Summer TV Roundup, Week 5


We're in a weird transitory phase of summer TV. There are big premiers coming, even starting this week, but for now, it's been a trickle. In these weekly posts I look at the pilot and second episode of new scripted series this summer. Don't see a new show below? Check previous weeks.

Streaming Series:
Picnic at Hanging Rock, Now Streaming on Amazon Prime (Premiered May 25)
About: The latest series on Amazon is a streaming series from Australia — a series version of the famous novel/movie "Picnic at Hanging Rock." It stars Natalie Dormer as the headmistress of a school where four women disappear while on a picnic on Valentine's Day in 1900. I never read the book or saw the movie from Peter Weir, so I came into this adaptation cold in terms of story. And it was interesting to watch the beginning, which suggests a fascinating supernatural element to the story. But the remainder of episode one and all of episode two were a bit dry to me. I could see the cliffhanger at the end of episode two is meant to help keep you hooked to the remainder of the series (which runs six episodes), but I wasn't really taken with the story or the characters. This is a solid production, but I think interest in it will rely a bit on how you take to the story.
Pilot Grade: C
Second Episode: C

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