Fall TV Roundup, Week 10

We've moved deep into the fall and this week it was like, "Holy Streaming TV Options, Batman!" In these weekly posts I review the pilot and second episode of new series. Don't see a new series listed below? Check previous weeks.

Tuesday Nights:
Chicago Med, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC (Premiered November 17)
About: This is the third in the Chicago franchise on NBC, joining "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago PD." This one is set in a hospital and follows the doctors and nurses trying to save lives. Expect plenty of cross-over action and cameos in this series — one of the "Chicago Fire" stars was in the pilot — but also expect a show that can stand on its own. I liked the pilot for its flow, characters, and story. This show reminds me a lot of "ER," and it seems to have a better foothold on the air than "Code Black," which I liked a lot but looks destined for cancellation. I think this series has some potential to turn into a more earnest medical drama than something like "Grey's Anatomy."
Pilot Grade: C+

Donny!, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on USA (Premiered November 10)
About: This is easily the worst sitcom I've seen this year. I don't know how it made it to air. I thought the pilot was putrid, but it's possible the second episode — which spent a great deal of time focused on male pubic hair — was worse. This is a complete and total miss to me.
Pilot Grade: F
Second Episode: F

Sunday Nights:
Into the Badlands, Sundays at 10 p.m. on AMC (Premiered November 15)
About: This is the latest drama from AMC. It's a hyper-violent action piece set in a world with no guns. There are no guns, but there is plenty of graphic gore and violence. The characters are mildly interesting, too, but there wasn't enough to pull me in and keep me hooked here. This seems to be a show that is mostly locked into creating lavish and violent fights. This might draw decent ratings for AMC, but it's doing nothing to boost their critical profile. This isn't "Mad Men" or "Breaking Bad." In fact, at this point, it's not even as engrossing as "The Walking Dead." This is for people that like action and violence, and like for story not to get in the way.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Streaming Series:
The Art of More, Now Streaming on Crackle (Debuted November 19)
About: This is the latest original series from Crackle, a free streaming site available on the Internet and Smart TVs. The series boasts a high profile cast — which includes Dennis Quaid, Kate Bosworth, and Cary Elwes — and it's set in the art world. The series focuses on a former soldier turned thief and dealer who's trying to con his way into a world he doesn't know, and one where he probably doesn't belong. Elwes is a nebbish collector, Quaid is a cad who it fielding offers, and Bosworth is the wounded daughter of an auction house owner looking to make a name for herself. In other words, it's a standard set of cliches where characters should be. There is simply too much TV, even too much streaming free TV, for a series like this to really make a mark.
Pilot Grade: C-
Second Episode: C-

Master of None, Now Streaming on Netflix (Debuted November 4)
About: This is the latest comedy from Aziz Ansari, who was part of the ensemble on "Parks & Rec." I didn't think the pilot was incredible. I thought the world view was passe, and I wasn't too excited about the story. However, this is a series that made a remarkable turn around in the second episode, which focused on his parents — and immigrant parents in general — offering a splash of truth some good performances, and some good comedy. I didn't love the episode, and I'm still on the fence about the series, but it was a marked improvement for me.
Pilot Grade: D
Second Episode: C+

With Bob & David, Now Streaming on Netflix (Debuted November 13)
About: Back in the day, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross had their own sketch comedy show on HBO. That series ended in 1998. Now they're back, doing essentially the same thing, in a five-episode limited return on Netflix. If you like their style of sketch comedy, you'll likely be excited about this series. If not, then it's a shoulder shrug at best. That's what it was for me. There were mildly amusing moments, but this isn't my style of show.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

Jessica Jones, Now Streaming on Netflix (Debuted November 20)
About: Netflix dove into the superhero material earlier in 2015 with "Daredevil," one of the finest series of the year. Now they've gone to the Marvel well again with "Jessica Jones." There are a lot of factors to consider here. First, we need a strong female superhero. I don't think "Supergirl" quite fits the bill. "Jessica Jones" might. I watched the first two episodes (all 13 are now available) and I liked what I saw. This isn't what you'd expect. Much like "Daredevil," this is a gritty take on a superhero story and world. And this probably isn't a property you're incredibly familiar with, either. That being said, I liked Krysten Ritter in the lead role. This series has a decent cast, and I like where it's going. The fact that David Tennant is in the villain role is great, too. I like what Netflix has done in its first two outings with Marvel, and I'm excited to see more.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: B-

Man in the High Castle, debuts November 20 on Amazon Prime
About: I posted about this show last week, but I thought I'd plug it again. I've now seen five episodes, and it is great. This is easily the best new show of the fall for me. I haven't loved a lot of what Amazon has done with original programming, and their current pilot season is garbage, but I loved "The Man in the High Castle" pilot when it debuted, and the second hour was just as strong. It's based on a Phillip K. Dick story, and set in an alternate United States during the early 1960s. In this timeline, the Germans and Japanese won World War II, and they split the United States afterward. The eastern United States is controlled by the Nazis and the West is now the Japanese Pacific States. Colorado sits in no man's land between, and a resistance is trying to take America back. The tone of the show is great, as are the performances. And the look is astounding, shocking, and incredible. Seeing a red, white, and blue version of the swastika is a sight you won't soon forget. Everything about this series -- from its story to its mystery to its production -- works. I can't wait to see the whole thing.
Pilot Grade: A-
Second Episode: A-