Fall TV Roundup, Week 11

We're in November and plenty of new streaming and cable series continue to roll out. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this fall. Don't see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks.

Monday Nights:
Ill Behaviour, Mondays at 10:30 p.m. on Showtime (Premiered November 13)
About: This latest Showtime comedy, which was dumped on Monday nights, is an import from England. It features plenty of folks that will be familiar to American audiences, including Lizzy Caplan and Chris Geere of "You're The Worst." The story centers on a pair of friends who kidnap a third friend when he's diagnosed with cancer and decides to forgo medical treatment for a holistic approach. They instead kidnap him to force him to take Chemo. I thought the first episode was kind of interesting, and the comedy worked. The second episode was a little more flat, and led me to wonder how interested I am in this story as a weekly series. It seems like the perfect fodder for a 90-minute movie, but as a weekly series it feels a bit stretched out. The first season is just six episodes. What also works against it is the fact that it aired in 60-minute increments in the U.K., and airs in 30-minute installments for Showtime. That leads to weird breaks, as in the first two episodes were really the first installment overseas. This show is OK, but will likely get lost in the shuffle as it plays out the string on Monday nights in December.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C


Tuesday Nights:
Damnation, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on USA (Premiered November 7)
About: This is another show where I liked the pilot and the moodiness of presentation. It is part of the makeover for USA original programming. It's set in 1931 in Iowa, and centers on the clash between farmers and the banks during a rough period in our country's history. It also centers on two brothers, one a minister whipping up the farmers to unionize and strike, the other a detective hired to break up the strike by any means necessary. I liked the pilot and the way it was coming together. But the second episode was a little less engaging, and makes me wonder how this will work as a weekly series. I still like the idea, and see potential here, but the second hour did little to expand on the initial premise or to build out the characters, all of which still seem largely a mystery. (There's also a killer woman in other parts of the country hunting the minister for some reason that's not been made clear.) There's time for this to coalesce and make more sense, but for many patience may run thin, especially as we enter a season with plenty of holiday season obligations and distractions.
Pilot Grade: B-
Second Episode: C

Streaming Series:
Future Man, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered November 14)
About: One of the unique things about Hulu is that many of their streaming series appeared on a weekly basis, meaning that they didn't often allow for the traditional binge. But as we close the year, they seem to be changing tactics. The streaming site released two shows last week, and both offered all their episodes for immediate watching. The first is "Future Man," a comedy coming from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It centers on a slacker (Josh Hutcherson) who spends his days playing video games and lacking direction. When he finally beats this seemingly unbeatable game as his alternate identity, Future Man, it leads to something unexpected. The characters from his game (Eliza Coupe and Derek Wilson) appear in real life, and it turns out the game was really a training exercise from the future sent back in time to find a hero. And now they believe that Future Man is that hero. So, though he's totally unequipped, he has to travel through time to try and save the future. There's plenty of outrageous laughs, and I like the casting. Hutcherson is great in the lead role, and I've liked Coupe in every comedy role where I've seen her, including this. This is more of an R-rated type comedy, and I didn't think the first two episodes quite lived up to my expectations. Still, all 13 of the show's episodes are available to watch on demand, and it feels like a nice, breezy filler.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

There's Johnny, Now Streaming on Hulu (Premiered November 16)
About: The other Hulu series that dropped last week is the comedy "There's Johnny," a seven episode period piece that goes behind the scenes at "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" in the 1970s. The series follows a young man from Nebraska (Ian Nelson) who believes a letter from "The Tonight Show" is a job offer and heads to Los Angeles. Though it wasn't a real offer, his charm leads to him getting a job as a gofer on the show, reporting to the talent booker (Jane Levy). The show comes from creators Paul Reiser ("Mad About You") and David Steven Simon, and the first episode was directed by David Gordon Green. I liked the characters, the world, and the setting more than I expected I would. The first two episodes had a breezy and enjoyable quality, and show a great love and reverence for the time period and the work of Johnny Carson. Both the characters on the show, and the show itself, seem to be a celebration of a classic era in TV. It also presents some interesting characters and storylines, and feels engaging in a different kind of way, something necessary for shows to stand out in this crowded marketplace. The show premiered to little fanfare, but felt like a hidden treasure.
Pilot Grade: C+
Second Episode: C+

The Punisher, Now Streaming on Netflix (Premiered November 17)
About: I read one review that said "The Punisher" is the wrong show at the wrong time. And that feels apt. When "Daredevil" Season 2 debuted in 2016, I felt like Frank Castle, as portrayed by Jon Bernthal, was one of the best parts of the uneven season. Many felt the same, and quickly plans were made for Bernthal's take on Castle to get his own series. That series debuted on Friday, and it almost immediately feels like a misstep, especially given the violent and depressing climate we live in. This show is unrelentingly violent, as the character was on "Daredevil" when he was a small piece of a larger whole. Here, it is just Frank and his dour demeanor and methods. This is one of the reasons that "The Punisher" hasn't worked well as a feature film, either. But this series also suffers from the same problems that many of these Marvel series have struggled with, it's too long. "The Defenders," which debuted in August, was a crisp eight episodes, with each installment often around 45 minutes. That felt like the right formula, and a deviation from previous seasons. But with "The Punisher," we're back to 13 episodes, many of which 50 minutes or more. The first two I watched often felt like a slog, especially the first one that feels essentially like filler meant to prod the character back to his uber-violent vigilante ways. I still like Bernthal, and I think he plays the part well, but so far I'm unimpressed with the story "The Punisher" is trying to put together. It remains to be seen if the remaining 11 episodes can do anything to get the series back on track. For those deeply invested in the Marvel world, this will likely be a series you'll get through at some point. But for casual viewers, "The Punisher" offers little to grab onto.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C