Summer TV Roundup, Week 10


We have reached the dog days of summer, and new shows are now just trickling out. In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new shows. If you don't see a new show listed below, check previous weeks.

Wednesday Nights:
The Jim Gaffigan Show, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on TV Land (Premiered July 15)
About: This is a traditional feeling family sitcom. It was originally shot as a pilot for CBS, who passed on the show. It was subsequently picked up by TV Land. Prior to its official premier, Gaffigan made random first season episodes available to view for free, and one aired as a sneak peak after the finale of another TV Land show in June. I thought the preview episodes, while occasionally amusing, were also confusing. Seeing the pilot premier last Wednesday, some of the pieces fell into place because the characters were properly introduced. I love Gaffigan's stand up and his brand of comedy, and I was amused by the pilot. It's not a great sitcom, and I can certainly see why CBS might have passed, but this could develop into a sweet, amusing summer diversion.
Pilot: C+

Impastor, Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on TV Land (Premiered July 15)
About: This is the other new sitcom that premiered Wednesday on TV Land. It's about a con man named Buddy (Michael Rosenbaum) who is at the end of his rope. He's on a bridge about to jump when a man comes to try and convince him not to do it. The man, instead, falls off the bridge, and Buddy decides to assume his life. It turns out his would-be savior is a pastor who recently came out of the closet and is starting a new call sight unseen. That has the potential to be an interesting and wacky set up, and there were moments in the pilot that I thought worked pretty well. But it was uneven, and I don't know how it works as a weekly series. This feels like a bit of a stretch as a show.
Pilot: C

Thursday Nights:
Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on FX (Premiered July 16)
About: This is the latest from Denis Leary, who stars as Johnny Rock, an aging rock and roll star who is blindsided by the adult daughter he never knew he had. While he's content to stumble through a series of drunken exploits, his daughter flashes a wad of cash and asks him to get his band back together to back her so she can start her career. He sees it as a cash grab and does what she asks, only to learn she has real talent and this might be a real shot to make it big, again. This is ostensibly a comedy, but the pilot wasn't really funny. I didn't care much for the characters or the story, and I'm not sure what's compelling here week-to-week. And the fact this is getting a prestige launch and push on FX, while last year's comedy gem "You're The Worst" gets dumped onto FXX mis a mystery to me.
Pilot: D+

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more