Fall TV Roundup — Week Five

In these weekly posts I look at the new shows of fall, reviewing the pilot and second episode. If you don't see a new show below, please check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Mondays at 8 p.m. on the CW (Premiered October 12)
About: This show was originally pitched to Showtime but found its way to the CW. It's an hour-long comedy/musical about a New York lawyer who picked up her life and moved to West Covina, CA to follow an ex-boyfriend, who turns out to have a girlfriend. Hilarity ensues. I liked the pilot for this show and thought it had potential. The musical numbers were funny, and I liked the interactions with the cast. The second episode was a massive drop off. The comedy was grating and uncomfortable, and the musical numbers felt forced. This is a show that had a promising pilot, but I now have no desire to watch the series. This might have been a good idea for a movie, or perhaps would work better in a 30-minute format. But the second episode was a chore to watch, so I can't see this lasting long for the CW.
Pilot Grade: B+
Second Episode: C-

Fargo, Mondays at 10 p.m. on FX (Premiered October 12)
About: Anthology series are all the rage right now, and FX was a pioneer in the field. "Fargo" had less fanfare than some when it debuted, but it ended up being a great series in its first season. For this second season, the action has shifted to 1979, the cast has been re-loaded, and the series has started out strong. I like Ted Danson and Patrick Wilson as the lead cops on the case, and Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemmons are good as the mild mannered couple caught up in a gang war. Jean Smart and Jeffrey Donovan are great as the leaders vying for control of the Gearhart empire. "Fargo" has great beats, great writing, and a great visual aesthetic. I loved the first two episodes, and I'm excited to see where this series goes at it develops. This could be one of the best series on TV again this year.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: A-

Wednesday Nights:
American Horror Story: Hotel, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX (Premiered October 7)
About: This was the first show to kick off the anthology craze. It's now in its fifth season, and each has featured some of the same cast but a different story, different setting, and different characters. This iteration has replaced Jessica Lange with Lady Gaga, and it really feels like the sexual content and violence has been upped. The second episode was an hour and 42 minutes! That's a long episode to watch something this tortured. I thought the second episode was more watchable — and the flashback sequence with the hotel owner, played by frequent player Evan Peters, was actually kind of brilliant. But overall, I am grossed out by this story. None of the seasons has been incredible, but this feels unwatchable. After two violent, overly sexualized hours, I'm out on round five. Though I would say Lady Gaga feels like inspired casting in this part.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: C-

Friday Nights:
Truth Be Told, Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC (Premiered October 16)
About: This is the only new sitcom on NBC this fall, and it's one of only two sitcoms on the network this fall. NBC was once the home for comedy on TV, but recently the peacock has struggled. This show is evidence of that. It's a series that has built its "humor" on cliches and politically incorrect situations. That's not enough for me. The pilot had some mildly amusing moments, but overall it wasn't very good. It's emblematic of the sorry state of comedy on NBC, and network sitcoms in general.
Pilot Grade: C-

Saturday Nights:
The Last Kingdom, Saturdays at 10 p.m. on BBC America (Premiered October 10)
About: This is the BBC America answer to "Game of Thrones" it seems, based on the novels from Bernard Cornwell. The series focuses on the battles between the English and the Danish Vikings for control of the British Isles. It's a swords and sandals epic, and it features a lot of intrigue. I liked the cast OK, and the setting was somewhat interesting. But there wasn't enough here to hold my attention, and not having read the books the characters and allegiances were somewhat tough to follow. Plus, I think it's taken two full episodes to set up the premise of the series. For fans of the genre, it is an interesting watch. But with so many shows on right now, there isn't enough here to make it a compelling weekly watch.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C