p.m. on NBC
About: The first two episodes of this series aired last week — one in a special spot on Monday at 10 p.m. and the second in its regular time slot Sunday. The show comes from producer J.J. Abrams and director Alfonso Cuaron, who not only directed the pilot but helped come up with the concept. The pilot had a very cinematic look and some cool effects that covered up a weak story and some weak characters. The second episode provided some more context — introducing a shadowy government group and conspiracy — but it didn't make the narrative more appealing. This is a show about a "special" little girl and the two warring factions trying to keep her. One wants her to blossom naturally, the other is the government, who sees her as a weapon. The whole thing feels a bit sparse on the details, but even when details are filled in it's not that interesting. I had high hopes for the series, but so far it doesn't really impress me.
Pilot Grade: B
Second Episode: B-

Crisis, Sundays at 10 p.m. on NBC
About: This is the kind of show that has a gripping pilot, but you ask yourself how it works as a regular series. The conceit is a group of kids that are the progeny of wealthy, influential Washington, D.C. parents, are kidnapped by a shadowy group. The FBI is trying to find them and bring them back. One of the kidnapped kids is the President's son. The kidnappers, in turn, seem intent on using the parents of the children as pawns in a larger scheme. The pilot was interesting and well paced. Again, how does it work as a long-term series? Perhaps this will end up being a satisfying event series, but it feels like a premise that would be better suited to a feature film or a mini-series. We'll see how it progresses in week two.
Pilot Grade: A-